【推荐1】While saying no can be empowering and liberating to some, for others it can be frightening or uncomfortable. We feel that we must go along with things we honestly do not want to do in order to be socially accepted. However, there are benefits to the word “no”. Saying no can create more mental health stability and build your self-esteem and confidence. Saying no may be a difficult thing to do, but there are ways to make the process a bit more acceptable and effective.

The sandwich method, an approach that involves sandwiching something that individuals may consider negative between two positives, is helpful for you to feel natural and authentic to say no. Tell the person something positive followed by the no and end with something supportive or positive. For example. “Thank you for inviting me. I really appreciate you including me and being thoughtful; however, I won’t be able to make it. I would still really enjoy meeting up with you. I’ll look at my schedule for some dates I’m available, so we can spend some time together.”

It’s also important to keep in mind that saying no to something but giving other options that better fit your needs can also be an effective way to use the power of no. Remember that your needs are important and your decisions can directly affect your time and energy.

We all have various roles in our work, parenting, and social obligations. These roles can challenge our abilities to set boundaries. Learning about yourself and finding your inner power is important to your health and well-being. Consider setting boundaries around goals you have for yourself. For example, if one of your goals is to create better balance between work and life, you may say no to a call or meeting outside your normal working hours.

Using some of the techniques outlined above, you may not find it a big deal to say no.

1. What is an advantage of saying no?

A．You might become more powerful.	B．You will be more socially accepted.
C．You are likely to feel self-confident.	D．You can stabilize your physical health.

2. Which of the following agrees with the sandwich method?

A．To follow 2 praises with a criticism.	B．To make a refusal between 2 layers of praise.
C．To state something negative and give 2 proposals.	D．To introduce an idea, give examples and draw a conclusion.

3. What is the author’s attitude to saying no?

A．Doubtful.

B．Objective.

C．Favorable.

D．Opposed.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．The Art of Saying No	B．The Skill of Communication
C．The Importance of Saying No	D．The Concept of Sandwich Method

【推荐2】1.3 million people in the Netherlands are older than 75 years — and one large supermarket chain is making sure they’re not getting too lonely in their elder years.

The Dutch government with its campaign (运动), “One Against Loneliness”, has encouraged organizations, towns, companies, and individuals to find solutions. Jumbo, the second largest Dutch supermarket chain, is doing its part with creative chat checkouts (付款台).

The idea for the “Kletskassa”, which translates to “chat checkout”, started more than two years ago — and in the summer of 2019 the first Kletskassa was opened in Vlijmen in Noord-Brabant.

This resulted in many positive reactions from customers — and now Jumbo is swelling the project further: By this time next year, there will be chat checkouts in 200 stores across the country where more people can go for a conversation. When choosing the stores, areas where loneliness is a major factor are carefully considered.

Colette Cloosterman-van Eerd, CCO of Jumbo and the driving force behind the campaign against loneliness, is closely involved (参与) in the project. She said, “Many people, especially the elderly, sometimes feel lonely. As a family business and supermarket chain, we are at the heart of society.”

“Our stores are an important meeting place for many people and we want to play a role in identifying and reducing loneliness. We do this in various ways, including our Kletskassas. We are proud that many of our cashiers like to take a seat behind a Kletskassa. They support the project and want to help people to make real contact with them out of interest.”

“It is a small action, but very valuable, especially in a world that is digitizing (数字化) and getting faster and faster.”

1. What makes Jumbo start the “Kletskassa” project?

A．Jumbo wants to meet the need of young customers.

B．The supermarket chain is thirsty for making more money.

C．Jumbo wants to become the most popular supermarket chain.

D．The government calls for solutions to dealing with loneliness of the elderly.

2. What does the underlined word “swelling” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Enlarging.

B．Designing.

C．Challenging.

D．Improving.

3. Which of the following is TRUE?

A．The cashiers support the project and want to help the elderly.

B．All people like meeting at the supermarket.

C．Jumbo is the largest supermarket chain in Dutch.

D．The project is the most important in dealing with aging problems.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．The Dutch government launches a campaign against loneliness.

B．Jumbo helps the elderly fight against loneliness.

C．More attention should be paid to the elderly.

D．Fast digitization is making us more lonely.

【推荐3】Empathy, the ability to understand and co-experience the feelings and thoughts of other people, is probably one of the most important skills a person can have.     1    

• Humans are social animals.

There are very few activities that humans take part in that don’t involve others.     2    It allows you to perceive others’ motives, treat them the way they want to be treated, understand how others perceive you, and so on.

• It lets you better understand non-verbal components of communication.

    3    People who are not empathetic have a hard time reading between the lines of conversations. They cannot understand that what the other person means to communicate is different from what they actually say.

•     4    

When you unconsciously perceive what the other party wants and needs and can understand exactly why they want it, reaching a “win-win” solution gets easier. You don’t have to blindly search for a way out.

• It broadens your horizons.

Seeing the world from other people’s perspectives lets you perceive it to a fuller extent. When you are able to look at life from other people’s point of view, you are able to live a more fulfilled life.

    5    Thus, achieving higher levels of empathy often means achieving greater fulfilment as human beings.

A．It makes you better at handling conflicts.

B．It helps you introduce your ideas to others.

C．Empathy basically is what makes us human.

D．Humans always live and work with each other.

E．So why exactly is empathy so important for us?

F．Communication is so much more than what words express.

G．Therefore, the ability to better understand others and read their feelings is an advantage.