1 . There is a difference between being an acquaintance（熟人）and being a friend. An acquaintance is someone whose name you know, who you see every now and then, who you probably have something in common with and who you feel comfortable around. It's a person that you can invite to your home and share things with. But they are the people who you don't share your life with, and whose actions sometimes you don't understand because you don't know enough about them.

Which of the following might be your acquaintance?

A．Your girlfriend.	B．Your neighbour.
C．Your elder brother.	D．Your beloved grandma.

5 . Everyone thinks they're great listeners. But the truth is that hearing isn’t necessarily listening, nor is it necessarily listening well. Listening is an art as well as a basic life skill that we are encouraged to practise and master.    1    

●Don't interrupt

    2     To master the art of listening, you need to stop any good thoughts that come to mind and let the person say everything they need to say. Often times people simply need someone to talk to, not someone who will cut in and give their own thoughts and opinions.

●Practice active listening.

To understand better in communication, you can first practice active listening. The art of listening isn't simply about staying quiet 100% of the time, it's also about asking questions, which are for clarification or for further explanation, so that you can fully understand what the speaker is telling you.     3     You can also make noises that show you agree with what he person is saying such as “yes”, ‘'yeah", and “okay.”

●    4    

About 60-75% of our communication is accomplished without speaking. In order to know whether to encourage the speaker, or to open yourself more, it's essential to know what the person's body is saying. Do they display signs of discomfort? Are they cautious about you? Their body language tells a lot.

●Create a suitable environment.

It can be difficult to listen to another person when the TV is screaming, your phone is buzzing and there are thousands of cars passing by.     5     Also, when you indicate it would be good to “find a quiet place," you put importance in the person and what they say, and then you show care and consideration.

A．Listen to non-verbal communication.

B．Let the person speak without interruption.

C．Listen without forming responses in your mind.

D．Here's how to bring the vital life skill into your daily existence.

E．Additionally, it's important to hold back your negative judgments.

F．Another great way to show your understanding is to respond by nodding.

G．When you remove the distractions and find a quiet place it’s easier to listen attentively.

6 . Trying to find the perfect present is about as easy as trying to read someone’s mind. Few people will actually tell you what they want for a special occasion. So what to do? Here are some tips that could help.

Start Early

Be honest-do you wait until the last minute to start looking for presents? While you are definitely not alone in this ritual, it is something you might want to try to change. Starting your shopping early can have a number of advantages, particularly when stocking up for holidays such as Christmas. If you plan in advance rather than last minute you can go shopping online which increases your gift buying possibilities as you’ll have time to factor in the delivery of the gift.

Make a List, Check It Twice

Now is the time to put your thinking cap on as you make a list. If you are lucky, you should be able to find a few good ideas in one of these lists. However, what if this list isn’t as helpful as you might have hoped? In this instance, write down different personality traits of the person you are shopping for. Then try to determine how to use this information to find a gift that is perfectly suited to them.

Think Outside the Box

If you are still coming up empty, it is time to get creative. Often, the reason you get stuck for gift ideas is because you are restricting yourself too much. An example of being creative is to think about what your friend’s office looks like. This can give you lots of ideas to give him a gift for his workspace. In the end, it’s about finding something he can use every day, something he can really appreciate.

Gift an Experience

If a regular old present isn’t doing the trick, it may be time to think a little bigger. Instead of a physical gift, you can give someone an experience that they will never forget. You may be wondering what an “experience” means exactly. Well, it can be anything that will interest the recipient. If they are an adventurer, a local or foreign trip will be excellent. On the other hand, if they are a sports enthusiast, you can buy them tickets to a significant game.

1. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Many people make a plan in advance.

B．You have many friends who do the same.

C．People tend to send gifts earlier than planned.

D．Other people also buy presents at the last moment.

2. What can be done if you find your list of little help in choosing a gift?

A．Listing the character features of your friends.

B．Thinking it over before making a decision.

C．Asking your friends what they like best.

D．Doing shopping with your friends.

3. What do we know about Think Outside the Box?

A．Presents should be unique and special.

B．Practical presents can be a good option.

C．Offices are usually designed for creation.

D．Appreciation could be shown through gifts.

4. According to the last paragraph, which can be the best gift idea for a photographer?

A．Dining in a Michelin-starred restaurant.

B．Visiting a science museum in your town.

C．Buying a smart phone with an advanced camera.

D．Taking a trip to Mount Tai in the coming summer.

5. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To show the significance of pleasing friends.

B．To offer some tips on buying friends presents.

C．To suggest several ways on how to make friends.

D．To stress the importance of buying gifts for friends.

7 . Whether we’re making small talk with a waiter, or meeting up with a close friend, we may hope to make a connection, only to leave the conversation feeling that our minds have failed to meet.     1    .

Ask questions

If you want to have a meaningful dialogue with someone, then you should make the effort to ask some questions.     2    . A follow-up that requires more information about a previous point is more appealing than a “switch” that changes topic, or a “mirror” that simply copies what someone has already asked you.

Be cautious about empathy(同理心)

We are often told to place ourselves in other people’s shoes. But our empathy is rarely as accurate as we think it is.     3    . “It’s when I’m using my own experience, my own mental states, as a representative of yours,” says Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioural science. “And we fail to differentiate sufficiently between the two.” In general, it’s far better to ask someone what they actually think and feel than trying to guess it.

