1 . Marian Bechtel sits at West Palm Beach’s Bar Louie counter by herself, quietly reading her e-book as she waits for her salad. What is she reading? None of your business! Lunch is Bechtel’s “me” time. And like more Americans, she’s not alone.

A new report found 46 percent of meals are eaten alone in America. More than half (53 percent) have breakfast alone and nearly half (46 percent) have lunch by themselves. Only at dinnertime are we eating together anymore, 74 percent, according to statistics from the report.

“I prefer to go out and be out. Alone, but together, you know?” Bechtel said, looking up from her book. Bechtel, who works in downtown West Palm Beach, has lunch with coworkers sometimes, but like many of us, too often works through lunch at her desk. A lunchtime escape allows her to keep a boss from tapping her on the shoulder. She returns to work feeling energized. “Today, I just wanted some time to myself,” she said.

Just two seats over, Andrew Mazoleny, a local videographer, is finishing his lunch at the bar. He likes that he can sit and check his phone in peace or chat up the barkeeper with whom he’s on a first-name basis if he wants to have a little interaction (交流). “I reflect on how my day’s gone and think about the rest of the week,” he said. “It’s a chance for self-reflection. You return to work recharged and with a plan.”

That freedom to choose is one reason more people like to eat alone. There was a time when people may have felt awkward about asking for a table for one, but those days are over. Now, we have our smartphones to keep us company at the table. “It doesn’t feel as alone as it may have before all the advances in technology,” said Laurie Demeritt, whose company provided the statistics for the report.

1. What are the statistics in paragraph 2 about?

A．Food variety.

B．Eating habits.

C．Table manners.

D．Restaurant service.

2. What do we know about Mazoleny?

A．He makes videos for the bar.

B．He’s fond of the food at the bar.

C．He interviews customers at the bar.

D．He’s familiar with the barkeeper.

2 . Marian Bechtel sits at West Palm Beach’s Bar Louie counter by herself, quietly reading her e-book as she waits for her salad. What is she reading? None of your business! Lunch is Bechtel’s “me” time. And like more Americans, she’s not alone.

A new report found 46 percent of meals are eaten alone in America. More than half (53 percent) have breakfast alone and nearly half(46 percent) have lunch by themselves. Only at dinnertime are we eating together anymore, 74 percent, according to statistics from the report.

“I prefer to go out and be out. Alone, but together, you know?” Bechtel said, looking up from her book. Bechtel, who works in downtown West Palm Beach, has lunch with coworkers sometimes, but like many of us, too often works through lunch at her desk. A lunchtime escape allows her to keep a boss from tapping her on the shoulder. She returns to work feeling energized. “Today, I just wanted some time to myself,” she said.

Just two seats over, Andrew Mazoleny, a local videographer, is finishing his lunch at the bar. He likes that he can sit and check his phone in peace or chat up the barkeeper with whom he’s on a first-name basis if he wants to have a little interaction (交流). “I reflect on how my day’s gone and think about the rest of the week,” he said. “It’s a chance for self-reflection. You return to work recharged and with a plan.”

That freedom to choose is one reason more people like to eat alone. There was a time when people may have felt awkward about asking for a table for one, but those days are over. Now, we have our smartphones to keep us company at the table. “It doesn’t feel as alone as it may have before all the advances in technology,” said Laurie Demeritt, whose company provided the statistics for the report.

What do we know about Mazoleny?

A．He makes videos for the bar.

B．He’s fond of the food at the bar.

C．He interviews customers at the bar.

D．He’s familiar with the barkeeper.

5 . A Heroic Driver

Larry works with Transport Drivers. Inc. One morning in 2019, Larry was ______ along 165 north after delivering to one of his _______ Suddenly, he saw a car with its bright lights on. As he got closer, he found another vehicle upside down on the road. One more look and he noticed _____ shooting out from under the ______ vehicle. Larry pulled over, set the brake and _____ the fire extinguisher (灭火器) . Two good bursts from the extinguisher and the fire was put out.

The man who had his bright lights on came over and told Larry he had   ____ an emergency call. They then heard a woman’s voice coming from the, wrecked (毁坏的) vehicle. _____ the vehicle, they saw that a woman was trying to get out of the broken window. They told her to stay ______ until the emergency personnel arrived, but she thought the car was going to ______. Larry told her that he had already put out the fire and she should not move ______she injured her neck.

Once fire and emergency people arrive, Larry and the other man ______ and let them go to work. Then, Larry asked the ______ if he was needed or ______ to go. They let him and the other man go.

One thing is ______-Larry went above and beyond the call of duty by getting so close to the burning vehicle! His ______ most likely saved the woman's life.

1.

A．walking

B．touring

C．traveling

D．rushing

2.

A．passengers

B．colleagues

C．employers

D．customers

3.

A．flame

B．smoke

C．water

D．steam

4.

A．used

B．disabled

C．removed

D．abandoned

5.

A．got hold of

B．prepared

C．took charge of

D．controlled

6.

A．returned

B．received

C．made

D．confirmed

7.

A．Starting

B．Parking

C．Passing

D．Approaching

8.

A．quiet

B．still

C．away

D．calm

9.

A．explode

B．slip away

C．fall apart

D．crash

10.

A．as if

B．unless

C．in case

D．after

11.

