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外研英语选修6全部阅读课文原文（每个模块4篇）Module1SmallTalkHowGoodAreYourSocialSkills?Haveyouevercrossedtheroadtoavoidtalkingtosomeoneyourecognize?Wouldyoulovetogotoapartyandtalkconfidentlytoeveryguest?Doyouwanttomakemorefriendsbutlacktheconfidencetotalktopeopleyoudon’tknow?Andareyounervousabouttheideaofbeingatasocialeventinanothercountry?Don’tworry–wecanhelpyou!Youneedn’tworryaboutsituationsliketheseifyouhavegoodsocialskills.Andtheyareeasytolearn.Peoplewithgoodsocialskillscommunicatewellandknowhowtohaveaconversation.Ithelpsifyoudoalittleadvanceplanning.Hereareafewideastohelpyou.Learnhowtodosmalltalk.Smalltalkisveryimportantandpreparesyouformoreseriousconversations.Beprepared!Havesomelow-riskconversationopenersready.Forexample:Thinkofarecentnewsstory–nottoserious,e.g.astoryaboutafilmstarorsportsstar.Thinkofthingstotellpeopleaboutyourstudies.Thinkof“safe”thingsyoucanaskpeople’sopinionsabout–music,sport,films,etc.Thinkoftopicsthatyouwouldavoidifyouweretalkingtostrangers–andavoidtalkingaboutthem!Thatway,youdon’tdamageyourconfidence!DevelopyourlisteningskillsListeningisaskillwhichmostpeoplelack,butcommunicationisatwo-wayprocess–itinvolvesspeakingANDlistening.Alwaysremember–youwon’timpresspeopleifyoutalktoomuch.Herearesomeideastomakeyouabetterlistener:DOShowthatyouarelisteningbyusingencouragingnoisesandgestures–smiling,nodding,saying“uh-huh”and“OK”,etc.KeepgoodeyecontactUsepositivebodylanguageAskformoreinformationtoshowyourinterestDON’TLookatyourwatchYawnSignLookawayfromthepersonwho’stalkingtoyouChangethesubjectFinishotherpeople’ssentencesforthemAlwaysrememberthewordsofBenjaminDisraeli,BritishPrimeMinisterinthe19thcentury:“Talktoamanabouthimself,andhewillspeaktoyouforhours!”LearntherulesIfyougotoasocialoccasioninanothercountry,rememberthatsocialrulescanbedifferent.Insomecountries,forexample,youhavetoarriveontimeataparty;inothercountries,youdon’tneedto.Inaddition,youneedtoknowhowlongyoushouldstay,andwhenyouhavetoleave.Somehostsexpectflowersorasmallgift,butinotherplaces,youcantakethings,butyouneedn’tifyoudon’twantt.rememberalsothatinsomecountries,youmustn’ttakeflowersofacertaincolour,becausethey’reunlucky.Inmostplaces,youdon’thavetotakeagifttoaparty–butfindourfirst!TheWrongKindofSmallTalkEstherGreenbaumwasasaleswomanforafirmoffaxmachinesandbusinesssupplies.Butshewasalsothemostoutspokenhumanbeingintheworld–well,WestchesterCounty,atleast.Hermottowas“EverytimeIopenmymouth,Iputmyfootinit.”EstherGreenbaum’smajorshortcomingwasthatshehadacompleteabsenceofsmalltalk.No,that’notquitetrue.Shehadsmalltalk,butitwasthewrongkind.Infact,shehadneverlearntthebasicrulesofsocialcommunication,andasaconsequence,shemadesystematicmistakeseverytimesheopenedhermouth.Itwasnocoincidenceeitherthatshewasn’taverygoodsaleswoman.Onedayduringameeting,Estherwasintroducedtoanimportantcustomer,amaturewoman.“Nicetomeetyou,”shesaid.“Howoldareyou?”Thecustomerlookedawkward.“Forty?Forty-five?”saidEsther.“Youkookmucholder.Andyourfriend…she’solderthanyou,butshelooksmuchyounger!”Onanotheroccasion,Estherteasedatypist,“Hey!When’syourbabydue?”ThetypistwentredandcontradictedEsther.“Actually,I’mnotpregnant,”shesaid.“Oh,sorry,”saidEstherwithoutanyapology.“Justputtingonalittleweight,huh?”Estherwasnevercautiousaboutotherpeople’sfeelings.Oneofheracquaintances,asalesmaninthefirm,wasgoingthroughaverymessydivorceandwasverydepressed.Shetriedtocheerhimup.“Forgether!Shewasacompletefool.Noonelikedheranyway.”Muchofthetime,Esthersaidthefirstthingtocomeintoherhead.Onedayatwork,aclerkcameintotheofficewithanewhairstyle.“Nicehaircut,”saidEsther.“Howmuchdiditcost?”Thewomanreplied,“I’drathernotsay.”Estherreplied,“Well,anyhow,eitheryoupaidtoomuchoryoupaidtoolittle.”Shemetaveryfamouswriteronce.“Hey,whatacoincidence!”shesaid.“You’rewritingabookandI’mreadingone!”ThetroublewithEstherwasshesaidwhatshethought,anddidn’tthinkaboutwhatshesaid.Ayoungmanwastryingtomodestabouthisnewjobmanymilesaway.“Iguessthecompanychosemesothey’dgetsomepeaceintheoffice,”hesmiled.“No,Iguesstheychoseyoutodiscourageyoufromspendingyourwholecareerwithus,”Estherrepliedsweetly.Once,Estherwenttoabrunchpartytomeetsomeoldschoolfriendsontheanniversaryoftheirgraduation.Shegreetedthehostess.“Doyourememberthatguyyouweredating?Whathappenedtohim?”sheasked.“Youknow,theuglyone.”Atthemoment,amancameupandstoodbyherfriend.“Esther,I’dlikeyoutomeetmyhusband,”shesaid,“Charles,thisis…”Estherinterruptedher,“Hey,soyoumarriedhim!”MakingFriendsintheUSAIntheUSA,conversationislesslivelythaninmanyothercultures,whereeveryonetalksatthesametime.Whensomeonetalks,everyoneisexpectedtolisten,nomatterhowdulltheperson’sspeakingmaybe.Ifyou’renotsurewhattotalkabout,youcanaskwhatpeopledo.We’redefinedbyourjobsandwe’reusuallyhappytotalkaboutthem,unlessyou’respy!SomepeoplesaythatAmericanstalkabouttheirfeelingsmorethanAsians,butaremoresecretiveaboutfactualmatters.Youcansafelyaskquestionsaboutfamilies,whereyoucomefrom,leisureinterests,aswellasthelatestmovies.We’reinterestedinpeople’sethnicbackgroundtoo.Butit’sbesttoavoidpolitics,religionandothersensitivetopics.Ahighlypersonalco