1 . It’s a great feeling when someone gives you a compliment (赞美), isn’t it?
When someone does an activity or a task particularly well, let him/her know about it by saying “You did a great job!”
When you’ve bought something new, it feels great when other people are excited about it. For example, if you take out your new mobile phone and a colleague says, “What a cool phone!”, it makes you feel like you made the right decision to buy it.
Compliment someone on their personalities and you'll make a new friend. For example, if you like how happy a coworker is, you can tell him/her, “You are always so happy. It makes my day better.”
A.It’s a useful way to start a conversation, too. |
B.Everyone likes compliments about their appearance. |
C.Be careful with compliments about appearance, though. |
D.So, try giving someone a compliment and see their reaction. |
E.Return the favor by complimenting others on nice things they own. |
F.To make the compliment more meaningful, make it more specific. |
G.Use compliments like this for any quality that you appreciate in a person. |
2 . Have you ever been in mid-conversation with someone, when you look over and find them standing in the same position as you or holding the same facial expression? It may seem like they have consciously copied you, but it is much more likely that it is the chameleon (变色龙) effect at play.
The chameleon effect is the unconscious imitation of another person’s gestures or behavior. Just as a chameleon attempts to match any environment’s colors, people acquire the behavior of others to bring them closer together and help make their interactions smooth.
The chameleon effect was confirmed in an experiment by psychologists John Bargh and Tanya Chartrand in 1999. The part of their experiment included 78 people, who each spoke with an experimenter. During the test, Bargh and Chartrand studied whether participants would copy the actions of someone they hadn’t met before, like moving the foot and touching the face. The second part measured the impact that copying someone has on the person being imitated.
In the first stage, participants increased their face touching by 20% and their foot movement by 50% while in conversation about a photograph with the experimenter. The individuals weren’t aware of what they were being studied for, and the photograph was used to catch their attention to insure unconscious acts. The second stage involved half of the participants being copied, and then rating the likability of the experimenter. The results, showed that those who were imitated scored the experimenter higher. It has shown that when someone copies our behavior, we develop more positive feelings about them. These interactions could be a person unconsciously willing to be liked, and forming a moment of connection.
The main reasons behind humans’ imitation are positive. However, when people carry this chameleon effect to the extreme, they can lose their sense of self. Those who change their entire personalities in different groups often go undetected. But more common signs of the chameleon effect are easier to notice. Next time you are in a social gathering, take a look around and you might just see some chameleons for yourself.
1. Why do people imitate others’ behavior?A.To show admiration for others. | B.To adapt to the surroundings. |
C.To establish a connection with others. | D.To attract others’ attention. |
A.By directing their attention to a photo. | B.By keeping an eye on their actions. |
C.By telling them the purpose of the study. | D.By evaluating the impacts of imitation. |
A.People tend to like those who imitate their behavior. |
B.Too much of the chameleon effect can be beneficial. |
C.People imitating others are not easy to be detected. |
D.The copied movements help people to feel relaxed. |
A.Students adopt teachers’ accents for fun after class. |
B.People change their habits to please others on purpose. |
C.A comedian copies a celebrity vividly on stage. |
D.A husband and his wife share similar behaviors over time. |
3 . We’ve all been in a position where life gets busy, schedules are difficult to coordinate and connecting with friends feels harder than ever. With some friendships, we may lose touch and want to reconnect. However,the more time that passes, the more uncertain it can feel if they want to hear from us.
A recent study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology says it’s time to reach out. Researchers found numerous benefits when reaching out to friends and old acquaintances. Especially if you’re unsure of how well they’ll receive hearing from you. The study, led by Dr Peggy Liu, is called The Surprise of Reaching Out: Appreciated More Than We Think. In the study, researchers posed the question: Do people accurately understand how much other people value being reached out to by someone in their social circle? To answer this question, researchers carried out 13 experiments with more than 5,900 participants. In the experiments, researchers measured how much people estimated their friends or acquaintances would appreciate them reaching out versus how much those on the receiving end did appreciate it. They also examined different forms of communication-phone calls, texts, emails, notes or even small gifts—and their impact.
Over the series of experiments, experts discovered a similar trend: those reaching out significantly underestimated how much their friends would appreciate hearing from them. Plus, the more unexpected the communication was, the more the friend on the receiving end appreciated it. “People are fundamentally social beings and enjoy connecting with others,” the researchers wrote.
In fact, what made these moments of reaching out so impactful was the effort they showed—no matter the form of communication. Dr Amie Gordon, a social psychologist at the University of Michigan, emphasises the importance of small moments and making efforts in relationships in a Psychology Today article. “In a busy life, these little moments might feel just like that—little moments that don’t really matter ... But each moment we ignore is a missed opportunity to connect and build up an emotional bank of positive moments.”
The science is clear—people appreciate the effort we put into our friendships. And we greatly underestimate it. One phenomenon that may explain why those who reached out underestimated their positive impact is because of “the liking gap”. Psychologist Terri Apter writes in Psychology Today that the liking gap is a tendency to “how we often underestimate other’s responses to us”, and the reality that other people like us more than we may think.
