When you are at odds with someone close to you,the One-Minute Drill can show you how to express your feelings effectively-and how to listen more skillfully.All it requires is two individuals who are committed to improving their relationship.
Set aside at least ten minutes,and then sit facing each other.Decide who will be the Talker and who will be the Lastener.It makes no difference,because later you will change roles.
How to perform the One-Minute Drill
For approximately 30 seconds,the Talker can say anything he or she wants.Your job will be to express your thoughts and feelings.You can discuss problems you’ve had a hard time talking about.Remember to limit yourself to about 30 seconds.When the Talker finishes,the Listener will summarize what the Talker just said,as well as how the Talker was feeling inside,as accurately as possible.
The Talker now gives the Listener a grade between 0 and 100 percent to indicate how accurate the summary was.If the rating is 95 percent or more,you can change roles;the new Talker can continue with the same topic or move on to something entirely new.
However,if the grade is below 95 percent,the Talker should point out what the Listener missed or got wrong,and repeat the process until the overall rating is 95 percent or more.Then you can change roles and repeat the exercise for as long as you both like.
How it works
Thirty seconds of emotionally charged information is sufficiently challenging for anyone.Express your feelings in strong,clear,direct language,but as your partner will be listening attentively,you won’t need to shout,exaggerate or put your partner down.
The Listener should sit and listen respectfully without interrupting.Look into your partner’s eyes,but avoid using negative body language. If you like,take a few notes.
So the Talker might say:“When I come home from work, I feel tired and I need some quiet time.But you tell me I’m supposed to spend time with the kids.This makes me feel frustrated.I work hard and I’m exhausted at the end of the day.I feel like I deserve a little time to relax,not listen to more demands.”
In response,the Listener might summarize like this:“You just told me that you feel exhausted when you come home at night because you’ve been working hard all day.When l tell you l want you to spend time with the kids,you feel frustrated and ticked off because you’re tired and you need time to relax.You see me as very demanding,and you’re probably feeling like I don’t appreciate you.”
The first time you attempt the One-Minute Drill,you may get a low score.Don’t worry,because you’ll get up to speed quickly.Once you’ve tried this exercise a few times,you’ll find that you can nearly always get ratings of 95 percent or better on the first or second try.Who is the One-Minute Drill intended for?
A.Those who are preparing for the interview in order to make a good first impression. |
B.Those who have difficulty communicating with their colleagues or family members. |
C.Those who have troubled relationships with their friends or family members and try to improve them. |
D.Those who are to act some roles in a certain play for the first time in their life. |
Which of the following is NOT true?
A.The Talker should talk about his/her thoughts and feelings in a brief way. |
B.The Listener should listen carefully,respectfully and later summarize accurately. |
C.After the Talker finishes talking,the Listener is to give him/her a grade. |
D.In the One-Minute Drill,the Talker and the Listener change roles in the process. |
From the example given in“How it works”,we can guess that the talk might be between .
A.father and son | B.mother and daughter |
C.sister and brother | D.husband and wife |
What does the underlined part“ticked off”probably mean in this reading?
A.very angry | B.burst into tears |
C.marked with a symbol | D.fast asleep |
There was a gardener who looked after his garden with great care. To water his flowers, he used two buckets. One was a shiny and new bucket. The other was a very old and dilapidated one, which had seen many years of service, but was now past its best.
Every morning, the gardener would fill up the two buckets. Then he would carry them along the path, one on each side, to the flowerbeds.The new bucket was very proud of itself. It could carry a full bucket of water without a single drop spilled (溢出). The old bucket felt very ashamed because of its holes: before it reached the flowerbeds, much water had leaked along the path.
Sometimes the new bucket would say, "See how capable I am! How good it is that the gardener has me to water the flowers every day! I don't know why he still bothers with you. What a waste of space you are!"
And all that the old bucket could say was: "I know I am not very useful, but I can only do my best. I am happy that the gardener still finds a little bit of use in me, at least."
One day, the gardener heard that kind of conversation. After watering the flowers as usual, he said, "You both have done your work very well. Now I am going to carry you back. I want you to look carefully along the path."
Then the two buckets did so. All along the path, they noticed, on the side where the new bucket was carried, there was just bare (光秃秃的) earth; on the other side where the old bucket was carried, there was a joyous row of wild flowers, leading all the way to the garden.What does the underlined word "dilapidated" probably mean?
A.dirty | B.dark | C.worn-out | D.plain-looking. |
What was the old bucket ashamed of?
A.His past. | B.His aging. | C.His manner. | D.His leaking. |
The new bucket made conversations with the old one mainly to ________.
