How to Speak in Meetings
Making your voice heard is one way to gain respect in your school or workplace. Yet, you may feel like you have nothing new to say or contribute. Here are some ways to make you feel ready for a meeting.
1.Having some ideas about what you want to say already planned out can help you to feel more confident in a meeting. Try writing down a few ideas for questions you can ask or ideas you can bring up in the meeting2.
Be the first speaker. If you want to speak yet somehow talk your way out of it, try being the first to say something. 3.Make a point to jump in first and create discussion instead of delaying your comments.
Speak confidently. 4.Make your words meaningful. Even if you don’t feel confident, show confidence in what you’re saying and how you’re saying it. Speak clearly and try to avoid fillers like “ uh” or “um”.
Make a brief point. There’s no need, to ramble on (啰嗦地说) to make sure that you’re heard or that people understand you. 5. Make what you say memorable, not time-wasting. Take some time to form your thoughts and ideas, and then say it in a clear and effective way.
A.Make sure you turn to your teachers for help.
B.Focus on speaking clearly and with fewer words.
C.Plan out a few talking points before the meeting.
D.Speaking first means you have less time to doubt yourself.
E.Use these notes to guide you when you are ready to speak.
F.Surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself.
G.You don’t need to shout or talk over people to say something confidently.
After bikes and umbrellas are made sharable across China, some companies started eyeing the fitness market, so shared gym rooms have hit the streets in Beijing.
Unlike regular gyms that provide large, open spaces for many members to share at the same time, the newly built shared gym rooms are small, stand-alone rooms for a person to use, often set up near living communities.
Every four-square-meter room is equipped with a treadmill (跑步机), an air cleaner, a mirror, a television and an air conditioner, and users can let down the curtains for privacy. When exercising, users can listen to music, watch movies and check emails by connecting to the Internet by the screen fixed on the treadmill. There’s no shower or washbasin.
Similar to using a shared bike, users can locate a shared gym room by smartphone application, book a room in advance and then need to scan (扫描) a QR code for use. A refundable deposit (保证金) of 99 yuan is required, and users are charged 0.2 yuan per minute.
The shared gym rooms are created by Misspao, a Beijing-based technology company founded in July. Within two weeks since it was founded, the company has already got two rounds of funding valued over 100 million yuan, Yicai Global reports. The idea of the shared fitness experience is not entirely nascent. Last December, the Shanghai-based technology company VRUN set up shared treadmills in office and apartment buildings.
The sharing economy is still becoming popular in China. According to Yicai Global, confident investors are pouring millions into sharing start-ups. In March, the State Information Center published a report which predicts that the total value of China’s sharing economy will see a yearly growth of 40% in the coming years, and it is expected to contribute around 10% to the country’s GDP by 2020.
1.What makes the shared gym room different from the regular one?
A.Offering open spaces. B.Standing in the living zone.
C.Holding one person at a time. D.Having some advanced equipment.
2.What can we learn about the shared gym room from the text?
A.Users can have a shower in it after exercise.
B.Users who want to use it need a smartphone.
C.Users who use it first need to pay for 99.2 yuan.
D.Users’ privacy can’t be protected while they are exercising.
3.What does the underlined word “nascent” probably mean in Paragraph 5?
A.Simple. B.Popular. C.Satisfying. D.New.
4.What is the author’s purpose of writing the text?
A.To introduce shared gym rooms.
B.To advertise a technology company.
C.To predict the future of the sharing economy.
D.To persuade people to support the sharing economy.
The average American family will spend somewhere around $637 on back-to-school supplies for each elementary school child this year and twice that for a high school student. Add to that the fact that both children and parents feel anxious about the transition (过渡) of going back to school at the end of summer. For this, Jermaine Smith of Cleveland and four other barbers decided to cut hair for about 40 kids and teens for free last Saturday.
In fact, Smith has been giving back to the community in other ways long before this weekend. He cuts hair by day, but in the evenings, after bringing his daughter home from school, he goes to work as a police officer.
“A lot of parents bring their kids to me for haircuts because I’m a police officer. They trust me because they think that I teach kids to do the right things in the barber shop. I always tell young men that they always get to stay neat and attractive, and people tend to treat them with respect,” Smith says. “When you get your hair cut, you look good and feel good.”
Maybe a service that would only cost $15 regularly seems like just a drop in the bucket, but child and teen psychologist Dr. Barbara Greenberg sees this as more than just a one-time free service. Other free haircut and school supply events have appeared unexpectedly all across the country this month, as organizers have recognized how much parents can use this extra help.
Greenberg says, “One of the ways to make a transition easier is to make it fun and introduce something new or unusual, so the whole idea of getting a haircut makes kids feel special and important.” The haircuts were just part of the Start School on the Right Foot event, which also handed out about 50 backpacks full of school supplies.
