1 . A few years ago, I walked into Panera and placed my order. As I sat down, I noticed that at the table next to me, there was an older man with a cap eating his soup alone. At the sight of this, a feeling of sadness began to wash over me. Why was he eating alone? Was he lonely? Did he want someone to keep him company?

This wasn’t the first time I’d felt sad when I noticed someone eating alone. I automatically assume they’re lonely and need someone to be there for them. For some reason, eating with other people is the norm. Modern society has evolved to the point where most people eat with others and do almost every activity together. If we need to get lunch before a class, we’d rather ask around to see if someone will come with us. But is it possible we just don’t want to appear lonely?

For me, it’s easy to get pressured to have to be around other people when I see everyone else around me accompanied by a friend almost all the time. So many people are always around someone else, and that may make people think we always need someone with us to feel better about ourselves.

But that’s not true. We can enjoy being alone not everyone needs to be constantly surrounded by friends to be happy. And we shouldn’t be afraid to eat alone if that’s what we want to do. We don’t have to do what everyone else does.

Ultimately, I don’t think I’ll ever not get sad if I see someone eating alone, but I’ll bear in mind that maybe they just want a break from the world, or maybe they prefer it that way. It’s important to realize seeing someone doing something alone doesn’t always mean they’re lonely.

1. Why does the author mention her experience at Panera a few years ago?

A．To introduce the topic of caring for old people.

B．To start the discussion about people eating alone.

C．To describe a memorable encounter.

D．To illustrate the benefits of eating alone outside.

2. What does the author think of the norm of eating with other people?

A．It is a good way to avoid awkwardness.

B．It helps maintain social connections.

C．It is common but deserves questioning.

D．It is unreasonable and unacceptable.

3. How does the author feel when people around her have company but she doesn’t?

A．Uncomfortable.

B．Isolated.

C．Envious.

D．Relaxed.

4. What message does the author want to convey?

A．Social relationships are unnecessary.

B．People need to be alone to recharge.

C．Loneliness is unavoidable in our daily life.

D．Being alone doesn’t equate to loneliness.

2 . The Power of Peers

Do birds of a feather really flock together? People do tend to choose friends who are similar to them. Many behaviors spread socially. Activities in certain brain areas change when other people are around.     1     You can use the power of social relationships to gain healthier habits — and motivate others to do the same.

    2     Teens are especially responsive to peer influence. At the same time, the reward system in the teen brain becomes extra sensitive. Teens are just learning to explore the social world. Understanding other people’s values and being influenced by them are important parts of socializing.

A research shows that even just having another peer around can change the reward response in the brain and also the risk-taking tendencies of teenagers. Some people seem to be more easily influenced than others and more sensitive to feeling included or excluded by others.     3     But it’s also a time that peer influence can help teens thrive if it gets them more involved with their community or helps them learn behaviors to get along with others.

It’s the quality of friendships — not quantity — that really makes the difference. Friendships you feel you want to let go of may be low quality.     4       High quality friendships provide understanding, support, and recognition of your self-worth. These types of friendships are more steady and satisfying.

Spending time with friends can be especially helpful for people. Noticing that our behavior is influenced by other people, we can be intentional and try to focus on the people who are doing the things we want to get into ourselves.     5    

A．Adolescence is such a risky period.

B．That can affect what you choose to do.

C．Peer pressure can sometimes lead to competition.

D．People care about what others think across all different age groups.

E．They are linked to poor academic performance and behavioral issues.

F．Sharing your healthy habits could also make a real difference to others.

G．The number of friends you have determines your level of social influence.

3 . There’s a long line of research showing that when we make contact with people who’re socially different from us, we tend to feel less prejudice towards them. According to the contact theory, contact seems to work best for reducing prejudice when the contact is generally positive. But what happens when the conditions for interpersonal contact may not be ideal? For example, what if you feel threatened in some way by a group of people you see as “the other”?

Researchers from Ghent University in Belgium analyzed the results of 34 studies surveying nearly 64,000 people from 19 countries to see how intergroup contact affected their viewpoints about “outgroups” under conflict situations. For example, people were asked to report on how they viewed other groups. The researchers also had data from the surveys that measured attitudes towards outgroup members, such as how positive people felt towards them and how much they could trust them.

After analyzing the data, the researchers found strong feelings of threat were associated with more negative views of outgroup members. But having contact with outgroup members still reduced prejudice just as much under those unfavorable conditions. To Jasper Van Assche, the lead author of the paper, this suggests contact theory holds even under conflict situations.

Van Assche says that contact is so powerful probably because just being around people from an outgroup affects how we think and feel about them. As we become accustomed to even the me re presence of people from other groups, that can reduce our anxiety, especially if the encounters are positive—and that can lead to warmer feelings. Also, contact can enhance our knowledge about others’ customs and practices, so that they don’t seem so foreign or “other” to us.

Van Assche hopes his research can lead people to see the benefits of integrating the spaces where they live. This could be done through top-down methods, such as the government requiring school integration, but also from the bottom up. For example, suggests Van Assche, communities could create low-cost, low-key events that bring people together, helping to promote tolerance.

1. Why are the questions raised in paragraph 1?

A．To inspire readers’ imagination.	B．To argue against the contact theory.
C．To show the author’s curiosity.	D．To offer the purpose of the study.

2. Why can interpersonal contact reduce prejudice?

A．It improves people’s adaptive capacity.	B．It increases people’s desire to socialize.
C．It promotes each other’s understanding.	D．It makes people emotionally stable.

3. What might be Van Assche’s advice according to the text?

A．Expanding communities on the whole.

B．Increasing chances of positive contact.

C．Strengthening interactions between schools.

