Most of us are taught to pay attention to what is said—the words. Words do provide us with some information, but meanings are derived from so many other sources that it would hinder our effectiveness as a partner to a relationship to rely too heavily on words alone. Words are used to describe only a small part of the many ideas we associate with any given message. Sometimes we can gain insight into some of those associations if we listen for more than words. We don’t always say what we mean or mean what we say. Sometimes our words don’t mean anything except “I’m letting off some steam. I don’t really want you to pay close attention to what I’m saying. Just pay attention to what I’m feeling.” Mostly we mean several things at once. A person wanting to purchase a house says to the current owner, “This step has to be fixed before I’ll buy.” The owner says, “It’s been like that for years.” Actually, the step hasn’t been like that for years, but the unspoken message is: “I don’t want to fix it. We put up with it. Why can’t you?” The search for a more expansive view of meaning can be developed by examining a message in terms of who said it, when it occurred, the related conditions or situation, and how it was said.
When a message occurs can also reveal associated meaning. Let us assume two couples do exactly the same amount of kissing and arguing. But one couple always kisses after an argument and the other couple always argues after a kiss. The ordering of the behaviors may mean a great deal more than the frequency of the behavior. A friend’s unusually docile behavior may only be understood by noting that it was preceded by situations that required an abnormal amount of assertiveness. Some responses may be directly linked to a developing pattern of responses and defy logic. For example, a person who says “No!” to a serials of charges like “You’re dumb,” “You’re lazy,” and “You’re dishonest,” may also say “No!” and try to justify his or her response if the next statement is “And you’re good looking.”
We would do well to listen for how messages are presented. The words, “If sure has been nice to have you over,” can be said with emphasis and excitement or ritualistically. The phrase can be said once or repeated several times. And the meanings we associate with the phrase will change accordingly. Sometimes if we say something infrequently it assumes more importance, sometimes the more we say something the less importance it assumes.
51. Effective communication is rendered possible between two conversing partners, if ______.
52. “I’m letting off some steam” in paragraph 1 means ______.
53. The house-owner’s example shows that he actually means ______.
54. Some responses and behaviors may appear very illogical, but are justifiable if ______.
55. The word “ritualistically” in the last paragraph equals something done ______.
问题1选项
A.they use proper words to carry their ideas
B.they both speak truly of their own feelings
C.they try to understand each other’s ideas beyond words
D.they are capable of associating meaning with their word
问题2选项
A.I’m just calling your attention
B.I’m just kidding
C.I’m just saying the opposite
D.I’m just giving off some sound
问题3选项
A.the step has been like that for years
B.he doesn’t think it necessary to fix the step
C.the condition of the step is only a minor fault
D.the cost involved in the fixing should be shared
问题4选项
A.linked to an abnormal amount of assertiveness
B.seen as one’s habitual pattern of behavior
C.taken as part of an ordering sequence
D.expressed to a series of charges
问题5选项
A.without true intention
B.light-heartedly
C.in a way of ceremony
D.with less emphasis
第1题:D
第2题:A
第3题:B
第4题:C
第5题:C
51.推理判断题。题干意思是“两个交谈伙伴之间的有效沟通是可能的,如果……”。第一段第二句指出Words do provide us with some information, but meanings are derived from so many other sources that it would hinder our effectiveness as a partner to a relationship to rely too heavily on words alone.(言语确实提供了一些信息,但含义来源于如此多的其他来源,因此过分依赖言语会阻碍我们作为一段关系中的伙伴来获取信息的有效性)可推理,如果想要获得有效交流,我们必须根据沟通中的言语来联想其暗藏的含义,所以D项“他们能够通过自己的言语来联想意思”符合题意。A项“他们使用适当的词语来表达他们的思想”,文中提到了词语的含义来源于很多其他来源,我们需要联想词语的含义,A项错误;B项“他们都真诚地说出了自己的感受”,文中说的是他们的言语有其他的含义,我们要想有效交流就要明白其含义,而不是说把感受表达出来,B与原文不符;C项“他们尝试理解彼此的言外之意”为干扰项,文中表达的是人们在交谈中不要过分依赖说出来的话,而要联想其中的含义,并不是交流中都要理解其言外之意,C项过度推理。因此,该题选择D项正确。
52.细节推理题。题干意思是“第一段的‘I’m letting off some steam’是什么意思”。根据题干定位到文章第一段第六句Sometimes our words don’t mean anything except “I’m letting off some steam. I don’t really want you to pay close attention to what I’m saying. Just pay attention to what I’m feeling.”(有时候我们的话除了“我在发泄情绪;我不是真正的想要你留意我说的话;只要留意我的感受”之外,没有别的意思)可推理,I’m letting off some steam 这一句是引起注意的意思;所以A项“我只是想引起你的注意”正确。B项“我只是开玩笑”、C项“我只是说相反的”和D项“我只是发出一些声音”都不能准确表达其含义。因此,该题选择A项正确。
53.细节事实题。题干意思是“房屋所有人的例子表明,他实际上的意思是……”。根据题干可定位到第一段,文中提到Actually, the step hasn’t been like that for years, but the unspoken message is: “I don’t want to fix it. We put up with it. Why can’t you?”(事实上,这个台阶多年来不是这样的,但不言而喻的信息是:“我不想解决它,我们忍受了它,为什么你不能?”),由此可知,房屋所有人实际上的意思是他不想修理台阶,所以B项“他认为没有必要修理台阶”正确。A项“这个台阶像那样已经很多年了”,原文提到了“实际上,这个台阶多年来不是这样的”,所以A项错误;C项“这个台阶的情况只是一个小缺陷”不是最终表达的含义;D项“修理的费用应该被分担”不符合内藏的含义。因此,该题选择B项正确。
54.细节推理题。题干意思是“有些反应和行为可能看起来非常不合逻辑,但如果……,是合理的”。根据第二段第五句A friend’s unusually docile behavior may only be understood by noting that it was preceded by situations that required an abnormal amount of assertiveness.(一个朋友的异常温顺的行为,也许只能通过注意到它是以需要异常自信的情境为前提才能被理解)和第六句 Some responses may be directly linked to a developing pattern of responses and defy logic.(有些反应可能直接与反应的发展模式有关,而且不符合逻辑)可推断,如果要理解有些反应和行为,那么就需要注意到之前发生的事件的情况,所以C项“作为有序的续发事件的一部分”符合题意。A项“与一定反常程度的自信有关”,表述不够全面;B项“被视为一个人的习惯性行为模式”,文中没有提到习惯性行为;D项“表达了一系列指控”在文中只是举例说明,D项不选。因此,该题选择C项正确。
55.语义推测题。题干意思是“最后一段的单词‘ritualistically’相当于做某件事情……”。这个词的出处在第三段The words, “If sure has been nice to have you over,” can be said with emphasis and excitement or ritualistically.(“你能来真是太好了”这句话可以用强调、兴奋或ritualistically方式说),我们可以用排除法,句子中已经提到了“强调”,A项“没有真实意图”、D项“以更少的强调”可以排除;ritualistically是副词,ritual是它的名词,表示“仪式”,那么可以猜测ritualistically表示“仪式地”,所以, C项“以一种仪式的方式”正确,B项“自由自在地”错误。因此,该题选择C项正确。