1 . 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. |
2 . 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. |
3 . 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. |
4 . Teens often find themselves in difficult situations with friends where they struggle to communicate their needs or their values. Even when their gut(直觉)is telling them that someone is crossing a line, they may struggle to express that the situation is making them uncomfortable. For this reason, parents need to work with their teens to establish boundaries with others.
Although boundaries are different for everyone, when done correctly, they help teens set limits with others in order to protect themselves. Setting boundaries allows teens to communicate with other people about what is OK and what is not OK with them and is important to teen friendships.
What are boundaries? Boundaries are limits teens establish in order to protect themselves in some way from being hurt, manipulated(操纵), or taken advantage of. As an expression of self-worth, boundaries let other people know who they are, what they value, and how they want to be treated. Additionally, boundaries help to create space between teens and other people when they need it.
Learning how to set boundaries - both physical and emotional - is an important part of growing up. It’s also essential to developing friendships that are respectful, supportive and healthy.
Unfortunately, though, many teens have trouble setting boundaries with their friends; and when this happens, it puts them at risk for everything from unhealthy friendships to bullying(霸凌) or abuse.
Of course, setting boundaries isn’t easy. It’s uncomfortable and forces a teen to stand up for themselves. What’s more, communicating boundaries to other people can make for difficult conversations or uncomfortable situations. Yet, it’s one of the most important things that teens need to learn how to do.
1. Which of the following best explains “crossing a line” underlined in paragraph 1?A.Sharing secrets. |
B.Keeping in touch. |
C.Behaving properly. |
D.Going beyond accepted limits. |
A.Their values and self-worth. |
B.Their levels of independence. |
C.Their ability to manipulate others. |
D.Their physical and mental health. |
A.Easy. | B.Rewarding. | C.Boring. | D.Unnecessary. |
A.The benefits of setting boundaries. |
B.The possible results of breaking boundaries. |
C.Strategies for effectively setting boundaries. |
D.The role of parents in helping teens set boundaries. |
5 . 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. |
6 . Most of us associate awe (敬畏) with something rare and beautiful: nature, music or a spiritual experience. But people can waken awe too, and not just public heroes. Research shows that we can be awed by our nearest and dearest — the people sitting next to us on the couch, chatting on the other end of the phone, looking back at us over Zoom.
Often, interpersonal awe is a response to life’s big, sweeping changes, such as witnessing a baby’s first steps.
Though we can’t make someone else behave in a way that’s awesome, we can prepare ourselves to notice it when they do and boost the emotion’s positive effects.
Question your assumptions. Do you believe your partner is insensitive or your sibling is selfish? There may be a little truth to that, but it’s never the whole tale.
Name awe when you see it. Speaking out “Wow, that was awesome!” is a simple way to help you identify and remember a special experience. Savor (品味) it in the moment and then tell others about it. This will reinforce your positive emotions.
A.Thank the person who awed you. |
B.And recall it or write about it later. |
C.Psychologists call this interpersonal awe. |
D.It’s easy to forget that it can be awesome too. |
E.But interpersonal awe does happen in smaller moments. |
F.Here’s why you should recognize those moments of interpersonal awe. |
G.The story you tell yourself gets in the way of catching people at their best. |
7 . Whenever I am in a group of people, I feel like everyone knows what to say and I have no idea. When I do try to join in, I get anxious. I struggle
Individuals experiencing this type of social
To
Some individuals are chameleon (变色龙)-like in that they
A.reading | B.pronouncing | C.seeing | D.writing |
A.even though | B.as | C.if | D.as if |
A.status | B.discomfort | C.event | D.response |
A.transparent | B.urgent | C.frustrated | D.Disappointed |
A.comforting | B.correcting | C.asserting | D.convincing |
A.creative | B.effective | C.attractive | D.tentative |
A.contribution | B.requirement | C.assignment | D.socialization |
A.dive | B.dig | C.get | D.fit |
A.sacrifice | B.give | C.examine | D.present |
A.hobbies | B.approaches | C.perspectives | D.promises |
A.naturally | B.partly | C.vaguely | D.merely |
A.explain | B.support | C.help | D.modify |
A.conclusion | B.realization | C.decision | D.point |
A.attached | B.removed | C.disconnected | D.connected |
A.resist | B.allow | C.miss | D.suggest |
8 . While everyone’s image of their dream home looks a little different, most people will agree that their ideal neighbourhood is filled with friendly faces. Getting to know your neighbours takes time and effort.
Nick Tebbey, national executive officer of Relationships Australia, says spring is the perfect season to start getting to know your neighbours. “When the weather starts warming up we’re all spending more time outdoors.” It makes sense that the best way to get to know a neighbour is to first make sure they actually know you’re neighbours.
To put yourself in the way of these opportunities, Tebbey suggests timing your outings to take place“when other people are out and about as well”. When it comes to actually introducing yourself to your neighbours, Tebbey notes it’s important to do what feels comfortable, whether that’s leaving a note on a building notice board or chatting to someone while you wait for the elevator.
Once you’ve introduced yourself to a neighbor, you can start conversations.
“It’s not about grand gestures or sharing everything about yourself with your neighbours.
A.In fact, it’s almost the opposite. |
B.It doesn’t have to require a lot of effort. |
C.It’s vital to ask questions and remember people’s answers. |
D.However, it can potentially be easier than you may expect. |
E.Should you start to feel uncomfortable, you could invite another. |
F.And the easiest way to do that is with short, repeated interactions. |
G.The less anxiety you feel, the more likely you are to commit to them. |
9 . It goes without saying that everyone has bad days at work. You hit an unexpected problem with a project you’ve been working on for weeks.
When you’re feeling upset about a problem at work, take a minute to think of someone in your life that you’re grateful to and write a sentence or two on a notepad about what you appreciate.
Picking one of those folks out and reminding yourself of why you’re grateful to them has two benefits.
A.You have a quarrel with your beloved. |
B.In those moments, a little gratitude can help |
C.Here are some reasons to explain these situations. |
D.All of us have people in our lives who fit that bill. |
E.Research shows practicing gratitude can make you happier. |
F.You forget the appointment with a VIP customer and keep him waiting. |
G.For one, it gets you thinking about something positive and lifts your mood |
10 . You’ve reached that special time — you are getting ready to leave your job and move on to the next step in your career. But the end of an employment relationship is not necessarily the end of the relationship — with either the leader or the company.
I learned this relatively early in my career. At first, I was concerned I might lose my relationship with my now former boss, as I truly liked him.
That isn’t to say it always goes like this. When I left another role, in spite of my desire to maintain communication, my former supervisor seemed indifferent and the relationship ended. Sometimes your boss was a nightmare and you want to end the relationship.
But for the good bosses and organizations, the ones that invested in your talent and celebrated your achievements, things are different.
A.But it turned out I had no reason to fear. |
B.So the way I left contributed to this breakup. |
C.It’s completely understandable not to engage further. |
D.It is normal to have mixed emotions when you leave a job. |
E.Here are some ways to build a win-win with your former leader. |
F.The concusion of the employment can start a new era of cooperation. |
G.You can leave your company and keep the relationship at the same time. |