Communication theory often stresses how speakers should present their material. However, listeners play the same important role. Some of them focus intently on the speaker, while others daydream or whisper to a neighbor. What makes these two kinds of listeners different? Generally speaking, effective listeners have discovered the benefits of paying close attention. Not having experienced the rewards of paying close attention, ineffective listeners continue to wonder why they can’t remember what they “heard” or why they do poorly on tests.
How do effective listeners manage to pay close attention? First of all, they avoid letting poor environments, like an uncomfortable seat, or the speaker’s manners, distract (使分心) them. Instead, they “tune out” anything that will keep them from understanding and remembering what they hear. After leaving a lecture or meeting, they remember what was said, not the room conditions or the poor delivery of the speaker. On the other hand, ineffective listeners who think they are paying attention to the message can be easily daydreaming.
In order to resist probable distractions, effective listeners actively but objectively focus on the message itself. They do not prejudge the speaker as representing an opposite viewpoint, nor do they prejudge the material as boring, too easy or too difficult. Effective listeners accept the challenge of new ideas. To help themselves become actively concerned with the speaker’s message, effective listeners write down important words and phrases as a reminder of difficult ideas.
Ineffective listeners reject theoretical material; they may pretend to listen but daydream instead to avoid hearing what they don’t agree with or readily understand. Moreover, rather than dealing with meaning itself, ineffective but well-intentioned listeners might be so concerned with a notebook full of words that are not connected by any conceptual framework and therefore mean little when referred to later for a test or other purpose.
Clearly, a certain amount of effort is concerned with listening actively, objectively, and openly to new ideas. But as that effort begins to pay off for ineffective listeners, they too will develop this skill as a beneficial lifelong habit.
45. The underlined phrase “
tune out” means ________.
A.deal with | B.think about | C.pick out | D.pay no attention to |
46. In order not to be distracted, effective listeners can do following things EXCEPT ________.
A.objectively focusing on the message |
B.accepting the challenge of new ideas |
C.trying to copy every word of the speaker |
D.avoiding prejudging the speaker or the level of the material |
47. Which of the following statements is close to the writer’s opinion? ________
A.Listeners should accept the new ideas and write down important words. |
B.Listeners can daydream to avoid hearing what they don’t understand. |
C.Listeners will develop listening skills if they copy all the words the speaker said. |
D.Listeners may remember what was said if they prejudge the speaker’s viewpoint. |
48. The main purpose of this passage is to ________.
A.point out the result of effective listening |
B.discuss the methods which we used by a variety of listeners |
C.explain the differences between effective and ineffective listeners |
D.describe the listening habits of poor listeners |