[9급 국가직 영어 2012년 12번]

Active listeners listen with their ears, their eyes, and their mind. They take in the objective information by listening to the literal words that are spoken. But every spoken message contains more than words. Speakers also communicate subjective information－their feelings and emotions－through other vocal sounds and nonverbal signals. These include verbal intonations such as loudness, emphasis, hesitations, voice movements, facial expressions, body posture, and hand gestures. By listening for feelings and emotions as well as for literal words, you can grasp the total meaning behind the speaker's message. Yet, no matter how good you become at listening for total meaning, there still remains the potential for misunderstanding. That's why the active listener verifies completeness by asking questions. The use of questions can uncover distortions and clarify misunderstandings.