D．Offering equal education opportunities to diverse groups.

4. What can be the best title of the text?

A．People involved in equal contact are generally positive	B．Opportunities for intergroup contact are on the rise
C．The interventions based on contact are unhealthy	D．Interpersonal contact can help people connect

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。1.

A．Those who wish to be a leader.

B．Those who are warm and inviting.

C．Those who have trouble socializing.

D．Those who judge people by first impressions.

2.

A．Because it means time is important.

B．Because it reflects that you value them.

C．Because it allows you to get ready early.

D．Because it applies to various business situations.

3.

A．By communicating with people in public.

B．By talking with anyone around you in life.

C．By trying to stop talking every time you use them.

D．By practicing with these words at home one at a time.

6 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What does the passage mainly tell us?

A．Working from home has its benefits.	B．Workplace friendships are easy to develop.
C．Young people favour remote employment.	D．Working remotely limits workplace friendships.

2. What can employees get from workplace friends at critical moments?

A．Financial support.	B．Emotional comfort.
C．Frontline services.	D．Educational resources.

3. How can workplace friendships benefit employers?

A．Workplace friendships help to avoid disagreements at work.

B．Workplace friendships motivate employees to work longer hours.

C．Workplace friendships contribute to efficiency and security at work.

D．Workplace friendships encourage employers to interact with customers.

7 . Clear and effective communication not only can help you get what you want but also is important to successful relationships with your partner coworkers, bosses, and friends. You take part in some form of communication with others many times a day.     1     To be an effective communicator, you first need to learn which habits to break and which ones to build, so you can be a thoughtful listener and a powerful speaker.

Few people have had any training in listening at all and they don’t know how to communicate with others. If you want to interact effectively with me, you first need to understand me. And you can’t do that with techniques alone.     2     And I don’t feel safe enough to open myself up to you.

    3     The conversation flows naturally out of your character, or the kind of person you truly are. It is obvious in how I actually experience you. If your private performance doesn’t match your public performance, it will be very hard for me to open up to you.     4    

Unless you understand me and my unique situation and feelings you won’t know how to advise me.     5     You may say you care about and appreciate me. I really want to believe that. But how can you appreciate me when you don’t even understand me? All I have are your words, and I can’t trust words.

A．Being honest is the first step in good communication.

B．At first there is not enough trust between two strangers.

C．However, that doesn’t mean you’re communicating well.

D．What you say is good and fine, but it doesn’t relate to me.

E．But most people are not good at expressing themselves in public.

F．Then, I don’t feel safe enough to express my opinions and my true feelings.

G．If I sense you’re using some techniques, I will wonder what your purposes are.

9 . How to treat each other well

The following tips can help you enjoy a healthy and satisfying relationship.

Create a foundation of respect.     1    . However, it is important to make sure that you and your partner are rooted in respect. Act in ways that demand respect from your partner. Struggle to treat each other with respect at all times, even when you are mad at each other.

Appreciate each other. A healthy relationship should be one in which you and your partner feel appreciated. Often, relationships are built from many small things added one on top of the other.     2    . Instead of focusing on mistakes your partner makes, focus on the ways your partner adds to your life. When you notice something, speak out and show your appreciation.

    3    . It’s easy to change from face-to-face time together to digital communication. Spending quality time together can help strengthen your relationship and increase the bond you and your partner feel together.     4    . It can be as simple as enjoying a cup of coffee together each morning or reading together at night.

Expect changes. Know that your relationship will likely change. Allow growth for yourself, your partner, and for the relationship itself.     5    . Change is inevitable, so welcome changes and accept that the relationship will adapt.

A．Spend quality time together

B．Make a healthy relationship work

C．Relationships can be fun and exciting early on

D．Your partner’s thoughts and feelings have value

E．Find activities that you can do together regularly

F．Find the things your partner does for you and say “thank you”

G．Recognize changes in your relationship are opportunities for new growth

10 . Recently, a topic featuring “Graduates avoid sending resumes out of social anxiety disorder” received many comments on Sina Weibo. It seems that social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia (恐惧症), is affecting many people’s lives. Over 80% of university students who took part in a survey tended to avoid social interaction due to an assumed social phobia.     1    

For those who have a social phobia, everyday social situations cause strong fear beyond their control because they fear being watched or judged negatively by others.

Having a social phobia can mean physical symptoms like blushing (脸红), upset stomach, or having trouble catching your breath. The good news is that it is treatable.    2     Avoiding social situations because of shyness might mean missing out on opportunities or being rude.

I used to be so shy that I avoided greeting people I knew by pretending to scroll (滚屏) on my phone or turning in another direction.     3    When I saw him, Istarted scrolling on my phone as usual to avoid greeting him. But he immediately saw through it and asked,“Why did you pretend not to see me?” After my explanation, he replied, “I can relate to feeling awkward, but once someone realizes that you’re avoiding him, it can come across as rude.”

    4    Being afraid of negative comments, they simply shut themselves down so that no one will have the chance to judge them. But socializing not only leads to judgment. If you’re lucky enough, you may come across someone who gives direct but honest feedback, like what the senior journalist did for me. But if some people only offer you negative judgment, simply stay away from them.     5    Why give up on opportunities for social interaction because of fears of comments and judgment?

A．After all, they are not making you any better.

B．Understand it’s perfectly fine to make mistakes.

C．Here are some tips for overcoming a fear of social interaction.

D．But is avoiding social interaction equal to having a social phobia?

E．However, my attitude began to change when I met a senior journalist.

F．But if you only feel a bit uncomfortable, it might mean you are just shy.

G．Shy people avoid socializing because they take others’ opinions seriously.