2 . We’ve all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.

What’s the problem? It’s possible that along with the rapid development of society, we all focus on our phone and desktop, and therefore it results in our compromised conversational intelligence. However, it’s more likely that none of us start a conversation because it’s awkward and challenging, or we think it’s annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it’s an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.

Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can’t forget that deep relationships wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for small conversation. “Small talk is the grease (润滑剂) for social communication,” says Bernardo Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. “Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk,” he explains. “The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them.”

In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. “It’s not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband,” says Dunn. “But interactions with peripheral (边缘的) members of our social network matter for our well-being also.”

Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging, a bond with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. “Small talk is the basis of good manners,” he says.

1. What does the underlined word “compromised” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Weakened.

B．Enhanced.

C．Secret.

D．Natural.

2. What is important for successful small talk according to Carducci?

A．Showing good manners.	B．Relating to other people.
C．Focusing on a topic.	D．Making business deals.

3. What can we learn about small talk from the coffee shop study?

A．It made the coffee taste better.	B．It reduced waiting time in line.
C．It improved people’s mood and experience.	D．It helped them bond with the server deeply.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Elevator manners.	B．The importance of small talk.
C．Smartphones and social media.	D．Developing deep relationships.

3 . The twilight time between full wakefulness and being sound asleep may be packed with creative potential. In a new experiment, people who went into a light sleep were better problem solvers later.

It is said that the famous inventor, Thomas Edison, used to fall asleep in a chair holding two steel balls. As he nodded off, the balls fell into metal pans. The resulting noise woke him. Then, he could write down his inventive ideas before he fell into a deep sleep and forgot them.

Researchers tested Edison’s method of cultivating creativity with 103 healthy people. Volunteers came to the lab to solve a tricky number problem. They were asked to change a string of numbers into a shorter sequence. They were told to follow two simple rules. What the volunteers weren’t told was that there was an easy trick to do this task. The second number in the sequence would always be the correct final number. Once discovered, this trick dramatically cut the solving time.

After doing this task 60 times, the volunteers earned a 20-minute break. This downtime was spent in a quiet, dark room. Volunteers sat in chairs and held a version of the steel balls that Edison used as “alarm clocks” — it was a light drinking bottle in one dangling hand. The researchers told participants to close their eyes and rest or sleep if they desired.

About half of the participants stayed awake. Twenty-four fell asleep and stayed in the shallow, twilight stage of sleep called N1. Fourteen others progressed to N2, a deeper stage of sleep.

After their rest, participants returned to their number problem. The researchers saw a clear difference between the groups. People who had fallen into a shallow sleep were 2.7 times as likely to spot the hidden trick as people who stayed awake. Shallow sleepers were 5.8 times as likely to spot the trick as people who reached the deeper N2 stage.

1. What can be inferred about Thomas Edison?

A．His creative ideas were often forgotten.

B．He once got inspiration from steel balls and metal pans.

C．His sleeping pattern was inspired by researchers.

D．He woke himself up from a light sleep on purpose.

2. What were the volunteers asked to do in the experiment?

A．Find out the rules in a sequence of words.

B．Work out a new number sequence.

C．Work out the correct final number.

D．Find out an easy trick to do the task.

3. Which group of volunteers did best in the experiment?

A．Those who stayed awake.

B．Those who progressed to the stage of N2.

C．Those who slept for the longest hours.

D．Those who woke up from the stage of N1.

4. What can be a suitable title of the text?

A．Light Sleep May Turn Your Creativity on.

B．Shallow Sleepers May Be Better Inventors.

C．Write down Your Ideas Before You Forget.

D．Number Problems Are Solved in a Shallow Sleep.

5 . There are two drive-in campgrounds in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Nāmakanipaio and Kulanaokuaiki.

Nämakanipaio

Nämakanipaio Campground is operated by Hawaii Volcanoes Lodge Company. It is a large, open grassy area with tall trees. This campground has restrooms, water, picnic tables and barbeque pits. Campfires are permitted in the barbeque pits only. Maximum stay is 7 days.

Fees:

There is a pay station on site. Drive-in sites — $15.00 per night.

If there are more than two people in your party, you can expand to four people per site with another tent.

Weather may be cool all year round. Daytime temperature range: 60s to 80s F. Nighttime temperature range: 30s to 50s F. We suggest that you use a tent with a good rainfly and bring warm clothing for cool days and evenings. Reservations are required.

