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 Jim really feel good about it, as a friend? Or did he envy my luck?” “And Paul — why didn't I pick up that he was friendly just because I had a car?” 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 “lucky 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 that 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? The look in his eyes? Stop and think. The minute you spend thinking about the real meaning of what people say to you may save another mistake.
【小题1】The questions in the first paragraph tell us that the speaker ________.
| A．feels happy, thinking of how nice his friends were 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 |
【小题2】From the example “You're a lucky dog”, we can learn that ________.
| A．is just being friendly |
| B．expresses the same meaning 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 |
【小题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 |
【小题4】In listening to a person, the important thing is ________.
| A．to notice his tone, his posture, and the look in his eye |
| B．to listen to how he pronounces his words |
| C．to check his words against his manner, his tone of voice, and his posture |
| D．not to believe what he says |
【小题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 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 |
