Question

Shyness equals losing opportunities, less pleasure and fewer social connections, but there are ways to make it a thing of the past.

When I was fifteen, I was shy. I remember an attractive girl trying to talk with me. My shyness made me focus on me instead of her. I heard my own voice but not hers and I thought about what I was trying to say instead of what she was trying to say.

To overcome shyness you need to learn to relax. This gives you the space to practice certain conversational skills. Relaxed socializing (社交) is so pleasurable. To start reducing your own shyness, I want you to absorb the following tips and ideas and start to put them into practice.

Focus your attention away from yourself. Notice what other people are wearing and make a mental note, listen to their conversation, imagine where they might live, and make a point of remembering names. Not only does this give you more to talk about, it also reduces social anxiety, leaving you feeling calmer.

Ask people open questions. Many people like to talk about themselves and will find you interesting if you find them interesting. Ask questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” response such as “What do you like about this place?’ rather than “Do you like this place?” Once they have answered, you can use add-on (追加) questions connected with the first such as “What other places do you like in this city?” Next you can express your views. This is a great way to get the conversation going.

Now I love meeting new people and suspect that my current social confidence would be unrecognizable to my fifteen-year-old self.

1.The author didn’t pay attention to what the girl was saying because       .

A. her voice was very low

B. he was shy and nervous

C. he was attracted by her appearance

D. he wasn’t interested in her topic

2.To get rid of your shyness, you should       .

A. pay much attention to yourself

B. find a beautiful girl to talk with

C. learn to talk to others in a relaxed way

D. ask people some interesting questions

3.It can be inferred from the text that       .

A. people will notice our appearance if we focus on their looks

B. shy people will have no friends unless they change themselves

C. shy people may suffer a great deal and may be less happy

D. girls like to show off their voices in front of boys

4.Which of the following questions will the author probably advise us to ask?

A. What a lovely day, isn’t it?

B. Do you like playing basketball?

C. Do you think he will pass the exam?

D. Why do you find that English is hard to learn?

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.C

4.D

【解析】

试题解析：本文就如何克服内向羞涩给出了一些建议：要与别人以轻松的方式交谈，同时注意展开话题的方法，

1.细节理解题。根据My shyness made me focus on me instead of her. 当时作者非常紧张，又害羞，故选B。

2.推理判断题。根据Focus your attention away from yourself. 得知A 项是错误的，根据Ask people open questions 得知 D项是不全面的，没必要非和漂亮女孩对话可以排除D，因此To overcome shyness you need to learn to relax.为了克服羞涩感，要与别人以放松的方式交谈，选C。

3.推理判断题。根据首句Shyness equals losing opportunities, less pleasure and fewer social connections, ，得知害羞内向的人压力大，不快乐。选C。

4.推理判断题。根据Ask questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” response such as “What do you like about this place?’ rather than “Do you like this place?” Once they have answered, you can use add-on (追加) questions connected with the first such as “What other places do you like in this city?” Next you can express your views. 得知作者建议我们问的问题不是简单的“yes” or “no” 就能回答的，要能表达对方的观点，选D。

考点：教育类文章