A Few Active Listening Guidelines
Listening is arguably the most important element of interpersonal communication. Our ability to listen well impacts the quality of all of our relationships, and not just at home with our family and friends—it can also affect our relationships and interactions on the job, as well as the effectiveness and quality of our work.
1. Instead, it is a skill that must be cultivated and practiced. Active listening means the difference between simply hearing, and listening with the intent to truly understand. It is a subtle but important distinction.
1. Give focused attention.
Try to minimize external (外部的) distractions. Turn down the noise, and put down or step away from what you’re doing if possible. 2. Don’t watch the clock, fidget (坐立不安) or go over your to-do list for later.
2. 3.
Direct eye contact shows your attention and intention to listen. This doesn’t mean stare, though. Be reasonable, but try not to let your eyes wander to whatever is going on around you.
3. Reflect back.
Restate, but don’t repeat word for word. Paraphrase what you think the other part is saying with responses such as: “What I’m hearing is…” or “Let me see if I’m following you... ”4.
4. Respond appropriately.
Be open and honest in your responses. Share your thoughts, insights and feelings in a clear, but respectful and considerate manner even if you disagree.
Active listening is a model for good communication. 5. It takes practice to develop active listening skills, and it’s a habit that has to be reinforced（加强）. Remind yourself that the goal of conversation is not merely to trade words, but to truly understand what the other party is saying and to be understood in turn.
A. Maintain eye contact.
B. Instead, focus on what is being said.
C. You do not have to agree on everything.
D. Also, set aside other internal thinking and dialogue.
E. Listening is not something that comes naturally or easily for most of us.
F. Reflecting what you’ve heard signals that you’re attempting to understand fully.
G. Remember that listening is not just to gather information and share ideas, but also to gain perspective and understanding.
On the banks of Tanzania’s Lake Eyasi lives the world’s last hunter-gatherer tribe (部落) — the Hadza. They don’t grow food, raise animals or build houses. Instead they live a life unchanged for more than ten thousand years.
Their world is one of complete freedom — something modern society can barely imagine and is unlikely to ever experience, let alone have the skills to stay alive. Text messages and phone calls don’t exist. Nor do cars and electricity. No jobs, timetables, and social structures. No laws, taxes and unbelievably, no money — the closest thing to currency (交易) is the trade for a pair of shorts with a neighboring tribe.
We spent our time with the Hadza hunting baboons (狒狒), a daily activity for the men. Their land is packed with sharp bushes, poisonous snakes and man-eating lions. But a successful hunting trip is the difference between eating or going hungry.
The Hadza diet consists mainly of honey, fruit and meat. Men often hunt in pairs to shoot animals with bows and arrows. The Hadza show us how to track animals, from baboons to snakes to lions. They are hugely skilled with their handmade bows and arrows — we have a go and barely get the arrow to go three feet in front of us.
The language of the Hadza is believed to be the oldest still-spoken language known to man. The Hadza don’t have conflict, and have no memory of starvation. Their population never reaches numbers that cannot be supported through hunting or gathering. They never get from their land more than they need.
Unlike modern-day office workers, the Hadza enjoy an extraordinary amount of free time. Their “work” — hunting for food — takes up around five hours of their day. They’ve been in such a state of peaceful existence for thousands of years.
1.We can learn from the text that the Hadza_______.
A. lead a very simple life
B. live on traditional agriculture
C. have their own system of currency
D. show a lot of interest in new technology
2.Which of the following can describe the Hadza’s environment?
A. Stressful.
B. Comfortable.
C. Exciting.
D. Dangerous.
3.The relationship between the Hadza and nature_______.
A. is going wrong
B. is full of conflict
C. is in perfect harmony
D. is changing all the time
4.Why does the author come to visit the Hadza?
A. To study their native language.
B. To get to know their way of life.
C. To learn survival skills from them.
D. To persuade them to protect animals.
A walk through the galleries of Quebec's Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) places individuals face-to-face with some 43,000 artworks ranging from Chinese ceramics (陶瓷制品) to Inuit sculpture.
