1 . There’s no doubt that loneliness hurts. Functional MRIs show that the area of the brain triggered by social rejection is the same area that’s triggered by physical pain. To understand why loneliness hurts, let’s take a closer look at friendship through the eyes of two heavyweight philosophers.
In one corner we have Aristotle, who wrote that without friends, there’s no reason to live. The Greek great believed that friendships are based on the virtues of the friend.
So as a sharp counterpunch to Aristotle, let’s turn to the renowned Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant, who said that all people have value regardless of their virtues. Since we view our true friends with this kind of unconditional love and respect, we can assume they view us the same way.
A.This may sound fine at first. |
B.They last through thick and thin. |
C.This tells us why loneliness hurts. |
D.These acts may not make you a lifelong friend. |
E.The more friends you have, the happier you’ll be. |
F.We feel like we’re not accepted by the people around us. |
G.Thus, the cure for loneliness can be found in other people. |
2 . Around the globe, about 1 in 4 adults says they’re lonely. And the consequences of long-term social disconnection can be everything from an increased risk of heart attacks to dementia (痴呆). The following offers a road map to make connections.
Be curious. It’s easier to connect with people if you have shared interests or experiences, so start paying attention to what’s in your mind. What motivates you? What excites you?
Make something. When experts advise making something, people will say, “Well, I’m not Picasso. I don’t know how to do a fancy painting. ” Of course, you’re not!
Find a group that matches your interests. Whether it’s volunteering fora cause or playing frisbee (飞盘), try to find others who share your interests. There’s even an online group that has a quirky shared interest: a fascination with brown bears in Alaska, which led to Fat Bear Week. In interactions with others, you can begin to reveal yourself and share the unique things that matter to you.
Other people’s loneliness matters too.
A.Pour out your hard feelings. |
B.Loneliness can be infectious. |
C.Take a risk by having conversations. |
D.You should tolerate the risk of being lonely. |
E.But the opportunities for creative expression are endless. |
F.Knowing yourself can be a first step to bonding with others. |
G.Then, other people recognize that and share their story in return. |
3 . As our lives become more closely connected with the digital age, it’s more important than ever to keep the spark of human connections, a key part of which is making small talk.
The cornerstone of effective small talk lies in developing genuine interest. Genuine interest is about actively seeking to understand the other person, valuing their perspectives and appreciating the uniqueness they bring to the conversation.
Small talk extends beyond spoken words; it includes the art of observation. As you engage in conversation, pay attention to the speaker’s body language, facial expressions and tone of voice.
Actually listening and connecting with someone is essential for a conversation. By providing your undivided attention, you convey respect and interest in what the other person has to say.
At the heart of successful small talk lies the authenticity (真实性) of your engagement. Authenticity fosters a sense of trust and connection, making the conversation more meaningful and memorable. Avoid the temptation to project an image or use scripted responses.
A.Instead, let your true self shine through. |
B.Some accessible topics are great for small talk. |
C.Active listening involves fully engaging with the speaker. |
D.Focus on understanding their viewpoints beyond simply hearing words. |
E.The signals provide valuable insights into their emotions and intentions. |
F.Small talk may be a gateway to building rich and meaningful relationships. |
G.By expressing authentic curiosity, you make the other person feel seen and heard. |
4 . What do you do when you receive an invitation to an event that you do not want to attend or that you cannot attend due to your busy schedule? In that case, we simply can’t act on everything our heart feels.
Respond in a timely manner.
It’s OK to say you’re sorry that you can’t make an event, but it’s better to redefine it as a positive. Rather than apologizing, say how happy you are that they invited you and that while you can’t make it this time, you look forward to getting together with them in the future.
Don’t say “maybe”.
Procrastinating (拖延) by saying “maybe” usually means it’s a no.
Don’t try to control the other person’s feelings.
There’s the assumption that we can decline without hurting anyone else’s feelings, but we can’t ensure the other person’s experience. They may feel sad or disappointed when you decline,. but that’s OK.
A.Focus on the positive. |
B.Be honest but not too honest. |
C.Don’t leave the host hanging. |
D.It’s fine to decline via digital means. |
E.Most people will understand that life just gets busy. |
F.So just go ahead and say no if that’s really what you mean. |
G.Instead, we should learn how to politely say “no” to an invitation. |
5 . Feel exhausted after a party? Rather see one close friend than a group of acquaintances? Enjoy your own company? In our world, that makes you an introvert (内向的人). However, there’s another possible explanation — vertical attachment. If you are closer to your parents and family members than to your peers, you are vertically attached, which means you rely more on family for comfort.
If you are closer to your peers, then you are peer attached. We live in a peer-oriented world. We believe that having lots of friends means that we are well-adjusted. We put our kids in playgroups and daycare for peer interaction. We expect teenagers to want to hang out with their friends, thinking it is the natural way of things.
Result? Generations often feel worlds apart. We use different language, dress, and technology apps. Even if multiple generations are invited to the same party, the kids go to the basement playroom while the parents stay upstairs.
Vertically-attached individuals can feel out of place in this context, demonstrating the traces of introversion. Will they be exhausted after a party with same-aged acquaintances? Absolutely. Would they rather spend time with one close friend? Sure. Do they enjoy alone time? Yes, more than they enjoy time fitting in with peers.
It’s normal that many people need alone time to recharge. However, vertically-attached people often label themselves as introverted. They feel insecure that others have more friends and live richer lives. They claim that their family attachments arise from their loved ones being stuck with them.
If you feel these insecurities, know that there is nothing wrong with you, and you are not missing out on anything. Your attachment style is just different from the culture where you live. Have confidence in the strength of the relationships you have, whether it is with a mom who feels more like a best friend, or a grandmother with whom you can share anything. They are meaningful, enriching relationships, even if they look different from the cultural norm.
