Making small talk will allow you to be a member of a group.（）

: you arrive for a meeting ten minutes early. There are several people already there. You say hello and then … What do you talk about What do you say In this situation, you need to be able to make small talk. Small talk is an informal conversation. We use the term “small talk” because it is not about exchanging information or making decisions or having a serious discussion. It’s a way to avoid uncomfortable silences and build stronger relationships. Small talk might seem to be about nothing important, but it is important in itself. Being able to make small talk will allow you to make yourself part of a group. It will set the stage for more serious types of communication.

1.Small talk is a kind of formal dialog.()

2.The term “small talk” means there are only two persons in the dialog.()

3.Small talk is a useful ice-breaker and can build stronger relationships.()

4.Small talk is not at all important. ()

5.Making small talk will allow you to be a member of a group.()

"Hi there. How's it going？"

"Oh, fine, fine. How about this weather, huh？"

"Well, I guess we can always use the rain."

What's that？ This story？ Oh, just a little look at small talk. You know, those seemingly meaningless conversations you have dozens of times a day. Maybe you're waiting for the elevator. Or in a line at the bank. It all seems pretty trivial. Idle chatter about traffic doesn't do much more than fill the air with empty words that are quickly forgotten. But you should know that small talk actually has a big place in our lives.

Pat Oliver, assistant professor on arts, says that, "Left unchecked, small talk can be an invasion. It's so powerful. It does something to you." "Every morning after spending an hour and a half on the freeway I start the day with small talk with my secretary," Oliver says, "If I don't make small connection with another person, I can't work."

What causes it？ As a rule, you're either trying to force something into your life, or you're using conversation as an invisible force field to keep them out. You can be wanting to connect with another person, and small talk is your introduction to more meaningful conversation.

The way people use small talk is usually determined by where they happen to be at the time. Take the elevator, for instance. Now there's prime territory. Nobody knows anyone and there's no reason to start a conversation, but invariably, someone does. Making conversation in such peaceful social settings, according to Oliver, "can confirm your territory. It's a way of feeling liked and accepted."

The topics of small talk don't matter. In fact, you don't want anything more taxing than the weather or the traffic. It's non-threatening talk in a threatening situation. However, the rules change quickly when you're with lots of people doing lots of talking.

Let's say you're at a party. Now it's time to use small talk as a way of making others feel more comfortable around you, so you don't look silly standing by the food table alone all night.

"Small talk'", as interpreted by the author, ______.

A．is not as idle as it may seem to be

B．is usually meaningless and therefore useless

C．has no real function in communication at all

D．is restricted to certain topics only

n the States there is the 【C2】______ practice of making "small talk" in certain social situation. Small talk deals 【C3】______ various topics, superficially, simply for the sake of keeping a conversation 【C4】______ . The topics 【C5】______ include the weather, sports, college courses, clothing, food, etc. Small talk is 【C6】______ useful at social gathering when you meet someone for the first time, or when polite conversation is expected but no serious discussion 【C7】______ .

It is common but not necessarily expected that one should know 【C8】______ in a group before engaging him or her in conversation. 【C9】______ , at a party or 【C10】______ informal social gatherings, a simple " May I join you？" and a self-introduction is normally sufficient 【C11】______ acceptance into a group and to join in a conversation. In some 【C12】______ , such as the lobby of a concert hall or theater, a waiting room or a classroom, it is common for 【C13】______ to start a conversation even 【C14】______ an introduction.

【C15】______ the informality that pervades U. S. society, people in the States expect those whom they 【C16】______ to put aside 【C17】______ they are doing and listen. As a 【C18】______ , the conversation distance between two people is at least two or three 【C19】______ . Standing at a closer range will make many Americans feel 【C20】______ .

【C1】______

A．But

B．And

C．So

D．Or

Hot today， isn‘t it？" one might say. "You said it." another replies.

Why do we talk so much about the weather？ When we meet new people， we don‘t begin by telling them our life story. We start with small talk， a polite conversation about something like traffic or weather.

Research suggests that small talk can build new friendships. When we begin conversations with new people， we want to feel comfortable， and so do they. We use small talk to find common interests. Once we have a common interest， a friendship can begin.

Small talk even helps people get hired. In order to impress at a job interview， you need to bond with the interviewer right away. Proper small talk can make that first impression get you the job.

So， how can you make small talk lead to a new friendship or job？ First off， find common ground. Select something around you that you share with the other person.

Next， keep the conversation going. Compliment （赞美） the other person to make him or her feel comfortable， and ask questions to show interest.

Third， keep eye contact （接触）. When you look people in the eye， they feel you appreciate what they are saying. It makes you appear honest and builds trust.

Naturally， shy people might not have enough confidence to start up conversations with strangers. Talking to someone you don‘t know is not the easiest thing to do! Some experts say with more practice， small talk does get easier.

Some people avoid small talk because they dislike discussing things like traffic or weather. For them， they are just too small. However， when you think about it， small talk is anything but small. In fact， it is actually a very big deal!

Title Small Talk: A Big （76）____

Introduction

We are likely to make small talk when we （77）____ meet people.

（78）____

？ Small talk can help people form. （79）____ friendships.

？ Small talk can also help people Ret a （80）____.

Advice

？ Find some topics （81）____ with the other person.

？ Keep the talk going by making compliments and （82）____ questions. ？ Keep eye contact in conversation to build （83）____.

？ （84）____ more in order to make small talk easier.

Conclusion

Small talk really （85）____ a lot to us.

