1 . Super communicators are people who are consistently able to create real connections with others just by listening and talking. The following are four habits of super communicators.
They know what kind of conversation they’re having. Super communicators are usually able to respond accordingly. If you’re having a practical conversation, your friend might ask you to help make hard decisions.
They prove they’re listening. There are plenty of ways to appear like you’re listening, like making eye contact or nodding. To do that, experts suggest a technique called “cycle for understanding”. Ask a question and listen to the response. Repeat what they just told you. Ask your conversation partner if you got what they said correct.
They ask a lot of the right questions. Research shows that highly effective communicators tend to ask 10 to 20 times as many questions as everyone else. They may simply be follow-up questions like “What happened next?”. Super communicators also ask questions that get people to open up.
| A．They aim to understand. |
| B．Experts call them “deep questions”. |
| C．They are persuasive communicators. |
| D．The decisions should be easy to carry out. |
| E．This practice sounds simple but is powerful. |
| F．Then you should be ready to give good advice. |
| G．And that is actually the most magical thing that can happen. |
2 . Much meaning can be conveyed clearly with our eyes, so it is often said that eyes can speak.
The same is true in our daily life. If you are stared at for more than necessary, you will look at yourself up and down to see if there is anything wrong with you.
Looking too long at someone may seem to be side and aggressive
However, when two persons are engaged in a conversation, the speaker will only look into the listener’s eyes from time to time to make sure that the listener does pay attention to what the former is speaking.
| A．On the contrary, it will give him away. |
| B．Do you have such a kind of experience? |
| C．That’s what normal eye contact is all about. |
| D．Actually, continuous eye contact is limited to lovers only. |
| E．After all, everybody likes to be stared at for quite a long time. |
| F．But things are different when it comes to staring at the opposite sex. |
| G．If nothing goes wrong, you will feel annoyed at being stared at that way. |
3 . Sometimes it’s easy to get overwhelmed (不知所措的) with parenting. We worry we aren’t doing enough for our children, so we give more. Then we worry we are doing too much, so we pull back. Then we stress out. So if you’re worried about being a better parent, worry no more.
●Have a “yes” day. So much of the relationship between a parent and a child is saying no. “Can I wear my shorts to school?” “No, it’s 30 degrees outside.” “Can I walk in the rain?” “No, we just blow-dried your hair.” As a parent, most of the time it’s easier to just say no. So for one day, say yes as much as possible.
●Go on a nature walk. The fun part of a nature walk is that you get to do something completely different with your child—something you don’t get to do every day. Before you go out adventuring, get out a bird book, print off an insect guide and go on a long walk. Try and learn together and explore together.
●Let them dress you up. For one day, let your child dress you up!
●Go through old pictures. There is nothing that makes someone feel more loved like going through old memories. Children love to hear stories about themselves. Take an hour, sit down and open up their baby book, a picture album or a Facebook album. Go through the pictures one by one and tell your child about that memory.
| A．They will feel so special and loved. |
| B．Whatever they choose, just go along with it. |
| C．It’s great to join their world by hearing their music. |
| D．Make up stories about the birds you see as you walk. |
| E．Try and say yes to things you wouldn’t normally agree to. |
| F．Take some time to go on a date with each of your children. |
| G．Focus on these easy ways to connect with your child today. |
4 . There’s a long line of research showing that when we make contact with people who’re socially different from us, we tend to feel less prejudice towards them. According to the contact theory, contact seems to work best for reducing prejudice when the contact is generally positive. But what happens when the conditions for interpersonal contact may not be ideal? For example, what if you feel threatened in some way by a group of people you see as “the other”?
Researchers from Ghent University in Belgium analyzed the results of 34 studies surveying nearly 64,000 people from 19 countries to see how intergroup contact affected their viewpoints about “outgroups” under conflict situations. For example, people were asked to report on how they viewed other groups. The researchers also had data from the surveys that measured attitudes towards outgroup members, such as how positive people felt towards them and how much they could trust them.
After analyzing the data, the researchers found strong feelings of threat were associated with more negative views of outgroup members. But having contact with outgroup members still reduced prejudice just as much under those unfavorable conditions. To Jasper Van Assche, the lead author of the paper, this suggests contact theory holds even under conflict situations.
