Section B: Information Matching
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on your Answer Sheet.
How to not be boring
[A] Humans are creatures of habit. We love to establish a routine and stick with it. Then we often put ourselves on auto-pilot. Routines can be incredibly useful in helping you get things done. However, too much of a routine can also make you incredibly boring. Nevertheless, many people live lives that are boringly predictable, or live a life where everything is outlined or planned.
[B] To tell the truth, interesting people are more popular among their friends. If you don't arouse someone's curiosity or brighten someone's day, you probably come across as being a little bit dull. But that doesn't mean your life has ended and you can't do anything to change it. If you find yourself searching for something to say beyond small talk, try these tactics to find more interesting approaches to conversation.
[C] Recently, I was at a gathering of colleagues when someone turned to me and asked, 'So, what's new with you?' Ordinarily, I think I'm a good conversationalist. After all, it's literally my job to talk to people and tell their stories or share their advice. And that's not exactly an unexpected question. Still, the only 'new-to-me' topics that came to mind were my daughter's basketball tournament (锦标赛) and my feelings about that morning's political headlines—neither amusing nor appropriate topics at that moment.
[D] Oh, no, I thought. Have I become boring? But sharing our experiences in an authentic way to connect with other people is what makes us interesting, says associate professor Michael Pirson. The hesitation I felt in not sharing the ordinary things that were happening in my life, and the wild mental search for something more interesting, may have backfired and made me seem less interesting.
[E] 'If someone is making up some conversation that might be interesting, it's probably not going to land well,' says Pirson, whose expertise includes trust and well-being, mindfulness, and humanistic management. 'It's going to feel like a made-up conversation that people don't necessarily want to tune in to.'
[F] The most interesting people aren't those who've gone on some Eat, Pray, Love journey to find themselves. Instead, Pirson says, they're those who examine the ordinary. 'Often, the 'boring things' may not be boring at all. Maybe they are actually little miracles,' he says. Share your observations about the world around you—interesting stories you heard or things you noticed—and you may be surprised by the universal connection they inspire.
[G] This is essentially how Jessica Hagy starts her day. The author of How to Be Interesting: An Instruction Manual, Hagy spends a lot of time thinking about what's interesting to her. People who are interesting are persistently curious, she says.
[H] Think about the everyday things around you and ask questions about them. What is that roadside monument I see on my way to work every day? Who built that interesting building in my city? What nearby attractions haven't I visited? Why do people do things that way? Use what you find to ask more questions and learn more about the world around you. 'Having that sort of curiosity is almost like a protective gear from getting into boredom,' she says. And when you find things that are truly interesting to you, share them.
[I] Television veteran Audrey Morrissey, executive producer of NBC's The Voice, is always looking for what will make a person or story interesting to viewers. It's usually a matter of individuality. 'Having a strong point of view, signature style, or being a super-enthusiast in a particular field makes someone interesting,' she says. That means embracing what is truly interesting or unique about yourself. 'Many people are 'not boring' in the way that they can carry a conversation or can be good at a social gathering, etc. To be interesting means that you have lived life, taken risks, traveled, sought out experience to learn for yourself and share with others,' she says.
[J] Of course, it's possible to be a fountain of knowledge and a boring person, says public relations consultant Andrea Pass. Paying attention to the listener is an important part of having a conversation that's interesting to both parties. Talking on and on about what's interesting to you isn't going to make you an interesting person, she says.
[K] 'If the listener is not paying attention, it's your sign to shorten the story or change direction. Make sure to bring the audience into the conversation so that it is not one-sided,' Pass says. Be a better listener yourself, and give others opportunities to participate in the conversation by inviting them with questions or requests to share their own experiences or thoughts. (e.g., 'Now, tell me about your favorite book,' or 'Have you ever been to that attraction?') Questions are a powerful tool, especially when they encourage others to disclose information about themselves. A 2012 study from the University of California, Santa Barbara, found that roughly 40% of the time we are talking, we're disclosing subjective information about our experience. And when we're doing so, our brains are more engaged. So one strategy to leave others with the impression that you're a sparkling conversation partner is to get others to talk about themselves.
[L] Being relatable is also essential, Morrissey says. 'The best entertainment and storytelling comes from people who are relatable—those who don't shy away from opening up but freely share who they are and what they care about. These are the people viewers most relate to and find interesting. Being authentic, honest, and vulnerable is always interesting.'
