Question

    Small talk is stressful for even the most easy-going people. 1. Below, small-talk experts share their best advice on developing good chatting skills.

Ask questions.

The key to good small talk is asking the other person a lot of questions. But avoid rapid-fire questions. 2. Be sure to express your own feelings in response to what they share.

Avoid conversation starters like “How have you been?”

You could not ask a more awkward question. A better way to produce meaningful conversation is to add “What is new in your life since the last time I saw you?

Avoid one-word answers.

3. When someone asks you a question, give them something to talk about with you, not a word or two. Fine said, if someone asks you, “How was your summer?”, you can answer, for instance. My summer was great. I’m excited about my vegetable garden. That will give the person something else to ask you about.

4.

Your facial expression and body language should let the other person know you’re truly listening to them. A recent study showed that people who used hand or head gestures received responses to their questions faster than those who didn’t.

Small talk may help you connect with someone new with whom you want to have a more serious talk. 5.

A.You don’t have to be a reporter.

B.Don’t worry about it too much, though.

C.You could not ask a more inconvenient question.

D.It’s the first step to any meaningful relationship.

E.Use your hands to keep the conversation flowing.

F.Don’t be a disappointing person in a conversation.

G.You should make a conversation with people you like.

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.F

4.E

5.D

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了闲聊专家分享的他们关于培养良好聊天技巧的最佳建议。

1.

根据上文Small talk is stressful for even the most easy-going people.(即使是最随和的人，闲聊也会有压力)及下文Below, small-talk experts share their best advice on developing good chatting skills.(下面，闲聊专家分享了他们关于培养良好聊天技巧的最佳建议)可知，B. Don’t worry about it too much, though. (不过，别太担心)能够承上启下，符合语境。故选B。

2.

根据上文The key to good small talk is asking the other person a lot of questions. But avoid rapid-fire questions. (闲聊的关键是问对方很多问题。但要避免快速提问)可知，你需要问问题，但是不要像记者一样快速提问。由此可知，A. You don’t have to be a reporter. (你不必成为一名记者)符合语境。故选A。

3.

根据本段主旨Avoid one-word answers.(避免只有一个字的回答)及常识可知，只有一个字的回答会让你成为很无趣的一个人。由此可知，F. Don’t be a disappointing person in a conversation. (在谈话中不要做一个让人失望的人)符合语境。故选F。

4.

根据下文Your facial expression and body language should let the other person know you’re truly listening to them. A recent study showed that people who used hand or head gestures received responses to their questions faster than those who didn’t.(你的面部表情和肢体语言应该让对方知道你真的在听他们说话。最近的一项研究表明，使用手或头部姿势的人比那些不使用的人更快地收到对问题的回答)可知，本段主要讲述的是在对话中使用肢体语言。由此可知，E. Use your hands to keep the conversation flowing. (用你的手来保持对话流畅)符合语境。故选E。

5.

根据上文Small talk may help you connect with someone new with whom you want to have a more serious talk. (闲聊可以帮助你与你想要进行更严肃谈话的新朋友建立联系)可知，此处在讲述闲聊的意义。由此可知，D. It’s the first step to any meaningful relationship. (这是任何有意义的关系的第一步)符合语境。故选D。