Certain people make you feel comfortable when they are around. You spend an hour with them and feel as if you’ve known them half your life. These people have something in common. And once you know what it is, we can try to do it ourselves.
How is it done? Here are several skills that good talkers have. If you follow the skills, they will help you to put people at their ease, and make friends with them quickly.
First of all, good talkers have asked questions. Almost anyone, no matter how shy he is, will answer a question. One well-known businesswoman says, “At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning. It’s a common question, but it will get things going.” From there you can move on to other matters ----sometimes to really personal questions. And how he answers will let you know how far you can go.
Second, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen for the answers. This point seems clear, but it isn’t. Your question should have a point and help to tell what sort of person you are talking to. And to find out, you really have to listen carefully and attentively.
Real listening at least means some things. First it means not to change the subject of conversation. If someone sticks to one topic, you can take it as a fact that he is really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to words, but to the tone (语调)of voice. If the voice sounds dull, then it’s time for you to change the subject.
Finally, good talkers know well how to deal with the occasion of parting. If you’re saying goodbye, you may give him a firm shakehand and say, “I’ve really enjoyed meeting you.” If you want to see that person again, don’t keep it a secret. Let people know what you feel, and they may walk away feeling as if they’ve known you half their lives.
【小题1】You’ll like to stay with some people____.

What can help you make a fortune in the future? Graduating from a top university might not be enough. A new study from the University of Essex in Britain has shown that the more friends you have in school, the more money you’ll earn later.
The idea that popularity could have a serious impact on one’s earning potential shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. The researchers noted that if you want to get ahead in life, social skills and networking are easily as powerful as talent and hard work.
“If a person has lots of friends, it means that he or she has the ability to get along with others in all kinds of different situations,” said Xu Yanchun, 17, from Nantou High School in Shenzhen, who totally agreed with the recent finding. “Also, friends always help each other. They not only create wider social circles for you but lift your mood when you occasionally feel depressed,” said Xu. She believed that all this helps you “earn a higher salary”.
Maybe that’s why some people think the younger generations are in the age of Friendalholism(交友狂症). A woman even complained that the networking website Facebook’s 5,000-friend limit was too low for her large reserve of social contacts.
But what does a friend mean? Should friends be regarded as a form of currency?
“Call me uncool, but I think of a friend as an actual person with whom I have an actual history and whom I enjoy actually seeing. It seems, however, that this is no longer the definition of ‘friend’,” said Meghan Daum, who works with the Los Angeles Times in the US.
【小题1】The new study from the University of Essex in Britain shows that _______.

Certain people make you feel comfortable when they are around. You spend an hour with them and feel as if you’ve known them half your life. These people have something in common. And once you know what it is, we can try to do it ourselves.

   How is it done? Here are several skills that good talkers have. If you follow the skills, they will help you to put people at their ease, and make friends with them quickly.

   First of all, good talkers have asked questions. Almost anyone, no matter how shy he is, will answer a question. One well-known businesswoman says, “At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning. It’s a common question, but it will get things going.” From there you can move on to other matters ----sometimes to really personal questions. And how he answers will let you know how far you can go.

   Second, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen for the answers. This point seems clear, but it isn’t. Your question should have a point and help to tell what sort of person you are talking to. And to find out, you really have to listen carefully and attentively.

   Real listening at least means some things. First it means not to change the subject of conversation. If someone sticks to one topic, you can take it as a fact that he is really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to words, but to the tone (语调)of voice. If the voice sounds dull, then it’s time for you to change the subject.

   Finally, good talkers know well how to deal with the occasion of parting. If you’re saying goodbye, you may give him a firm shakehand and say, “I’ve really enjoyed meeting you.” If you want to see that person again, don’t keep it a secret. Let people know what you feel, and they may walk away feeling as if they’ve known you half their lives.

1.You’ll like to stay with some people____.

A. who have something in common with you

B. when you get into real trouble

C. with whom you feel it easy to get along well

D. from whom you can get necessary and timely help

2.After asking somebody a question, you should____.

A. make it clear what is fit to ask next

B. wait quietly for his answers

C. go on to ask more questions

D. change the subject to another one

3.If you want to see that person again,____ when parting.

A. let him know what you feel

B. giving them a firm shakehand

C. asking proper questions and being a good listener

D. keeping talking to others to them in the conversation

What can help you make a fortune in the future? Graduating from a top university might not be enough. A new study from the University of Essex in Britain has shown that the more friends you have in school, the more money you’ll earn later.

The idea that popularity could have a serious impact on one’s earning potential shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. The researchers noted that if you want to get ahead in life, social skills and networking are easily as powerful as talent and hard work.

“If a person has lots of friends, it means that he or she has the ability to get along with others in all kinds of different situations,” said Xu Yanchun, 17, from Nantou High School in Shenzhen, who totally agreed with the recent finding. “Also, friends always help each other. They not only create wider social circles for you but lift your mood when you occasionally feel depressed,” said Xu. She believed that all this helps you “earn a higher salary”.

Maybe that’s why some people think the younger generations are in the age of Friendalholism(交友狂症). A woman even complained that the networking website Facebook’s 5,000-friend limit was too low for her large reserve of social contacts.

But what does a friend mean? Should friends be regarded as a form of currency?

“Call me uncool, but I think of a friend as an actual person with whom I have an actual history and whom I enjoy actually seeing. It seems, however, that this is no longer the definition of ‘friend’,” said Meghan Daum, who works with the Los Angeles Times in the US.

1.The new study from the University of Essex in Britain shows that _______.

2.According to Xu Yanchun, when you have lots of friends, it means________.

3.What’s the main idea of the passage?

4.We can learn from the passage that _______.