1 . So many things can keep you from seeing your loved ones in person, from busy schedules to long distances. Fortunately, thanks to modern technology, the people you miss are often only a phone call or a text message away. According to science, if you want to feel more connected to the people you’re talking to, you should call them instead of texting.
In a study, researchers did various experiments. In one, they asked 200 people to imagine what it would be like to reconnect with an old friend by email or by phone, and they asked people to do one or the other at random. Although people thought that a phone call would be more mortifying, it actually made the experience better. “People reported they did form a stronger bond with their old friends on the phone versus email, and they did not feel uncomfortable,” co-author Amit Kumar said.
In another experiment, researchers had strangers connect by texting, talking over video chat, or talking using only audio (音频). They found that both forms of voice communication — whether video or audio only — made the strangers feel more connected than when they communicated via text.
Sabrina Romanoff, a psychologist, says people tend to text instead of calling because of convenience, as they can organize 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 considering the effects of the message,” she explains. “Each part is more present, and therefore, it is able to figure out the meaning behind the conversation quickly without thinking on the endless possible meanings behind words.”
1. What does the underlined word “mortifying” in Paragraph 2 mean?A.Puzzling. | B.Exciting. | C.Embarrassing. | D.Satisfying. |
A.It takes more patience. | B.It brings people closer. |
C.It proves more relaxing. | D.It makes people more friendly. |
A.They can make themselves clear without being disturbed. |
B.They would easily keep the messages for future use. |
C.They can freely express their good or bad feelings. |
D.They would avoid some unpleasant topics. |
A.It is easy to express one’s meaning through texting. |
B.It is necessary to guess the meaning behind words. |
C.People can understand each other more easily by phone calls. |
D.People should use simple words to express themselves in emails. |
2 . Will your happiness differ if you are doing a kind action without any expectation of rewards or with an expectation of rewards? A study by University of Sussex, headed by Dr. Daniel CampbellMeikeljohn, tried to answer that question. He and his partners analyzed over 1, 000 brain scans from other studies related to reactions to making a decision based on kindness. They split the studies based on who was making a decision for altruistic (无私的) reasons and who was making a decision due to the expectation of an obvious reward. The results were interesting.
In both instances, the reward center of the brain lit up on the MRI scans (磁共振成像扫描). Yet, for those who made their decision without any rewards, other areas of the brain lit up as well. Specifically, it lit up the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (前扣带皮层区域), which scientists believe plays a role in emotional regulation. Also, it might aid in maintaining excitement related to an event that creates a positive emotional state.
In one study about the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, it is believed that this brain region could be related to depression if it isn’t developed properly or is dysfunctional. The fact that this part of the brain lights up during acts of generosity and caring without expectation of rewards shows that the altruistic individuals are getting more sustainable pleasure than those motivated by rewards. It also could aid in explaining how it helps depressive individuals feel happier after doing a kind deed.
We live in a society, and no man is a lonely island. We all need each other. For those who genuinely desire to help others regardless of repayment, maintaining a balance of helping others and yourself is very important. It is healthy and necessary to be kind to yourself, as well as to others.
1. Why did the author think the results interesting?A.There are no differences as to the litup area of the brain. |
B.The reward center of the brain lit up in one case alone. |
C.The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex makes no difference. |
D.The reward center of the brain lit up in both cases. |
A.It might help keep calm. | B.It may make a difference to controlling emotion. |
C.It can create positive emotion. | D.It has nothing to do with depression. |
A.Help others regardless of yourself. | B.Treat others and yourself with kindness. |
C.For the sake of yourself, lend a hand. | D.Practise kindness at all costs. |
3 . Around the globe, about 1 in 4 adults says they’re lonely. And the consequences of long-term social disconnection can be everything from an increased risk of heart attacks to dementia (痴呆). The following offers a road map to make connections.
Be curious. It’s easier to connect with people if you have shared interests or experiences, so start paying attention to what’s in your mind. What motivates you? What excites you?
Make something. When experts advise making something, people will say, “Well, I’m not Picasso. I don’t know how to do a fancy painting. ” Of course, you’re not!
