1 . Tips for Closing the Gaps in Relationships

Be curious, not angry

Ask in a spirit of real curiosity and openness. After you ask the question, be concerned only with understanding the other person’s story. Be ready to listen to the other person’s views and experiences.     1    . Try to avoid immediate reaction. If someone says something that makes you react in the moment, breathe and put that aside to listen, and hear what they have to say.

Put body language together with intentions

    2    . We also express our opinions with manner of speaking and body language. Do our voice and manner show doubt, anxiety, or anger—or concern, respect, and the willingness to have an honest conversation? We can’t pretend that fears don’t exist, but we can pass on our main purpose to express concern in order to improve our connection.

Listen for understanding

Our good intentions for asking questions are not enough.     3    . Explore real listening without fixed ideas. Try to listen not only for content but for feelings, for disagreement, as well as for chances and ways to settle problems together.

    4    

Of course, how the other person reacts will determine the conversation that follows, which may require a good deal of openness, presence, and skill. Our reaction to whatever the person says will require continued openness, trust, kindness, clarity, and honesty. As you speak, clarify the gap between your experience of the relationship and your opinion or expectations of a healthy relationship. Noticing the gaps is helpful since it defines the problem.     5    .

A．Mind the gaps

B．Ask when we care

C．And be willing to be interested

D．This is a step towards settling the problem

E．How we ask this question makes a big difference

F．We express our purposes not only with our words

G．At the moment, our most important job is to listen carefully

2 . Many people changed residences and are eager to get familiar with their new neighbors. Here’s a quick refresher on making the most of neighborhood relationships.

Begin at the beginning. Building good neighborly relationships starts when you or someone else moves into the area. If a new neighbor moves in, be proactive (主动的) and welcome them to the neighborhood.     1    . Consider taking a plate of cookies or a small housewarming gift. Share your contact information and offer to answer any questions they may have about the community, including your favorite restaurants or the best local service providers.

    2    . Don’t create things that are unpleasant to look at or allow your property’s condition to affect the value of neighboring homes adversely (不利地). Being kind to those around you includes keeping your yard tidy, removing snow from your sidewalks, and collecting trash and recycling bins after the truck has passed.

Be inclusive. If you are hosting a large party, consider extending invitations to your neighbors. During the holiday season, remember the people next door with a card, a homemade goodie, or an offer of assistance. Give without expectations.     3    .

Allow people to be human.     4    , and it’s impossible to know what others are going through. Don’t be too quick to assume a sligh (轻蔑) is personal or intended.

Accept it. If you have tried your best to resolve a conflict without success, let it go. Sadly, some people won’t like you whatever you do. And you aren’t going to enjoy some people.     5    . Be pleasant anyway, and be thankful that you get to live your life and they get to live theirs.

A．Maintain your space

B．Be the first to stop by and say hello

C．It’s easier to accept it and move on

D．Everyone has a bad day now and then

E．Take steps to ensure it won’t happen again

F．Let others know you are thinking of them

G．Some neighbors are more easygoing than others

4 . 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:     1     The saying is meant to urge people to behave in a gentle, caring, and helpful way towards others without thinking or planning ahead.

    2     In one experiment, Brian are, an anthropologist (人类学家) at Duke University, asked a group of people to perform three acts of generosity for other individuals each week. These acts could be small, like opening a door for someone. The people who were caring, gentle and friendly towards others reported experiencing contentment, satisfaction and happiness.

However, being kind is not just emotionally beneficial. Lyubomirsky studied a group of people with the disease Multiple Sclerosis (多发性硬化).     3     Her research also pointed out that people showing kindness to others had less inflammation (炎症) in their bodies. And in other studies, Lyubomirsky said more anti-viral genes were found in people who extended a helping hand to other people

    4     In one study, researchers gave people a list of values — such as kindness, creativity, ambition, tradition, security, seeking social justice, and seeking power. When asked to pick the most important, kindness won.

