1 . How many times have you found yourself in conversations with friends, family members or loved ones and discovered that you had completely tuned out to what they were saying? How much of our attention are we truly giving to the people who are supposed to be important to us?
According to research cited by Wright State University, while most people believe they are good listeners who don’t need to improve their listening skills, the average person only listens at about 25 percent efficiency.
So why aren’t we better listeners? As a society, we may be growing more narcissistic (自我陶醉的). A 2007 study found a rise in self-centeredness and narcissism among college students. If we, as a culture, are becoming more self-centered, how can we, as individuals, work to become more caring and compassionate communicators?
We can begin by changing our attitudes toward conversations. As Stephen R. Covey wrote in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand but to reply.” A dialogue is an opportunity to learn, to see things from a new perspective, to open your eyes to new information and possibilities. Yet, too often we engage in conversation as if it’s a debate. We speak to hear our own voices — our own pre-existing opinions. In doing so, we tend to space out when spoken to. We wait, perhaps even patiently or politely, for the other person to finish, so we can say something we feel is of value.
Playwright Wilson Mizner said, “A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while, he knows something.” Listening doesn’t just expand our knowledge on an intellectual level; it enables us to have a more personal, in-depth understanding of our closest friends. Relationships are truly enriched by an equal back-and-forth exchange in communication. When these dynamics become more one-sided, we tend to lose interest and create distance in our friendships, with less trust established, less honesty exchanged.
Thankfully, we can all improve our listening skills. Maybe we aren’t as good a listener as we believe. Do we tend to focus too much on ourselves — both in positive and negative ways? Do we get distracted by an inner coach, rather than living in the moment and really engaging in what’s being said? As we learn to quiet that inner voice in our minds, we can start to open ourselves up to others, becoming better listeners, thinkers, lovers and friends.
1. What is the author’s purpose in showing the social phenomena in Paragraph 1?A.To show most people are confident about their listening skills. |
B.To express his concerns about people’s lack of attention when talking. |
C.To introduce the fact that people have low efficiency of listening in life. |
D.To provide some information about how people behave in conversation. |
A.To prove college students have become more self-cenfered and narcissistic over time. |
B.To show the belief in people’s listening skills is outdated and needs to be updated. |
C.To provide an example of how society’s narcissism affects personal relationships. |
D.To support the argument that society is becoming more self-centered and narcissistic. |
A.People should listen to learn and see things from a new perspective. |
B.A good listener is popular but does not necessarily know everything. |
C.Most people listen with the intention to understand, not to reply. |
D.We should speak to hear our own voices and pre-existing opinions. |
A.Become focused. | B.Feel confused. |
C.Be absent-minded. | D.Remain anxious. |
A.The Decline of Listening in Modern Society |
B.Improving Listening Skills for Better Relationships |
C.The Impact of Narcissism on Social Communication |
D.Why We Should Listen More and Speak Less |
2 . Experts worry that teen texting is out of control. Instead of
Garcia, a high school senior from Grand Kennedy, has also felt the need to stay constantly
Dr. Dowdell, at Villanova University, says that many people expect to be able to
So we decided to have Kenny and Garcia do an experiment. These were the
“Wow, it was completely
A.sleeping | B.exercising | C.reading | D.working |
A.studies | B.discusses | C.argues | D.texts |
A.power | B.urge | C.approval | D.commitment |
A.submit to | B.feed on | C.respond to | D.struggle against |
A.surrounded | B.accepted | C.connected | D.acknowledged |
A.avoid | B.count | C.anticipate | D.accumulate |
A.access | B.challenge | C.consult | D.influence |
A.appealing | B.annoying | C.frustrating | D.encouraging |
A.benefit | B.expectation | C.assumption | D.concern |
A.resist | B.advance | C.concentrate | D.pause |
A.components | B.applications | C.rules | D.options |
A.painful | B.enjoyable | C.serious | D.helpful |
A.instructed | B.hesitated | C.rejected | D.admitted |
A.In spite of | B.Instead of | C.But for | D.Along with |
A.direct | B.depressing | C.joyful | D.practical |
3 . At the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comǎneci made history. She performed a routine
Perfectionism is generally appreciated as a good quality. Therefore, it’s not
Aiming for a high degree of success isn’t necessarily
Maladaptive perfectionism, which involves an intense
A.randomly | B.temporarily | C.faultlessly | D.repeatedly |
A.talent | B.discoveries | C.transformation | D.achievements |
A.interesting | B.necessary | C.apparent | D.surprising |
A.professions | B.experiences | C.advertisements | D.agreements |
A.theory | B.tendency | C.measure | D.difficulty |
A.insist | B.confirm | C.worry | D.regret |
A.detail | B.interaction | C.instruction | D.recognition |
A.miss out | B.hold onto | C.set aside | D.rely on |
A.beneficial | B.reliable | C.harmful | D.significant |
A.avoid | B.tolerate | C.identify | D.forget |
A.argument | B.competition | C.desire | D.strategy |
A.indicate | B.weaken | C.stress | D.inspire |
A.shift | B.adopt | C.accept | D.strengthen |
A.realistic | B.cautious | C.decisive | D.helpful |
A.challenge | B.mention | C.evaluate | D.prioritize |
4 . All of us have taken an instant dislike to someone, and then felt guilty about being too judgmental. But now it seems we should place more trust in our first impressions. Most people can correctly judge a total stranger following a short meeting, according to scientists.
