“Image is everything．” An entire industry has been built upon the assumption that image is everything, but when it comes down to it, an appealing image is not enough．If there is no substance（事实） behind the image, the product, service or person will fail eventually．

First of all, one should consider how important image is in the selling of products and services．Advertising agencies have raised the art of creating an image to a state of near perfection．Public concept of that product or service is certainly managed by the images created by the advertising agencies．But if the product or service does not live up to the image that was created, the customer will be very dissatisfied and possibly ask for their money back．For example, the Arthur Andersen accounting firm had spent decades building up an image of trustworthiness．But the recent scandal（丑闻）showed that behind that image, it cheated in business practices．Despite the previous positive image, the firm is being accused of criminal actions and it will probably not survive as a business unit．Although the image had been nearly perfect, the reality behind the image has led to the downfall of the world famous accounting firm．

Similarly, personal advisers can build up a public image for politicians and movie stars．Putting out positive news releases, making sure that only the best photographs are published, and ensuring that the person is seen in all the right places can build up a very positive image in the view of the general commons．But once again, history is filled with examples of both politicians and movie stars that fell from grace like the story of the Hollywood actor giving in to the pressures of fame and fortune．With people, just as with products and services, image is certainly important, but without positive substance behind the image, failure is close．

To summarize, it is clear that an appealing image is extremely important to success, whether that image is related to selling a product or service or to the “selling” of a person．But image is only half of the equation．What lies behind that image is every bit as important as the image itself —— the person or product must deliver on that image or there is little chance for long-term success．

_____   _____    _____    _____    _____     _____    _____   _____     _____   _____ 

How to Build Confidence

Everybody in this world wants to be rich and successful. But, the big question is HOW? How can you turn yourself into a popular personality?

Well, you need to have confidence. Confidence is the feeling of certainty and trusting in one’s own ability. Start your journey to become successful by following these six confidence-building steps.

Recognize what makes you feel inferior-- Let’s accept the fact that no one in this world is perfect. Everyone has some shortcomings and it is natural. So, if there is something that makes you feel ashamed of yourself just make a note of it. Instead of being upset over your shortcomings, you need to figure out ways to overcome them.

Dress smartly and look more attractive-- Yes, you are right that a person should be beautiful at heart but you ought to work on your looks too. You might have not realized but dressing up nicely can increase your confidence. Work hard to improve your looks and you will definitely notice a positive change in your personally.

Don’t worry about what others say-- Those who think about others car never succeed in their lives. So, if you really wish to increase your confidence levels, stop thinking about the world right away. Have faith in your capabilities and show the world that you are a leader. And just in case you are afraid of criticism, your dream of becoming successful person will always remain a dream.

Stay happy– Happiness plays an important part in a successful life. So, try to find out what makes you happy and keep yourself involved in those activities only.

Be a curious learner-- Learning is part of our life. It is a continuous process which lasts till the last breath. Knowledge not only makes you superior but enriches your personality altogether.

Express yourself-- There are many people who don’t express their feelings and opinions at all just because they are afraid of being laughed at. Well, don’t be afraid and express yourself wherever possible, it will make people realize your presence and you may get the response. So, the next time you have something on your mind, say it aloud.

Self esteem and confidence are some of the most important things you need to be successful in life.

A

   John snow was a famous doctor in London-so expert, indeed, that he attended queen Victora as her personal physician.  ____71____This was the deadly disease of its day. Neither its cause nor its cure was understood.________72____

John snow wanted to face the challenge and solve this problem. He knew that cholera would never be controlled until its cause was found.

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Dear Miss Wang,

(1)____________________Huzhou Senior High School. I(2)________________. I’m not very good at (3)____________________________. Although I

(7)______________________,but I don’t know how.(8)________________________________________if you could give me some advice..

Yours,

Xiaodong

(汉语提示：我是福州高级中学的学生。我有一个问题。我不善于与他人交流。虽然我尽力与同学交流，我还是发现难以交到新朋友。所以我有时感到很孤独。我的确想改变现状，但不知怎样才行。如果你能给我一些建议，我将不胜感激。)

A

    Festivals and celebrations of all kinds have been held everywhere since ancient times. 71. ________________________ Sometimes celebrations would be held after hunters had caught animals. 72. ______________________________________Today’s festi vals have many origins, some religious, some seasonal, and some for special people or events.