Find a group that matches your interests. Whether it’s volunteering fora cause or playing frisbee (飞盘), try to find others who share your interests. There’s even an online group that has a quirky shared interest: a fascination with brown bears in Alaska, which led to Fat Bear Week. In interactions with others, you can begin to reveal yourself and share the unique things that matter to you.
Other people’s loneliness matters too.
A.Pour out your hard feelings. |
B.Loneliness can be infectious. |
C.Take a risk by having conversations. |
D.You should tolerate the risk of being lonely. |
E.But the opportunities for creative expression are endless. |
F.Knowing yourself can be a first step to bonding with others. |
G.Then, other people recognize that and share their story in return. |
4 . Picking up after your dog is interesting, but it must be done. Most dog owners understand the importance of picking up their dogs’ waste, so it can be especially frustrating to see dog owners that obviously refuse to perform this duty.
Ask them directly. Talking to another dog owner about picking up their dogs’ waste can be uncomfortable. However, asking the owner directly to pick up after their dog will often work to fix the problem.
Use a friendly tone. Although you are probably fed up and mad at a dog owner that isn’t cleaning up after their dog, approach them in a friendly manner. Yelling at them may make them defensive and angry.
Give them a reason. It’s possible this person doesn’t realize how their neglect in picking up after their dog is negatively affecting those around them.
A.Be honest |
B.Raise some dogs |
C.If you want to help them to sweep their waste |
D.And they will likely do more harm than good, too |
E.When you ask them to pick up their dogs’ waste |
F.There are many reasons people don’t pick up after their dogs |
G.Figuring out how to convince these owners to change their ways can be difficult |
5 . Initial conversations can have a huge impact on how relationships develop over time. People are often stuck in the impressions they think they might have made the minute they finish speaking with someone for the first time: “Did they like me or were they just being polite?” “Were they deep in thought or deeply bored?”
To find out whether these worries are necessary, we have conducted nearly 10 years of research. In our studies, participants in the UK talked with someone they had never met before. Afterward, they were asked how much they liked their conversation partner and how much they believed that their conversation partner liked them. This allowed us to compare how much people believed they were liked to how much they were actually liked.
Time and time again, we found that people left their conversations with negative feelings about the impression they made. That is, people systematically underestimate how much their conversation partners like them and enjoy their company — a false belief we call the “liking gap”.
This bias (偏见) may seem like something that would occur only in initial interactions, but its effects extend far beyond a first impression. Surprisingly, the liking gap can constantly affect a variety of relationships, including interactions with coworkers, long after the initial conversations have taken place. Having a larger liking gap is associated with being less willing to ask workmates for help, less willing to provide workmates with open and honest feedback, and less willing to work on another project together.
There are numerous strategies to minimize your biased feelings. One place to start is shifting your focus of attention. Try to direct your attention to your conversation partner, be genuinely curious about them, ask them more questions, and really listen to their answers. The more you’re zeroed in on the other person, and the less you’re focused on yourself, the better your conversation will be and the less your mind will turn to all the things you think you didn’t do well.
1. Why did the author carry out 10 years of research?A.To dismiss national concerns. | B.To check out a potential bias. |
C.To enhance human communication. | D.To develop harmonious relationships. |
A.Fewer chances of new projects. | B.Underestimation of their ability. |
C.Bad relationships with people around. | D.Low willingness to interact with others. |
A.Restate opinions. | B.Deliver warnings. | C.Give suggestions. | D.Make a summary. |
A.Liking Gap May Influence Work Performances |
B.First Impressions Rely On Initial Conversations |
C.People Probably Like You More Than You Think |
D.How People Like You Matters Less Than You Assume |
6 . It’s never easy to say no, especially when we’re invited somewhere by someone close to us.
Put off your response. Avoid immediately responding to a request that you believe you will turn down. A quick “No” will deprive (剥夺)you of time to come up with a kind refusal. Instead, a simple “Let me check my calendar and get back to you” will often work.
Check your calendar for conflicts. If you are lucky, you may discover a scheduling conflict that enables you to honestly decline due to the previous promise.
Remember to respond.