Kulanaokuaiki

Kulanaokuaiki Campground is located about five miles down the Hilina Pali Road. The nine campsites at Kulanaokuaiki have picnic tables and tent pads, and are available on a first come, first served basis. There is NO WATER at this location. Checkout time is 11:00 a. m. Fires are prohibited.

Fees:

$10.00 a night per site; stay limit of seven consecutive days.

$6.00 a night per site for campers who hold the Interagency Senior (Golden Age) and Golden Access passes.

Fees may be paid at the campground’s self-registration station.

Pets are not allowed in the campground or anywhere on Hilina Pali Road. Nighttime temperature range: 40s to 60s F. Daytime temperature range: 60s to 80s F. We suggest that you use a tent with a good rainfly and bring warm clothing for cool days and evenings. Reservations are required.

1. How is Nāmakanipaio Campground different from Kulanaokuaiki Campground?

A．It offers no water.	B．It allows fire in the barbeque pits.
C．It provides an up to seven-day stay.	D．It has a narrower range of temperature.

2. How much should you pay if you stay at Kulanaokuaiki Campground for five nights with Golden Access passes?

A．$80.

B．$75.

C．$50.

D．$30.

3. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A guidebook to a volcano.	B．A brochure about campsites.
C．A survey on Hawaiian tourism.	D．A user’s review of campgrounds.

6 . Do you have a suit or dress in the closet that you haven’t worn for years but are reluctant to get rid of? Maybe you say, “I can’t throw that away because I paid good money for it.” If you recognize this in yourself, then you are suffering from commitment to the sunk cost fallacy (谬论). It occurs when we feel that we have invested too much to quit. This psychological trap causes us to stick with a plan even if it no longer serves us and the costs clearly outweigh the benefits.

Arkes and Blumer conducted a survey revealing that people are influenced by sunk cost fallacy in their decisions. Participants were asked to imagine a situation where they accidentally booked two ski tickets for the same date, spending $100 on a ski trip to Michigan and $50 on Wisconsin. They were also told the latter would be more enjoyable. It turned out that 54% chose Michigan despite the reasonable choice being Wisconsin, because they had made a greater initial investment.

Sunk cost fallacy takes place when we let emotions cloud our decisions. Once we’ve invested in a choice, we feel guilt or regret if we don’t follow through, without realizing that past investments won’t be recovered. Instead, we base decisions on past costs, ignoring present and future costs and benefits. This may be due to loss aversion (厌恶), where people place more weight on losses than on gains. As a result, our decisions often aim to avoid losses instead of seeking the benefits gained if we let go of the past commitment.

No one can deny the fact that we benefit a lot from perseverance. So our society loves to emphasize perseverance. Never give up! Don’t waste. But only you know the right path for you. Sometimes walking away is the hardest choice of all. You might realize a path you’re on is no longer the right one or never was. That’s a painful realization.

1. What phenomenon does the author describe at the beginning of the text?

A．People benefit from sticking with a plan.

B．People’s consumption view has changed.

C．People refuse to give up the past commitment.

D．People’s clothes are becoming more expensive.

2. Why did 54% of the participants choose the Michigan trip?

A．To save more of the loss.	B．To appear more reasonable.
C．To make a greater investment.	D．To enjoy more of themselves.

3. When does “sunk cost fallacy” occur?

A．When we don’t follow through our choices.

B．When we attach more importance to potential gains.

C．When we feel it worthwhile to invest in past decisions.

D．When we emotionally stick with investment already made.

4. What is the author’s attitude toward “perseverance”?

A．Favorable.

B．Objective.

C．Critical.

D．Unclear.

7 . Joseph Bologne, also known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, is perhaps the most famous musician and composer you’ve never heard of.

Bologne was born in 1745 on the French Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe, son of an enslaved Senegalese woman and a white plantation owner. Bologne’s father was eager for him to acquire a good education and he was sent to France to be schooled in literature and fencing (击剑). As well as showing great skill in sport, Bologne was intelligent and appealing.

As if being handsome, clever and a champi on athlete wasn’t enough, Bologne was also a seriously skilled musician and composer. His main instrument was the violin, and in 1761, he was made a member of the Royal Guards as a soldier and musician. It was around this time that he became known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges in recognition of his skill as a fencer and horseman. He was invited to join the incredibly distinguished Concert des Amateurs as the first violinist and became its leader in 1773.

