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.
“Just think of all the things you have to be thankful for” is another noise that says one thing and means another. It could mean that the speaker is trying to get you to see your problem as part of your life as a whole. But is he? Wrapped up in this phrase is the thought that your problem isn't important. It's telling you to think of all the starving people in the world when you haven't got a date for Saturday night.
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.
1.When the writer recalls the things that happened between him and his friends, he ____.
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 view Jim as a friend
D) is sorry that his friends let him down
2.By saying “You're a lucky dog.”, the speaker ____.
A) is just being friendly
B) expresses the same meaning as “You're a lucky guy.” or“You ' re a lucky gal.”
C) is humorous to apply the word “dog” to people
D) has a hidden jealous feeling behind the words
3.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
4.If you followed the advice of the writer, you would ____.
A) weigh carefully what people say to determine their real meaning
B) get along well with people
C) trust what other people say
D) have no doubts about our friends
5.This passage tries to tell you how to ____.
A) avoid mistakes about both money and people
B) say things elegantly
C) avoid mistakes in understanding what people tell you
D) keep people friendly without trusting them
參考答案：
1.答案B。第一段倒數(shù)第二句說：“當我們回顧往事時，象這樣的疑惑 (即猜不透他人 的真正意思 )會使我們感到糟糕。”據(jù)此以及第一段中的往事可推知當他回憶他和朋友之間 發(fā)生的幾件事時，他感到可能沒有覺察出朋友們對他的真正感情，故B正確。
2.答案D。第二段的倒數(shù)第四句說 lucky dog“有點嫉妒之意”，因“dog”有點貶低 人，故 D正確而C錯。而“You're a lucky guy.”or“You're a lucky gal.”卻表示友好之意，故A和B皆錯。
3.答案C。見最后一段開頭的幾個問句。
4.答案A。由最后兩句話可知，作者建議我們仔細掂量以確定對方的真正含義，所以 應(yīng)選 A。
5.答案C。文章第一段舉例說明我們在領(lǐng)會他人真正的意思上犯有錯誤， 接著舉例 說明人們所說的話是怎樣掩蓋了他們真正的意思，最后一段告訴我們?nèi)绾晤I(lǐng)會他人的真 正意思。全文都是圍繞“如何領(lǐng)會他人暗含之意”展開的，據(jù)此可推知 C正確。
