1 . How to ask good questions

Effective communication is vital for all relationship. Learning what questions to ask can improve how you work with team members, your leadership skills, and how you communicate with loved ones.     1    

Be a good listener. When someone gives you an answer or explains something to you, pay attention.     2     By focusing on listening, you’ll avoid asking a general question that you should probably know the answer to. When someone else is speaking, make eye contact and use body language such as nodding to show you understand.

Don’t be afraid of your questions.     3     Maybe it’s your first time doing a task, and you want to do it properly. Wrong questions don’t exist —especially if you’ve never done this before. Think about it this way: If you don’t ask your question, you may make some easily avoidable mistakes.

    4     Question asking isn’t supposed to be a fast-paced conversation. Pausing to listen between answers gives you time to think about what was said and ask better follow-up questions. Don’t feel pressured to respond quickly. Fast responses can mess with the conversation’s flow. You don’t want to feel rushed or rush others, so learn to give yourself time to think.

Keep your questions short. A long question shows a lack of self-awareness.     5     You may want to provide enough detail in your question, but not too much. The person you’re asking should only have to hear your question once, not three or four times. Focusing on asking open-ended questions in one sentence can still set up a good conversation.

Li Shichuan, a young Chinese artist, has gained     1     (recognize) for his wonderful paintings of the lion dance created with marker pens. At the beginning of 2020, Li began sharing his artworks on social media platforms     2     started gaining popularity. Having a fondness for traditional Chinese culture, he decided    3     (use) it as the theme for his artworks. His first traditional cultural-themed piece Awakened Lion gained millions of     4     (view) upon release, providing him    5    the confidence to continue creating new paintings. Over time, Li’s collection of lion-themed artworks has grown,     6     (attract) more attention and exhibition opportunities.

Using strikingly bright colors like blue, red and white, Li makes the traditional lion with its pair of round eyes look     7     (power) , lively and mysterious. Li’s paintings are detailed to the point     8    the lion’s fur is clearly shown.

Today, the lion dance not only     9     (serve) as a form of entertainment but also connects Chinese people worldwide. Wherever there are Chinese communities, there will be the lion dance, symbolizing     10     spirit of self-reliance and perseverance.