[M] I have now come to realize that being boring, in actuality, is not only about who you are as a person, but also how you present yourself. No matter what, make sure you are having fun in life. Because when you are enjoying, people around you will begin to enjoy as well. Show some interest in them and they will definitely show some in you. If you are a very reserved person, this could be a little difficult at first. But with a little effort, you can definitely improve.
36. Pirson claims that some ordinary things may often prove to be miraculously interesting.
37. To make a conversation interesting, it is important that you listen to the other party attentively.
38. A person who is unable to stimulate others' curiosity or make their life enjoyable may appear somewhat boring.
39. Interesting people usually possess certain unique qualities, according to a TV program producer.
40. Be interested in others and they are sure to be interested in you.
41. The author considers himself usually good at conducting conversations.
42. Interesting people are always full of curiosity.
43. Falling into a routine can turn a person into an utter bore.
44. One strategy to be a good conversationalist is to motivate your partner to tell their own stories.
45. Interesting as it might appear, a made-up conversation will probably turn out to be dull.
Answers & Explanations
36. F。解析：Pirson 提到 examine the ordinary（审视平凡），并指出这些“无聊的事”其实是 little miracles（小奇迹），对应题干中的 miraculously interesting。
37. J。解析：题干中的 listen to the other party attentively 对应 [J] 段中的 Paying attention to the listener（注意倾听者）。
38. B。解析：题干中的 unable to stimulate others' curiosity（无法激发他人的好奇心）对应 [B] 段的 If you don't arouse someone's curiosity... you probably come across as being a little bit dull（显得枯燥）。
39. I。解析：TV 节目制作人 Audrey Morrissey 提到 interesting 往往是关于 individuality（个性的），需要拥抱自己的 unique（独特）之处。
40. M。解析：题干中的“对他人感兴趣，他人也会对你感兴趣”对应 [M] 段的 Show some interest in them and they will definitely show some in you。
41. C。解析：作者在 [C] 段自述：Ordinarily, I think I'm a good conversationalist（通常我认为我是一个擅长交际的人）。
42. G。解析：题干中的 full of curiosity 对应 [G] 段中的 People who are interesting are persistently curious（有趣的人持续保持好奇心）。
43. A。解析：题干中的 Falling into a routine 对应 [A] 段的 too much of a routine can also make you incredibly boring（太多的常规会让你极其无趣）。
44. K。解析：题干中的 motivate your partner to tell their own stories 对应 [K] 段的 get others to talk about themselves，并提到这样会让他们觉得你是个 sparkling conversation partner（卓越的谈话伙伴）。
