1 . Customer service refers to the way that companies behave towards their customers.     1    However, many a time organizations don’t focus on customer relationship management, and that’s what makes customers angry, which is one of the reasons why companies lose their customers.     2    

First of all, you need to realize the great value of the customers. It’s they who are the boss, and it, s because of them that you get your pay checks. So do take your customers seriously.

    3     You need to ask the customers the right kind of questions and think of the possible solutions which you can provide. Understand how they feel according to a particular situation, their body language, tone of voice and words they speak. Never make assumptions and think that you know what the customers want.

Making customers feel they are important is an excellent way to serve them better.     4     The best way to do that is using their first name and finding ways of praising them in a sincere way.

In addition, there are some other skills which will help you in serving your customers better. For example, once you finish solving the problem for the customers, before ending the call, always remember to ask if there is anything else you can do for them. End the call with a “thank you”. If the customers are angry, let them express their anger completely.    5     Once they’ve finished speaking, try to calm them down by apologizing.

In a word, always remember that if the customers remain happy, you’ll be in business.

A．Treat customers as individuals.

B．Never interrupt or start speaking until they’ve finished.

C．You can bring in as many new customers as you want.

D．So customer service is important and you should know how to improve it.

E．Finding out the needs of the customers is another important customer service tip.

F．More companies are finding that their customer service should not be limited to stores.

G．It’s the quality of service that determines whether the customer remains with the company.

2 . Building Up Your Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and emotionally engage with others. It is viewed as the fundamental social glue and main psychological mechanism, which enables us to relate to each other, maintain social relations and create a more sympathetic world.     1    . It is a skill that can be developed and strengthened over time. Here are some tips on how to build up your empathy.

Practice active listening 

Listening is one of the most effective ways you can demonstrate empathy to other people. Active listening requires three things. To begin with, paraphrase what the person said to show that you understood the content.     2    , because it helps the person better understand and regulate their own emotions. Finally, indicate how your response makes you want to behave, because again you are demonstrating that you understand their emotional state and helping them figure out a behavior to move forward with.

Challenge your prejudices and assumptions        

Ask yourself why you think that all poor people are lazy, or all people with mental health issues are dangerous. A lot of assumptions and prejudices are based on misinformation that has become widespread.     3    .   

Treat people as being important

Recognize that you aren’t the only one living in this world and that you aren’t some superior being.     4    . Don’t lump (合并) them into stereotypical (刻板印象的) groups with erroneous one-size-fits-all labels. Each person is an individual and comes with a set of flaws and strengths.

    5    

This means getting a direct experience of another person’s life, the “walk a mile in another person’s shoes” proverb. You don’t have to go quite that far, but consider taking on all the things that your mother does in a day for an entire week. You’ll discover how difficult it is to manage both the home and work, and you’ll have a better appreciation for how much work she has to do. You may even decide to pitch in a bit more.

In conclusion, building up your empathy takes time and effort, but it is worth it. So start practicing today and make a positive impact on the world around you.

A．Practice experiential empathy

B．Leave each person as they are

C．Practice gratitude and appreciation

D．Take each person as they come

E．Reflect on your emotional reaction as well

F．However, empathy is not something we are born with

G．Educate yourself and listen to the groups that are affected by this misinformation

3 . We often think about relationships on a scale from positive to negative. We are drawn to loving family members, caring classmates and supportive mentors. We do our best to avoid the cruel uncle, the playground bully and the jerk boss.

But the most toxic relationships aren’t the purely negative ones. They’re the ones that are a mix of positive and negative. We often call them frenemies, supposed friends who sometimes help you and sometimes hurt you. But ifs not just friends. It’s the in-laws who volunteer to watch your kids but belittle your parenting. The manager who praises your work but denies you a promotion.

Everyone knows how relationships like that can tie your stomach into a knot. But groundbreaking research led by the psychologists Bert Uchino and Julianne Holt-Lunstad shows that ambivalent (矛盾情绪的) relationships can be damaging to your health — even more than purely negative relationships.