And in general, the more confident the people are, the more likely they are to be correct in their assumptions. Jeremy Biesanz, who led a team of researchers from the University of British Columbia, said: “Many important decisions are made after very brief encounters — which employee to hire, which person to date, which student to accept”. Although our first impressions are generally accurate, it is necessary for us to recognize where they may be not good enough.
The researchers arranged for two groups of more than 100 people to meet in a meeting. Much like speed-dating, the volunteers spoke to everyone in their group for three minutes each. At the end of each three-minute chat, they were asked to rate each other’s personalities, and how well they thought their impressions “would coincide with someone who knows this person very well”.
To find out what the person was “really” like, the scientists had his friends and family fill out his personality reports. Generally speaking, the more confident the volunteers felt in accurately rating another’s personality, the closer their ratings were to those of the other person’s friends and family, the researchers said.
However, the participants with the highest accuracy were those who rated themselves moderately(适度)accurate — those highly confident of their judgment were less successful. The scientists concluded that, although we know people are different from each other, a good judge of character knows that in many ways people are mostly alike. For example, almost everyone would prefer being kind to being unfriendly.
Therefore, while first impressions can be generally accurate, they are not conclusive in working out whether somebody really is “better” than someone else.
1. The volunteers joined a meeting which was ______.A.interesting | B.complex | C.serious | D.brief |
A.agree with | B.appeal to | C.get along with | D.set an example to |
①Being talkative ②Good social relationships
③A proper degree of confidence ④Knowing that people are mostly alike
A.①② | B.②③ | C.③④ | D.④① |
A.many important decisions are made with the help of strangers |
B.people tend to have better impressions on friends than on strangers |
C.we shouldn’t depend on first impressions completely to judge others |
D.accurate judgments on others can help us make as many friends as possible |
A.We should not doubt our ability to judge others. |
B.Our first impressions on a stranger are usually accurate. |
C.Confidence determines whether people can succeed or not. |
D.It’s an important task to make a good judgment about strangers. |
5 . In the past, most libraries didn’t focus much on programs for kids whose age made it impossible for them to be quiet on demand. But growing knowledge about the importance of kids and teens learning through hands-on experiences has since caused a sea change in how libraries connect with young readers. Now libraries begin offering interactive programs for kids, including crafts, board games, and story times. These types of programs certainly aren’t designed to be silent.
What is paragraph 3 mainly about?A.The past and the present of libraries. | B.The reason for the change of libraries. |
C.The activities for young children in libraries. | D.The connection between libraries and readers. |
6 . I have watched good lives get put on hold because someone told a lie. I have seen people put in jail because of a lie. I have held the hands of a kind-hearted dying man who only wanted to know the truth about why his children were turned against him. Lies only hurt. Let’s remember that. Let’s not forget the damage that can be done, and maybe we will all get to live better lives, even though we are sharing a very difficult time. Lies are always uncovered. Always.
That may not help you right now, but it is something to hold onto.
What does “it” refer to in the last paragraph?A.Lies will grow and spread. |
B.Lies are not acceptable. |
C.Lies will be exposed sooner or later. |
D.One truth is better than a hundred lies |
7 . Science is a process that builds upon existing theories and knowledge by continuously revising them. Every aspect of scientific knowledge can be questioned, including the general rules of thinking that appear to be most certain. So why is science trustworthy if it is always changing? If tomorrow we will no longer see the world as Newton or Einstein found it to be, why should we take seriously today’s scientific description of the world?
The answer is simple: Because at any given moment of our history, this description of the world is the best we have. The fact that it can be made better can’t diminish (降低) the fact that it is a useful instrument for understanding the world.
Consider a folk healer’s herbal medicine. Can we say this treatment is “scientific”? ...
What can we learn about today’s scientific description of the world?
