1 . Even with wonderful friends, family and a partner, I don't always want to be surrounded by people. “Table for one? Or will someone else be joining you?” A dinner reservation for one person never fails to raise a few eyebrows. I actively choose to spend time alone when possible. But not everyone has the luxury of choosing to be alone, of course, many are forced into one-on-one time because they have no one.

But for those of us who spend our days surrounded by colleagues in the workplace, our evenings and weekends with family, friends and partners, all the while being constantly bombarded by WhatsApp,social media and email, time to ourselves can be a rare treat. Time to yourself not only gives you the chance to do practical things you don't normally get round to but also the activities your pals don't want to do. In a less real way, spending time alone also allows-or perhaps forces- you to sit with your own thoughts, to think about things that might normally be drowned out by conversation and the noise of companionship. When you're alone you get time to think without purpose.

It is worth noting that I'm a real introvert(性格内向者）,so perhaps sitting alone with my thoughts-refilling my energy reserves-might just be indulging personality traits that others don't have. But I believe more people could benefit from it.

Given this constant social conditioning since childhood that we should be surrounded by people , it's no wonder many hesitate to press forward at the idea of spending time alone-a sign we've failed at climbing that social ladder. And if you're an extrovert who gets their energy from other people, this must be even harder. But as someone who has come to love spending time alone, even when there are many wonderful souls in my life I can spend time with, I wish more people would give solo a go.

Reservation for one, please.

1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?

A．The author wants to be alone all the time.

B．The author feels bored with family and friends.

C．Surrounded by people, the author still feels lonely.

D．Reserving a table for one will draw disapproving looks.

2. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．The benefits of alone time.

B．The weaknesses of social media.

C．The definition of being alone.

D．The ways of spending time alone.

3. How does an introvert regain their energy according to the author?

A．By eating delicious food.

B．By reflecting on their own thoughts.

C．By socializing with others.

D．By reading their favourite books.

4. The last sentence "Reservation for one, please." is intended to       .

A．quote others' words

B．answer the waiter's question

C．excite the readers' appetite

D．stress the author's determination

2 . A new study, published in The Journal of Experimental Psychology found that communication interactions that included voice, like a phone call or video chat, created stronger social bonds than communication through typing, like text messaging or email.

In the study, researchers used various experiments to gauge connectedness. In one, they asked 200 people to make predictions about what it would be like to reconnect with an old friend by email or by phone and then assigned people at random to do one or the other. Although people anticipated that a phone call would be more awkward, hearing someone's voice actually made the experience better. However, people who participated in the experiment reported that they did form a significantly stronger bond with their old friend on the phone versus email, and they did not feel more awkward.

In another experiment, the researchers had strangers connected by either texting, talking over video chat, or talking using only audio. They found that both forms of voice communication — whether video or audio only — made the strangers feel significantly more connected than when they communicated via text.

Sabrina Romanoff, a Harvard trained clinical psychologist based in New York City, says people tend to text or email instead of calling because of convenience, as they see it as a controlled form of communication where they can "correspond information exactly in the way they intend without unexpected additions by the other person."

Romanoff says that in reality, texting can make it hard to determine the true meaning behind a conversation. A phone call is actually more convenient when considering the net effects of the message. Each party is more present, and therefore, able to gauge the meaning behind the content without ruminating on the endless possible meanings behind words and punctuation.

1. What is the purpose of the study?

A．To encourage people to let their fingers do the talking.

B．To introduce the effects of verbal and non-verbal communications.

C．To demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of making phone calls.

D．To compare connectedness of communication through voice and typing.

2. Which way will make you feel more connected if you miss a friend far away?

A．Typing a letter.	B．Sending an email.
C．Having a video chat.	D．Texting a message.

3. What does "a controlled form of communication" refer to in Paragraph 4?

A．A way to talk about controlled topics.	B．A way to communicate without time limit.
C．A way to explain something without delay.	D．A way to express thoughts without being disturbed.

4. What advantage does making phone calls over texting?

A．Being more formal.	B．Being less awkward.
C．Being more straightforward.	D．Being less expensive

3 . “Communication is the most essential and sociable of all human behaviors”, which is absolutely true as for human community. Communication is the majority of everyone’s social life. “Without communication, life would be as cold as a rock.”    1    Because these certain conversations can make people attracted. Personally, we should consider the following three aspects to make good communication.

To start good communication, we can make certain adequate preparations, especially some relative questions.    2    We can ask some questions to show our politeness, respect and sincere care. For   example, have you been carrying on well recently? What do you favor in your spare time ? Remember   to think again before you put forward a question.