A．stepped forward

B．backed off

C．moved on

D．set out

12.

A．woman

B．police

C．man

D．driver

13.

A．forbidden

B．ready

C．asked

D．free

14.

A．for certain

B．for consideration

C．reported

D．checked

15.

A．patience

B．skills

C．efforts

D．promise

7 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Going against the tide of flocking to well-known yet generally jam-packed tourist destinations on vacation, a     1     (grow) number of holidaymakers in China tend to spend their leisure time at lesser-known resorts to seek unique, relaxing holiday experiences.

In recent years, reverse tourism     2     (emerge) as a new trend among young holidaymakers in China. During the week-long public holiday, which ended on Oct. 7, large numbers of vacationers, especially young professionals who long to escape from busy city life,     3     (avoid) popular holiday destinations in order to get the beaten track and enjoy some peace and quiet. According to data from online travel agency Qunar, the number of rooms     4     (book) at hotels in less-traveled cities during the holiday was 30 percent up year-on-year. Besides crowds, some vacationers chose less-traveled places to save on the cost of trips to popular destinations,     5     often involve expensive tickets, meals and hotel stays. In addition, lesser-known attractions are not     6     “commercial” and “standardized” as developed ones and are able to offer more authentic experiences and natural encounters. And     7     (like) popular destinations, some underexplored places with little online     8     (expose) can offer more surprises.

Jiang Han,     9     senior researcher at the Beijing-based public policy think tank Pangoal, has said that reverse tourism will become one of the future directions for the market     10     is an opportunity for economic growth.

8 . Gather together a couple of good friends and take a leisurely stroll through the streets—this is what many youngsters in China enjoy doing when they visit a new city.

To them, Citywalk means “roaming around the city” on foot. Participants can follow a distinctive urban route, soaking up the atmosphere, exploring old buildings, browsing boutique shops, sipping a cup of coffee, or indulging in authentic (正宗的) local snacks.

In China, the Citywalk trend is spreading from first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai to second and third-tier cities, encouraging more participants and event organizers to get involved. Some organizers invite folk culture researchers and enthusiasts (爱好者) to act as tour guides. A young entrepreneur (主办者) based in Changsha exploring new possibilities in the tourism sector launched six Citywalk routes in different cities on her social media account recently, with the aim of providing experiences for visitors to “walk in open-air museums”.

Some regions, such as Beijing and Shandong, have included Citywalk in their plans to promote cultural tourism and leisure tours. Shanghai has established Citywalk routes using public bus routes to help day-trippers reach more far-flung districts by public transport and continue on foot.

Even though Citywalk is a relatively niche and new phenomenon, industry insiders say that its potential is huge. Zhang Zhi, a tour guide from Beijing said tourists nowadays are paying more attention to personalized travel services. Many tour guides also try to expand their influence online, sharing their experiences in a bid to attract potential customers.

Citywalk is offering a positive change to urban travelers as they can better choose the experiences that align with their interests and needs. At the same time, Citywalk represents an opportunity for tour guides and travel service providers to offer a more tailored, professional service to meet with ever-changing market demands. (CGTN)

1. What is the main concept of Citywalk as described in the text?

A．Exploring cities through virtual reality.	B．Guided tours centred on history.
C．Leisurely urban strolls with diverse exploration.	D．A competitive challenge to visit landmarks.

2. Why did the young entrepreneur create Citywalk routes in various cities?

A．To free outdoor museums for visitors.	B．To engage more enthusiastic tour guides.
C．To promote urban folk culture research.	D．To offer distinctive city exploration experiences.

3. What does the underlined word “niche” most likely mean in paragraph 5?

A．Specialized.

B．Pricey.

C．Adventurous.

D．Demanding.

4. What is the attitude of the author towards the trend?

A．Cautious.

B．Indifferent.

C．Neutral.

D．Optimistic.

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The buzzwords (时髦术语) “brittle college students” have gone viral on the Internet recently among mounting concerns over     1    serious decline in the physical health of Chinese college students. The words refer to the new generation of college students generally     2     (suffer) from many physical problems. “Brittle,” which     3     (apparent) means tender and fragile (脆弱), has been used by netizens jokingly     4     (describe) how easily college students can get injured and sick.

Such comments have caused heated discussions over the declining physical     5     (fit) of contemporary college students,    6     is confirmed by the astonishing record of visits to one hospital in the city of Zhengzhou, north-central Henan Province. It is reported that Zhengzhou Central Hospital     7     (receıve) some 1,700 young people aged between 18 and 25 in its emergency department in September alone.

“These young people were mainly diagnosed (诊断) with trauma, abdominal pain, chest tightness, hyperventilation, acute alcoholism, and cholecystitis. Most cases were caused by     8     (regular) daily routine, staying up late and unhealthy diet,” said Cheng Xiaodan, deputy director of the hospital’s emergency department.

A report pointed out that unhealthy lifestyle is common     9     college students. Many participants said they had experienced health     10     (issue) such as poor skin condition, lack of sleep, and emotional problems.

10 . 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 we all have compromised conversational intelligence. 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 casual 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 (互动) 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 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.

2. What does the coffee-shop study suggest about small talk?

A．It improves family relationships.	B．It raises people’s confidence.
C．It matters as much as a formal talk.	D．It makes people feel good.