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Psychologists agree that I.Q. contributes only about 20 percent of the factors that determine success. A full 80 percent comes from other factors, including what I call emotional intelligence. Following are two
of the major qualities that make up emotional intelligence, and how they can be developed.
1.Self-awareness. The ability to recognize a feeling as it happens is the keystone of emotional
intelligence. People with greater certainty about their emotions are better pilots of their lives.
Developing self-awareness requires tuning in to what neurologist Antonio Damasio calls "gut feelings". Gut
feelings can occur without a person being consciously aware of them. For example, when people who fear snakes are shown a picture of a snake, sensors on their skin will detect sweat, a sign of anxiety, even
though the people say they do not feel fear. The sweat shows up even when a picture is presented so
rapidly that the subject has no conscious awareness of seeing it.
Through deliberate effort we can become more aware of our gut feelings. Take someone who is
annoyed by a rude encounter for hours after it occurred. He may be unaware of his irritability(易怒)and
surprised when someone calls attention to it. But if he evaluates his feelings, he can change them. Emotional self-awareness is the building block of the next fundamental of emotional intelligence: being able to shake
off a bad mood.
2.Mood Management. Bad as well as good moods spice life and build character. The key is
balance.
We often have little control over when we are swept by emotion. But we can have some say in how
long that emotion will last. Psychologist Dianne Tice asked more than 400 men and women about their
strategies for escaping foul moods. Her research, along with that of other psychologists, provides valuable
information on how to change a bad mood.
Of all the moods that people want to escape, rage seems to be the hardest to deal with. When
someone in another car cuts you off on a highway, your instant response may be, That jerk! He could
have hit me! I can let him get away with that! The more you stew, the angrier you get. Such is the
stuff of hypertension and reckless driving.
What should you do to relieve rage? One myth is that ventilating will make you feel better. In fact,
researchers have found that's one of the worst strategies. A more effective technique is 'reframing", which means consciously seeing a situation in a more positive light. In the case of the driver who cuts you off, you might tell yourself: Maybe he had some emergency. This is one of the most potent ways, Tice found, to put anger to rest.
Going off alone to cool down is also an effective way to refuse anger, especially if you can't think
clearly. Tice found that a large proportion of men cool down by going for a drive----- a finding that
inspired her to drive more defensively. A safer alternative is exercise, such as taking a long walk. Whatever you do, don't waste the time pursuing your train of angry thoughts. You aim should be to distract yourself.
The techniques of reframing and distraction can alleviate depression and anxiety as well as anger. Add to
them such relaxation techniques as deep breathing and meditation(冥想) and you have powerful weapons against bad moods.
1. According to the author, the importance of knowing one's gut feelings is that __________.
A. one can develop them.
B. one can call other's attention to them.
C. one may get rid of them.
D. one may control them.
2. The word "spice" in paragraph five is closest in meaning to _________.
A. add interest to
B. lengthen
C. make dull
D. bring into existence
3. On mood control, the author seems to suggest that we _________ .
A. can control our mood
B. are often unaware of what mood we are in.
C. can determine how long our mood could last
D. lack strategies for controlling moods
4. "Reframing" is essentially about __________.
A. forgetting the unpleasant situation
B. adopting a positive attitude
C. protecting oneself properly
D. avoiding road accidents
5. What is the best title for the passage?
A. What is emotional intelligence?
B. How to develop emotional intelligence
C. Strategies for getting rid of foul moods
D. How to control one's gut feelings