Although things were going very well for Bologne, he still experienced apparent racism. Some of the opera’s leading women campaigned against having what they called “a mixed-race person in charge of the opera. Despite this attempt to undermine his career, he fell into favour with the influential playwright Madame de Montesson, who put him in charge of her private theatre and introduced him to her husband, the Duke of Orleans. When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, Bologne sided with the revolutionaries. However, he was later imprisoned for 18 months and ultimately died in 1799 due to a severe leg injury.

Shortly after Bologne’s death, Napoleon restored slavery in the French colonies and also banned Bologne’s music in an attempt to erase him from French history. However, Afro-Caribbean communities in France, and on Guadeloupe and Martinique have been working tirelessly to keep his legacy alive and Joseph Bologne is now enjoying a long overdue and richly deserved revival.

1. What can we learn about Bologne from paragraph 2 and paragraph 3?

A．He had a difficult and troubled childhood.

B．He displayed exceptional talents in multiple fields.

C．His athletic abilities earned him access to Concert des Amateurs.

D．He was named the Chevalier de Saint-Georges for his musical achievements.

2. What did the campaign of some women in the opera imply?

A．Bologne faced evident discrimination.

B．Bologne’s talents were a threat to the opera.

C．Bologne shouldn’t have joined the private theatre.

D．Bologne’s career prospects suffered from a lack of foresight.

3. What does the underlined expression “fell into favour with” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Got in contact with.	B．Met the resistance of.
C．Had cooperation with.	D．Gained the support of.

4. What is happening to Bologne’s music now?

A．It’s banned for political reasons.	B．It’s receiving conflicting opinions.
C．It’s being welcomed and celebrated.	D．It’s leading to a revolution in music.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Putian wood carving, one of the four well-known categories of the art of Chinese wood carving, originated in the Tang and Song Dynasties.     1    （serve）as a national intangible cultural heritage   (非物质文化遗产) item in China, it is a traditional folk carving technique of southeast China’s Fujian Province.

Zheng Chunhui, Lin Jianjun and Chen Yushu     2     (be) three exceptional representatives of wood carving masters. Zheng is     3     provincial-level inheritor (继承人) of the wood carving art,     4     not only excels (擅长) in traditional wood carving technique, but     5     (precise) expresses his love for his family and nation through his works. To promote the art, Zheng opened a unique wood carving gallery, which is the     6     (one) in Putian run by an individual and free to the public. The delicate wood carving works by Lin shone at a BRICS summit (峰会) several years ago. and meanwhile, the Chinese-style antique furniture pieces that are made by Chen     7     (show) at many international exhibitions over the past few years.

Putian city is home     8     over 2,600 wood carving companies, and the wood carving works     9     (create) there were sold to more than 20     10     (country) and regions around the world last year.

9 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给的段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

A boy named Andrew lived with his parents in a poor community. One day, he saw a beautiful brooch (胸针) in a shop window that set his heart racing. Thinking that his mother’s birthday was coming, he wanted to give her a present. But the price - five dollars - was too high for him. Five dollars would purchase almost a week’s food for his family.

Well aware of his family’s financial situation, Andrew could not ask his father for the money. Every penny his father earned through driving went to his mother, Dara. Slim and beautiful, she was the center of the home and the glue that held it together. She struggled to feed and clothe their three children, thinking about how to make ends meet every month, but she was happy as her family and their well-being were all she truly cared about.

Nevertheless, he stepped inside. Standing proudly and straight in his ragged shirt and washed-out trousers, he told the shopkeeper what he wanted, adding, “But I don’t have the money right now. Could you please hold it for me for some time?”

“I’ll try,” the shopkeeper smiled. “People around here don’t usually have that kind of money to spend on things. It should keep for a while.”

Andrew respectfully touched his worn cap and walked out. He would raise the money and not tell anybody, for he thought his mom would get surprised when she saw that brooch. But how to raise the money? An idea struck him when he saw the scene of workers painting external walls of buildings in the city. The paint was bought in buckets from a local factory. Sometimes the useless buckets were thrown away at the construction site, and Andrew knew he could raise money by selling them back to the factory for five cents apiece. That day he sold two paint buckets and hid the money in a rusty soda tin.

注意：1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

Every day after school, Andrew stuck to his plan.

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Eventually, the moment came!

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10 . 假定你是校英语报记者李华，你校上周开展了以“Chinese Cuisine”为主题的校园美食节活动。请写一篇短文，报道此次活动。
内容包括：1.活动时间、地点、参与者；
2.活动环节；
3.活动反响。
注意：1.写作词数应为80个左右；
2.请按如下格式作答。

Chinese Cuisine

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