With healthy self-confidence you’ll take more chances and overcome obstacles faster. How do you boost your self-confidence? Here are some easy-to-try-out trips.
Speak well of yourself. We become what we think about most of the time. If you continually tell yourself you “can’t do something”, you’re sure to create that reality for yourself, because that is how you see yourself. On the other hand, if you repeatedly say and think to yourself something like, “I am capable of creating a life I love”, soon you will begin creating a life you love.
Surround yourself with self-confident people and positive environments. It sounds a bit obvious, but if you have friends that lack confidence, you probably do too. If you’re surrounded by people who criticize others and speak poorly of themselves, get out! Remove yourself from their company. Seek out friends who are confident and you’ll feel your confidence increasing.
Don’t say you’re going to do something unless you really intend to do it. We’ve all met the “big talkers” – people who talk about their big plans but never do anything to make them happen. The “big talkers” lose face because no one believes they’ll do what they say they’re going to do.
Accept fear and obstacles as a natural part of life and growth. Don’t beat yourself up when you find yourself gripped(抓住) by fear and other emotions. Be aware when these feelings are present but don’t let them stop you. Keep moving forward by telling yourself you’re much more than the obstacles you face and failures you experience.
Once a month, take a few moments to write down all that you have done well. Acknowledge the work you do and your strengths on a regular basis. In doing so, you’ll begin seeing and appreciating all the good you do.
| A．Start with small steps. |
| B．We become what we say about ourselves. |
| C．Negative environments are hard to escape. |
| D．Don’t judge yourself for having these feelings. |
E. In fact, no company is better than bad company.
F. Take action on what you say you’re going to do.
G. Take time out to focus on all that you have done well.
Every animal sleeps,but the reason for this has remained foggy.When lab rats are not allowed to sleep,they die within a month. 71
One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories. 72 We know that,while awake,fresh memories are recorded by reinforeing (加强)connections between brain cells,but the memory processes that take place while we sleep have been unclear.
Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved so that connections between neurons(神经元)in the brain can be weakened overnight,making room for fresh memories to from the next day. 73
Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right. 74 The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep,showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.
If Tononi`s theory is right,it would explain why,when we miss a night`s,we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information-our brains may have smaller room for new experences.
Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapscs become thinner.The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size. 75 "You keep what matters,"Tononi says.
| A． |
We should also try to sleep well the night before. |
| B． |
Ti's as if the brain is preserving its most important memories. |
| C． |
Similarly, when people go for a few days without sleeping, they get sick. |
| D． |
The processes take place to stop our brains becoming loaded with memories. |
| E． |
That's why students do better in tests if they get a chance to sleep after learning. |
| F． |
"Sleep is the price we pay for learning," says Giulio Tononi, who developed the idea. |
| G． |
Tononi's team measured the size of these connections, or synapses, in the brains of 12 mice. |
A garden that's just right for you
Have you ever visited a garden that seemed just right for you, where the atmosphere of the garden appeared to total more than the sum(总和) of its parts? 16 . But it doesn't happen by accident. It starts with looking inside yourself and understanding who you are with respect to the natural world and how you approach the gardening process.
●___ 17
Some people may think that a garden is no more than plants, flowers, patterns and masses of color. Others are concerned about using gardening methods that require less water and fewer fertilizers(肥料). 18 . However, there are a number of other reasons that might explain why you want to garden. One of them comes from our earliest years.
● Recall(回忆)your childhood memories
Our model of what a garden should be often goes back to childhood. Grandma's rose garden and Dad's vegetable garden might be good or bad, but that's not what's important. 19 --how being in those gardens made us feel. If you'd like to build a powerful bond with your garden, start by taking some time to recall the gardens of your youth. 20 then go outside and work out a plan to translate your childhood memories into your grown-up garden. Have fun.
| A． |
Know why you garden |
| B． |
Find a good place for your own garden |
| C． |
It's our experience of the garden that matters |
| D． |
It's delightful to see so many beautiful flowers |
| E． |
Still others may simply enjoy being outdoors and close to plants |
| F． |
You can produce that kind of magical quality in your own garden, too |
| G． |
For each of those gardens, writer down the strongest memory you have |
The Science of Risk-Seeking
Sometimes We decide that a little unnecessary danger is worth it because when we weigh the risk and the reward, the risk seems worth taking. 71 Some of us enjoy activities that would surprise and scare the rest of us. Why? Experts say it may have to do with how our brains work.