A.Avoid admitting your schedule is open. |
B.Identify the exact reason why you want to decline. |
C.However, the person may ask you for another time. |
D.This gives you time to create a response in your head. |
E.But often, we find ourselves saying yes and later regretting it. |
F.Keep these in mind if the other party asks why you are declining. |
G.Forgetting a request may hurt people or make you an impolite person. |
7 . Your manager stops you and says she needs to have a word about your performance in the recent project. She begins by praising you for the good work you’ve done on the project, and you wonder if this is the praise that starts off the typical “feedback sandwich”.
However, when feedback becomes such a routine, employees can start to perceive positive feedback as simply a form of sugarcoating the negatives, thus decreasing its value. Instead, positive feedback should not simply be seen as something to cushion the negative.
Cultivate a “growth mindset”. Many of us tend to focus our praise on the end result and seeming inborn talents. For example,
Create a culture of offering positive feedback. Make giving positive feedback part of your team culture. Don’t just wait for special moments to give feedback. Offer informal positive feedback when making small talk.
A.you have a real talent for organizing events. |
B.You know how the feedback sandwich goes. |
C.Attempt to inject some positivity into negative feedback. |
D.you really put a lot of effort into making this event a success. |
E.Don’t always follow positive feedback with negative feedback. |
F.Feedback doesn’t have to only come from the higher ranks either. |
G.It should also be delivered so as to reinforce and encourage good performance. |
8 . Being vulnerable (脆弱的) is not a choice. In our life it is a
Vulnerability
When some people claim that they have no vulnerability, they are
Indeed, it’s not easy for us to admit our vulnerability in front of others. In order to protect ourselves, we tend to
A.goal | B.trick | C.secret | D.reality |
A.open | B.decorate | C.close | D.design |
A.turns out | B.consists of | C.refers to | D.relies on |
A.habits | B.faith | C.rights | D.nature |
A.approach | B.option | C.experience | D.reason |
A.follow | B.analyse | C.remove | D.acknowledge |
A.eager | B.tired | C.difficult | D.excited |
A.hesitating | B.complaining | C.cheating | D.waiting |
A.motivated | B.unwilling | C.puzzled | D.unafraid |
A.friendship | B.wealth | C.performance | D.thought |
A.deal | B.meet | C.agree | D.struggle |
A.obviously | B.cautiously | C.safely | D.gratefully |
A.preference | B.decision | C.emotion | D.bravery |
A.affected | B.impressed | C.occupied | D.touched |
A.characteristic | B.relationship | C.action | D.standard |
9 . Only about 20% of U.S.adults say they have a best friend at work.Should the other 80% start looking for one?Yes and no.
But if becoming best friends with your coworkers feels too daunting (使人气馁的),or just not your style,you can still benefit from social support.When most people hear “social support”,they think of emotional support,like venting (发泄) to a coworker over coffee, Heaney says.
A.But it comes in many forms |
B.Research on the topic is clear |
C.The goal isn’t necessarily to make lifelong friends |
D.It’s easy to talk yourself out of making these gestures |
E.It s often considered equal to smoking 15 cigarettes a day |
F.That could mean seeking input from people at all levels of the company |
G.There’s no doubt that social support in the workplace is important for your health |
10 . Tips for Closing the Gaps in Relationships
Be curious, not angry
Ask in a spirit of real curiosity and openness. After you ask the question, be concerned only with understanding the other person’s story. Be ready to listen to the other person’s views and experiences.
Put body language together with intentions
Listen for understanding
Our good intentions for asking questions are not enough.
Of course, how the other person reacts will determine the conversation that follows, which may require a good deal of openness, presence, and skill. Our reaction to whatever the person says will require continued openness, trust, kindness, clarity, and honesty. As you speak, clarify the gap between your experience of the relationship and your opinion or expectations of a healthy relationship. Noticing the gaps is helpful since it defines the problem.
A.Mind the gaps |
B.Ask when we care |
C.And be willing to be interested |
D.This is a step towards settling the problem |
E.How we ask this question makes a big difference |
F.We express our purposes not only with our words |
G.At the moment, our most important job is to listen carefully |