Make the Most of Holidays

Holidays are a wonderful time to spend with friends and family, eating and sharing stories. You may celebrate at home, wait at airports or spend time on trains, buses or cars. 【小题1】 Here are some ideas that you can use to improve your English over the holidays.

Blogs

The Learning English Broadcast is a 30-minute daily blog that features the audio from our main stories each day. Listening to the blog will help develop your ability to understand spoken English. 【小题2】 Once you have finished a program, tell someone what information you have got.

Published materials

Airports and train stations often have stores selling published materials. Buy an English-language magazine to read while you are waiting or spending quiet time at a hotel or in a home. 【小题3】 Even if you do not understand all the words, you can use the images to help you understand some of them. Later, you can use an online dictionary to look up the words you want to learn.

Conversation

While traveling, it is not unusual to see people from other countries who are also waiting or exploring a new place. If you hear someone asking for information in English, you might offer to help or simply greet them in English to talk. 【小题4】

Writing about your day

Writing about your day is a great way to practise your English writing skills. Using English to describe how you spent your holiday will help you to put new words into use and make them stay in your memory longer. 【小题5】 You can look at it long after the holiday is over.

The relationship between cousins can be very close and deep. Maybe you were very close but have grown apart because of physical distance, a misunderstanding, or even problems within your family. No matter what circumstances（情况）, you can get your cousin to like you and turn the relationship into something that is meaningful for both of you. 【小题1】 Here is a guide on how to make your cousin trust you.

【小题2】 There are different ways to reach out to your cousin, including a letter, an email, or a phone call. Social media is also a choice: you could friend her on Facebook or follow her on Instagram. Even this small gesture helps break the ice and pave the way for further communication.

Be a good communicator. There are two parts: speaking and listening 【小题3】 This will show her that you're serious about her and your relationship.

Be respectful and flexible. Make your cousin feel comfortable and relaxed when you are talking or spending time together. Being respectful of her and flexible in your own behavior will help gain her trust and get her to like you more 【小题4】 Respect and appreciate those differences to show that you're serious about your relationship.

Meet each other at a non-family gathering. Once you've had a chance to make contact with your cousin, suggest meeting in person. Keep your first meeting simple. 【小题5】 You can meet for longer periods once you've had a chance to see each other in shorter spans.

A low emotional intelligence (EQ) is not set in stone. According to experts, it is possible to grow your emotional intelligence the same way people grow knowledge. Developing a higher EQ is like working on a muscle. 【小题1】

Use your leadership skills. 【小题2】 People with high emotional intelligence set high standards for themselves and strive to be a good example for others. Learn how to gain great problem-solving and decision-making skills. This will push you to a higher and more productive level of performance in life and at work.

Be open to constructive (建设性的) criticism. Part of growing your emotional intelligence is learning how to take criticism. While most people would get defensive, people with high EQ try to understand where the issue is coming from and how it affects others. 【小题3】 Constructive criticism will allow them to make changes and improve their behavior.

【小题4】 Emotionally intelligent people pay attention to what they hear while waiting for their turn to speak.They take time to understand what is being communicated before responding while observing the nonverbal (非口头的) details of a conversation, like facial expressions.This prevents misunderstandings and shows respect for the person speaking.

Be sociable and approachable. People with high EQ often smile at others and give a positive presence. 【小题5】 They also possess excellent interpersonal skills and have mastered the art of proper communication, whether verbal or nonverbal.