A.laugh at the old one | B.take pity on the old one |
C.show off its beautiful looks | D.praise the gardener's kindness |
Why was the old bucket still kept by the gardener?
A.Because it was used to keep a balance |
B.Because it stayed in its best condition |
C.Because it was taken as a treasure |
D.Because it had its own function |
Pilling a cat can be a 'terrible” experience. Cats don’t want something pushed down their throats, and they’ll fight with all their strength to prevent it. In fact, it’s amazing how powerful their small bodies can be.
The easiest way of pilling a cat is to press the pill into powder. Then mix the powder with a small amount of wet food. If your cat usually eats dry food, she will probably view the wet food as a treat and eat it up.
If your cat won’t eat the wet food that contains the pill or if she is too ill to eat, you can get a “pill gun”. There are some basic instructions. Getting your cat’s mouth to open is going to be the most difficult part. First, be sure the pill is in a handy place. Then you can put your cat on a bookshelf with her bottom in a corner or you can put her on your lap firmly tied. Have your cat facing to the right if you’re right-handed. With your left hand, hold your cat at the cheekbones, putting your palm (手掌) at the top of her head. Keeping your finger off the trigger (扳机), with your right hand, Insert the pill gun until the pill is positioned over the tongue and open throat Be sure to give your cat a treat directly after giving the pill.
If you don’t feel comfortable using a pill gun, you can try giving the pill by hand. Push your cat’s head backwards just far enough so that her nose is pointing towards the ceiling. At this point, most cats will slightly open their mouths. With the little finger or ring finger of the hand holding the pill, open the bottom jaw a little more. You may need to hold her top jaw with your other hand while doing this. Aim straight and lightly throw the pill or drop it. Most cats will then swallow the pill.Pilling a cat can be a terrible experience because cats ______.
A.are amazingly powerful and dangerous |
B.may fight with all their strength against pills |
C.refuse something pressed down their throats |
D.are difficult to treat once they’ve got ill |
Which of the following statements is true according to the second paragraph?
A.Wet food with medicine is usually a treat to cats. |
B.Cats used to dry food must reject wet food. |
C.The easiest pilling is to press the pill into powder. |
D.Cats arc most likely interested in something new. |
Using a “pill gun”, you had better hold your cat ______ if you’re left-handed.
A.facing to the right | B.with your right hand |
C.at the head | D.on your lap firmly |
A cat probably opens its mouth naturally when ______.
A.its nose is straight upwards | B.it is touched by fingers |
C.its head is turning around | D.it is served with its favorite pills |
Unemployment in Europe has recently hit record highs. Although Denmark has been protected from economic problems thanks to its low public debt, qualified (有资格的) professionals are still finding it tough to get a job. Danish marketing firm Reputation Copenhagen has come up with a way of helping academics get noticed -- putting them on display (展示) in storefront windows.
Many highly-trained professionals, ranging from former CEOs to lawyers and tax experts, are currently finding it increasingly difficult to find proper employment on the Danish job market. Some of them have been trying for years, leaving their resumes (简历) with dozens of companies, without ever hearing back from them, and are now at a point where they are willing to try anything, even putting themselves in display windows like goods, hoping to get noticed.
Alexander Peitersen, managing director of Reputation Copenhagen, came up with the idea of using his company's office as a storefront for the campaign (活动), as there are many businesses nearby that might be interested in the talents on display. So he set up a small desk, put up the “an available academic is sitting here” sign and asked the unemployed to just sit in the windows like goods. It seems like a pretty desperate measure, but at least it works. According to the agency's website, three of the jobseekers in their window display got a job in a day or two.
Peitersen says he came up with the idea after realizing human resource managers get hundreds of job applications every day, which look more or less the same, and that creative thinking is required in order to increase the chances of finding employment. Apart from companies interested in qualified job-seekers, the campaign has also attracted the attention of both local and international media.Which of the following words can be used to describe Peitersen?
A.Independent. | B.Creative. | C.Sensitive. | D.Cautious. |
Some job-seekers are willing to put themselves in the windows to display in that ______.
A.they think it is fashionable |
B.their parents ask them to |
C.it’s increasingly difficult to get hired |
D.they find it’s interesting |
It can be Inferred that ______.
A.no companies show interest in the qualified job-seekers in the windows |
B.both local and international media don't agree with the campaign |
C.human resource managers have to reply to hundreds of applicants |
D.to some degree the window displays help people find jobs |
What is the text mainly about?
