19．Making friends is a skill．Like most skills，you can improve it if you are patient．If you want to meet people and make friends，you must be willing to take action．You must first go where there are people．You won't make friends staying home （73）alone． Joining a club or a group，talking to those who like the same things as you do is much （74）easier．Or join someone in some activities． Many people are（75）nervouswhen talking to new people．After all，meeting strangers means seeing the unknown．And it's human nature to feel a bit unpleasant about the unknown．Most of fears about（76）dealingwith new people come from doubts（怀疑） about ourselves．We imagine other people are judging us-finding us too tall or too short，too this or too that．But don't forget that they must be feeling the（77）sameway．Try to accept yourself as you are，and try to make others feel at home．You'll all feel more （78）comfortable． Try to be brave even if you don't feel that way when you （79）entera room full of strangers．Walk tall and straight，look （80）directlyat other people and smile． If you see someone you'd like to speak to，say something．Don't wait for the other person to start a （81）conversation． Just meeting someone new does not mean that you'll make friends with that person．Friendship is based on mutual（相互的） likings and"give and take"．It takes time and effort（精力） for us to （82）developfriendship．And there are things that stop a new friendship from（83）growing．
