Question

Sometimes we rarely make eye contact or make small talk with the people who are just beside or around you, so we act sometimes as if they don’t exist.

Here is an example. At nine most mornings the same scene is repeated in office buildings around the world. An employee walks into the elevator with his boss and apart from a mumbled “good morning” the junior is lost for other words. “That’s an opportunity missed”, says experts, who believe that such an obviously dull 30 – second conversation can be invaluable for those who want to climb the career ladder.

“Small talk can help build relationship on which you can build,” says Dusseldorf communication advisor Thorsten Knobble, whose company customizes curriculum vitae(个人简历) and job references.

As a matter of fact, the importance of small talk goes far beyond the relationship to one’s boss. People who fail the art of speaking a lot without actually saying anything find it harder to cultivate relationships in the workplace, believes Levy, director of the senior management association.

“Small talk is an essential part of networking,” he says.

Virtually every conversation begins and ends with small talk, according to Wolf Lasko, who has written a book on the topic and its bearing on career prospects.

Not everyone is good at small talk. It takes skill to pick the right moment and the right topic with which to start a conversation. There are plenty of topics although some are not suitable for informal chat. “Anything to do with sex is taboo,” cautions Knobble. “Care is needed with politics, religion, money, health or personal feelings or lives.” Safe topics include weather, holidays, movies, jobs, sports or past experiences.

Which of the following might be the best title for the text?

    A. Small Talk Difficult to Start    B. Small Talk and Safe Topics

    C. Small Talk Easy Or Not   D. Small Talk Essential to Your Career 

Small talk can do all the following except that _________.

    A. it can be an important part of the Internet

    B. it can make you successful in your career

    C. it can help you get along with the people you work with

    D. it can be an opportunity to start your relationship with your boss

Which of the following is True according to the passage?

    A. Try to avoid the embarrassing time of meeting your boss.

    B. Small talk takes place every morning at nine in office buildings.

    C. All the people can start a conversation with the right topic at the right moment.

    D. Everyone is not skilled at small talk.

What word do you think can replace the underlined word “taboo”?

    A. allowed         B. attracted          C. forbidden        D. discussed

Answer 1

【小题1】D【小题1】A【小题1】D【小题1】C

解析:

略