1 . 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
2 . 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.
Respect other people and accept them
This is the most important point.
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.
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.
| 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 |
3 . Saying “thank you” when you receive an unexpected gift is all well and good, but how can you get a little creative with your appreciation? As it turns out, there are plenty of ways to express your gratitude to others while remaining gracious and sincere.
I appreciate this.
You’ve made my day! Show them that their gifts turned your day around. Telling someone that they made your day will make the giver feel that their gifts are much more meaningful and worthwhile.
It’s like you read my mind! Thank you. Compliment (恭维) their gift-giving skills.
| A．I’m extremely astonished |
| B．When someone gives you a gift |
| C．If people choose to spend time with you |
| D．It is impolite of you to say those words |
| E．You may receive gifts from others in daily life |
| F．Be specific about what you appreciate and why |
| G．They’ll be pleased that they were able to make you smile |
4 . Have you ever struggled to understand how someone else feels? Building up your empathy (同理心) skills helps you connect with your friends.
What is empathy?
Empathy is a kind of capability that lets you step into someone else’s shoes and then figure out how they are feeling. For instance, if you can see your friend is upset after losing a football match and you support them by telling them some warm and motivating words, you are showing empathy. Miranda McKeamey set up an organization called EmpathyLab that builds empathy through reading.
Scientists say empathy isn’t something you are born with, it’s a skill you can acquire through learning. One way you can do this is by active listening. When someone is talking to you, listen closely and respond in a way that shows you understand their situations and emotions thoroughly. Reading, advocated by EmpathyLab, is also a great way to boost empathy, since stories can take you inside someone else’s mind and show you the world through their eves and emotions.
Put empathy into action.
| A．How can you have more empathy? |
| B．Who need empathy most in daily life? |
| C．Besides, it also spreads kindness and inspires them to do the same. |
| D．To find out more conducts you can do, log in EmpathyLab.UK.com. |
| E．Only by putting empathy into action can you relate to others’ bad lives. |
| F．She believes even small, supportive actions can have a positive impact. |
| G．Miranda recommends going into the thick of people’s lives to show empathy. |
5 . I came across some excellent tips on how to communicate better with others.
Pause(停顿)before replying to others.
Be honest.
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.
| 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. |
6 . Have you ever wondered why different people react differently to the things you say and do? Maybe you told your parents a story that made them laugh, but found that the same story was upsetting to the kids at school. What caused them to react so differently?
Boundaries are the cut-off point between what a person finds funny and charming, and what they find hurtful and inappropriate.
While many people won’t tell you directly that you’ve made them uncomfortable, some people will.
| A．You aren’t sure of a person’s boundaries. |
| B．Different people have different boundaries. |
| C．The gateway to a healthy relationship is boundaries. |
| D．They may tell you that you’re standing too close to them. |
| E．Pay attention to the way they react to your ideas and jokes. |
| F．A person tends to tell you directly if you’ve made a mistake. |
| G．The answer has something to do with a tricky concept called boundaries. |
7 . How to build a personal brand (品牌)
People tend to think about a personal brand as bragging (自吹自擂) , self- promotion and all about yourself. But it's actually something much more important.
Figure out your goal. What do you want your personal brand to help you achieve? Are you looking to change jobs or enter a new industry, and you need your brand to reflect a new skill set?
Get clear on what you want to be known for.
Bring value to others online.
| A．It's your name. |
| B．Lead with no confusion. |
| C．Introduce yourself in detail. |
| D．Write your aim down and make it specific. |
| E．Focusing on something helpful is a good way |
| F．Why do you expect people to know about your job? |
| G．How do you want people to describe you as an expert? |
8 . It is so easy to just go home and shut your door without getting to know your neighbors. But being an active neighbor will turn your living place into a kinder and more caring neighborhood.
Then get out of your comfort zone and make efforts to know more about your neighbors.
Another way to show your neighbors that you care is by making your small acts of kindness a regular practice. This can be cleaning up the litter or even cleaning up after the pets have made a mess on your block.
Remind yourself that being connected feels good and boosts your mood in the long run. If you take the first step, your small acts of kindness can encourage others to pay that kindness forward.
| A．Or if you have an amazing garden |
| B．Remember, every small gesture counts |
| C．If you want to be respected and cared by your neighbors |
| D．For example, ask for their names and learn what they do for work |
| E．Your attitudes towards your friends also set an example for your kids |
| F．It doesn’t take a lot of money or a generous gesture to be an active neighbor |
| G．In the end, more and more people in the neighborhood will feel much better |
9 . We’ve 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 is 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 important 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. “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 stranger. |
| D．Impatience with slow service. |
| A．Showing good manners. | B．Relating to other people. |
| C．Focusing on a topic. | D．Making business deals. |
| A．Big business doesn’t need to have small talk. |
| B．communicating with others is the most important thing. |
| C．Small talk can benifit a lot. |
| D．Silence is necessary in daily life. |
| 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. |
10 . 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 |