Van Assche says that contact is so powerful probably because just being around people from an outgroup affects how we think and feel about them. As we become accustomed to even the me re presence of people from other groups, that can reduce our anxiety, especially if the encounters are positive—and that can lead to warmer feelings. Also, contact can enhance our knowledge about others’ customs and practices, so that they don’t seem so foreign or “other” to us.
Van Assche hopes his research can lead people to see the benefits of integrating the spaces where they live. This could be done through top-down methods, such as the government requiring school integration, but also from the bottom up. For example, suggests Van Assche, communities could create low-cost, low-key events that bring people together, helping to promote tolerance.
1. Why are the questions raised in paragraph 1?| A．To inspire readers’ imagination. | B．To argue against the contact theory. |
| C．To show the author’s curiosity. | D．To offer the purpose of the study. |
| A．It improves people’s adaptive capacity. | B．It increases people’s desire to socialize. |
| C．It promotes each other’s understanding. | D．It makes people emotionally stable. |
| A．Expanding communities on the whole. |
| B．Increasing chances of positive contact. |
| C．Strengthening interactions between schools. |
| D．Offering equal education opportunities to diverse groups. |
| A．People involved in equal contact are generally positive | B．Opportunities for intergroup contact are on the rise |
| C．The interventions based on contact are unhealthy | D．Interpersonal contact can help people connect |
1. 要交朋友首先要做一个朋友；
2. 要和朋友同甘共苦；患难之中的朋友才是真正的朋友；
3. 友谊需要时间和投入（effort）。
Dear Su Ru,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
All the best.
Yours,
Li Hua
6 . On little Connor Crites’s very first day at elementary school, something unbelievable happened. The young boy, who has autism (孤独症), found the
The friend was Christian Moore, a second-grade student with a
Christian’s mom, Courtney, witnessed the
This heartwarming incident is a perfect
| A．initial | B．special | C．regular | D．national |
| A．shelter | B．room | C．corner | D．gym |
| A．Otherwise | B．However | C．Therefore | D．Instead |
| A．analyse | B．preserve | C．quit | D．enter |
| A．delicate | B．strong | C．kind | D．normal |
| A．adopted | B．approached | C．found | D．resisted |
| A．comfort | B．confidence | C．generosity | D．solution |
| A．avenue | B．street | C．future | D．school |
| A．officially | B．frequently | C．instantly | D．creatively |
| A．satisfying | B．touching | C．annoying | D．thrilling |
| A．encounter | B．honour | C．effect | D．context |
| A．striking | B．relating | C．inspiring | D．attracting |
| A．lesson | B．behavior | C．judgement | D．chance |
| A．points out | B．accounts for | C．refers to | D．serves as |
| A．symbols | B．boundaries | C．factors | D．systems |
Our character will form without a guidebook and typically without our knowledge until we are faced with a situation that requires our intentional thought and action. These experiences can be a catalyst (催化剂) to our positive growth and impact who we are and what we become.
My regrettable “mean girl” moment happened when I was in eighth grade. As Halloween approached that year, my classmate Paisley, a shy yet kind girl, asked me if I would play trick-or-treat with her. I jumped at the invitation, until another more active and popular girl, Violet, invited me to join her group later. I was more inclined to join Violet because I thought I’d experience a more cheerful atmosphere. Then I made an unkind decision, lying to Paisley that my parents asked me to stay at home to pass out candy.
I remember that feeling of shame began to form in my heart as I delivered this dishonest excuse. However, that little voice of conscience quickly faded as I began to prepare my costume and plans for the evening. Unexpectedly, while we were playing trick-or-treat, I experienced a moment of pure embarrassment and shame when I found myself face to face with Paisley. The look of hurt and disappointment on her face when she saw me with another group of girls lingered in my mind.
In the days that followed, we didn’t interact at school. I knew I had hurt her deeply. Her absence in my life made me realize just how much her friendship meant to me. The guilt weighed heavily on my conscience as I reflected on my selfish behavior.
One day, as I was sitting alone in the school cafeteria, I saw Paisley walk in. She looked hesitant, as if unsure whether to approach me or not. My heart raced with anticipation and nervousness as I watched her making her way towards my table. I prepared myself for her anger and disappointment.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
To my surprise, Paisley smiled warmly and asked if she could join me.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As I look back on that regrettable “mean girl” moment, I am grateful for the growth it brought into my life.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . While scientists have many ideas, they are not certain why humans yawn(打哈欠). Still, there is one thing experts know—yawns seem to be contagious(传染)!
