Everyone is nervous when they go to an interview for a new job. However, being well-prepared for the interview can really reduce your stress level.【小题1】.

“【小题2】.” The interviewer’s purpose in asking this question is to get information related to work and job openings. Some people make the mistake of taking this request literally and answering by giving their life history. In fact, the best points to focus on when answering this question are past work experience, education, and social activities. Of these three, work experience carries a lot more weight.

“Why do you want to work for this company?”【小题3】, you are letting the interviewer know that you haven’t done much research about the company or the job you are being interviewed for. Interviewees who can give detailed answers about the benefits of working for a particular company make a much better impression on interviewers.

“What are your strengths and what is your biggest weakness?” People have a hard time answering the first question because it feels like boasting (吹嘘) in some ways. 【小题4】. The second question poses a problem because the answer needs to be a weakness that sounds like a strength. A good tip to keep in mind is to mention how you are trying to improve.

A final suggestion for preparing for an interview is to go into the interview with your own questions to ask. 【小题5】.

The Best Ways to Deal with Awkward Silences

We all know what it’s like when a conversation dies off and you’re left to sit in silence together. There’s only one word to describe it: Awkward! 【小题1】. Here are some ways to deal with the silences.

Think of topics ahead of time. Before attending a social event, think of a few “‘go-to” topics to jumpstart a dead conversation. 【小题2】. So you aren’t scrambling (绞尽脑汁) for words in the moment. People who share your interest in a sport or hobby can be the easiest to talk to.

Ask open-ended questions. Open-ended questions have more than one possible answer, so they are likely to get the person talking more than asking a question that will result in a short response. Ask “【小题3】?” instead of asking “Did you like your high school?”

Make a general statement to fill the silence. Find something casual (随意的) to comment on if things start getting awkward. 【小题4】. If you are having a meal together, you could say something about the food: “Is it me, or is this the best salad place in town?” Not only does that break the silence, but raising a question gives the other person a chance to respond.

【小题5】. This is always a safe bet, as long as it’s appropriate. For example, you could say, “ I’ve been meaning to tell you I really like your shirt. Where did you get it?” This could move the conversation in another direction while making the other person feel good. Stick to complimenting (赞扬) someone’s personality or achievements if you’re trying to make small talk.

Reading poetry is an art in itself. Whether you’re reading someone else’s poem or your own, how you read the poem can affect the meaning. If you need to read a poem in front of others, you need to take steps to read it well. 【小题1】

Stand up straight. When you’re reading a poem in front of people, you need to show confidence. 【小题2】 Instead, you should stand up straight with your shoulders back, so that you can exude (散发) confidence, even if you’re not feeling confident.

Make eye contact (接触). 【小题3】 However, it’s important to know your poem well enough so that you can look up from time to time to make eye contact with the audience. It both attracts the audience and helps you show confidence.

Add proper movement. Movement can help make a poem better accepted, but only if you do it properly. 【小题4】 If it’s a very serious, natural poem, you may not want to use any movement at all. If it’s a more playful poem, movement may be more proper.

【小题5】 When you’re in a room, make sure you are heard by all in the room. Those people in the far back need to hear, so you will often need to read louder than you normally do. If you’re not sure how loud you need to speak, you can always ask if the people in the back can hear you.