Getting to know other people is a typical activity in our daily lives. Even if you're good with people，there are likely times when you're stuck for something more to say and start wondering what topic to bring up next. 【小题1】

Talk about the other person.

The biggest secret to being a good conversationalist is simply allowing the other people to talk about themselves. Why? 【小题2】

Ask about work.

This one can be a little tricky because the conversation could end up sounding like a job interview. Still, if you can handle it carefully and keep it short and sweet, it can lead to an interesting discussion.

【小题3】

This is where it starts to get more personal. It’s up to you to carry on the conversation using these questions in a proper way. Do you play or follow any sports? What do you like to read? What kind of music do you like?

Ask about their travels.

Ask the person where they’ve been. Even if they have never left their hometown, they will likely be happy to talk about where they want to go. If you had a chance to move to any other country, which one would it be and why? 【小题4】 How did you like it?

Know what to avoid.

You know the old rule: never talk about religion, politics, money, family problems, or women’s age with people you don’t know well. 【小题5】 So you should stay extremely clear.

   Whether you're meeting a customer for the first time or interviewing potential new employees, making a great first impression is important.

Research suggests that fairly _______ first impressions are made as soon as within one-tenth of a second of meeting someone. Then how do you _______ you come across well?Apart from the _______ practice - dress smartly, shake hands firmly, make eye contact, you can do _______ to make sure you make a good first impression.

Making a good first impression will be a lot _______ if you understand what exactly a good first impression involves. Edwards, CEO of Science of People,suggests becoming _______ of how you want to be sensed before the meeting. “ _______ you get ready, think about what kind of people you want to _______ and what kind of interactions you want to have. ”

Add value to the _______ . If you don't have anything interesting to say, perhaps you can ________ not to say anything. Sally, the author of How The World Sees You, stresses why you need to ________ value to the conversation. ” You want your listeners to ________ the conversation feeling good about their investment（投入）of time and ________ . What can you ________ to the discussion? For example, has your  team recently learned a new ________ to connect via a conference call,or attract new customers? If you're not adding value ,you're just ________ time. ”

Forget about your personal schedule. It's going to be difficult to make a good impression if you're ________ in some personal schedule. Andrew, Director of Business Development, ________ dropping your personal schedule and ________ , being friendly and honest with the people who may be able to help  each other. Generosity is an attractive ________ and it's something special that people will remember about you.

   Several recent cases of violence（暴力）against students at U.S. colleges have made global headlines，arousing questions about the safety of America’s campuses. Yet government data show that the number of violent assaults（袭击）at colleges actually has decreased in recent years. And most schools have worked to increase safety through technology and student behavior.

It’s also important for students to take responsibility for their own safety. Being familiar with local neighborhoods and campus services is key. Personal-safety expert David Nance says the most important thing students can do is be attentive-which means not being distracted by smartphones or other devices.

The website for the group PEACE OUTSIDE CAMPUS，formed in response to the murder of a student from the University of Delaware in her off-campus apartment in 2005，lists additional measures students can take：

1. Don’t walk alone after dark or while drunk. Contact a friend to take you where you need to go.

2. When driving，keep your doors locked，and park in well-lit areas.

3. Don’t wear earphones or play music so loudly that you are unaware of your surroundings.

4. Trust your instinct（本能）and don’t worry about overreacting. You’re better safe than sorry.

5. Avoid entering elevators with strangers. When this is unavoidable，stand by the control panel and，if faced with a threatening way，push the emergency alarm and all the floor buttons. Don’t press the stop button.

6. Don’t hold the door open for a stranger attempting to enter the house，even if it seems rude. Ask them to identify themselves.

7. Post the police’s and fire departments’ numbers by every phone，and put them into your cellphone.

8. Label your emergency contacts as ICE（In Case of Emergency）in your cellphone so officials will know who to contact for important personal or medical information.

   Undoubtedly, the best way to prevent illnesses of the mind is to exercise the brain. Here’re some great exercises to sharpen your mind.

Never stop learning. 【小题1】 One way is to take classes online through websites like Coursera, org or Edx. org, where you can take courses from the top universities for free. Perhaps you would like to learn a new language. 【小题2】 There are wonderful language programs available through RosettaStone. com and Duolingo.com which offer many lessons to choose from.

Read something everyday. Reading itself is a wonderful brain exercise. Make a point to read something every day. It could be a newspaper, book, blog or magazine, but the more informative it is, the more of a workout it will be for your thinking cap. 【小题3】

Exercise your body. Exercising your body affects your strength, mood and fitness. Exercise excites the nervous system and causes you to perform at a higher level.

【小题4】 Communicating with others on topics of common interest is a great workout. Talking about in-depth topics like headline news and political interests exercises your ability to pay attention and focus. There are always many like-minded people who enjoy the same hobbies or share the same beliefs.

Play games. The act of solving problems and figuring out puzzles is excellent for keeping your brain in shape. 【小题5】 Solving math equations or word puzzles, and even just a quick game of Bubble Witch will do wonders for your thinking processes.