Top non-verbal communication tips

江西龙南中学 曾志娟

非言语行为占据我们日常人际交往中很大一部分，因而掌握相关技巧对我们的个人生活将有很大帮助。

题材 体裁 篇幅 建议用时语言交际 说明文320 6分钟

While verbal and written communication skills are important, non-verbal behaviors make up a large percentage of our daily interpersonal communication.

Good eye contact is an essential non-verbal communication skill.When people fail to look others in the eye,it can seem as if they are trying to hide something.On the other hand,too much eye contact can seem aggressive.While eye contact is an important part of communication,it's important to remember that good eye contact does not mean staring fixedly into someone's eyes.Some communication experts recommend that intervals of eye contact last four to five seconds.

If you are confused about another person's non-verbal signals,don't be afraid to ask questions.A good idea is to repeat your interpretation of what has been said back and ask for clarification.An example of this might be, “So what you are saying is that...”Sometimes simply asking such questions can lend a great deal of clarity to a situation.For example,a person might be giving off certain non-verbal signals because he has something else on his mind.

Another important part of good non-verbal communication skills involves being able to take a more holistic （全面的）approach to what a person is communicating.A single gesture can mean any number of things,or maybe even nothing at all.The key to accurately reading nonverbal behavior is to look for groups of signals that reinforce a common point.If you place too much emphasis on just one signal out of many,you might come to an inaccurate conclusion about what a person is trying to say.

According to some,a firm handshake indicates a strong personality while a weak handshake is taken as a lack of courage.This example illustrates an important point about the possibility of misreading non-verbal signals.A limp handshake might actually indicate something else entirely,such as arthritis（关节炎）.Always remember to look for groups of behavior.

阅读检测

1.What is good eye contact?

A.Looking others in the eye for six seconds.

B.Staring fixedly into someone's eyes.

C.Looking directly and tell the truth.

D.Having eye contact every four to five seconds.

2.What should you do if you don't understand another person's non-verbal signals?

A.Give him a smile.

B.Ask for further information.

C.Tell him you're on his mind.

D.Give off certain non-verbal signals.

3.What does the fourth paragraph mainly talk about?

A.Look at signals as a whole.

B.Concentrate on your communication skills.

C.Ask questions about non-verbal signals.

D.Encourage listeners to use groups of signals.

4.Why does the author mention arthritis in the last paragraph?

A.To call on readers to understand others while speaking.

B.To ask readers to practice non-verbal signals more.

C.To tell readers signals can be misread.

D.To prove a single gesture is limited.

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难句分析

While verbal and written communication skills are important,non-verbal behaviors make up a large percentage of our daily interpersonal communication.虽然口头和书面的沟通技巧很重要，但是非语言行为占了我们日常人际沟通的很大一部分。

该句为主从复合句，while 引导让步状语从句，主句为“non-verbal behaviors make up a large percentage of our daily interpersonal communication”。