A.It can be timeless. | B.It can be improved. |
C.It is of little value. | D.It is the best at any moment. |
8 . The misery of my bike commute in Calgary, Alberta, is the river valley hill. It’s not particularly steep, but at about a mile long, I rarely climbed up without arriving with sweat. Studies have shown the prospect of arriving at work sweaty is one of the biggest
“Pedelec”, or pedal electric-assisted bikes like the one I rode, can end that worry. They look and act like traditional bicycles, but their motors make pedaling much easier when required. Sometimes called the most energy-efficient motorized mode of transportation ever built, they’re also incredibly green. The biggest barrier may be the outdated attitude that sees bikes only as a recreational athletic opportunity rather than a practical
At a time when cities across North America are struggling to combat crippling traffic and reduce climate emissions, e-bikes have the
Many of the barriers to e-bike
Few places on the continent,
Amid these legislative
A.advantages | B.processes | C.barriers | D.complements |
A.riders | B.builders | C.customers | D.volunteers |
A.production | B.communication | C.facilities | D.transportation |
A.routine | B.potential | C.temporary | D.major |
A.make of | B.carry on | C.bring up | D.take off |
A.adaptation | B.adoption | C.adjustment | D.justification |
A.proved | B.alerted | C.banned | D.authorized |
A.however | B.unless | C.meanwhile | D.anyway |
A.originate | B.combine | C.separate | D.satisfy |
A.factors | B.benefits | C.limits | D.damages |
A.proper | B.critical | C.sensational | D.difficult |
A.expensive | B.distinctive | C.sensitive | D.intensive |
A.trouble | B.concern | C.power | D.scale |
A.favored | B.folded | C.referred | D.gifted |
A.appeal | B.address | C.amount | D.advocate |
9 . For children of the last twenty years born into this modern life, these technological marvels seem like elements of the periodic table: a given ingredient that is simply part of the universe. Younger generations don’t even try to imagine life without modern conveniences. They do not appreciate theunprecedented (史无前例的) technology that is in their possession; rather, they complain about the ways in which it fails to live up to ideal expectations. “My digital video recorder at home doesn’t allow me to program it from my computer at work.” “It’s taking too long for this interactive map to display on my portable GPS”.
What does the underlined statement in paragraph 6 probably mean?
A.Space exploration provides us with new technology. |
B.Adults learn technology while they are doing household chores. |
C.High expectation makes up for the limitation of technology designers. |
D.Consumers regard many technological inventions as unremarkable |
10 . “Lonely” is defined in the dictionary as “unhappy because you are alone or do not have anyone to talk to”. However, in my perspective, “being alone” can also be meaningful and enjoyable. In other words, “being alone” isn’t equivalent to “loneliness”. Actually, we can literally enjoy our time when staying alone.
Think of loneliness as the “tunnel phase” of our lives. It’s a time when we don’t have a group of friends around to keep us company; when we are away from the hustle and bustle (熙熙攘攘) of the outside world; when we get the chance to tune in to our inner monologue (独白); when we are given the time to recharge ourselves on our own so that we can focus entirely on ourselves. It is during these periods that, without being disturbed and distracted, we are able to discover the things we truly want from our lives. This process is like digging a tunnel, through which we improve ourselves, achieve our goals and get a jolt of power to prepare for the or darkness we may meet with in our future lives.
A distinguished figure skater (花滑冰运动员) once said in his interview that he often felt lonely, but the external environment would to some extent affect his mind and body, making it difficult for him to concentrate during his practice and performance, and thus he was actually willing to be alone and at times would rather be isolated from the world. This type of “loneliness” must be one of the reasons why he has been able to deliver so many elaborate and splendid performances throughout his career.
So don’t be frightened by the temporary void or unhappy feeling when you have to he alone. Instead, cherish and enjoy the sense of loneliness you get when you are completely free. Spend time with yourself.
We become more independent in loneliness. We grow stronger in loneliness. Most importantly, we find our complete selves in loneliness. When we learn to embrace the feeling of “loneliness” and enjoy the time in which there is no other, loneliness itself ceases to exist.
1. What’s the author’s opinion about “being alone”?A.Being alone is as something shameful |
B.Being alone means being lonely and helpless |
C.There is no point in being alone. |
D.We appreciate our time more when we are alone. |
A.By providing examples. |
B.By analyzing causes. |
C.By making comparisons. |
D.By listing figures. |
A.To show athletes always feel lonely. |
B.To demonstrate the factor of the success. |
C.To indicate solitude (独处) is as important as practice. |
D.To confirm the positive effect of “loneliness”. |
A.Time spent with yourselves is more enjoyable than that with others. |
B.People will always feel depressed when faced with being alone. |
C.Loneliness can benefit us a lot in many aspects. |
D.Loneliness can exist all the time, so we should change our attitude toward it. |
A.To illustrate different opinions on staying alone. |
B.To encourage people to learn to value and enjoy their time of loneliness. |
C.To persuade people into staying away from others. |
D.To offer some suggestions on how to spend time alone. |