I had assumed that with a neighbor or a colleague, having some positive interactions was better than all negative interactions. But being cheered on by the same person who cuts you down doesn’t reduce the bad feelings; it increases them. And it’s not just in your head: It leaves a trace in your heart and your blood.

Even a single ambivalent interaction can cause harm. In one experiment, people gave impromptu speeches on controversial topics in front of a friend who offered feedback. The researchers had randomly assigned the friend to give ambivalent or negative comments. Receiving mixed feedback caused higher blood pressure than pure criticism. “I would have gone about the topic differently, but you’re doing fine” proved to be more distressing than “I totally disagree with everything you’ve said.”

The evidence that ambivalent relationships can be bad for us is strong, but the reasons can be harder to read — just like the relationships themselves.

The most intuitive reason is that ambivalent relationships are unpredictable. With a clear enemy, you put up a shield when you cross paths. With a frenemy, you never know whether Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde is going to show up. Feeling unsure can disrupt the body’s calming system and activate a fight-or-flight response. It’s unsettling to hope for a hug while also preparing for a likely quarrel.

Another factor is that unpleasant interactions are more painful in an ambivalent relationship. It’s more upsetting to be let down by people you like sometimes than by people you dislike all the time. When someone stabs you in the back, it stings more if he’s been friendly to your face.

1. Which of the following can be counted as a frenemy?

A．Your neighbour’s kid who advises you to study hard but idles away his own time.

B．Your classmate who admires your diligence at first, but doubts your intelligence later.

C．Your mother’s friend who encourages you to spend more time on homework but less on smart phones.

D．Your father’s colleague who proposes you to do a moderate amount of homework while ensuring adequate sleep.

2. Which of the following statements can be inferred from the passage?

A．Ambivalent relationships have a permanent effect on your well-being.

B．The common cause for high blood pressure is ambivalent relationship.

C．Ambivalent interactions will be more painful if it is done consciously.

D．The negative impact of ambivalent interactions is direct and strong.

3. The underlined word “belittle” in paragraph 2 probably means ______.

A．devalue

B．appreciate

C．respect

D．abuse

4. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A．Some Negative Relationships Are Bad for Your Health

B．Your Most Ambivalent Relationships Are the Most Toxic

C．The Reasons for Ambivalent Relationships Are Unpredictable

D．Some Positive Relationships Are Better than All Negative Ones

4 . If you’re not sure which relationships to prioritize (优先考虑), here are some types of people to keep close.

    1    .

It’s essential that we can trust the people around us. Honesty is not just about someone refraining from lying or coming forward when they screw up. It’s also about finding a way to tell us truths that we don’t want to hear. It’s important to be around individuals who will call us out when we are wrong or heading down a path that they know is not leading to a destination we want.

    2    . Choose to be around those who will not feel threatened by your happiness or success.    3    . Surround yourself with those who believe in your skills, potential and vision as much as you do, and want to help you be the best version of yourself.

People who make space for your emotions. Many people are good at having stimulating conversations but lack the emotional availability needed to make space for how we feel. We all need individuals who respect our feelings understand that sometimes all we need is to be heard.    4    . Such individuals serve as a source of support and can help us grow in our emotional maturity.

People who model qualities you admire, understand and accept you, and show up authentically are also valuable.

Let’s remember to apply these criteria to every type of relationship in our life.    5    .

A．People who tell us lies

B．People who tell us the truth

C．People who encourage and support you

D．Find people who are not satisfied with everything you do

E．They will sit with us through the hard or painful moments

F．Our time is valuable, so spend it with people who deserve it

G．Find people who areas happy about your wins as they would be about their own

5 . When we hurt someone, we may be unwilling to acknowledge our fault and make an apology because it makes us feel guilty, conflicts with our beliefs about being a good person, or means accepting that we’re imperfect human beings. We may want to excuse our behavior and blame the other person, minimizing our role in hurting him or her.

Researchers carried out a study to find out how we can be better at apologizing. In the study, researchers asked 120 college students to recall a time when they’d hurt someone else and the conflict remained unresolved. Then, participants were randomly assigned to either a 15-minute guided mindfulness exercise focusing on their breath and having people think in the present moment or a guided mind-wandering exercise, where they were encouraged to let their minds wander.

