We know that choosing a college major can be very hard. But have no fear! Your choice of major will not lock you into a specific career for the rest of your life. Here's what you need to know about college majors before you choose.

What is a major?

__1__ Beyond general college requirements, you'll also take a group of courses in a subject of your choosing, such as Chemistry, Literature, or Political  Science.

How important is my major?

The major you choose will neither predict nor guarantee your future. Many graduates find jobs that have nothing to do with what they studied in college. If you intend to earn a professional degree after college, you will probably need certain courses.__2__

When do I choose a major?

This varies widely across schools and programs. __3__ Others require that you decide upon a major by the time that you set foot inside your first class.

__4__

Definitely.  One of the most exciting aspects of college life is that it introduces you to new subjects and arouses new passions. However, keep this in mind: every major has necessary coursework. If you change your major late in the game, it may take more than the traditional four years to earn a degree.

What are minors and double majors?

If one field of study doesn't satisfy your intellectual appetite, consider a minor. A minor is similar to a major in that it's an area of academic concentration.    __5__ A double major provides you with an understanding of two academic fields. It allows you to become familiar with two sets of values and views while it also requires you to fulfill two sets of requirements.

A．Can I change my mind?

B．Is my major time－consuming?

C．It's your specialized area of study in college.

D．Most students find one major is more than enough.

E．Some schools may give you one year or more to decide.

F．Many future science doctors major in non－science related fields.

G．The only difference is that it doesn't require as many classes.

The process of forgiveness can be a liberating experience. Interestingly, forgiveness can only occur because we have been given the gift of the ability to make choices.     __1__    The choice of offering forgiveness develops along three steps.

At step one you are filled with self­justified anger. At some point in your life you have been hurt and you are mad at the person who you feel has wronged you. You blame the person committing the wrong.    __2__    You have forgotten that you have a choice as to how you will react.

The second step towards forgiveness emerges when after feeling angry with someone for a while you realize that the anger does not feel good to you.    __3__     So you take steps to forgive. You may begin to see the problem from the other person's point of view or you may simply decide to let the problem go.    __4__   

The third stage of forgiveness comes after you have seen the beneficial results of forgiveness and you don't want to waste your precious life on discomfort. In this stage the choice is to work to either repair the relationship or let go of seeing the situation as a problem.    __5__    At this stage you are aware that the length of time you experience the situation as a sorrow is primarily up to you.

A．If we want to forgive someone, no one can stop us.

B．We have the choice to forgive or not to forgive and no one can force us to do either.

C．In either case you decide to forgive because you have had some practice with it and see the benefit in your life.

D．It is their action and not your choice of response that you feel causes your anger.

E．In either case you are no longer angry and you have forgiven the person.

F．This could emerge in a situation where you are cut off by another car on the road.

G．It may be hurting your emotional balance or your physical health.

Although problems are a part of our lives, it certainly doesn't mean that we let them rule our lives forever. One day or the other, you'll have to stand up and say—problem, I don't want you in my life.

__1__ Problems with friends, parents, girlfriends, husbands, and children—the list goes on.  Apart from these, the inner conflicts within ourselves work, too.  These keep adding to our problems. Problems come in different shapes and colors and feelings.

But good news is that all problems can be dealt with. Now read on to know how to solve your problems.

Talk, it really helps. What most of us think is that our problem can be understood only by us and that no talking is going to help.    __2__   Talking helps you move on and let go.

Write your problems.    __3__   When you write down your problems, you are setting free all the tension from your system. You can try throwing away the paper on which you wrote your problems. By doing this, imagine yourself throwing away the problems from your life.

Don't lose faith and hope. No matter what you lose in life, don't lose faith and hope. Even if you lose all your money, family ... you should still have faith.    __4__

Your problems aren't the worst. No matter what problem you get in life, there're another one million people whose problems are huger than yours.    __5__   Your problems might just seem big and worse, but in reality they can be removed.

Go about and solve your problems because every problem, however big or small, always has a way out.

