英语口语中级训练(lesson32)b

Snakes are fascinated by the unknown and you're often psychic¹. You'll try your hand at many things and will meet success when you least expect it.
　　THE HORSE You popular Horses are known for your elegance² and charm. You adore parties and meeting people-not surprisingly, you're usually the centre of attention. You also have leadership qualities and are admired for your honesty. You talk most persuasively³ and love discusson and debate. With your agile⁵ mind, you are able to absorb facts quickly.
　　But Horses do have fiery⁶ tempers, though you will often regret your outbursts. And you're not good at keeping secrets. You tend to get involved with many interests, sometimes not completing them. With your tendency to get caught up the latest craze, you can waste your energies.
　　You love independence, hate being bound up by petty rules. You still need support and encouragement, though, with your various enterprises. Multi-talented Horses tend to go far but you take a long time to recover from failure. You regard it as a humiliation⁷.
　　You like to travel and explore new, exciting places and during one stage of your life you're usually tempted⁸ to live abroad. With your adaptable⁹ nature, you usually fit in well wherever you go.
　　You're a colourful dresser and very attractive to the opposite sex. You often have many prrtners before settling down. Then you're loyal and protective to your partner, although you still like to maintain a degree of independence with interests and hobbies. Outgoing female Horses are usually attractive and intelligent, with many interests, particularly outdoors. You love travel, literature, the arts-and really enjoy good conversation. Although you can be stubborn and self-centred , you have a considerate nature and with your sense of humour, usually make a good impression.
　　THE GOAT Imaginative and creative, Goats appreciate the finer things of life. With your easy-going nature, you prefer to relax away from pressures. You hate unpleasantness, or being bound by a strict routine. Even so you're a perfectionist who gives your best once you've started on a project.
　　As you need support and encouragement, you prefer to work in a team rather than on your own, when you can get worried and pessimistic. Usually you like to leave major decisions to others but, if you feel strongly, you'll act with precision and strength. You're a persuasive⁴ type, and often use your considerable charm to get your own way.
　　You can, however, be rather hesitant about letting your true feelings be known and if you were prepared to be more forthright¹⁰, you'd find you'd do much better. Despite your reserve, you can be the centre of attention in company and become an amusing host and superb entertainer.
　　Of all the signs, you're the most gifted artistically¹¹ and make a lasting¹³ impression in theatre, literature, music or art. Many Goats are religious and also have a deep interest in nature.You're nostalgic and keep mementos¹⁴ of childhood and souvenirs of places you've visited. You're also athletic¹⁵ and likely to exeel in sport.
　　Female goats devote a lot of time to the family. You have excellent taste in home furnishings and often use your artistic¹² skills to make clothes. You are great organisers, with a delightful¹⁶ sense of humour, and create a good impression wherever you go. Goats win friends easily and, with the right support, have happy, satisfying lives, particularly if you can use your creative skills.
　　THE MONKEY Inquisitive¹⁷ and imaginative, Monkeys love to keep an eye on everything going on. You like to be helpful and offer adivce which is usually sensible and reliable. Monkeys are intelligent, well-read and eager to learn. You have a good memory and often make superb linguists¹⁸. As a convincing talker, you enjoy debates and discussions-your assured manner can be very persuasive. You excel in politics, public speaking, PR work, teaching and anything involving selling.
　　You can be crafty¹⁹ and cunning, too, and occasionally dishonest. You will seize on opportunities to make quick gains.Often you have so much confidence in your abilities that you won't listen to advice. Fortunately for you, you'ie good at solving problems and extricating²⁰ yourself from hopeless positions. You're a master of self-preservation！ With your talent, you can make lots of money but you like to spend, too, on exotic holidays and all sorts of luxuries.
　　Monkeys are original thinkers who easily become bored and distracted. Even so, you're good at organising-sometimes slightly erratically²¹. On the odd occasion when your plans do not quite work out, you're quite happy to shrug²² your shoulders. Female Monkeys are intelligent and observant. Your views are often highly valued and you usually get your own way. You pay great attention to your appearance. You're a good friend and doting²³ parent-you often marry young.