1.Why did Jermaine Smith and other barbers cut hair for kids?
A.To improve the community service.
B.To prepare children for the competition.
C.To help children and parents reduce anxiety.
D.To provide back-to-school supplies for children.
2.Which of the following can best describe Jermaine Smith?
A.Honest and generous. B.Creative and friendly.
C.Grateful and thoughtful. D.Reliable and responsible.
3.What does Jermaine Smith want young people to do?
A.Form a healthy lifestyle. B.Treat people with respect.
C.Get along well with others. D.Leave a good impression on people.
4.What is Dr. Barbara Greenberg glad to see?
A.More parents are willing to work together.
B.More people take action to help kids in school.
C.People amuse the little kids in school regularly.
D.People try to make kids feel special and important.
Minutes after the last movie ended yesterday at the Plaza Theater, employees were busy sweeping up popcorns and gathering coke cups. It was a scene that had been repeated many times in the theater’s 75-year history. This time, however, the cleanup was a little different. As one group of workers carried out the rubbish, another group began removing seats and other theater equipment in preparation for the building’s end.
The classic film The Last Picture Show was the last movie shown in the old theater. Though the movie is 30 years old, most of the 250 seats were filled with teary-eyed audience wanting to say good-bye to the old building. Theater owner Ed Bradford said he chose the movie because it seemed appropriate. The movie is set in a small town where the only movie theater is preparing to close down.
Bradford said that large modern theaters in the city made it impossible for the Plaza to compete. He added that the theater’s location(位置) was also a reason. “This used to be the center of town,” he said. “Now the area is mostly office buildings and warehouses.”
Last week some city officials suggested the city might be interested in turning the old theater into a museum and public meeting place. However, these plans were abandoned because of financial problems. Bradford sold the building and land to a local development firm, which plans to build a shopping complex on the land where the theater is located.
The theater audience said good-bye as Bradford locked the doors for the last time. After 75 years the Plaza Theater had shown its last movie. The theater will be missed.
1.In what way was yesterday’s cleanup at the Plaza special?
A.It made room for new equipment. B.It marked the 75th anniversary of the theater.
C.It was done with the help of the audience. D.It signaled the close down of the theater.
2.Why was The Last Picture Show put on?
A.It was an all-time classic. B.It was about the history of the town.
C.The theater owner found it suitable. D.The audience requested it.
3.What will probably happen to the building?
A.It will be repaired. B.It will be knocked down.
C.It will be turned into a museum. D.It will be sold to the city government.
4.What can we infer about the audience?
A.They are sad to part with the old theater. B.They are disappointed with Bradford.
C.They are supportive of the city officials. D.They are eager to have a shopping center.
Travelling can be a fun way to gain life experiences, but what if you’re a student and don’t have enough money for a trip? Don’t worry. Here are some useful tips.
Save: This probably is the most important preparation for travelling. Cut expenses(花费) to fatten your wallet so you’ll have more choices about where to go and how to get there.
Plan ahead: Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your trip. Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security and savings.
Do your homework: No matter where you go, research the places you will visit. Decide what to see.
Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants
Plan sensibly. Write down how much you expect to spend on food and hotels. Stick to(坚持) your plan, or you may not have enough money to cover everything.
Travel in groups: Find someone who is interested in visiting the same places. By travelling with others you can share costs and experiences.
Work as you go: Need more money to support your trip. Look for work in places you visit.
Go off the beaten path: Tourist cities may be expensive. You may want to rethink about your trip and go to a less known area. Smaller towns can have many interesting activities(活动) and sights.
Pack necessary things: The most important things to take are not always clothes. Remember to take along medicine in case you get sick and snacks in case you cannot find a cheap restaurant.
By planning sensibly, even students can enjoy their travel. Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime.
1.Before your trip, the first thing you should do is______
A.to make a plan of the route B.to get information on the Internet
C.to save money by spending less D.to buy tickets ahead of time
2.The writer advises you_________
A.to share costs with any other people B.not to go to well-known places
C.not to visit dangerous places D.to buy anything you want to buy
3.Which of the following can be used as the best title of the passage?
A.How to Plan Your Travel Wisely B.Travel Can Be Great Fun
C.Different Kinds of Travel D.How to Save Money
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Why did researchers put a tracking collar on the fox?
A.To lead her a right way.
B.To force her to do things.
C.To know her whereabouts.
2.When did the fox get to Ellesmere Island?
A.On March 26. B.On June 21. C.On July 1.
3.What helped the fox travel fast in researchers’ view?
A.Human assistance. B.The floating sea ice. C.Her fast running speed.
4.What happened to the fox after February, 2019?
A.It died. B.It got injured. C.It’s unknown.