A．But the truth is that when you talk about it, you're setting free the negative energies that    have been gathering within you.

B．When we have a problem, a pressing, critical, urgent, life­threatening problem, how do     we try and solve it?

C．Tell yourself: when they can deal with them,  why can't I?

D．Of course, we've been fighting problems ever since we were born.

E．We can often overcome the problem and achieve the goal by making a direct attack.

F．Having a personal diary can also be of huge help if you don't want a real person to talk    with.

G．With faith and hope, you can rebuild everything that you lost.

Public Speaking

Public speaking can be defined as the act of making a speech in front of a group of listeners.

The types of public speaking are deliberately structured with three general purposes: to inform, to persuade and to entertain the audience. An informative speech has a purpose to inform, or give knowledge to its audience.   __1__  For persuasive speech, the speaker would try to change the mindset, perception, or behavior of the audience for their own good. Thus, the speaker needs to look for common ground with the audience and try to relate to what they might agree on. The last type is a ceremonial speech. It tends to be less formal and more personal than the other types of speeches. No matter how well you know the person you are giving speech to, try not to say bad things about them, even if it is meant to be a joke.

__2__ Sparing some time to practice will help build confidence and help determine how long the presentation will last. Aside from it, knowing who the audience will be is quite necessary. Try to get as much information as possible regarding this particular area related to the audience. Knowing the “battlefield\” in advance will give the speakers a huge advantage.

Language is the main aspect a speaker needs to pay attention to while giving a speech. __3__  A speaker needs to choose their words carefully and make it clear to the audience what they mean. Often, when given a speech, the audience look to the speaker to give them something new and useful. __4__ Language and delivery (演讲方式) alone will not be sufficient if  the speaker does not have the body language. The movement and gesture of a speaker also affect the audience. While closing the speech or presentation, speakers can restate their main points, just to remind the audience of the important things that have been said.  __5__

A．It needs to be used clearly.

B．These speeches mark special occasions.

C．The important thing to watch about is not to put in too much information.

D．The key of perfecting anything is through practice, including public speaking.

E．They can also end it with a special message and encourage the audience to ask questions.

F．Knowing how public speaking is done is a key part in understanding the importance of it.

G．Thus, the speaker needs to know how to deliver their speech to fulfill the audience's expectation.

How Not to Be Awkward

Not all of us are outgoing and ready to take the world by storm.__1__   This usually happens when a person is still in his or her teen years and going through the socialization process. So, what can a person do to overcome this tendency to be awkward. Let's try to find answers to the questions.

Stay in shape and dress up well

Sometimes, awkwardness could be due to being overweight. When you are large in size, you tend to get very self­conscious. So, in order to avoid this, get into the habit of exercising every day.__2__   If you look as if you have just stepped out of a 1980's film when actually it is 2019, there is no doubt that you are bound to feel awkward about yourself.

Be optimistic

Another effective tip on how not to feel awkward is to always keep a smile on your face. __3__   On the other  hand, a smiling, happy and positive thinking person is appreciated by everybody. So, smile when you meet acquaintances or even strangers, say a cheerful “Hi！” and automatically some of your awkwardness will disappear completely!

Participate in team activities

This one really helps. Awkwardness generally develops when a person remains isolated from others. So, in order to change this situation, join groups.__4__   Joining people in book reading sessions as well as debates will help remove your awkwardness. Choose any activity of your choice, such as playing team sports or joining a dance class, and soon you will find your comfort level around people increasing day by day!

Develop your personality

Being a book­worm or an Internet addict will not get you anywhere. For self­improvement, take up a hobby that adds meaning to your life. Learn singing or try adventure sports.__5__

A．Learn how to end a conversation.

B．Secondly, have appropriate clothes on.

C．For instance, if you are a reading lover, join a book club.

D．If you look sad, nobody will actually like being with you.

E．Something as simple as listening to music will do wonders too.

F．Many among us are shy and may even feel kept apart from others.

G．Awkwardness could be because you do not have anything in common to talk about.