听力原文： At an early age, little girls' conversation is less definite and expresses more

doubts, while little boys use conversation to establish status with their listeners.

These differences continue into adult life. In public conversations, men talk more and interrupt other speakers more. In private conversations, men and women speak in equal amounts, although they say things in a different style. For women, private talking is a way to establish and test intimacy. For men, private talking is a way to explore the power structure of a relationship.

Teaching is one job where the differences between men's and women's ways of talking show. When a man teaches a woman, he wants to show that he has more knowledge, and hence more power in conversation. He uses his language to show this. When a woman teaches another woman, however, she is more likely to take a sharing approach and to encourage her student to join in.

But it doesn't suggest that women are naturally more helpful. Actually, women feel they achieve power by being able to help others.

(17)

A．Boys tend to speak more than girls.

B．Girls are more expressive than boys.

C．Girls care more about their listeners.

D．Boys show more certainty about things than girls.