The most important part of communication is to listen.     3     Permit others to do most of the talking. Be patient and hold interest in their comments, making necessary gestures to show you are listening. Do not interrupt others when they express excitedly. Being a good conversationalist as well as a good listener will help you a lot.

    4    Appropriate eye contact is like a great element of the main dish which makes it more delicious. During communicating with others, we should look the speakers in the eye kindly. It will help us to improve mutual (相互的) understanding. Do not hesitate to look into them. But you had better not stare at them and not look at them for too long.    5    

A．Enjoy good communication, being friends with them.

B．It is usually said that eyes are windows to the soul.

C．It would make others feel uneasy and unwilling to continue talking.

D．They believe they wanna know and even convince us.

E．We should concentrate on others’ saying and think in their shoes.

F．It is considered to be fairly comfortable to be asked fine questions.

G．Furthermore, good communication is an interesting attraction in our daily life.

4 . Claire Wyatt, a 24-year-old British volunteer, led eight Cambodians living with disabilities on a 155-mile bike ride from Phnom Penh, the nation’s capital, to Siem Reap to raise money and deliver supplies to those in need in the coronavirus pandemic(新冠病毒大流行).

“Leading this trip was an incredibly special experience for me,” said Claire. “Not only was I encouraged by the determination of each and every rider, but also the team taught me every day not to focus on their disability.”

When she was first asked to lead the trip, Claire admitted, she was feeling nervous about her team traveling such a distance in just a few days because cycling with a disability can come with added physical and emotional challenges.

One team member named Dy, who lost an arm in an accident, biked using just one arm to balance. Another named Vulta could only pedal on one side due to polio(小儿麻痹). Despite all the difficulties, Claire realized quickly that she didn’t have to worry about her team. She saw them deal with rough area that she had seen abled cyclists give up on before.

The volunteers covered the distance in just four days, not only helping so many people across the country, but also overcoming huge difficulties to get there.

“The best thing about this ride is that the riders have all volunteered their time to do this. They are so enthusiastic about Cambodia and raising money for others in need,” said Claire. “The money raised will feed 99 families in Siem Reap.”

Claire recalled her favorite moment of the experience, when one of the cyclists pushed an exhausted teammate up a hill for 2 miles. “One moment that stood out for me was when Naret, our only female rider, was feeling tired,” she said. “Her fellow rider gently put his hand on her back and pushed her for 2 miles! They were encouraging each other to push through the tiredness.”

1. Why did Claire and eight Cambodians cycle 155 miles?

A．To challenge themselves.	B．To help out needy people.
C．To take part in a competition.	D．To raise money for the disabled.

2. What worried Claire before the ride?

A．She might be injured on the road.	B．She would be unable to lead the team.
C．Her team might be looked down on.	D．Her team couldn’t finish the route.

3. Which of the following can best describe the team?

A．Confident, calm and friendly.	B．Honest, patient and open-minded.
C．Strong-minded, brave and caring.	D．Curious, creative and experienced.

4. What did Claire think of the journey?

A．It could have taken less time.

B．It was amazing and inspiring.

C．It changed her idea about human nature.

D．It was more difficult than she had expected.

5 . The Internet has opened up a whole new online world for us to meet, chat and go where we’ve never been before.

But just as in face to face communication, there are some rules of behavior that should be followed when on line.    1    Imagine how you’d feel if you were in the other person’s shoes.

For anything you’re about to send: ask yourself, “Would I say this to the person’s face?” if the answer is no, rewrite and reread.    2    

If someone in the chat room is rude to you, your instinct (本能) is to fire back in the same manner. But try not to do so.    3    If it was caused by a disagreement with another member, try to fix the situation by politely discussing it. Remember to respect the beliefs and opinions of others in the chat room.

    4    Offer advice when asked by newcomers, as they may not be sure what to do or how to communicate. When someone makes a mistake, whether it’s a stupid question or an unnecessarily long answer, be kind about it. If it’s a small mistake, you may not need to say anything. Even if you feel strongly about it, think twice before saying anything. Having good manners yourself doesn’t give you license to correct everyone else.     5    At the same time, if you find you are wrong, be sure to correct yourself and apologize to those that you have offended.

It is not polite to ask others personal questions such as their age, sex and marital status. Unless you know the person very well, and you are both comfortable with sharing personal information, don’t ask such questions.

A．It’s natural that there are some people who speak rudely or make mistakes online.

B．Repeat the process till you feel sure that you’d feel comfortable saying the words to the person’s face.

