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 with Helen?” “When I got that great job，did Jerry really feel good about it，as a friend? Or did he envy my luck?” When we look back, doubts like these can make us feel bad. But when we look back, it’s too late.
Why do we go wrong about o
ur friends-or our enemies? Sometimes what people say hides their real meaning. And if we don’t really listen，we will miss the feeling behind the words. Suppose someone tells you, ‘‘you’re a lucky dog”. Is he really on your side? If he says, “You’re a lucky guy” or “You’re a lucky gal”. That’s being friendly. But “lucky dog”? There’s a bit of envy in those words. Maybe he doesn’t see it himself. But bringing in the “dog” bit puts you down a little. What he may be saying is that he doesn’t think you deserve your luck.
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? Does what he says square with the tone of voice? His posture(体态)? 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 another mistake.
51. From the questions in the first paragraph we can learn that the speaker
___________.
A.feels happy, thinking of how nice his friends were to him
B.feels he may not have“read” his friends’ true feelings correctly
C.thinks it was a mistake to have broken up with his girl friend，Helen
D is sorry that his friends let him down
52. In the second paragraph.the author uses the example of“You‟re a lucky dog”to show that _______.
A.the speaker of this sentence is just being friendly
B this saying means the same as “You‟re a lucky guy” or “You‟re a lucky gal”
C sometimes the words used by a speaker give a clue to the feeling behind the words
D.the word“dog”shouldn’t be used to apply to people
53. This passage tries to tell you how to ______.
A.avoid mistakes about money and friends
B.bring the“dog” bit into our conversation
C.avoid mistakes in understanding what people tell you
D keep people friendly without trusting them
54. In listening to a person.the important thing is _______.
A.to notice his tone，his posture，and the look in his eyes
B to listen to how he pronounces his words
C.to check his words against his manner, his tone of voice, and his posture
D.not to believe what he says
55. If you followed the advice of the writer, you would _______.
A be able to get the real meaning of what people say to you
B.avoid any mistakes while talking with people who envy you
C.not lose real friends who say things that do not please you
D.be able to observe people as they are talking to you