Have you ever caught a yawn from someone else? Most people have. In fact, a person is six times more likely to yawn after seeing someone else do so. Experts have done many studies into why yawns seem to pass from person to person. As a result, they have a few theories(理论) for the reason behind it.
One possible explanation has something to do with social mirroring, which is caused by mirror neurons(镜像神经元) in the brain. These mirror neurons help the brain notice useful behavior of others and then copy it. When one person sees another yawn, his mirror neurons observe the action and consider it to be beneficial. That may cause him to yawn, too.
Another popular theory is that yawns are contagious because of social relationships. Being social creatures, humans form friendships, families and live together in groups. That’s why many people mirror others, such as smiling when another person smiles. Yawning may be just another example of this. In fact, research has shown that one is most likely to catch yawns from another person if the two share a social relationship.
The answer could even be that yawns aren’t truly contagious at all. Instead, people yawn together simply because they’re in the same environment. Experts say many things may cause yawning, including temperature and time of day. Whatever the explanation is, experts do know that contagious yawns aren’t limited to humans. One study found that lions in South Africa also caught each other’s yawns.
1. What kind of behavior may be copied by mirror neurons?| A．Important and attractive. | B．Useful and beneficial. |
| C．Hard to understand. | D．Easy to copy. |
| A．Those who yawn a lot. | B．Those who like smiling. |
| C．Those closely connected with them. | D．Those sharing the same interest with them. |
| A．Tips on how to avoid yawning in public. |
| B．A real explanation for contagious yawning. |
| C．Other examples of animals yawning together. |
| D．Things that may cause yawning among humans. |
| A．Why yawns are contagious | B．What causes people to yawn |
| C．Who yawns more than others | D．Why humans yawn now and then |
9 . “Individuals of all ages who have empathy (共情) understand that sometimes telling little white lies can protect other people from getting hurt,” says Barbara Greenberg, a clinical psychologist in Connecticut. “Most people that I have come across tell these little white lies because they understand that 100 percent honesty all the time is not beneficial.” A white lie, she explains, spares people from unnecessary hurt.
At the same time, Dr. Julia Breur, a marriage and family therapist in Florida, emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the way we respond to someone. The fact is that not telling the truth can result in something unpleasant on you; it’s not just about the person the white lie is being told to. For example, she says someone who always tells others that “all is good” when it comes to a sick parent in an effort to avoid discussions about how serious their health issue really is, can eventually face stressful experiences. When that parent eventually passes away, the person who always gave an “all is good” response ends up emotionally broken.
Sometimes, telling white lies often depends on the situation, Dr. Breur says. For example, consider a woman who has not seen her mother for several months. The daughter has gained noticeable weight, yet the mother responds by excitedly declaring that she looks great. “I emphasize during psychotherapy sessions with my patients that context helps define meaning,” Dr. Breur says. “So when we look at the context of a mother saying you look great when she clearly sees that her daughter has gained weight, it can be acceptable. It reflects the intention of the white lie which is kindness, protection and unconditional love. Otherwise, white lies — especially when told to avoid personal accountability — can start a cycle of mistrust between people, ultimately compromising integrity,” she adds.
Therefore, it’s important to ask ourselves when it is and isn’t appropriate to deliver the honest truth, and when it’s best to step back and offer a more delicate response. More often than not, it’s about finding a balance between the two.
1. What can be learned about white lies according to Barbara Greenberg?| A．They are short-lived. | B．They are unidentifiable. |
| C．They are trouble-making. | D．They are common. |
| A．White lies can harm both the liars and the listeners. |
| B．We must respond to our family members truthfully. |
| C．It’s wrong to tell white lies to a seriously ill parent. |
| D．The “all is good” response is effective in dealing with patients. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Critical. | C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．East or West, White Lies Are the Best |
| B．Think Twice Before You Tell White Lies |
| C．White Lies Signify Unconditional Love |
| D．White Lies Are Empathetic People’s Favorable Choice |
10 . What are the speakers talking about?
| A．Polite greetings. | B．Table manners. | C．Body language. |