C．Everyone was new to the network once.

D．The basic rule is simple: treat others in the same way you would want to be treated.

E．When you send short messages to a person online, you must say something beautiful to hear.

F．You should either ignore the person, or use your chat software to block their messages.

G．If you do decide to tell someone about a mistake, point it out politely.

6 . Conformity involves changing your behaviour to “fit in” or “go along” with the people around you. In some cases, this social influence might involve agreeing with or acting like the majority of people in a specific group, or involve behaving in a particular way to be viewed as “normal” by the group. Actually, conformity is something that happens regularly in our social world. Sometimes we’re aware of our behaviour, but in many cases it happens without much thought or awareness on our parts. And even in some cases we go along with things we disagree with or behave in ways we know we shouldn’t.

There are countless examples of conformity in life. For instance, a teenager dresses in a certain style because he wants to fit in with the rest of the teenagers in his social group. A woman reads a book for her book club and really enjoys it. When she attends her book club meeting, the other members all dislike the book. Rather than go against the group opinion, she simply agrees with the others that the book is terrible.

Why do we conform? In many cases, looking to the rest of the group for clues for how we should behave can actually be helpful. Others might have greater knowledge or experience than we do, so following their lead can actually be instructive. And in some cases, we conform to the expectations of the group to avoid looking foolish. This tendency can become especially strong in situations where we aren’t quite sure how to act. Additionally, there are some situations where we conform just in order to avoid punishments or gain rewards.

There are many factors that influence conformity. For example, not knowing how to perform a difficult task makes people more likely to conform. Personal characteristics such as motivation to achieve and strong leadership abilities are linked with a decreased tendency to conform. And people are more likely to conform in situations that involve between three and five other people.

1. What can we learn about conformity from the first paragraph?

A．Actually it is rare for us to conform.

B．Blind conformity should be criticized.

C．Sometimes people tend to conform unconsciously.

D．Conformity means changing your behaviour reluctantly.

2. Which of the following is a case of conformity?

A．Joining a certain organization.

B．Following the ongoing fashion.

C．Sharing something personal with others.

D．Giving up your creative ideas cautiously.

3. When are we most likely to conform according to the text?

A．When we are at a loss.

B．When we are rejected.

C．When we feel threatened.

D．When we feel uncomfortable.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Conformity cannot be avoided by anyone.

B．Conformity is linked to the size of the group.

C．Conformity is a natural response to challenges.

D．Conformity isn’t related to individual differences.

7 . A boy who was nervous on his first day of school climbed onto a third-floor balcony (阳台) and put legs over the side. His mother and teachers tried their best to bring him down, but failed. However, a firefighter who dressed as "Spiderman" succeeded in saving him.

Firefighter David Smith was called in after the 6-year-old’s teachers and mother had failed to get him down from the balcony. "He was asking for his mother, "Smith said. "He was crying, and wouldn’t let any of us get near him." After hearing a conversation between the boy’s mother and his teachers about his love of superheroes, Smith hurried home to get his Spiderman clothes.

"I told him 'Spiderman is here to save you. No one will hurt you now,’" Smith said. "Then I told him to walk slowly toward me. I was really nervous that he might fall if he got too excited and started running." Then the crying boy broke into a smile and walked into the fireman’s arms.

The fictional (虚构的) superhero was created by writer Stan Lee in the early 1960s. It has recently become popular again through a series of movies made about him. In them he is acted by superstar Tobey Maguire, who acted with Kirsten Dunst and James Franco.

1. Which would be the best title for this passage?

A．Spiderman Is Back	B．"Spiderman" Saved a Boy
C．Spiderman Is Popular	D．A Boy’s Love of Spiderman

2. How did the fireman succeed in saving the boy?

A．By showing he had the same interest as the boy.

B．By bringing the boy’s mother to his side.

C．By dressing up as a superhero.

D．By making friends with him.

3. What do we learn from the passage?

A．The boy had been forced to go to school.

B．The mother did not love her son.

C．Spiderman is a superhero in a series of movies.

D．Spiderman became popular again in the 1960s.

4. What’s the purpose of the last paragraph?

A．To tell us something about Spiderman.	B．To introduce some famous actors.
C．To get readers interested in Spiderman.	D．To introduce another superhero story.

8 . “No act of kindness,no matter how small,is ever wasted."

－Aesop

Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day.It's a day set aside to show extra kindness to the people around us-those we know and those we don't.Smiling and saying a few encouraging words is easy. But an act of kindness is something you actually do.A random act of kindness is usually unexpected and unplanned.Maybe you help someone carry groceries.Maybe you pay for a stranger's coffee.Or maybe send an encouraging note to a friend.