The reason why any of us take any risks at all might have to do with early humans. Risk-takers were better at hunting, fighting, or exploring. 72 As the quality of Risk-taking was passed from on ration to the next, humans ended up with a sense of adventure and a tolerance for risk.
So why aren't we all jumping out of airplanes then? Well, even 200,000 years ago, too much risk-taking could get one Killed. A few daring survived, though, along with a few stay-in-the-cave types. As a result, humans developed a range of character types that still exists today. So maybe you love car racing, or maybe you hate it. 73
No matter where you are on the risk-seeking range, scientists say that your willingness to take risks increases during your teenage years. 74 To help you do that, your brain increases your hunger for new experiences. New experiences often mean taking some risks, so your brain raises your tolerance for risk as well.
Mean taking some risks, so your brain raisers your tolerance for risk as well.
75For the risk-seekers a part of the brain related to pleasure becomes active, while for the rest of us, a part of the brain related to fear becomes active.
As experts continue to study the science of risk-seeking, we'll continue to hit the mountains, the waves or the shallow end of the pool.
| A． |
It all depends on your character. |
| B． |
Those are the risks you should jump to take. |
| C． |
Being better at those things meant a greater chance of survival. |
| D． |
Thus, these well-equipped people survived because they were the fittest. |
| E． |
This is when you start to move away from your family and into the bigger world. |
| F． |
However, we are not all using the same reference standard to weigh risks and rewards. |
| G． |
New brain research suggests our brains work differently when we face a nervous situation. |
I experienced years of loneliness as a child．（1） His friends teased him about babysitting his sister and his interests were far different from mine．With no other kids of my age in the neighborhood，I had to spend hours by myself．
A bright spot for me turned out to be reading．My love of the written word began early as my mother read to me every evening．（2） I started reading books on my own before age 5 and my mother took me to the public library once a week to borrow several books．I quickly graduated from typical children's books to ones with fewer pictures and longer chapters．Reading opened new worlds to me．（3）
My mother also encouraged me to make what I wanted．I tried making toy cars with cardboard boxes and constructing buildings from leftover cardboard and bits of wood my father gave me．When my mother saw my creations，she told me how creative my designs were．（4） I learned a lot about how to extend the life of objects and transform them into something new and useful．It was a trait（特点）others found helpful，and I soon had friends who wanted to make things with me．
（5） My parents made it a point for their two kids to spend time outside，no matter the weather or season．My brother，of course，raced off to be with his friends，while I had plenty to do myself．There was making leaf houses in autumn，ice skating in winter，and so much more．They're all memories I treasure today．
| A． |
I wasn't alone any longer． |
| B． |
I enjoyed reading stories aloud． |
| C． |
I was invited to play with another kid． |
| D． |
I loved the colorful photographs in the books． |
| E． |
Another habit I formed early was being outdoors． |
| F． |
Thus，I began my lifelong interest in making things． |
| G． |
My older brother couldn't be bothered to play with me． |
Some individuals are born with a gift for public speaking．（1） Do you want to be a good public speaker？Here are some principles you most master．
People want to listen to someone who is interesting，relaxed and comfortable．Too often，when you stand up to give a speech，you focus on the "public" at the expense of the "speaking．" （2） Focus on the speaking．Talk directly to your audience，be yourself and make a connection．
Even the most successful public speaker will make mistakes．Yet，the only one who cares about any mistake is the one who is speaking．People's attention wanders constantly．In fact，most people only absorb about 20 percent of a speaker's message．So，don't stop speaking when you make a mistake unless it's a truly serious one．（3）
Your goal is not to be a perfect public speaker．（4） And like everything else in life，that takes practice．Remember，even world champion athletes practice their skills on a consistent basis．
（5） It's rare to hear someone say，"I wish that speaker had spoken longer．" On the other hand，you probably can't count the times that you've thought，"I'm glad that talk is over．It seemed to go on forever!" So surprise your audience．Always make your presentation just a bit shorter than anticipated．It's better to leave your listeners wishing for more than shifting restlessly in their seats waiting for your speech finally to end．
| A． |
Do the opposite． |
| B． |
You want to be an effective public speaker． |
| C． |
You don't need to apologize for a minor slip． |
| D． |
When it comes to public speaking，less is usually more． |
| E． |
The objective of most speeches is to benefit the audience． |
| F． |
Take the fear out of public speaking by focusing on your listeners． |
| G． |
However，the majority of people are effective speakers because they train to be． |