Afterward, they were asked to report how much they felt like apologizing to the person versus not apologizing or offering excuses for their behavior. Then, they were asked to write a note to the person, without instructions to apologize or not. In analyzing the notes, the researchers found that participants who had practiced mindfulness were more likely to write statements like “I’m sorry” or “I apologize” in their notes than those who had mind-wandered.

“One way in which we can foster apologies is by having people think in the present moment,” lead author Sana Rizvi says. “We can teach individuals to be mindful of their present states, and it can be done in about 15 minutes.”

Why might this be the case? Rizvi isn’t sure, as there has been very little research on how being more mindful might affect us when we hurt others. Prior research has found that being more mindful helps victims of wrong doing to be more forgiving, and it seems to improve relationships generally.

Mindfulness makes us feel less defensive and, therefore, helps us consider the importance of the other person in the conflict more. It’s encouraging that teaching simple mindfulness techniques (like focused breathing) could increase apologies, especially in places that are often filled with interpersonal conflicts, like workplaces or other occasions. It could help improve interpersonal interactions and repair relationships helping people move more easily from a place of conflict to understanding and forgiveness.

1. What does the author want to convey in Paragraph 1?

A．It is difficult for us to apologize.	B．It is hard to put ideas into action.
C．It is normal for us to make mistakes.	D．It is useless to regret what we have done.

2. What can we know about the participants in the study?

A．They were bad at handling conflicts.

B．They were encouraged to discuss their trouble.

C．They did something hurtful to others in the past.

D．They received mindfulness training before the study.

3. What conclusion did the researchers draw from the study?

A．Mind-wandering tended to increase conflicts.

B．Mindfulness could help people apologize more.

C．College students are more likely to behave responsibly.

D．College students seem to have better emotional control.

4. What does the author think of practicing mindfulness in workplaces?

A．It is challenging to carry out.	B．It takes time to prove its effect.
C．It solves conflicts once and for all	D．It helps achieve better relationships.

5. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．Necessity of apology.	B．Benefits of mindfulness.
C．Apology and mindfulness.	D．Understanding and mindfulness.

6 . Many people have secrets or things about themselves they don’t want others to know. Those secrets can be something as simple as they have a new job or serious matters such as a divorce.     1    . But if you want someone to open up to you, building trust and showing that you can keep secrets may get them to tell you the secret.

    2    .

Have conversations with others that cover a range of meaningful topics. Talking about meaningful things to others can help them consciously connect positive feelings about you and make them more likely to open up to you.

Listen carefully

    3    . Refer to what they’ve said when you talk at other time, which shows that you are paying close attention to them and their needs. Besides, ask questions during the conversation, which can show that you’re listening closely to what they are saying.

Talk about yourself

Make sure to talk about yourself during your conversations.     4    . In turn, it will put them at ease and show that they can confide (倾诉) in and trust you. Sharing can really help establish a relationship of trust between people, especially if both individuals are comfortable to talk about themselves.

Be reliable

Make sure to be there and fulfil promises with your friends. This shows them that they can rely on you, including telling and keeping secrets. Follow up on any commitment you make to the best of your ability.     5    .

A．Chat online

B．Have meaningful conversations

C．You can’t share your friend’s secret with anyone

D．Getting someone to tell you their secrets can be difficult

E．Listen closely to what they are saying during your conversations

F．Give little bits of information about yourself as you feel comfortable

G．If you cannot keep your promise, explain the circumstances and then apologize

7 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Victor Hugo said: “The most important quality for a man is kindness.” Why is kindness important?

Kindness is     1    type of behavior marked by acts of generosity, consideration, or concern for others, without     2     (expect) praise or reward.

Aristotle defined kindness     3     “helpfulness towards someone in need, not in return for anything, nor for the advantage of the helper himself,     4     for that of the person helped”.

    5    (base) on experiments at Yale University using games with babies, some studies concluded     6     kindness is native to human beings. Researchers also carried out some other similar     7    (study) about the root of empathy (同理心) developing in the early months of life     8    (find) out the easy concern shown by children for their peers in distress.