45. E。解析：题干中的 made-up conversation 对应 [E] 段的 It's going to feel like a made-up conversation that people don't necessarily want to tune in to（虚构的谈话人们不一定想听/无感）。
全文翻译
[A] 人类是习惯的动物。我们喜欢建立常规并坚持下去。然后我们常常把自己放在自动驾驶模式上。常规在帮助你完成任务方面可以非常有用。然而，过多的常规也会让你变得非常无趣。尽管如此，许多人过着无聊可预测的生活，或者过着一切都已规划好的生活。
[B] 说实话，有趣的人在朋友中更受欢迎。如果你不能激发某人的好奇心或照亮某人的一天，你可能会给人留下有点乏味的印象。但这并不意味着你的生活已经结束，你对此无能为力。如果你发现自己在寒暄之外找不到什么可说的，试试这些策略来找到更有趣的对话方式。
[C] 最近，我在一次同事聚会上，有人转向我问道："那么，你最近有什么新鲜事吗？"通常情况下，我认为我是一个善于交谈的人。毕竟，与人交谈、讲述他们的故事或分享他们的建议实际上是我的工作。而这也不是一个出乎意料的问题。然而，我脑海中浮现的唯一"对我来说新鲜"的话题是我女儿的篮球锦标赛以及我对那天早晨政治头条的感受——在当时既不好笑也不合适。
[D] 哦不，我想。我变得无聊了吗？但副教授迈克尔·皮尔森说，以真实的方式分享我们的经历来与他人建立联系，正是让我们变得有趣的因素。我在分享生活中发生的普通事情时的犹豫，以及疯狂地寻找更有趣东西的过程，可能适得其反，让我显得更无趣。
[E] "如果有人编造一些可能有趣的对话，它很可能不会效果好，"皮尔森说，他的专长包括信任与幸福、正念和人文管理。"它会感觉像一个编造的对话，人们不一定想听。"
[F] 最有趣的人不是那些经历了一场"美食、祈祷、恋爱"之旅来寻找自我的人。相反，皮尔森说，他们是那些审视平凡事物的人。"通常，'无聊的事情'可能一点也不无聊。也许它们实际上是小奇迹，"他说。分享你对周围世界的观察——你听到的有趣故事或你注意到的事情——你可能会对它们激发的普遍联系感到惊讶。
[G] 这基本上就是杰西卡·哈吉开始一天的方式。作为《如何变得有趣：一本指导手册》的作者，哈吉花大量时间思考什么对她来说是有趣的。她说，有趣的人是持续好奇的。
[H] 想想你周围的日常事物并向它们提问。我每天上班路上看到的路边纪念碑是什么？城市里那座有趣的建筑是谁建的？附近有哪些我没有去过的景点？为什么人们那样做事？用你的发现来提出更多问题，了解更多关于你周围世界的知识。"拥有那种好奇心几乎就像是一层防止陷入无聊的保护装备，"她说。当你找到真正让你感兴趣的事物时，分享它们。
[I] 电视资深人士奥黛丽·莫里西，NBC《好声音》的执行制片人，总是在寻找什么会让一个人或一个故事对观众有趣。通常是个体性的问题。"拥有强烈的观点、标志性风格，或者在特定领域成为超级爱好者，会让人变得有趣，"她说。这意味着拥抱你自己真正有趣或独特之处。"许多人'不无聊'在于他们能进行对话，或在社交聚会上表现得很好等。有趣意味着你生活过、冒过险、旅行过、寻找经验来自学并与他人分享，"她说。
[J] 当然，一个人有可能既是知识源泉又是一个无聊的人，公共关系顾问安德烈娅·帕斯说。关注倾听者是进行对双方都有趣的对话的重要组成部分。滔滔不绝地讲你认为有趣的东西并不会让你成为一个有趣的人，她说。
[K] "如果倾听者没有在注意，这是你缩短故事或改变方向的信号。确保把听众带入对话，这样就不会是单方面的，"帕斯说。自己做一个更好的倾听者，通过提问或请求分享他们自己的经历或想法来邀请他人参与对话（例如，"现在，告诉我你最喜欢的书，"或"你去过那个景点吗？"）。问题是强大的工具，特别是当它们鼓励他人透露关于自己的信息时。加州大学圣巴巴拉分校2012年的一项研究发现，大约40%的说话时间里，我们在披露关于我们经历的主观信息。当我们这样做时，我们的大脑更投入。所以，给他人留下你是一个出色交谈伙伴印象的一个策略是，让他人谈论他们自己。
[L] 让人感到亲切也很重要，莫里西说。"最好的娱乐和故事讲述来自那些让人感到亲切的人——那些不回避敞开心扉，而是自由地分享他们是谁以及他们关心什么的人。这些是观众最能产生共鸣并觉得有趣的人。真实、诚实和脆弱总是有趣的。"
[M] 我现在开始意识到，无聊实际上不仅关乎你作为一个人是谁，也关乎你如何展示自己。无论如何，确保你在享受生活。因为当你在享受时，你周围的人也会开始享受。对他们表现出一些兴趣，他们肯定也会对你表现出一些兴趣。如果你是一个非常内向的人，一开始这可能有点困难。但稍加努力，你肯定可以改善。
核心短语与亮点句型
【核心搭配与高频短语】
- creatures of habit：守旧的人；习惯的产物
- on auto-pilot：自动驾驶状态（指机械地做事）
- come across as：给人以...的印象
- small talk：闲聊
- backfire：产生反效果；适得其反
- fountain of knowledge：知识源泉（指博学的人）
- shy away from：躲避；退缩
- open up：敞开心扉
【亮点句型解析】
- It's usually a matter of individuality. (精炼表达)：
“这通常是个性问题。” 用 `a matter of...` 来定义问题的本质，非常地道。 - It's much easier said than done. (经典表达)：
“说起来容易做起来难。” 在讨论改变习惯或社交技巧时极其常用。 - Roughly 40% of the time we are talking, we're disclosing subjective information about our experience. (数据支撑)：
使用具体数据（40%）来增强论证的可信度，是学术和说明类文章的典型写法。