1. In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to ______.A.state some disturbing problems |
B.present the background of the following topic |
C.introduce the theme of his argument |
D.make comparisons between different opinions |
A.The way of communication matters in reconnecting with friends. |
B.An unexpected calling to an acquaintance will not be highly valued. |
C.People tend to appreciate hearing from friends more than reaching out to them. |
D.We are more well-liked and well-received than we expect in our friendships. |
A.To present the discovery of the study. |
B.To support the findings theoretically. |
C.To explain the causes of losing friendships. |
D.To make suggestions about the topic. |
A.Estimate Friendships in a Scientific Way |
B.Appreciate Being Reached Out to by friends |
C.Remove the Misunderstanding between Friends |
D.Don’t Hesitate to Reconnect with Your Old Friends |
4 . They caused the first wound, but you are causing the rest; this is what not forgiving does. They got it started but you keep it going. Forgive and let it go, or it will eat you alive. You think they made you feel this way, but when you don’t forgive, you are the one creating the pain on yourself.
Whatever you do — don’t wait to forgive someone until they apologize, ask for your forgiveness or even admit they have harmed you. If you are waiting for someone to admit they have hurt you, you could be waiting forever and it puts them in the power position, where you need something from them to move forward in your own life.
Forgiveness has nothing to do with how wrong someone else was; no matter how wrong they are, when you forgive a person, you break the ties with their ill deeds that keep you in pain. Forgiving breaks the unhealthy bonds between you and the one who hurt you, and redefines you as an independent victor in your own life. Whether they accept their responsibility or not, you are no longer dependent on their participation for your healing (治愈). You can forgive them, and you can then move on. Boundaries are an essential part of forgiveness.
It is easy to hold a grudge (记仇). It is easy to blame. But these experiences are a lasting role of a powerless victim (受害者). When you hold grudges the victimization continues.
It takes emotional bravery to forgive. It takes a huge determination toward self-care to let go of painful past events and not let them identify your future. There is no self-love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without self-love. Forgiving others may be the ultimate act of self-love. Through forgiveness you can protect yourself from suffering from the lapses made by others.
1. According to the author, if you don’t forgive, you’ll _____.A.suffer further | B.keep your pride |
C.become stronger | D.receive an apology |
A.It counts a great deal. | B.It is tied to you firmly. |
C.It is nothing important. | D.It decides whether you forgive. |
A.decisions | B.mistakes |
C.contributions | D.apologies |
A.To advise us not to blame others. |
B.To tell us it is difficult to forgive others. |
C.To tell us the importance of forgiving others. |
D.To advise us to learn to forgive others for self-love. |
5 . A new study, published in The Journal of Experimental Psychology found that communication interactions that included voice, like a phone call or video chat, created stronger social bonds than communication through typing, like text messaging or email.
In the study, researchers used various experiments to gauge connectedness. In one, they asked 200 people to make predictions about what it would be like to reconnect with an old friend by email or by phone and then assigned people at random to do one or the other. Although people anticipated that a phone call would be more awkward, hearing someone's voice actually made the experience better. However, people who participated in the experiment reported that they did form a significantly stronger bond with their old friend on the phone versus email, and they did not feel more awkward.
In another experiment, the researchers had strangers connected by either texting, talking over video chat, or talking using only audio. They found that both forms of voice communication — whether video or audio only — made the strangers feel significantly more connected than when they communicated via text.
Sabrina Romanoff, a Harvard trained clinical psychologist based in New York City, says people tend to text or email instead of calling because of convenience, as they see it as a controlled form of communication where they can "correspond information exactly in the way they intend without unexpected additions by the other person."
Romanoff says that in reality, texting can make it hard to determine the true meaning behind a conversation. A phone call is actually more convenient when considering the net effects of the message. Each party is more present, and therefore, able to gauge the meaning behind the content without ruminating on the endless possible meanings behind words and punctuation.
1. What is the purpose of the study?A.To encourage people to let their fingers do the talking. |
B.To introduce the effects of verbal and non-verbal communications. |
C.To demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of making phone calls. |
D.To compare connectedness of communication through voice and typing. |
A.Typing a letter. | B.Sending an email. |
C.Having a video chat. | D.Texting a message. |
A.A way to talk about controlled topics. | B.A way to communicate without time limit. |
C.A way to explain something without delay. | D.A way to express thoughts without being disturbed. |
A.Being more formal. | B.Being less awkward. |
C.Being more straightforward. | D.Being less expensive |
6 . When we are young we are taught that it’s wrong to lie and we should always tell the truth. Unfortunately, most children lie even if they’re told not to. Research carried out at the Institute of Child Study at Toronto Univercity has shown that this might not be such a bad thing. Apparently (显然地), children who tell lies when they’re two years old have a good chance of becoming successful adults (成年人).
According to the research, at the age of two, 20 per cent of children lie. At the age of three, 50 per cent lie, and at four almost 90 per cent lie. By the age of 12 almost every child tells lies.
Lying needs much brain work, and the better the lie is, the more work the brain has to do. By training the brain early, researchers believe children will be able to think more clearly when they are adults.