Favor familiarity over originality

    4    ? The drawback of novelty arises from the “informational gaps” in our conversation. If we are talking about something completely new, our audience may not have enough knowledge to understand everything that we are saying. If we are talking about something already familiar to our audience, however, the listeners can fill in those gaps themselves.

Don't be afraid to go deep

This need for common ground should not limit our conversation to dull small talk.     5    . And most people appreciate the chance to explore their innermost thoughts and feelings, even if they are talking to perfect strangers.

When practicing each of these steps, you should always remain conscious of the other person’s mood and comfort. With a little strategy, sensitivity and a genuine interest in the people around you, you may often find that greater social connection is easily within your reach.

A．One reason for this is being self-centered

B．But not all questions are equally appealing

C．If this rings true for you, help may be at hand

D．How about our choices for the topic of conversation

E．That will make us become a considerate and sympathetic person

F．Why do people tend to talk with each other about the things they both like

G．On the contrary, many shared human experiences can be incredibly meaningful

8 . Gift-giving is a satisfying way of showing the people in your life that you care about them.     1    But don’t worry. You can refer to some practical tips.

Identify your message to the recipient. Before you start wracking your brain for what to give the person, think about your relationship with the person, how you feel about him/her, and what you would like to tell him/ her.     2    

Make a list of items that might help you convey that message. Once you have identified the message you want to send, start making a list of gifts that could help you to send that message. Be sure to consider the person’s tastes and interests.     3    And for a coworker, you might give him/her a gift card from his/her favorite shop so that he/she can go out for shopping.

    4    The person you need to buy for might like something specific that you could find out about with a little detective work. You can check the person’s Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other social media histories for clues(线索) For example, if the person posted about a favorite coffee shop on the social media account，get him/her a gift card for that coffee shop.

Talk with people who know the person well to help you choose. If you have trouble coming up with ideas for the person, turn to other people who know him/her well.     5    In that case, you can choose the exact gift. For example, you can ask your best friend’s mother if she has any suggestions. For your significant other, you can question your significant other’s best friend to see if he/she has dropped any hints.

A．Communicate with the person on social media.

B．Look at the person’s social media accounts for clues.

C．The person may have let slip what he/she wants to them.

D．For example, you can ask your colleagues for some clues.

E．However, it can be a headache for you to choose proper gifts.

F．This will help you to narrow down the possibilities for the gift quickly.

G．For example, you might choose a set of coffee cups for your coffee-loving friend.

9 . Why does social media trigger feelings of loneliness and inadequacy? Because instead of being real life, it is, for the most part, impression management, a way of marketing yourself, carefully choosing and filtering the picture and words to put your best face forward.

Online “friends” made through social media do not follow the normal psychological progression of a interpersonal relationship. You share neither physical time nor emotional conversations over the Internet. You simply communicate photographs and catchy posts to a diverse group of people whom you have “friended” or “followed” based on an accidental interaction. This is not to say that your social media friends can't be real friends. They absolutely can, but the two are not the same. Generally speaking, there are no unfiltered comments and casually taken photos on our social media pages. And, rightfully so, because it wouldn't feel safe to be completely authentic and vulnerable with some of our “friends” whom we don't actually know or with whom trust has yet to be built.

Social media can certainly be an escape from the daily routines, but we must be cautioned against the negative effects, such as addiction, on a person's overall psychological well-being.

As humans，we are eager for social connection. Scrolling (滚动) through pages of pictures and comments, however, does not provide the same degree of fulfillment as face to face interactions do. Also, we tend to idealize others' lives and compare our downfalls to their greatest accomplishments, ending in feelings of loneliness and inadequacy.

Social media can lead people on the unhealthy quest for perfection. Some people begin to attend certain events or travel to different places so that they can snap that “perfect” photo. They begin to seek validation through the number of people who “like” their posts. In order for it to play a psychologically healthy role in your social life, social media should supplement an already healthy social network. Pictures and posts should be byproducts of life's treasured moments and fun times, not the planned and calculated image that one is putting out into cyberspace in an attempt to fill insecurities or unmet needs.

Ultimately, social media has increased our ability to connect with various types of people all over the globe. It has opened doors for business and allowed us to stay connected to people whom we may not otherwise get to follow. However, social media should feel like a fun experience, not one that contributes to negative thoughts and feelings. If the latter is the case, increasing face to face time with trusted friends, and minimizing time scrolling online, will prove to be a reminder that your social network is much more rewarding than any “like”, “follow” or “share” can be.

1. What does the author imply social media may do to our life?

A．It may facilitate our interpersonal relationships.

B．It may filter our negative impressions of others.

C．It may make us feel isolated and incompetent.

D．It may render us vulnerable and inauthentic.

2. Why do people post comments selectively on social media?

A．They do not find all their online friends trustworthy.

B．They do not want to lose their followers.

C．They want to avoid offending any of their audience.

D．They are eager to boost their popularity.

3. What are humans inclined to do according to the passage?

A．Exaggerate their life's accomplishments.

B．Strive for perfection regardless of the cost.

C．Paint a rosy picture of other people's lives.

D．Learn lessons from other people's downfalls.

4. What does the author advise people to do when they find their online experience unconstructive?

A．Use social media to increase their ability to connect with various types of people.

B．Stay connected to those whom they may not otherwise get to know and befriend.

C．Try to prevent negative thoughts and feelings from getting into the online pages.

D．Strengthen ties with real-life friends instead of caring about their online image.