　　Provided Monkeys can concentrate on one thing at a time, you can usually achieve what you want. And should you suffer any disappointments, you're certain to bounce back again！
　　THE ROOSTER You're all rather flamboyant²⁴, colourful characters. But you're also meticulous²⁵, and excellent at organising. Intelligent and well-read, you have a great sense of humour and love a good debate. You love speaking your mind but your lack of tact²⁶ can easily damage your reputation. With your volatile²⁷ nature, you should avoid acting²⁸ on the spur of the moment.
　　Roosters are very dignified²⁹ and have an air of confidence and authority. You're adept³⁰ at finance and are capable of making yourself very wealthy. A few of you, though, are notorious spendthrifts. You'll often be seen carrying a notebook or scrap³¹ of paper around with you as you're constantly writing reminders³² or noting down important facts in case you forget.
　　Although you're ambitious , you're also sometimes unrealistic about your possible achievements. Roosters don't like interference but it would be in your own interests if you listened to others. You're rather self-centred and can be stubborn over relatively³³ trivial matters. You lead an active social life and usually belong to several clubs. With your caring nature , you try to help as many less fortunate as possible.
　　You're often distinguished³⁴ in appearance and wear uniforms with great pride. You like publicity³⁵ and often do well in public relations or any job which brings you into contact with the media. Out of work, you love pottering in the garden. Female Roosters are active, with strong views which you have no hesitation³⁶ in airing. Your home is usually neat as you're supremely³⁷ efficient. You're usually found in smart, but very practical, outfits³⁸. Roosters usually make a lasting favourable³⁹ impression, but you need to overcome your volatile nature.
　　THE DOG Loyal Dogs hold firm views and you're the champion of good causes. You hate any sort of injustice⁴⁰ and will do anything to help those less fortunate. Dogs are direct and straightforward-but you can also be stubborn. Still, you're always prepared to listen to the views of others.
　　Dogs are good judges of character and very intuitive. You're admired for your integrity and resolute⁴¹ manner. Though you're friendly, you're not a great socialiser. Your idea of a good time is a quiet meal with friends, or a chat by the fire. You're often a marvellous storyteller, quick-witted and alert. You keep calm in a crisis and although you ha've a temper, outbursts are short. You're trustworthy and if you feel let down by someone, you'll rarely forgive or forget.
　　Dogs usually prefer to specialise rather than dabble⁴² in different activities. You do well in a job where you can be of service to others, like the social services, law and medicine.Motivation is important to you as you can drift through life without ever achieving much. You tend to be a worrier and rather pessimistic. You're nof usually easy to live with, because your moods are changeable and you set high standards. Even so, you're not short of admirers.
　　Female dogs are renowned⁴³ for your beauty. You're warm and caring,but until you know someone you can be secretive. Often highly intelligent, you tend to be very ambitious. You can also find bargains in the most unlikely places. A loving and doting pasent, you're rarely happier than when helping⁴⁴ someone. Provided you can stop worrying, you'll have a very full life.
　　THE PIG Honest , kind and understanding-that's the Pig. You're a natural peacemaker and will do everything you can to sort out any differences of opinion. You're a good talker who hates hypocrisy⁴⁵. You believe firmly in law and order, although you're tolerant and forgiving, too. Pigs are popular and enjoy company. You can be relied on to lend a helping hand at functions and you're a good fund raiser. Hardworking and conscientious⁴⁶ , you're respected for your reliability⁴⁷.
　　You're happiest when you're helping others, and you'll give up your own time without hesitation. With your wonderful sense of humour, you invariably have a joke or whimsical remark at the ready. You love to please and entertain people and many Pigs find a career in showbiz. Pigs have great difficulty saying “no” to anyone-you can be naive⁴⁸ and gullible⁴⁹. Although you're a free spender, you can often be astute⁵⁰ with money.
