7．Shyness equals （等于） losing opportunities，less pleasure and fewer social connections，but there are ways to make it a thing of the past．
When I was fifteen，I was shy．I remember an attractive girl trying to talk with me．My shyness made me focus on me instead of her．I heard my own voice but not hers and I thought about what I was trying to say instead of what she was trying to say．
To overcome shyness you need to learn to relax．This gives you the space to practice certain conversational skills．Relaxed socializing （社交） is so pleasurable．To start reducing your own shyness，I want you to absorb the following tips and ideas and start to put them into practice．
Focus your attention away from yourself．Notice what other people are wearing and make a mental note，listen to their conversation，imagine where they might live，and make a point of remembering names．Not only does this give you more to talk about，it also reduces social anxiety，leaving you feeling calmer．
Ask people open questions．Many people like to talk about themselves and will find you interesting if you find them interesting．Ask questions that require more than a"yes"or"no"response such as"What do you like about this place？'rather than"Do you like this place？"Once they have answered，you can use add-on （追加） questions connected with the first such as"What other places do you like in this city？"Next you can express your views．This is a great way to get the conversation going．
Now I love meeting new people and suspect that my current social confidence would be unrecognizable to my fifteen-year-old self．
56．The author didn't pay attention to what the girl was saying because．B
A．her voice was very low
B．he was shy and nervous
C．he was attracted by her appearance
D．he wasn't interested in her topic
57．It can be inferred from the text that．C
A．people will notice our appearance if we focus on their looks
B．shy people will have no friends unless they change themselves
C．shy people may suffer a great deal and may be less happy
D．girls like to show off their voices in front of boys
58．Which of the following questions will the author probably advise us to ask？D
A．What a lovely day，isn't it？
B．Do you like playing basketball？
C．Do you think he will pass the exam？
D．Why do you find that English is hard to learn？
分析 本文是一篇社会文化类阅读，文章就如何克服内向羞涩给出了一些建议：要与别人以轻松的方式交谈，同时注意展开话题的方法．
解答 BCD
56．B细节理解题．根据第二段My shyness made me focus on me instead of her．可知当时作者非常紧张，又害羞，故选B．
57．C推理判断题．根据首句Shyness equals （等于） losing opportunities，less pleasure and fewer social connections，可知害羞的人内向、压力大、不快乐．故选C．
58．D推理判断题．根据Ask questions that require more than a"yes"or"no"response such as"What do you like about this place？'rather than"Do you like this place？"Once they have answered，you can use add-on （追加） questions connected with the first such as"What other places do you like in this city？"Next you can express your views．得知作者建议我们问的问题不是简单的"yes"or"no"就能回答的，要能表达对方的观点．由此推知，"为什么你觉得英语难学？"符合文意．故选D．
点评 本文考察学生的理解推断能力以及细心程度，只要抓住文章的关键词，采用寻读的方法查找细节，就能找到正确答案．
