Question

We can make mistakes at any age. Some mistakes we make are about money. But most mistakes are about people. “Did Jerry really care when I broke up with Helen?” “When I got that great job, did Jerry really feel good about as a friend? Or did he envy my luck?” When we look back, doubts like these can make us feel bad. But when we look back, it’s too late.

Why do we go wrong about our friends or our enemies? Sometimes what people say hides their real meaning. And if we don’t really listen, we miss the feeling behind the words. Suppose someone tells you, “You’re a lucky dog.” Is he really on your side? If he says, “You’re a lucky guy.” or“You’re a lucky gal.” That’s being friendly. But “l(fā)ucky dog”? There’s a bit of envy in those words. Maybe he doesn’t see it himself. But bringing in the “dog” bit puts you down a little. What he may be saying is he doesn’t think you deserve your luck.

How can you tell the real meaning behind someone’s words? One way is to take a good look at the person talking. Do his words fit the way he looks? Does what he says square with the tone of voice? His posture(體態(tài))? The look in his eyes? Stop and think. Spend some time thinking about the real meaning of what people say to you, and you may save another mistake.

1.The questions in the first paragraph tell us that the speaker ___________________.

A. feels happy because his friends were nice to him

B. feels he may not have “read” his friends’ true feelings correctly

C. thinks it was a mistake to have broken up with his girl friend Helen

D. is sorry that his friends let him down

2.From the example “You’re a lucky dog”, we can learn that ______________.

A. the speaker of the sentence is friendly

B. it means the same as “You’re a lucky guy.” or “You’re a lucky gal.”

C. sometimes the words used by the speaker give a tip to the feeling behind the words

D. the word “dog” shouldn’t be used to describe a person

3.The passage tries to tell you how to ___________.

A. avoid mistakes about money and friends

B. bring the “dog” bit into our conversation

C. be friendly to other people

D. avoid mistakes in understanding what people tell you

4.What is important in listening to a person?

A. To notice his tone, his posture and the look in his eyes.

B. To listen to how he pronounces his words.

C. To check if his words go well with his manner, his tone of voice and his posture.

D. Don’t believe what he says.

5.If you follow the writer’s advice, you would ____________.

A. be able to get the real meaning of people’s words

B. avoid any mistakes while talking with the people who envy you

C. not lose real friends who say things that do not please you

D. be able to observe people as they are talking to you

Answer 1