“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.”    5    

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

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What does the speaker do?

A．A coach.

B．A professor.

C．A doctor.

2. What is a great way to make a good first impression?

A．Making eye contact.

B．Dressing properly.

C．Having good posture.

3. What is important when you first meet someone?

A．Shaking hands with them.

B．Greeting them.

C．Using their names.

4. What does the speaker suggest doing?

A．Not bothering others.

B．Not controlling the conversation.

C．Not letting others talk about themselves.

6 . I came across some excellent tips on how to communicate better with others.    1     For that reason, it’s necessary that we all work on communicating as effectively (有效地) as possible. In order to help us communicate more effectively, I’m going to share the following tips.

Pause(停顿)before replying to others.    2     Sometimes just that 2-3 seconds’ break is just what you need to really understand what someone else has said or to come up with the thoughts you really want to pass on.

Be honest.    3     You don’t have to think about what you’re going to say wrong and you don’t have to worry about uncovering a secret. If you remain honest, you’ll have a much easier time communicating with others and others will be a lot more willing to communicate with you.

    4     Communication can be hard at times, which is why it’s so very important to be both patient and open-minded in communication. No matter what the situation is, there is a way to communicate. Sometimes it just takes time. Be patient and keep your mind open for new ways of sharing and understanding.

Ask for feedback（反馈）from others. When it’s all said and done, one of the best ways you can learn to communicate more effectively is to ask for feedback. Take some time to speak to those who you communicate with frequently to find out how you can improve on your communication with them.    5    

A．Be patient and open-minded.

B．Trust and hard work are valuable.

C．When you’re honest, communication becomes a lot easier.

D．I believe communication is key to living a good life.

E．It’s not always easy to ask for feedback, but it’s worth it!

F．You’ll be on the road to creating a better understanding with others.

G．Pause works wonders when it comes to communicating effectively with others.

7 . For 85 years, the Harvard Study of Adult Development has tracked an original group of 724 men and more than 1,300 of their male and female descendants (后代) over three generations, asking thousands of questions and taking hundreds of measurements to find out what really keeps people healthy and happy.

Through all the years of studying these lives, one crucial factor stands out for the consistency and power of its bond to physical health, mental health and longevity: good relationships.

In 2008, researchers telephoned the wives and husbands of Harvard Study couples in their 80s every night for eight nights. Researchers spoke to each partner separately and asked them a series of questions about their days.

On days when these men and women spent more time in the company of others, they were happier. Like most older people, those in the Harvard Study experienced day-to-day rises and falls in their levels of physical pain and health difficulties. But researchers found that the people who were in more satisfying relationships were cushioned (缓冲) somewhat from these ups and downs of mood—their happiness did not decline as much on the days when they had more pain. Simply put, their happy marriages seemed to have a protective effect.

Elizabeth Gillespie, a therapist of couples, stated that although most of us found that our experience of relationships might be hard, and at times, impossible, it is essential to our well-being.

Today we live in much more complicated environments, so meeting our social needs presents different challenges. We might be sitting on a gold mine of vitality that we are not paying attention to, because it is hidden by the shiny appeal of smartphones or pushed to the side by work demands.

1. What’s the purpose of the Harvard Study of Adult Development?

A．To study their lives over three generations.

B．To reveal the secret to health and well-being.

C．To track the descendants of an original group.

D．To study the relationship between health and happiness.

2. How did the researchers carry out the study?

A．By working with other researchers.

B．By tracking specific groups of people.

C．By helping participants with social difficulties.

D．By comparing the results from different people.

3. Why did the author mention the examples in Paragraph 4?

A．To provide evidence for the bond of health and longevity.

B．To introduce the concept of physical pain and health difficulties.

C．To show the negative impact of unhappy marriages on older people’s mood.

D．To support the positive impact of satisfying relationships on people’s lives.

