34 상대방의 말을 따라해 봐!

Reader's Bank_Level 7_Unit 12                                    Reading Text

Imagine you’re talking to someone who thinks differently than you. How can you talk without getting into a fight? Communication experts suggest using a skill called “paraphrasing.” This means repeating what the other person said, but in your own words. Paraphrasing does more than help the listener understand the meaning. It also helps them feel the same emotions as the speaker.

When you paraphrase, keep it short and simple. You can simply reflect back the main points the person made. For example, if your team leader says not to waste money, you can respond, “I understand that saving money is important.”

Your tone of voice also matters. People are sensitive, so don’t sound like you’re blaming or making fun of them. Just try to understand what they’re saying.

Paraphrasing is especially helpful when the topic is long or hard to understand. Make sure you understand them correctly so that they feel listened to and respected. This can help you build better relationships with them!

35 빵틀에서 얻은 기발한 아이디어

Bill Bowerman founded Nike, the world-famous shoe company. But when he was young, he was once a coach for a track and field team at the University of Oregon. As a caring coach, he disliked the metal-spiked shoes that were widely used at the time. So, he always tried to find lighter and more comfortable running shoes for his athletes. But the shoes he could get weren’t good enough. Having tried many options without success, he decided to design a pair of running shoes himself.

One day, he was sitting in the living room, lost in thought about better shoes. Just then, he happened to see his wife making waffles. Then, he asked himself a question that might seem silly to other people. He wondered what would happen if he poured rubber into a waffle iron. Later, he tried it, and the result was something like the bottom of most sports shoes we see today. In the end, his silly question led to the rubber sole with a waffle pattern, which was a great breakthrough in the shoe industry.

36 따뜻한 손이 상대의 마음을 움직인다

Researchers at Yale University wanted to find out how people’s hand temperature affects their emotions. They asked 41 college students to help them. In the study, a lady was in an elevator. When a student got on, she asked them to hold her coffee cup while she wrote something. Sometimes the coffee was hot, and sometimes it was cold. Afterward, the students were asked what they thought of the lady. Interestingly, there was a clear difference! The students who held the hot coffee thought the lady was nice. The students who held the cold coffee did not think she was as nice.

The researchers learned that holding something warm makes us think good things about others and might even make us want to be kind. They believe this happens because the part of the brain that processes temperature also processes feelings of trust. So, when we touch something warm, it makes us feel happy and trust people more.