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.

2. Whose yawns are people most likely to catch according to Paragraph 4?

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.

3. What might the author continue talking about in the following paragraph?

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.

4. Which of the following serves as the best title?

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.       1    

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.     2     Be mindful of the situation and try to respond wisely. You don’t owe (欠) an answer to the other person.

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) .     3     For instance, your loved one might ask, “I heard you had a fight with your husband. What happened?” You could say, “Nothing serious. We are fine.” This will let them know you are fine and you needn’t say the details!

    4    

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.       5    

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.

5 . I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.

War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.

The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.

Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”

Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.

1. What can be inferred from paragraph 1?

A．The author was very willing to stay with Kate.	B．Kate always helped the author to clean her bed.
C．The author felt proud to have such a roommate.	D．The author didn’t get along very well with Kate.

2. What caused their quarrel to break out?

A．The author placed her shoes under Kate’s bed.	B．The author refused to listen to Kate’s advice.
C．The news of Kate’s grandma’s illness spread.	D．The author was very tired of Kate at school.

3. Why did the author tidy their room silently?

A．Because she realized the importance of tidiness.	B．Because she would like to express her concern.
C．Because she was required by other roommates.	D．Because she expected to be inspected by school.

4. What was their future life like after their argument?

A．They never quarreled with each other about anything again.

B．They separated at once and never wanted to see each other.

C．They completely understood the principle of being roommates.

D．They gained a deeper understanding of each other’s personalities.

6 . Everyone, at one time or another, has experienced some challenges in friendships and relationships with family members. We might find ourselves upset or angry with other people, or even find that we argue with them. The reality is that nobody is perfect and we need to realize that we should find ways to live happier and less stressful lives.     1    .

Respect other people and accept them

This is the most important point.     2    . Everyone is unique with different experiences and lives. By always remembering this, we will be able to develop and maintain strong relationships.

    3    

We might have friends who are crazy about sports, while we prefer reading. Or perhaps a parent’s hobby seems boring to us but it is something they love. If we want to keep our relationships strong and positive, we should at least take time to listen to them and talk about what matters to them. By doing this, we show them that we care about them and their interests.

Apologize when you make a mistake

This is the hardest thing for most of us to do, yet a simple “I’m sorry” can undo a lot of tension. By being honest when you make a mistake, you can fix any problem you may have caused and show that you are an adult.     4    .

So, try and follow the advice from now on, and you will find that you have happier and stronger relationships with your friends and loved ones.     5    .

A．Be interested in others’ interests

B．Making an apology to someone shows you are frank

C．When you are in trouble, your friends are always there to help you

D．Respecting your friends’ parents is more important than your friends

E．Here are some tips on how to make relationships happier and healthier

F．And there is little doubt that you can live and work in harmony with others

G．If we want to show someone we love them, we need to first respect who they are and show them we accept them for who they are

7 . When someone you care about has suffered a serious health event or is dealing with a life-threatening illness, it can be difficult to know what to say or do.     1     How can you best offer your support? These tips can help:

Offer your support. Your friend or loved one may be unwilling to ask for help, but it’s support from people like you that can make all the difference in their recovery. Offer to help with a specific task, even if it’s simply to sit with them during or after treatment.     2    

Listen. When you talk to someone with a serious illness, it’s natural to feel awkward or not know what to say.     3     Allow them to express what they’re going through without judging them.

    4     The more you know about your loved one’s diagnosis (诊断) and treatment, the better prepared you’ll be to help. But that doesn’t mean you should tell the person what they should or shouldn’t do, unless they specifically ask for your opinion or want to know what you’ve researched. Treatment decisions are finally always up to your loved one, so be supportive even if you don’t always agree.

Stay connected.     5     You can’t just provide support at the time of diagnosis and then let your attention go. Your support can be just as important after treatment as it is before.

A．Encourage your loved one to keep calm.

B．Some illnesses can involve long-term treatment.

C．But often what really counts is to listen to the person.

D．Educate yourself about the illness but don’t give advice.

E．All you need to do is to present your determined attitude.

F．Your loved one is likely to experience some painful feelings.

G．Sometimes, the most important thing you can do is to be there.

9 . How often do you have a conversation with someone, and think you are paying attention to him or her, only to realize shortly afterwards that you can't remember what he said? Or, perhaps you get distracted while he is speaking and miss the message that he is trying to deliver.     1    : TVs, radios, traffic noises, telephones, laptops and so on, which can make it difficult to listen with our full attention.

But how can we listen more effectively?     2    . He said, “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, with a purpose, at the present moment and non - judgmentally.”

    3    ? Jon Kabat - Zinn describes three key elements of mindful listening that we can use to improve our listening skills.

First of all, be present. When we listen mindfully, our focus should be on the person we are listening to without distractions. Then develop empathy (共鸣). We often see the world through our own experiences. When we're empathetic, we can understand a situation from someone else's point of view.     4    . Our cues are the thoughts, feelings and physical reactions that we have when we feel anxious or angry, and they can block out ideas and perspectives that we re uncomfortable with. Mindful listening can help us to be more aware of our cues.     5    

In conclusion, the rule is straightforward: simply “Listen”! Listen carefully and attentively. Pay full attention to the other person, and don' t let other thoughts, like what we are going to say next, distract us.

A．Finally, listen to our own “cues”

B．What can we do with mindful listening

C．But how can we apply mindful listening to our life

D．At last, “cues” helps us understand the speaker's ideas

E．In today's busy world, modern life is full of distractions

F．Besides, it allows us to choose not to let them block communication

G．Professor Jon Kabat - Zinn put forward the idea of mindful listening