4. According to Elizabeth Gillespie, what is essential to our well-being?

A．Having good social connections.

B．Declining pains and difficulties.

C．Overcoming ups and downs of mood.

D．Experiencing rises and falls of physical health.

8 . How long have you been going to the same hairdresser or barber? It’s a question that gets us thinking about the unique friendship we _______ with our stylists over the years.

You have confidence in each other. You have a laugh together and regularly _______ each other’s news. Plus they try to make you look and feel your best. That’s a(n) _______ not only for a great friendship, but also for the perfect relationship with your hairdresser. When you find a good barber, it’s something to _______.

Many people have _______ experiences with their hairdressers. I’ve had my hair cut by Claire Miller for more than 15 years. She’s taken me through all kinds of _______, and she’s helped me find a totally new look now during the post-chemotherapy (化疗后) period with dyed blonde hair! _______ hairstyles, there have been communications about the joys and trials of motherhood, the _______ of health problems and changes in our careers and lives — the stuff of 15 years that we have _______ in the three salons Claire has worked in.

While she cut my hair recently, we chatted about that special __________ that forms between hairdressers and their clients. “You hear so many stories from them, and sometimes you feel like a counselor __________ a hairdresser. You assess their needs, and you know how to react to them,”says Claire.

For Claire, the customer interaction is something she loves about the job and that she has __________ developed throughout her working life. “It’s about being human and __________ about people. A lot of my clients are my friends and like family now. It’s my __________ to cut their hair, making them look and feel good, but I also want them to feel __________ by the experience,” laughs Claire.

1.

A．break

B．promote

C．form

D．begin

2.

A．catch up on

B．make up for

C．put up with

D．end up with

3.

A．request

B．desire

C．occasion

D．recipe

4.

A．resolve

B．remember

C．cherish

D．evaluate

5.

A．reliable

B．unforgettable

C．imaginable

D．inseparable

6.

A．shapes

B．models

C．styles

D．sorts

7.

A．Besides

B．Despite

C．Given

D．After

8.

A．injuries

B．emotions

C．concerns

D．challenges

9.

A．brought

B．shared

C．observed

D．emphasized

10.

A．link

B．role

C．habit

D．pattern

11.

A．other than

B．rather than

C．less than

D．more than

12.

A．eventually

B．gradually

C．immediately

D．frequently

13.

A．caring

B．hanging

C．worrying

D．talking

14.

A．desire

B．ambition

C．hobby

D．job

15.

A．fascinated

B．struck

C．uplifted

D．impressed

10 . How to Be Popular

Do you dream of being popular and having a lot of friends? Do you want everyone to know your name? If you follow these positive steps, you can be popular.

    1     This means you should smile and say hello to the people you meet. If you never leave your classroom or your home, you cannot be popular. People won’t know your name.

Have confidence. No matter who you are, you have gifts or qualities that make you a unique and interesting person.     2    

Take part and join. If you are shy or unwilling to join clubs and organizations, being popular may be difficult.     3    Start by raising your hand in class and joining in group discussions .Then take part in another activity such as a sport or join a club. Look around your environment, watch what is going on, and then get involved in it.

Make friends among different groups. Popularity is not about being liked by a small, select group of people.     4     To do this, you need to widen your living range. Try to reach out to those in different groups. If you spend most of your time with your band, reach out to those playing baseball down the street or reading poetry in the coffee shop.

Remember names and faces.     5     Being popular is a form of salesmanship. You are selling yourself as a friend. When you meet someone, remember the details about him so that you may recognize him when you meet him again.

When being popular is your goal, know you can reach it and still be yourself. You can be confident in who you are and still make friends.

A．Be polite.

B．But it is not impossible.

C．Get out and meet people.

D．Belief in yourself will draw others to you.

E．Instead, it is being friends with a lot of people.

F．Popular kids are always generous to other people or groups.

G．One skill every salesman has is the ability to remember most people they meet.