While the visiting is an incredible cultural experience, a group of local physicians will soon be able to prescribe(开处方) museum visits as treatment for some illnesses.
"We know that art contributes to neural(神经的) activity," said MMFA director Nathalie Bondil. "What we see is that being in contact with art can really help your well-being."
Hélène Boyer, vice president of a Montreal-based medical association, explains that museum visits have been shown to increase levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter (神经传导物质) known as the "happy chemical" which helps to lift mood.
According to Boyer, the small increase in hormones（荷尔蒙）associated with enjoying an afternoon of art is similar to that offered by exercise, making museum prescriptions ideal for the elderly experiencing pain that prevents them from regularly joining in physical activity.
The museum visits are designed to improve traditional methods. As Bondil notes, spending time in a peaceful environment can provide a welcome distraction. "What is most important is this experience can help them escape from their own pain," she says. "When you enter the museum, you escape from the speed of our daily life."
"I am convinced that in the 21st century, culture will be what physical activity was for health in the 20th century," said Bondil. "Some people would do well to recall that just in the 19th century, sports were believed to do harm to the body. Just as doctors now prescribe exercise, they will be able to prescribe a visit to the MMFA."
1.What does Hélène Boyer think of museum visits?
A. They can cheer people up.
B. They can reduce physical activity.
C. They can slow down our life pace.
D. They can increase levels of art appreciation.
2.How do museum visits affect people?
A. Stop them concentrating on pain.
B. Stop them focusing on traditional methods.
C. Encourage them not to be absent-minded.
D. Encourage them to slow their steps while walking.
3.What does the last paragraph suggest?
A. Physical activities were popular in the 19th century.
B. Sports are considered to be harmful to the body.
C. Ideas of treating illnesses are changing over time.
D. Doctors prescribe museum visits regularly now.
4.What is the main idea of the text?
A. Museum visits are ideal for the elderly.
B. Happy chemical helps to lift mood.
C. Peaceful environment helps escape pain.
D. Cultural activities will promote health.
Paris is the city of dreams. If you plan to head to Paris for a study period, then perhaps a little reality check is in order. But my experience was a romantic one.
I paved my path to Paris through an exchange program. On arrival in Paris, I was constantly reminded of the official processes I had to complete — forms to be filled in, meetings to attend, the list seemed endless.
Then the real work began. Once classes were underway, I found myself volunteering to do oral presentations and assignments first, rather than last. This method proved to be very helpful.
Once I had finished class for the week, I had an ever-increasing list of museums to visit, neighborhoods to explore, and cafés to sit in. Read books about Paris. Talk to locals and other foreigners living there. But the one thing that reading a book or talking to someone cannot do is to provide you with the experience of wandering Paris on foot. The people watching, the sounds of the city, the colors as the seasons change, they all add to the ecstasy that I experience in Paris as an exchange student.
After spending five months wandering through the charming neighborhoods, I fell in love with the atmosphere that came out from every open door, and with every spoken word. There is something comforting about walking to the market each Sunday to enjoy the beautiful display of fruits, vegetables and dairy products. There is warmth in saying bonjour to the passers-by.
On my last day in Paris, I confidently said, “Bonjour Monsieur,” as I passed the little store down the street. I guess the best part about going on exchange in Paris is falling in love with the city in your own way. And I know mine is unique and special to me, my own little pieces of Paris.
1.What does the underlined word "ecstasy" in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Courage. B. Imagination.
C. Happiness. D. Reputation.
2.What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. An exchange student’s life. B. Charming neighborhoods.
C. An exchange program. D. A traveling experience.
3.Beyond reading books, which experience would the author treasure most?
A. Enjoying coffee in his spare time.
B. Greeting people in French in the street.
C. Buying vegetables in the market.
D. Hanging around in Paris.
4.According to the passage, what left the author the deepest impression?