Recent research, carried out by the Science Museum in London, has shown some interesting facts about the way we lie as adults. According to the research, the average British man tells three lies every day; that’s over 1,000 lies a year. However, the average woman apparently only lies twice a day.
Most people think women are better liars (说谎者) than men although in fact they tell fewer lies. Popular women’s lies include ‘Nothing’s wrong, I’m fine’, ‘I don’t know where it is, I haven’t touched it’, and ‘It wasn’t that expensive’.
Some people say you can lie as long as it’s a white lie. A white lie is a lie told to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. One of the most common lies for both men and women is ‘It’s just what I’ve always wanted’, said after opening a present from their partner.
1. What will happen to young children who lie?A.They will possibly do wrong later. |
B.They’re likely to succeed in the future. |
C.They will keep lying when they grow up. |
D.They may have a good chance of losing others’ trust. |
A.Older children tell bigger lies than younger ones. |
B.As they grow, they often lie about their age. |
C.The older they are, the more likely they lie. |
D.It’s quite natural for them to tell lies. |
A.Men lie more than women. | B.Women are better liars than men. |
C.Women’s lies are usually not serious. | D.Men sometimes have to lie to women. |
A.You know me so well. | B.I don’t like the present. |
C.You are good at picking presents. | D.I haven’t received a present I really like. |
7 . Politeness is the practical application of good manners, the goal of which is to make all of the parties relaxed and comfortable. It's a flexible management of words and actions, by which we make other people have a better opinion of us and themselves. It seeks to build a positive relationship.
However, in the rush of daily life being polite is social behavior that we find rare nowadays.
Being polite is not just a simple social elegance.
Hope is not lost. There are many ways we can improve our behavior to achieve skills in politeness. There are simple things we can do to be considered as a polite and well-mannered person.
A.As technology progresses |
B.People have become more self-absorbed |
C.As long as you show your politeness for people |
D.Since for many people being polite remains a challenge |
E.Many languages have specific means to show politeness |
F.It aims to respect a person’s need to be liked and understood |
G.It’s also about being kind, caring and respectful to another person |
8 . You’ve seen news reports about people who need assistance after a natural disaster, or TV programs about how lonely and isolated older people can get. Maybe you’ve walked past people who are living on the streets.
Find what’s right for you.
Volunteering isn’t school.
After you’ve discovered what interests you, decide how much time you want to spend and what fits into your schedule.
Expand your mind.
Volunteering is a great way to learn new skills — from working as part of a team to setting and reaching goals.
Feel good.
Volunteering helps people feel they make a difference — that they do have the power to change things for the better. When people depend on you, it can change the way you look at yourself.
A.It can give you a chance to discover what kinds of things you’re best at and enjoy most. |
B.Instead of having the choices made for you, you’ve got to pick. |
C.Doing something for others helps people to change the world. |
D.So what can you do about any of those things? |
E.You can feel proud of what you’ve achieved. |
F.Find what fits your schedule. |
G.Change things for the better. |
9 . We’ve all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.
What’s the problem? It’s possible that we all have compromised conversational intelligence. It’s more likely that none of us start a conversation because it’s awkward and challenging, or we think it’s annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it’s an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.
Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can’t forget that deep relationships wouldn’t
even exist if it weren’t for casual conversation. Small talk is the grease(润滑剂) for social communication, says Bernardo Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. "Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk," he explains. "The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them."
In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction(互动) with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. "It’s not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband," says Dunn. "But interactions with peripheral(边缘的) members of our social network matter for our well-being also."
Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging, a bond with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. "Small talk is the basis of good manners," he says.
1. What phenomenon is described in the first paragraph?A.Addiction to smartphones. |
B.Inappropriate behaviours in public places. |
C.Absence of communication between strangers. |
D.Impatience with slow service. |
A.Showing good manners. | B.Relating to other people. |
C.Focusing on a topic. | D.Making business deals. |
A.It improves family relationships. | B.It raises people’s confidence. |
C.It matters as much as a formal talk. | D.It makes people feel good. |
A.Conversation Counts | B.Ways of Making Small Talk |
C.Benefits of Small Talk | D.Uncomfortable Silence |
10 . No matter what type of business you run, it has to deal with things that go wrong from your customer’s point of view. Complaints can be a great source of information for organizations to make corrections as well as further improvements.
Secondly,
Thirdly, talk with the client and discover the best means to resolve his problem.
In this case it’s important to let your customer know an estimation of how long it will take to take action on his complaint.
Fourthly, a simple “Thank you”is one way to let the customers know you appreciate the time and effort they’ve taken to inform you about a problem of your company’s service or product that you need to know about.
Finally, create a procedure for recording different types of customer complaints.
A.Listen to your customer’s complaints and you can improve your service. |
B.There will be times when you’ll be unable to resolve the issue immediately. |
C.When receiving a complaint, you should apologize for the failure the customer has identified. |
D.They are a valuable source of information to determine various root causes that need to be addressed within your company. |
E.So it’s important to learn to deal with customers’ complaints efficiently. |
F.Don't feel ashamed of the failure in your service or product. |
G.You should also show your customer that you do understand him by giving full attention. |