1. Who is vertically attached according to the text?A.Mike, who feels at ease with his teachers. |
B.Maggie, who enjoys film time alone at weekends. |
C.Tom, who feels burnt out after a family get-together. |
D.Lisa, who often turns to her dad when things are hard. |
A.Younger generations should be self-disciplined. |
B.Being sociable is a desired quality for their children. |
C.Their children need more friends than they themselves do. |
D.Different generations should have different circles of acquaintances. |
A.Be that as it may, just leave it as it is. |
B.Never underestimate your inner power. |
C.Hang out more with friends and adjust to it. |
D.Treat others the way you want to be treated. |
A.Biased. | B.Objective. | C.Unconcerned. | D.Critical. |
6 . Kindness May Keep You Healthy
If you are driving in the United States, you may see a common bumper (汽车保险杠) sticker on passing vehicles that reads:
However, being kind is not just emotionally beneficial. Lyubomirsky studied a group of people with the disease Multiple Sclerosis (多发性硬化).
“The basic reason why people are kind,” Oliver Curry, explained, the research director at Kind-lab that is a non-profit organization, “is that we are social animals. Kindness is as much a part of us as our anger, grief or desire.”
A.Perform random acts of kindness |
B.Acts of kindness are very powerful |
C.In other words, we are designed to be kind. |
D.She found that they felt better physically when helping others. |
E.Research shows that doing kind things can make us feel better |
F.He found that being kind makes people feel better emotionally, |
G.Other research has shown that many people prize kindness above other values |
7 . Go on a 15-minute Tour
Didn’t someone say that life is about the journey, not the destination?
To commit some time to the journey, take some time to walk around where you work and notice your surroundings.
After your first observation tour, select a different day to tour your workspace for moods. Other people’s moods can provide you with critical clues about how things are going.
Schedule 15 minutes to tour your workplace twice a week for a month and be sure to avoid making too many assumptions or conclusions — just simply observe.
A.You’ll be amazed at what you see along the way. |
B.Spare a little time to closely monitor each person’s progress. |
C.Notice what people may be feeling when you drop by to talk briefly. |
D.During any workday, take just 15 minutes to observe neglected things. |
E.You generally love the breathtaking landscape and people’s performances. |
F.Going on a short tour will help you get in tune with other people and their emotions. |
G.To become socially aware, remember to enjoy the journey and notice people along the way. |
8 . Being vulnerable (脆弱的) is not a choice. It’s a
Vulnerability
When some people
Indeed, it’s not easy for us to admit our vulnerability in front of others. In order to protect ourselves, we tend to struggle with
A.secret | B.reality | C.skill | D.purpose |
A.report | B.reveal | C.replace | D.prevent |
A.refers to | B.consists of | C.relies on | D.sticks to |
A.belief | B.error | C.rights | D.nature |
A.memories | B.lessons | C.experiences | D.pains |
A.follow | B.analyse | C.acknowledge | D.remove |
A.claim | B.doubt | C.celebrate | D.neglect |
A.hesitating | B.complaining | C.lying | D.waiting |
A.motivated | B.unwilling | C.desperate | D.unafraid |
A.blaming | B.spreading | C.teasing | D.exchanging |
A.criticism | B.fear | C.anger | D.hopelessness |
A.surprisingly | B.cautiously | C.safely | D.gratefully |
A.bravery | B.humor | C.ability | D.understanding |
A.impressed | B.affected | C.improved | D.reminded |
A.stand | B.request | C.strengthen | D.measure |
9 . How to Deal with a Colleague who Keeps Challenging Your Views
It can be difficult to develop an environment of teamwork when you continually run up against a colleague who challenges your views.
If a co-worker habitually challenges your ideas in a group discussion in a confrontational manner, don’t engage him or get into an argument. Pause for a moment, look the colleague in the eye.
There’s a time and place for everything, including professional disagreements. If a colleague interrupts you or talks over you in an effort to contradict your point or insert (插入) his own opinion, gently remind him that you still have the floor. If the colleague is challenging something you say before you have a chance to address the point, note that as well.
Agree to respect each other.If a particular colleague has a long history of disagreeing with you, you might be able to anticipate his arguments or objections. Prepare rebuttals to address anything your colleague might throw at you.
A.Hold your ground. |
B.Ask for peace-making. |
C.This will help you support your own arguments. |
D.And ask him in a calm voice to repeat what he said. |
E.Here are the ways to deal with colleagues of this kind. |
F.Just find ways to make peace and communicate with your colleague. |
G.The bottom line is, colleagues are not going to agree with each other all the time. |
10 . Do you have a hard time saying“no”? If “yes” rules your life and “no” doesn’t exist, here are some tips for you to say “no” without feeling bad.
Switch out “no” for “later”If you’re just starting out, you don’t have to jump straight to “no”.
Sometimes, invites or requests happen naturally and in person, requiring an answer immediately.
Offering an excuse may seem polite to decline a request, but it sets you up for an awkward situation. No matter what excuse you offer, people who are determined to get you to say “yes” will come up with a way to reel (卷轴) you in.
If the person asking you for something is someone who you want to maintain a positive relationship with, you can decrease the impact of your “no” by offering an alternative.
A.Don’t offer an explanation |
B.Don’t say “yes” to others easily |
C.Saying “no”at once can be tough |
D.But noisy places with many people aren’t your choices |
E.So it would be useful to rehearse your “no” in advance |
F.Being frank with people by saying “no” doesn’t mean rude |
G.The goal is to find a common ground and reach an agreement |