The zipper is among the small things that changed the world. It has brought us great convenience in our daily life. They are used almost everywhere, such as dresses, shoes, bags and so on.

The zipper was invented in 1893 by an American engineer. But it was not widely used until 1917.The zipper was not the way it looks today when it was invented. The inventor created it for shoes at first. But there were some disadvantages that prevented it from being widely used. In 1913, an engineer from Europe made some changes on the zipper and made it more useful. And the zipper became the way we are familiar（熟悉的）with today. The European engineer named it “Talon” at that time. In 1923, a company named it “Zipper” according to its sound when people used it. This word is easier to remember so people began to use the name “Zipper” from then on.

What is a small talk? It is a talk about some little things. It’s just a short conversation between you and strangers. When you’re waiting for a bus, someone may start a conversation about the weather. The English like to do this. And Americans often talk about not only weather but also sports and clothes.

Now it’s your first year in the middle school. Everything is new to you. New teachers, new classmates and some other new things. Some of you are too shy to talk with others. Why not try small talks? But how do you make a good small talk? Here are some great ideas for you!

To start the talk, first you can usually talk about the weather. “It’s hot here, isn’t it?” It is also good to talk about a movie. “Do you know the movie Angry Birds? It is so cool and funny.” So you show others that you want to talk.

Next you can introduce yourself. If you want to talk to a student, you may talk with him or her. “Hi, I’m in Class 2. My math teacher is Mr. Black,” The other person may say, “Oh really? He is very strict with students.” When it is time to say goodbye, you can exchange (交换) your telephone or QQ numbers with each other.

A small talk is useful in your lives. It makes other people like you. It also helps you make many friends. You don’t need to be afraid of such a talk, because it is usually friendly.

Knowing how to communicate well needs very personal attention between you and another person, we should face it. Is there a better way to learn how to communicate successfully? Yes, there is. please follow the basic steps below.

Relax and breathe.       

Whether it's a business meeting or a first date, the first thing you must do in order to communicate is to relax.

When you relax, you are in control. You control your reactions(反应）and your reactions do not control you. Breathing is central to relaxation. Take a few deep breaths and your body will begin to be more relaxed, which will help you use what you have already known about how to communicate well.

Think and you will be prepared.

Have you heard the old saying, “Think before you speak.”? Well, it rings true. By thinking ahead about how the conversation might flow(流畅），you will be better prepared, more relaxed and more confident.

Follow the flow of the conversation.

If you are uncomfortable, being silent will only make it worse and make the other person uncomfortable as well. so when all else fails, you should follow through with small talks until a common topic appears.

A good way to keep a conversation going is to ask the other person questions. People love to talk about themselves and if you do this, they will keep the conversation going, thinking very highly of you. Learning good communication is not something out of reach. If you make an effort, you will succeed.