B

For several billion years after the “Big Bang”, the earth was still just a cloud of dust. What it was to become was uncertain until between 4. 5 and 3. 8 billion years ago whenthe dust settled into a solid globe. 73. ________________________________________ It exploded loudly with fire and rock. They were intime to produce carbon, nitrogen, water vapour and other gases, which were to make the earth’s atmosphere. 74. ________________________________________

    Water had also appeared on other planets like Mars but, unlike the earth, it had disappeared later. It was not immediately obvious that water was to be fundamental to the development of life. 75. _______________________________________________________This produced a chain reaction, which made it possible for life to develop.

Although many Chinese students say that their knowledge of English grammar is good, most would admit that their spoken English is poor. Whenever I speak to some Chinese students, they always say, “My spoken English is poor.” However, their spoken English does not have to remain “poor.” I would like to suggest that there may be some reasons for their problems with spoken English.

First, they fail to find suitable words to express themselves because of a limited vocabulary. Obviously the better answer is to enlarge their vocabulary. However, you can speak with a limited vocabulary, if your attitude is positive. Others will follow you as long as you use the words that you know.

Second, they are afraid of making mistakes. Sometimes they make mistakes when they are speaking because they are shy and nervous. Yet students should remember that their goal should be FLUENCY　NOT　ACCURACY. Your aim in writing is to be accurate following the rules for grammar and using them to get your message across. But talk to someone in English, as quickly and well as you can, even though sometimes you may use a wrong word or tense, but it doesn’t matter because the person you are speaking to will understand and forgive you for any mistakes he hears.

The third reason is that not enough attention is paid to listening. You have one mouth but two ears! All that hearing is necessary for you to start speaking.

Fourth, most Chinese students are reactive rather than proactive(预先主动的) language learners. Instead of actively seeking out opportunities to improve their spoken English, they passively wait for speaking opportunities to come to them and wonder why their English always remains poor. If you have this proactive outlook(观点), then, you will see English opportunities wherever you go.

If you do not use your English beyond the classroom you will forget the English you know. Remember: USE IT OR LOSE IT! You can learn how to speak English better by speaking English more.

I used to be the messiest person alive. Over the years, through watching others and by trial and error, I have finally found ways to come up with plans, organize them and follow through with them.

Make an outline of everything you need to have and do to make your plan happen. Make a list of all of the steps that need to be accomplished and think about what needs to be done.

Detail everything thoroughly and read over it so you can start coming up with some mental solutions of how to carry out your plans.

You should ensure that if for some reason way one doesn’t work, you have way two and way three to lean back on. Therefore, different ways are needed at hand. It’s just a matter of being organized. Chances are that there is always more than one way of doing things, and chances are that if one of those ways doesn’t work, one of the other ones will.

Committing yourself to finishing at least part if not all of your plan at once is also necessary. It will show that you not only have initiative to get things rolling, but that you are interested in the results obtained with making the move to get everything done.

If you make a commitment to finish before a specific time, make sure that you carry that out, and be sure to do everything in the way you said you would, within the time-frame you set for yourself.

Don’t try to tackle more things all at a time. All that does is delay your progress, distract you and make you lose your interest, motivation and energy.

Carrying out an effective plan requires being as organized as possible. You will only achieve this by sticking to the order of the plan and not deviating or trying to do more at a time.

Last but not least, you should never abandon things mid-project. It will only annoy everyone around you including yourself. Unfinished plans are a waste of time, energy and, in some cases, even money.

So, don’t be afraid of organization. The older we get, the more necessary it becomes to have the skills to follow through with confidence and to be able to carry through plans in an organized and manageable way. It pays to be organized, after all.

You may argue with your partner and end up in a quarrel; or you disagree with a friend, and have an argument with him or her. In either case, you end up feeling low, and want to make up as soon as possible. The only way is to say “sorry”! This is the most precious word in the English language. Read on to find out how to say sorry in the right way.

  The first thing to remember is not to hide your feelings. Apologize(道歉) only if you really do feel sorry. Do not lie or give false excuses. Even if it takes the person a long time to respond(回应)，do not let your temper rise, since you cannot expect a person to accept your apology at once. Give your partner time to cool off a bit, and then apologize. It is always better to sort things out quickly. Remember that it does no good to keep arguing about who is right or wrong when tempers are flying.

