In ancient Japan, if you saved someone’s life, they would make it their duty to spend the rest of their life serving you. Nowadays, if you rescue someone’s story, he or she will feel the same kind of gratitude (感激).
It happens all the time. Someone in a group is telling a story and, just before their big point, BOOM! There’s an interruption. Someone new joins the group, a waiter with a plate of biscuits comes over, or a baby starts crying. Suddenly everyone’s attention turns to the new arrival, the food on the plate, or the “charming” little child. Nobody is aware of the interruption — except the speaker. They forget all about the fact that the speaker hasn’t made his or her point.
Or you’re all sitting around the living room and someone is telling a joke. Suddenly, just before their big punch line (妙语), little Johnny drops a dish or the phone rings. After the crash, everyone talks about little Johnny’s carelessness. After the call, the subject turns to the upcoming marriage or medical operation of the caller. Nobody remembers the great punch line got unfinished — except the joke teller. When it’s you entertaining everyone at a restaurant, have you ever noticed how you can almost set your clock by the waiter coming to take everyone’s order just before your funny punch line?
Most joke and story tellers are too shy to say, after the interruption, “Now, as I was saying …” Instead, they’ll spend the rest of the evening feeling bad they didn’t get to finish. Here’s where you come in. Rescue them with the technique I call “Lend a Helping Tongue.”
Watch the gratitude in the storyteller’s eyes as he stabilizes where his story sunk and he sails off again toward the center of attention. His expression and the appreciation of your consideration by the rest of the group are often reward enough. You are even more fortunate if you can rescue the story of someone who can hire you, promote you, buy from you, or otherwise lift your life. Big winners have excellent memories. When you do them subtle favors like Lend a Helping Tongue, they find a way to pay you back.
53. Very often, a storyteller cannot make his point because _________.
A. people are more interested in food than his story
B. many guests bring their babies to the party
C. he is interrupted by something unexpected
D. his story is easily forgotten by the listeners
54. From Paragraph 3, we know that when someone is telling a joke, _________.
A. something bad will surely happen just before their punch line
B. listeners’ attention is often drawn to something else
C. the only person really interested in the joke is the joke teller
D. the waiter knows when to take everyone’s order
55. How can we help the joke and story tellers when they are interrupted?
A. By giving them a chance to finish.
B. By comforting them to make them happy.
C. By going on telling the story for them.
D. By teaching them some useful techniques.
56. What is the text mainly about?
A. People should learn how to take turns in a conversation.
B. We can win someone’s heart by getting him back to his story.
C. Telling jokes will make you the center of attention.
D. It is impolite to cut in on someone’s talk.
