If you think your vocabulary is weak, a little effort every day over six to nine months can go a long way in improving it. Here are some tips for increasing your vocabulary.

【小题1】. You may be comfortable reading a particular part but make an effort to read different articles on every page. The editorial (社论的) page is highly recommended not only for vocabulary but also for structuring and presenting thoughts. And there are different articles in the newspaper every day.

Make it a habit to read a new book every week. It is not surprising that those who read a lot of books develop good vocabulary. 【小题2】. Make a list of words that are new to you and look up their meanings in the dictionary.

Watching English movies and television shows. It is important for improving English and learning new English words. It’s an interesting way to add the number of your vocabulary. 【小题3】.

Use vocabulary cards. Vocabulary cards are used by students who are trying to learn many words in a short time. You can make your own cards by writing the word on one side and the meaning on the other side of a piece of paper. 【小题4】.

Use the Internet. The Internet is an unlimited (无限制的) resource for reading material. 【小题5】. You will come across plenty of material to read, which you might find interesting, and important. The Internet will also introduce you to new words. Be sure to look them up in a dictionary.

Active listening is a communication technique that involves carefully listening to the speaker, rephrasing what you hear to be sure you got it right and then listening again for agreement or explanation. Sometimes people who aren’t trained in active listening techniques think that it merely means repeating what the other person said. However, it’s wrong.

When you learn what is active listening, you can start to build a strong relationship with others. However, you don’t need to use active listening all the time. In fact, that could be very tiring! It’s best used when you can see from your friend’s or family member’s body language or voice that there’s something going on involving strong feelings or stress.

When you are doing active listening, it helps to face the other person with no barriers in between you. Bend forward a bit and look at the other person’s eyes. Clear your mind so you can understand what the other person is saying. Make sure the person doesn’t say too much before you speak, or it can be hard to remember everything.

Next, rephrase what you heard, with tentative language since you don’t want to jump to a conclusion. You can use phrases like, “It sounds like” or “I’m thinking if your meaning is” to introduce your comments.

Finally, listen carefully to what the other person says next. She may say “No, that’s not it” and elucidate what she means. In that case, you should continue active listening, and again rephrase the meaning. Repeat that process until you get agreement that you finally heard correctly.

Often, when expressing what the person said using different words, you can attempt to identify the feelings behind the conversation. When both parties understand each other, you’re more likely to work together and have effective communication going forward.

Figuring out how to lose weight is a challenge for many of us, particularly considering that the quickest path to weight loss is different for everyone. Of course, the common methods are always proper diet and exercise, which not only work in weight loss, but also keep a body healthy. Of course you’ve heard this before — the challenge is to follow through. Others have lost weight by following these simple guidelines, and so can you.

Set small, practical goals. If you have a lot of weight to lose, try for 5 pounds, relax a bit and then go for 5 more.

Start a regular exercise program and stick with it. Don’t be afraid of those sweat suits and pants!

Do extra exercise in addition to your regular program. Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk; take the stairs instead of the lift.

Healthy foods are an important ingredient in losing weight. Eat low-fat, high-fiber foods such as salads and vegetable pastas. Choose foods that you like. Learn to prepare healthful, low-calorie foods that taste good by checking healthy cook books for new recipes. Eating well doesn’t have to mean eating dull.

Eat smaller, more frequent meals. This way, your body starts to increase its metabolism so that calories are burned faster. Also, mini-meals can prevent overeating.

Plan ahead and keep a food diary. Keep the fridge stocked with healthy foods such as vegetables and fruit, and you’ll be less likely to run out for high-calorie, high-fat junk food. This will help you know where you can improve your diet.