A.Job-seekers are displayed in the windows hoping to get hired. |
B.The rate of unemployment in Europe has recently become hitter. |
C.It is hard for qualified professionals to get a job. |
D.Denmark has avoided economic problems due to its low public debt. |
China’s new term, tuhao, may be in next year’s Oxford English Dictionary. The word caught the attention of the dictionary's editing team after BBC’s recent program on influential Chinese words. “If its influence continues, it is very likely to appear on our updated list of words,” said Julie Kleeman, project manager with the editing team.
In Chinese tu means uncouth (笨拙的) and hao means rich. It has traditionally been referred to rich people who throw their weight around in China’s countryside. The word became more popular in September with the launch of Apple’s new gold-colored iPhone, which is loved by China’s rich people. The color became known as “tuhao gold.” The word is now also used by the online community to refer to people who have the cash but lack the class to go with it. Kleeman also mentioned two other Chinese words — dama and hukou — which may also make it into the dictionary.
People can have an intuitive (直观的) grasp of the meanings if they see pinyin, Kleeman said, adding that people avoid using an English word to keep the original meaning.
“We have nearly 120 Chinese-linked words now in Oxford English Dictionary,” she said. Some of them are: Guanxi, which means “connection”; Taikonaut, a mix of taikong, meaning outer space, and astronaut.
The new words will be first uploaded on the official website before the dictionaries arrive. The online version is also renewed every three months. “It at least broke our old rules. It used to take 10 years to include a new word but now we keep the pace with the time,” according to a statement from ex-chief-editor John Simpson.Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
A.Dama and hukou have made it into Oxford English dictionary. |
B.Some influential Chinese words appeared on one of BBC’s recent programs. |
C.tuhao refers to people who have both the cash and the class. |
D.John Simpson thinks that it is not good to break old rules. |
What does the underlined part in paragraph 2 mean?
A.Give orders to others. | B.Get ready to help others. |
C.Go on a diet. | D.Put on weight. |
Tuhao becomes more popular in September partly because ______.
A.it is very likely to appear in Oxford English Dictionary |
B.it is often used by the online community |
C.people use Chinese pinyin to keep the original meaning |
D.Apple launched a new gold-colored iPhone |
The main idea of the text is that ______.
A.tuhao may end up in Oxford English Dictionary |
B.sometimes pinyin makes Chinese words better understood |
C.tuhao has a new meaning at the present time |
D.Oxford English Dictionary Includes new words faster than before |
The composing career (作曲生涯) of Albert Roussel got off to a changeable start, and received one of its biggest successes from a lie.
Roussel became an orphan (孤儿) at the age of eight and went to live with his grandfather. He built on the music he had learned from his mother, entertaining himself by reading through the family music collection and playing operatic selections and popular songs on the piano. Three years later Roussel’s grandfather died, and his mother's sister took him in. Her husband arranged for young Albert to take piano lessons. Summer vacations at a Belgian seaside added a second love to his life — the sea. He studied to be a soldier in the navy, but still made time to study music.
In the French Navy, he and two friends found time to play the music of Beethoven and other composers. Roussel also began composing. At the Church of the Trinity in Cherbourg on Christmas Day 1892, he had his first public appearance as a composer. That success encouraged Roussel to write a wedding march, and one of his fellow naval officers offered to show it to a famous conductor, Edouard Colonne. When Roussel’s friend returned with the manuscript (手稿), he reported that Colonne had advised Roussel to give up his naval career and devote his life to music.
Not long afterward, at the age of 2S, Roussel did just that. He applied the qualities that he had developed in the navy to his composing and became a major force in twentieth century French music. As for Edouard Colonne’s inspiring advice that Roussel should devote his life to music, Roussel's naval friend later admitted that he had made it up and that he had never even shown Roussel’s manuscript to the conductor.What information can we get from the second paragraph?
A.Albert’s grandfather died when Albert was eight years old. |
B.Albert's aunt arranged for him to take piano lessons. |
C.Albert gave up studying music after he studied to be a soldier in the navy. |
D.Albert came to love the sea after summer vacations at the seaside. |
From the third paragraph we know that ______.
A.in the French Navy, Roussel and two friend began composing |
B.Roussel’s first public appearance at the church was successful |
C.Roussel's naval friend showed the wedding march to Edouard |
D.Edouard Colonne advised Roussel to devote his life to music |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
A.The composing career of Roussel started stably. |
B.Roussel learned basic music knowledge from his aunt. |
C.A white lie helped Roussel achieve success. |
D.Roussel was cheated and hurt by his naval friend. |
Who told a lie according to the text?
A.Roussel’s grandfather. | B.Albert’s naval friend. | C.Roussel's aunt. | D.Edouard Colonne. |