　　You're kept going by your faith and strength of character so you tend to bounce back quickly from setbacks. Pigs are dogged but you're also thickskinned and can shrug off abuse without thought. You're a great pleasure-seeker and will happily spend your hard earned cash on a lavish⁵¹ holiday or expensive meal. You shine at small functions but can become withdrawn⁵² at larger events. As a creature of comfort, your home is fitted with all the latest appliances.
　　Female Pigs devote all your energies to your family and you try to ensure they want for nothing. Your home will be either very clean or hopelessly untidy. You have very good taste in clothes. Provided you do not let others take advantage of you, Pigs will go through life making friends and winning admiration⁵³.
　　THE RAT Charming, intelligent and popular-if you were born in the year of the Rat you're the life and soul of the party. You make friends easily and people generally feel relaxed in your company. You're a hard worker, imaginative and full od ideas, though sometimes lack the confidence to promote your plans. Rats are very observant and make excellent writers and journalists. You are good on any job which brings you into contact with people.
　　Your skills are particularly appreciated in times of crisis, for Rats have an incredible sense of self-preservation. When it comes to finding a way out of an awkward situation, you're certain to be the one who comes up with a solution.
　　Rats love to be where the action is, but when you're in the office you can become a stickler⁵⁴ for discipline and routine. You're also an opportunist, constantly on the look-out for ways in which you can improve your wealth——so you're often involved in plans and schemes, sometimes squandering⁵⁵ your energy with little to show for it. You can appear to be mean with money-in fact you like to keep it in the family. Rats can be most generous to their partners, children and close friends.
　　You can also be very generous to yourself and find it difficult to deprive yourself of any luxury that you fancy！ You're a hoarder⁵⁶ and hate throwing anything away and you're also rather greedy. You love any chance to indulge in conversation. You tend to be indiscrect. though, and highly crificalof others. Because Rats are familyoriented, you'll do anything for your nearest and dearest. You're likelhy to have a large family.
　　Female Rara are usually very busy. You are a marvellous hostess for your wide circle of friends. Your home is well-kept and tastefully furnisheci. Although outgoing. you tend to keep your feelings to yourself. With your ability to charm, you'll rarely be without friends.
　　B Unlike some of the animals you've read about . most human beings are not colourblind. In fact, thei-e is some evidence that our colour preferences are influenced by our characters or the way we feel. Try the following colour test on yourself and a friend.（a） Firsl choose your favourite colour（s） from those listed below. Dark blue Blue-green    Red Yellow    Violet    Brown（b） Now read the following comments and decide if they are correct as they apply to you.
　　Dark blue If you choose this colour it means that you feel you need peace and et at the moment. Maybe you've been working hard and need to relax. You qui like calm, problem-free relationships with others and an orderly environ-ment. Blue-green You have a strong will.When you decide to do something,you don't change your mind easily. You don't like to fail in what you do. Because of your determination to do a job well, you must be careful of tension which can cause stomach upsets. So make sure you get enough physical exercise to give yourself time to relax ！
　　Red People who like red enjoy life, and like to achieve results. You probaby like sports and good food. In fact, you are active and energetic and would make a good leader. Be careful not to overdo⁵⁷ things and make sure you relax by following restful interests. such as listening to music, reading, etc. This will give your life a balance between activity and relaxation⁵⁸. Yellow You are an open, cheerful and friendly person and you enjoy change. You are energetic but in fits and starts； a few days of hard work followed by a less energetic period,and then more hard work again. Your energies are often directed towards the future； you want to modernise⁵⁹ and improve the present. Violet You are charming and very sensitive. People may find you fascinating and a little mysterious. You enjoy literature and music and have a tendency to live in a `dream world'-and then feel disappointed when you see reality！
　　Brown Brown is the colour of the earth and nature. People who favour brown have often had a few problems recently which have made them feel some discomfort⁶⁰. Has this happened to you？ If so, you may feel you need a quiet and comfortable environment, surrounded by nature.