While verbal and written communication skills are important, nonverbal behaviors make up a large percentage of our daily interpersonal communication.

Good eye contact is an essential nonverbal communication skill. When people fail to look at others in the eye, it can seem as if they are trying to hide something. On the other hand, too much eye contact can seem aggressive. While eye contact is an important part of communication, it’s important to remember that good eye contact does not mean staring fixedly into someone’s eyes. Some communication experts recommend intervals of eye contact lasting four to five seconds.

If you are confused about another person’s nonverbal signals, don’t be afraid to ask questions. A good idea is to repeat back your interpretation of what has been said and ask for clarification. An example of this might be: “So what you are saying is that...” Sometimes simply asking such questions can lend a great deal of clarity to a situation. For example, a person might be giving off certain nonverbal signals because he has something else on his mind.

Another important part of good nonverbal communication skills involves being able to take a more holistic approach to what a person is communicating. A single gesture can mean any number of things, or maybe even nothing at all. The key to accurately reading nonverbal behavior is to look for groups of signals that reinforce a common point. If you place too much emphasis on just one signal out of many, you might come to an inaccurate conclusion about what a person is trying to say.

According to some, a firm handshake indicates a strong personality while a weak handshake is taken as a lack of courage. This example illustrates an important point about the possibility of misreading nonverbal signals. A limp handshake might actually indicate something else entirely, such as arthritis (关节炎). Always remember to look for groups of behavior.

Silence is unnatural to man.He begins life with a cry and ends it in stillness.In between he does all he can to make a noise in the world,and he fears silence more than anything else.Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence.If he is introduced to another person,and a number of pauses occur in the conversation,he regards himself as a failure,a worthless person,and is full of envy of the emptiest-headed chatterbox（喋喋不休的人）. He knows that ninety nine percent of human conversation means no more than the buzzing of a fly,but he is anxious to join in the buzz and to prove that he is a man and not a waxwork figure（蜡塑人像）.

The aim of conversation is not,for the most part,to communicate ideas;it is to keep up the buzzing sound.There are,it must be admitted,different qualities of buzz;there is even a buzz that is as annoying as the continuous noise made by a mosquito.But at a dinner party one would rather be a mosquito than a quiet person.Most buzzing, fortunately,is pleasant to the ear,and some of it is pleasant even to the mind.He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing with his neighbors.

Those who hate to pick up the weather as a conversational opening seem to me not to know the reason why human beings wish to talk.Very few human beings join in a conversation in the hope of learning anything new.Some of them are content if they are merely allowed to go on making a noise into other people's ears,though they have nothing to tell them except that they have seen two or three new plays or that they had food in a Swiss hotel.At the end of an evening,during which they have said nothing meaningful for a long time.They just prove themselves to be successful conservationists.

Are you spending your holidays sitting around bored with nothing to do? You can find many ways to fill your days. 【小题1】

Spend time with your friends. If you can't think of things to do, one of your friends probably can. 【小题2】

Help others. If you have nothing you need to do for yourself, you may want to volunteer to help someone else. Ask friends and relatives if they have any projects they need help on, and, if so, offer your services!

【小题3】 The holidays are a great opportunity to have conversations with family members you haven't seen for a long time. For instance, you might want to visit your grandparents and have a quality talk with them. You might be surprised how funny some of your relatives have become without your noticing.

Spend time with your pet if you have one. You might be happy to stay with an animal friend, especially if it's with one you haven't seen for a while. 【小题4】 So spend a little time walking with them, playing with them. etc.

Hold a party. Having a party is a great way to have fun. You can invite your friends and have a party together. 【小题5】 If it's cold, you and your friends can stay inside and have a nice cup of coffee.