Recently, Barbara Taylor and Adam Phillips     9    (stress) the element of necessary realism in adult kindness, as well as the way “real kindness changes people in the doing of it, often in unpredictable ways”.

Kindness is important because if everyone is kind, the whole world will be harmonious and     10    (benefit) to everyone.

8 . Ways to Always Be Yourself and Live Happily

Don’t aim to please others.     1     This is why you shouldn’t please others but yourself. Pleasing others can be a nice thing to do, but know where your boundaries are. Instead of always aiming to please others, you should do things for yourself as well every now and then.

Don’t worry about how others view you. Occasionally thinking about how others view you may make you change for the better.     2     You should change if you want to, and change into what or who you want to change into.

    3     Do you know who you really are? Ever since you were young, you have been conditioned to be one way or another. It may be unusual just to spend a day being your spontaneous(自然的)self, but sometimes it is the only way that you can learn how to be yourself.

Forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for thinking negatively. Forgive yourself for talking without thinking twice. Don’t think negative thoughts about yourself for taking wrong steps or making wrong decisions. This kind of thinking puts your focus on the problem and not the solution. It’s better to say good thing about yourself than to say negative things.     4    

Strive for what you want to accomplish. Being yourself does not have to mean that you have to be stuck in the status quo(现状).     5     And strive for that accomplishment. You can improve yourself while still remaining true to yourself.

A．Learn more about yourself.

B．Aim for what you want to achieve.

C．Stop being negative about yourself.

D．Saying positive things is a sign that you have forgiven yourself.

E．Committing to something and working toward it will lead to happiness.

F．But you should not be constantly wondering about what others are thinking.

G．There is a problem if you are always doing what everyone else wants to do.

9 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写 1 个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Gratitude is more than just saying “thank you”. Gratitude is a deeper appreciation for someone or something. Expressing gratitude makes us feel a positive emotion. Over the past thirty years, there    1     (be) many studies showing that writing a gratitude letter to another person offers us an opportunity    2     (escape) from negative emotions. Even if we don’t share our writing with anyone, the act of completing the exercise alone makes us happier and    3     (satisfied) with life. The more we express gratitude, the more positive we feel.

10 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。请在答题卡指定区域作答。

Building relationships and working successfully with different cultural backgrounds can seem like a major challenge. But you can enjoy the rewards, while keeping dissatisfaction to a minimum. The key to making them work is cultural competence. Essentially, cultural competence is defined as the ability to understand and interact effectively with people from different cultures.

Cultural competence is critical for everyone in today’s modern world. Living and working in a culturally diverse environment sometimes comes with differences of opinion and tension. People with strong cultural competence can resolve these issues creatively, even if a solution seems impossible at first. What’s more, thinking and caring about others with different experiences can bring out a sense of understanding. This helps to build trust between each other.

Cultural competence can be improved through training, education, and experience. Here are some simple tips to help you improve your cultural competence.

Assess yourself

The starting point is to understand your own cultural values and world view. Assess the current level of cultural competence in yourself and identify the knowledge, skills and resources that you want to acquire. This can give you an idea of your strengths and weaknesses in the area so that you can improve yourself in future.

Practice good manners

No matter whom you are dealing with, make sure that you are respecting others’ backgrounds, boundaries and customs. Pay close attention to your communication and make sure that you’re speaking to others in a kind and polite way.

Ask questions

When you don’t understand something or want to know why someone has behaved in a certain way, simply ask. Asking questions stops you making unnecessary assumptions, and shows the questions you did not understand to them.

Keep in mind that developing cultural competence is not a one-shot enterprise. It takes time and practice. Whether you are in a classroom or on campus, cultural competence plays an important role in your daily environment. Recognizing and dealing with cultural differences will create a happier setting for everyone.

1. What is cultural competence according to the passage?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why is cultural competence important for people in intercultural environment?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
>To improve our cultural competence, we should not only understand our strengths and weaknesses in this area, but also ask questions when we don’t understand others’ behaviors, even if we may speak in an impolite way.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Apart from the tips mentioned in the passage, what other way(s) can you think of to develop your cultural competence? (In about 40 words)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________