填空题 Listening is one of the first things we learn to do and one of the things we do most. The average person spends {{U}} {{U}} 1 {{/U}} {{/U}}of their daily communication time writing, 16 percent reading, 30 percent speaking, and a whopping {{U}} {{U}} 2 {{/U}} {{/U}}. Students spend most of their school time listening up to 60 percent, according to some studies. Yet {{U}} {{U}} 3 {{/U}} {{/U}}, we usually take our ability to listen for granted. As we have already said, though, {{U}} {{U}} 4 {{/U}} {{/U}}.
The fact is, we have different listening styles {{U}} {{U}} 5 {{/U}} {{/U}}. How successful we are as listeners may depend in part on {{U}} {{U}} 6 {{/U}} {{/U}}for the situation.
Perhaps the most basic listening style is {{U}} {{U}} 7 {{/U}} {{/U}}. We listen appreciatively when we enjoy music, a bird's song, or the murmur of a brook. We {{U}} {{U}} 8 {{/U}} {{/U}}, one called discriminative listening, when we want to {{U}} {{U}} 9 {{/U}} {{/U}}from a noisy environment. You discriminate, for example, when you listen for a friend's voice {{U}} {{U}} 10 {{/U}} {{/U}}. We use a third style of listening, comprehensive listening, when we want to understand. When we listen to {{U}} {{U}} 11 {{/U}} {{/U}}, we are using this style.
The fourth learning style is more complex. {{U}} {{U}} 12 {{/U}} {{/U}}, the style practiced by counselors, psychiatrists, and good friends, encourages people to {{U}} {{U}} 13 {{/U}} {{/U}}. Friends act as our sounding boards when we just want someone to listen. The therapeutic listener {{U}} {{U}} 14 {{/U}} {{/U}}accepts what is said, tries hard to understand, and above all, {{U}} {{U}} 15 {{/U}} {{/U}}.
The fifth style, {{U}} {{U}} 16 {{/U}} {{/U}}, is the one we will examine most closely. Critical listeners are the most active of all listeners because they are working hard to decide whether {{U}} {{U}} 17 {{/U}} {{/U}}makes sense. Critical listeners evaluate what they hear and decide if {{U}} {{U}} 18 {{/U}} {{/U}}is logical, worthwhile or has value. We need to be critical listeners when someone wants us to buy some things, {{U}} {{U}} 19 {{/U}} {{/U}}, or support a particular idea. We also need to be critical listeners in school, where {{U}} {{U}} 20 {{/U}} {{/U}}.