  When apologizing, always look the other in the eyes, and stay calm. Do you want to know how to say sorry to a girl? Once you’ve accepted that you’ve make a mistake, meet her personally to apologize. Never say sorry to a girl on the phone. You can say sorry with flowers or with a card. Small gifts are also very effective.

  It can be difficult to say sorry after a fight. A written apology for an unforgivable mistake, such as cheating, is often the best way.

  To conclude, admitting a mistake is very important, and it takes courage to apologize for bad behaviour. Your effort will not change the past, but can have a big effect on the future.

How to Say Sorry

Do you know your uneasy adolescent might be experiencing teen depression? Of course. Teen depression(压抑) isn’t just bad moods and occasional sadness—it’s a serious problem that affects every aspect of a teenager’s normal life. The negative effects can lead to problems, such as smoking, violence and even suicide. But depression can be treated. So if your teen’s unhappiness lasts for more than two weeks and he or she displays other symptoms of depression, it may be time to seek help from a health doctor.

There are multiple reasons why a teenager might become unhappy. For example, teens can develop feelings ofworthlessness over their school performance. And unsatisfied family life can have a major effect on how a teen feels. Sometimes, teen depression may result from environmental stress. But whatever the cause, when friends or family—or things that the teen usually enjoy—don’t help to improve his or her sadness or sense of isolation, there’s a good chance that he or she has teen depression.

There are certain signs when teenagers are suffering from teen depression. Often, kids with teen depression will have a noticeable change in their thinking and behavior. Kids with teen depression may have a change in eating habits. Teenagers are likely to eat too much or not to eat enough for long periods of time, which should not be mistaken for an eating disorder. Parents should distinguish this change from eating disorders.

Changing in sleeping habits is another indication of adolescent depression. All teenagers love to sleep. However, a sudden change in sleep behavior for no good reason is what parents should be paying attention to.

A reduction of favorite activities, such as sports or chatting with friends, is another sign that cannot be neglected. If a teenager loves a sport and during the middle of the season suddenly decides to stop, there is a reason to be concerned about this change.

When teenagers suffer from depression, they easily get annoyed or react badly to negative things. They may become defiant as there is potential depression. The depressed teenagers may get into rude or offensive remarks as well as fighting.

Making statements of despair is another sign. They have no hope for their studies, their life and their future. This is very serious since it is estimated that every year approximately 10 teenagers from every 100, 000 commit suicide.

How is it treated? Here are methods, including medications and psychotherapy. Family therapy may be helpful if family conflict is contributing to the depression. The depressed teens will also need support from teachers. Occasionally, hospitalization may be required for teenagers with severe depression.

When young children are learning to ride a bicycle, they require that their parents hold on to the back of the bike so that they gain confidence and won’t fall off.

However, when children leave to go to college, or get married, parents must accept that their children are riding off into their own future. At this time, parents shouldn’t stand back and with the children gone, they are left with an empty nest. How can parents get through this period of life?

The first thing you should do is nothing at all. You should actually take some time to rest since your child was born. Just relax yourself for the work you put into your child.

Taking some time for yourself will allow you to adjust to (适应) the change and figure out how you really feel about your child’s departure (离开). You shouldn’t compare how you feel with how other people feel, as everyone’s experience of an empty nest is different.

Exercise is a great mood lifter. A physical fitness program may have been one of the first sacrifices (牺牲) you made when your child came along; now, with fewer duties, you’ll have time to hit the gym regularly. If you have a friend who also has become an empty nester recently, you may have found a new companion. Not only will you get the chance to share dealing with tips, you’ll also create social opportunities for yourself, which will get you out of that empty house if you need to.

We all have those things that we say we’ll do or learn “someday”. If you’re an empty nester, the “someday” might just be now.

If you’re not sure exactly what to do in all your spare time, take your time and think about it. It will, however, probably be easier to figure out your dream when you’re out. Try exploring a nearby museum or attraction you’ve never visited.

Many parents may fear an empty nest because they worry that their little birds have flown away forever. Try setting up a regular phone date with your child. A once-a-week call may make you feel satisfied while giving your child a reasonable degree of freedom.