A. The friendly people he met in Paris.
B. The special culture he experienced in the city.
C. The academic achievement he made in his study.
D. The presentations and assignments he did in class.
Unbelievable Stories of Animals Acting Just Like Humans
◆Horses are picky eaters
Horses have an even better sense of smell than humans do. When horses raise their noses and open their nostrils (鼻孔) , their nervous system allows them to sense smells we can’t sense. This might explain why they refuse dirty water and carefully move around meadows, eating only the tastiest grasses, experts say.
◆Whale says thanks
In 2011, a whale expert spotted a humpback whale trapped in a fishing net and spent an hour freeing it. Afterward, in an hour-long display of thanks, the whale swam near their boat and leaped into the air about 40 times.
◆Pandas like to be naughty
Is there anything more lovely than a baby panda, except maybe a human baby? In fact, baby pandas sometimes behave like human babies. They sleep in the same positions and value their thumbs. Pandas are shy by nature for its shy behaviors such as covering its face with a paw of ducking its head when confronted by a stranger.
◆A cat honors its owner
Paper towels, and a plastic cup are just a few of the gifts that Toldo, a devoted three-year-old gray-and-white cat, has placed on his former owner Iozzelli Renzo’s grave every day since the man died in September 2011. Renzo adopted Toldo from a shelter when the cat was three months old, and the two formed an inseparable bond. After Renzo passed away, Toldo followed the coffin to the cemetery, and now "stands guard" at the grave for hours at a time.
1.What can horses do to pick delicious grasses?
A. Feel them. B. Taste them.
C. Smell them. D. Observe them.
2.What do the whale and the cat have in common according to the passage?
A. They are clever.
B. They have a grateful heart.
C. They are active and lovely.
D. They have a good sense of smell.
3.Which of the following acts like a human baby according to the passage?
A. The whale. B. The cat.
C. The horse. D. The panda.
One day, I drove into a service station to get some gas. It was a beautiful day and I was feeling ______ . As I paid for the gas, the attendant said, “How do you feel?” That seemed like a ______ question, but I felt fine and told him so. “You don't look ______.” he replied and continued to tell me my skin appeared ______.
By the time I left, I was a little ______ . About a block away, I ______ to the side of the road to look at my face ______ the mirror. Was everything all right? Had I picked up ______ rare disease? By the time I got home, I was beginning to feel a slight ______ somewhere in my body.
The next time I went into that gas station, I ______ what had happened: The place had recently been painted a bright yellow, and the light reflecting off the walls made everyone inside ___________ as though they were sick! That was the truth. ______ , I let that short conversation change my attitude for an entire day. His _____ observation affected the way I felt and acted.
This experience made me think a lot. It is the same with life, in which attitude ________ . The way we look at life determines how we feel and how we _______. If we expect something to turn out _______ , it probably will. But the _______ also works in reverse. If we expect good things to happen, they ________ do. An optimistic attitude, I believe, is not a luxury but a(an) ________. So after that, I chose to highlight the _______ throughout the rest of my life.
1.A. great B. excited C. sick D. uncomfortable
2.A. considerate B. thoughtful C. strange D. funny
3.A. happy B. comfortable C. satisfied D. well
4.A. grey B. yellow C. black D. red
5.A. angry B. uneasy C. painful D. unbelievable
6.A. pulled over B. pulled in C. pulled out D. pulled through
7.A. on B. at C. over D. in
8.A. certain B. some C. several D. anxiety
9.A. comfort B. relief C. pain D. anxiety
10.A. picked out B. put out C. turned out D. figured out
11.A. feel B. behave C. look D. see
12.A. However B. Therefore C. Besides D. Otherwise
13.A. kind B. helpful C. rude D. negative
14.A. matters B. affects C. decides D. speaks
15.A. work B. perform C. learn D. believe
16.A. smoothly B. badly C. well D. positively
17.A. principle B. saying C. meaning D. sentence
18.A. usually B. certainly C. definitely D. seldom
19.A. imagination B. tool C. necessity D. alternative
20.A. important B. useful C. positive D. special
