1 . While scientists have many ideas, they are not certain why humans yawn(打哈欠). Still, there is one thing experts know—yawns seem to be contagious(传染)!
Have you ever caught a yawn from someone else? Most people have. In fact, a person is six times more likely to yawn after seeing someone else do so. Experts have done many studies into why yawns seem to pass from person to person. As a result, they have a few theories(理论) for the reason behind it.
One possible explanation has something to do with social mirroring, which is caused by mirror neurons(镜像神经元) in the brain. These mirror neurons help the brain notice useful behavior of others and then copy it. When one person sees another yawn, his mirror neurons observe the action and consider it to be beneficial. That may cause him to yawn, too.
Another popular theory is that yawns are contagious because of social relationships. Being social creatures, humans form friendships, families and live together in groups. That’s why many people mirror others, such as smiling when another person smiles. Yawning may be just another example of this. In fact, research has shown that one is most likely to catch yawns from another person if the two share a social relationship.
The answer could even be that yawns aren’t truly contagious at all. Instead, people yawn together simply because they’re in the same environment. Experts say many things may cause yawning, including temperature and time of day. Whatever the explanation is, experts do know that contagious yawns aren’t limited to humans. One study found that lions in South Africa also caught each other’s yawns.
1. What kind of behavior may be copied by mirror neurons?| A．Important and attractive. | B．Useful and beneficial. |
| C．Hard to understand. | D．Easy to copy. |
| A．Those who yawn a lot. | B．Those who like smiling. |
| C．Those closely connected with them. | D．Those sharing the same interest with them. |
| A．Tips on how to avoid yawning in public. |
| B．A real explanation for contagious yawning. |
| C．Other examples of animals yawning together. |
| D．Things that may cause yawning among humans. |
| A．Why yawns are contagious | B．What causes people to yawn |
| C．Who yawns more than others | D．Why humans yawn now and then |
2 . How to Deal with Nosy (好管闲的) People
Nosy people are everywhere. They are just too much for us to tolerate. However, no matter what type of nosy people you meet, there are ways you can use to get out of the situation.
Respond. Do not react.
When someone starts asking personal questions one after another, you might get confused as to why. When you find yourself in this situation, remind yourself to slow down.
Answer them reasonably without showing too much.
One great way is to give a satisfactory answer without saying too many details. This way, you will satisfy their curiosity and keep your personal boundaries (界线) .
Sometimes, you just don’t feel like answering the other person’s questions. It could be because they have no business knowing the details. It could also be that they are rude. So, if someone asks you a personal question, you could politely decline to answer by saying, “Sorry, but I am not comfortable discussing my private matters like this.”
Show a lack of enthusiasm.
Your body language tells a lot about you. It tells other people whether you are interested in talking to them, whether you are having a good time and so on. So, if you want to communicate that you don’t appreciate them being nosy, you can do so with your body language. How do you do this? Easy! Just show a lack of enthusiasm.
| A．Avoid talking with them. |
| B．Politely decline to answer. |
| C．So, give yourself time to react. |
| D．There is no need to feel rushed at all! |
| E．Use this way when the other person is a loved one. |
| F．Give brief answers and don’t look them in the eye too much. |
| G．Follow the ones below and you will find it easy to deal with them. |
3 . Active listening is a communication skill that involves going beyond simply hearing the words that another person speaks but also seeking to understand the meaning and intention behind them. The word “active” implies that you are taking some type of action when listening to others.
Be fully present
Active listening requires being fully present in the conversation. It enables you to concentrate on what is being said. Being present involves listening with all your senses and giving your full attention to the speaker. To use this active listening technique effectively, put away your cell phone, ignore distractions, and shut down your internal dialogue.
Pay attention to non-verbal cues (非言语暗示)
As much as 65% of a person’s communication is unspoken,
Keep good eye contact
When engaged in active listening, making eye contact is especially important. This tells the other person that you are present and listening to what he or she says.
Be patient
Patience is an important active listening technique because it allows the other person to speak without interruption. Being patient involves not trying to fill periods of silence with your own thoughts or stories. This also requires listening to understand, not to respond.
| A．Don’t prepare a reply while listening. |
| B．It also shows that you aren’t distracted. |
| C．This isn’t helpful during active listening. |
| D．So use open, non-threatening body language. |
| E．Don’t focus too much on insignificant details. |
| F．Place your focus on your conversation partner. |
| G．This involves using certain strategies or techniques. |
4 . A 74-year-old man is pounding(沉重地走)the pavement in the hope of finding a kidney for his sick wife. Wayne Winters began walking along the streets near his home in Farr West, Utah early this month with a sandwich board containing an unusual request. “Need Kidney for Wife, "the sign reads. Winters' phone number and his wife Deanne's blood type are also included.
Deanne has severe kidney failure and is in need of a transplant. Desperate to do something to help his sick wife, Winters walks along the streets armed with a new suitnew shoes, and his sign with a piea(恳请)for a kidney. Though he doesn' t walk fast. Winters' unusual method of tracking down a kidney for Deanne has attracted plenty of attention. In addition to the motorists and passers-by who have seen Winters out walking miles a day, his request for a kidney has now hit the In ternet and attracted the attention of millions more people.
Winters said he was inspired to pound the pavement on behalf of his wife after seeing a story online about another man who did the same thing and got national attention. Rush hour is his favorite time to walk up and down the streets because drivers are slowed down.
Though he hasn't had any success yet, Winters remains confident he will find a kidney for
Deanne, and says he won’t rest until he makes it. Winters has stated even after a match for Deanne is found, he will continue to raise awareness about kidney donation because it is now his Mlife mission". In fact, the back of his current sign includes a message aimed at helping others in need. It read," 1,000 kidneys are needed in Utah and Idaho. "
The National Kidney Foundation reports the average wait for an individual s first kidney transplant is over three and a half years, and can vary depending on health, compatibility（兼 容性）and availability of organs. The organization also notes over 3,000 new patients are added to the kidney waiting list each month, and 13 people die each day while waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant.
1. Why is the old man walking along the streets?| A．To help his sick wife. | B．To do some exercise. |
| C．To look for something he has lost. | D．To appreciate the sights of the city. |
| A．Others' advice. | B．A moving movie. |
| C．A story online. | D．His devotion to his wife. |
| A．Optimistic and kind. | B．Patient and generous. |
| C．Passive and stubborn. | D．Positive and successful. |
| A．A kidney transplant is a life-saving operation. |
| B．Getting a suitable kidney for a patient is not easy. |
| C．New patients that are added to the kidney waiting list. |
| D．The success of a kidney transplant depends on several factors. |
5 . 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 |
