We can make mistakes at any age. Some mistakes we make are about money. But most mistakes are about people. “Did Jerry really care when I broke up(分开) with Helen?” “When I got that great job, did Jim, as a friend, really feel good about it?” “And was Paul friendly just because I had a car?” When we look back, these thoughts can make us feel bad. But when we look back, it is too late.
Why do we go wrong with our friends, or our enemies? Sometimes what people say hides their real meanings. And if we do not really listen, we miss the feeling behind the words. When someone tells you, “You’re a lucky dog!” Is he really on your side? If he says, “You’re a lucky guy!” That is being friendly. But “a lucky dog”? There is a bit of envy (嫉妒) in those words. What he may be saying is that he does not think you deserve (应得) your luck.
“Just think of all the things you have to be thankful for” is another phrase（短语） that says one thing and means another. It could mean that the speaker is trying to get you to see your problem. But this phrase contains the thought that your problem is not at all important.
How can you tell the real meaning behind someone’s words? One way is to take a good look at the person talking. Do his words fit the way he looks? Is what he says shown by the tone of voice? The look in his eyes? Stop and think. The minute you spend thinking about the real meaning of what people say to you may save your another mistake.
小题1:When the writer thinks of some of the things that happened between him and his friends, he
.| A．feels happy, thinking how nice his friends are to him |
| B．feels he might not have understood his friend’s true feelings |
| C．thinks it a mistake to have broken up with his girl friend |
| D．is sorry that his friends let him down |
小题2:When the writer talks about the saying, “You’re a lucky dog!”, he is saying that
.
| A．the speaker is just friendly |
| B．this sentence suggests the same as “You’re a lucky guy!” |
| C．the word “dog” should not be used to apply to（运用到） people. |
| D．sometimes the words show that the speaker is a bit envious. |
小题3:This passage tries to tell you how to
.
| A．avoid mistakes about money and friends |
| B．get an idea of friendly people |
| C．avoid mistakes in understanding what people tell you |
| D．keep people friendly without trusting them |
小题4:The writer suggests that
should be trusted.
| A．everybody | B．nobody | C．all the people | D．not all the people |