听力原文： The best interview is one in which there is two-way communication between the employer and the job applicant. Often there is some "small talk" at the beginning of the interview, which is actually very important, because the applicant's answers may indicate how easily the person can converse. A job seeker who appears unfriendly or unsociable may not be offered a position, even if the person is the most qualified. Employers look for people who seem to be likeable and easy to work with as well as technically competent.

The first few minutes of the interview are very important when it comes to making a good impression. A smile and handshake are expected after the job applicant walks into the prospective employer's office. In addition, the applicant must pay attention to certain areas related to personal appearance. During the interview, a supervisor or manager will ask the applicant questions that must be answered fully but without excessive detail. It is important to watch the employer's face for nonverbal cues as to whether enough has been said.

Some people may have difficulty answering certain questions because of their cultural perspectives. In cultures where humility and modesty are virtues, the question "what are your strengths" could be embarrassing. In many cultures, like several Asian cultures, people are taught not to talk or boast about their individual accomplishments. Yet, during an interview, an employer often wants the job applicant to talk about his or her accomplishments. In an American interview, applicants must learn to present themselves in the most positive light. This is a challenge for many people from other countries.

(33)

A．The applicant who is dominating the interview can easily get the job.

B．Those who are both sociable and competent in technology are welcomed.

C．Small talk can help the interviewee to appear friendly and sociable.

D．The employer can judge whether the applicant is qualified or not from "small talk".

to one another.

I was walking in the park with a friend recently, and his cell phone rang, interrupting our conversation.There we were walking and talking on a beautiful sunny day and…I became invisible, absent from the conversation .

The park was filled with people talking on their cell phones They were passing people wi thout looking at them, say ing hello, noticing their babies or stopping to pat their dogs.It seems that the limitless electronic voice is preferred to human contact.

The telephone used to connect you to the absent.Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent.Recently I was in a car with three friends.The driver hushed the rest of us because he could not hear the person on the other end of his cell phone.There we were, four friends driving down the highway, unable to talk to each other because of the small thing designed to make communication easier.

why is it that the wore connected we get.The more disconnected I feel？ Every advance in ommunications technology is a setback to the closeness of human interaction(互动).With email and instant message over the internet, we can now communicate without seeing or talking to one another.With voice mail, you can make entire conversations without ever reaching anyone.If my moe has a question, I just leave the answer on her machine.

As almost every contact we can imagine between human beings gets automated(自动化), the emot ional di stance index(疏远指数) goes up.Pumping gas at the station？ Why say good-morning to the assistant when you can swipe you credit card at the pump and save yourself the bother of human contact？ Making a deposit at the bank？ Why talk to the clerk who lives in the neight when you can put your card into the ATM？

More and more, I find myself hiding behind e-mail to do a job meant for conversation.Or being relieved that voice mail picked up because I didn ’t really have time to talk.The techno logy devoted to helping me keep in touch is making me lonelier

I own a mobile phone, an ATM card, a voicemail telephone,and an e-mail account.Giving them up isn' t a choice.They are great for what they are intended to do.It' s their unitended results that make me upset.What good is all this gee-whiz technology if there is no one in the room to hear you crying out“ Gee whiz”？

21.The author’s experience of walking in a park with a frier recently made him feel()

A.unhappy

B.funny

C.wonderful

22.According to the author, human contact in a park means()

A.looking at each other and saying hello when passing

B.noticing their babies and stopping to pat their dogs

C.both A and B

23.According to the author, the more connected we get in communication technology, the () we are

A.more automatic

B.easier

C.more disconnected

24.What are the examples the author gives to explain his idea that every advance in communication technology is a setback to the closeness of human interaction？()

A.With e-mail and instant message over the Internet.We can now communicate without seeing or talking to one another.

B.With voice mail, you can make entire conversations.without ever reaching anyone.

C.Both A and B

25.What is the unintended result of communication technology, according to the author？()

A.It makes communication easier and conversation possible everywhere.

B.It actually reates a distance between people instead of bringing them together.

C.It makes every contact between human beings automatic and makes people feel connected.

听力原文：W: Oh, Larry, I have been meaning to talk to you.

M: Hi, Jenis. What's up？

W: I have this great job lined up to manage the clothing store at the mall.

M: So what's the problem？

W: Well, one of the professors in my department just told me about a summer internship program that's available. She thinks I might be able to intern in the office of the Way fare Hotel here in town.

M: That sounds like a great opportunity too. Why not take advantage of it？

W: I'd love to, especially since I'm studying hotel management. It would be a great way to get some practical experience in my field.

M: And you never know, it might lead to something with them after graduation. They are on of the biggest hotel chains in the area.

W: You're right. But the drawback is I wouldn't be making nearly as much money as I would be working in the clothing store, not to mention the discount I could get on clothes there.

M: How much is the internship paid？

W: They pay their internship a small stipend and give them free room and board for the sum- mer.

M: Well, if I were you, I would take the internship anyway. You could always get a job during the school year to make a few extra bucks.

Why does Jenise want to talk to Larry？

A．To ask for help finding a job.

B．To find out what he's doing during the summer.

C．To ask him to give her some advice.

D．To invite him to go shopping with her later.

____ encourages students to write as much as possible and as quickly as possible - without worrying about making mistakes. The important thing is to get one's ideas down on paper.

A. The Purpose-focused Approach

B. The Accuracy-focused Approach

C. The Fluency-focused Approach

D. The Text-focused Approach