Caring for others is nothing new.In fact,the Bible tells everyone to"Love your neighbor as yourself."But who is your neighbor?There is an example in the story of"The Good Samaritan”。

It tells of a traveler who was robbed and beaten.A religious leader saw the man lying in the road but didn't stop to help.Another religious man also ignored him.But a Samaritan came along.He was a foreigner.He showed compassion and took care of the strangers' needs.He showed mercy.

Is helping strangers a thing of the past?Are people today too busy or too afraid to help someone they don't know?I know from experience that goodwill between strangers still exists.

One Sunday morning I was running late for church.As I started to drive off,I noticed an elderly lady.She was dragging a large piece of wood out of the rain.I was in a hurry,but I hesitated.Then I stopped my car,got out and helped her move the wood.

Months went by.Then one day,I saw some workmen cleaning out an old store.There in the pile of trash was a large Coca-cola cooler.How fun!A worker said I could have it,so I picked it up and started home.I didn't get very far.It was much heavier than I thought.Then out of the blue,the elderly lady appeared with a cart!I had helped her,and she was returning the favor.Go and help your neighbor today!

1. Which of the following is NOT a random act of kindness?

A．Smiling and saying a few encouraging words.

B．Helping an old man cross the street.

C．Paying for a stranger's breakfast.

D．Sending an encouraging note to a friend.

2. What does the underlined phrase"out of the blue"in the last paragraph mean?

A．Happily

B．Fortunately

C．Surprisingly

D．Excitedly

3. How does the author show that kindness between strangers still exists?

A．By making a comparison.	B．By giving an example.
C．By explaining reasons.	D．By stating opinions.

4. Which can be the best title of the passage ?

A．Love Your Neighbors	B．Random Acts of kindness
C．Random Kindness Pays Off	D．It's Never Too Late to Help Others

9 . Concerts should be a fun and enjoyable occasion for everyone attending them,including the musicians.No matter what type of concert one is attending,he is still expected to follow the rules concert etiquette(礼仪）.     1    

Classical music concerts are often events where concert etiquette is considered to be very important.One should generally arrive a few minutes before the show starts,so he can be in his seat at the beginning of the first musical performance.If he arrives late,it may be considered rude to walk in and take his seat in the middle of a musical performance.    2    In this way,he will not influence other audiences while the music is being played.

    3    Take jazz concerts for example.People are usually not criticized for making a small amount of noise,as long as it is not troubling other audiences.For example,they may talk quietly during a performance.

Rock and heavy metal concert etiquette is very relaxed.     4     However,audiences are still expected to show some good manners during a performance.Also,rock concerts are often very crowded,particularly in the areas surrounding the stage.    5     But one should still pay attention to his surroundings.Stepping on someone's foot repeatedly may cause a fight as well.

A．This will usually be announced before the concert begins.

B．Instead,he should wait for one song to end before taking his seat.

C．Rock concert goers,on the other hand,can usually get a little louder.

D．People are not usually discouraged from talking at these types of concerts.

E．In large groups of people like this,it is not unusual to touch others at times.

F．Concert etiquette for other types of concerts is usually a little more relaxed.

G．And the concert etiquette can be different,depending on what type of concert it is.

10 . An interview is a discussion with someone in which you try to get information from them.     1     There are three basic sub-types of interview: structured interviews, unstructured interviews and semi-structured interviews.     2     Incidentally, “respondent” and “informant” are words that are sometimes used instead of “interviewee”.

A great deal is provided by this personal contact: you are another human being, and interviewees will respond to you, in bodily presence, in an entirely different way from the way that they would have reacted to questionnaires that came through their letterboxes or to emails.     3     Most people want to help and give their opinions, and they will usually be energized to help by your physical presence.

If you take the trouble to schedule a visit, you can be more or less guaranteed of a response. Most importantly, though, you will be able to relate to interviewees while you are talking to them.     4     You will be able to watch their behaviour which will give you important clues about how they feel about a topic. Because of the primacy of the personal contact, your appearance and tone are important—how do you want to be seen? As “one of us”? As a person in authority? As an observer? …Or what?     5     However you decide to present yourself, it is good practice of course to try to put the interviewee at ease before the interview begins — to talk about the weather, about your journey, about anything that will break the ice.

A．This is a ready-made support for you.

B．Its nature varies with the nature of the interviews.

C．You will be able to hear and understand what they are saying.

D．Your decision should influence the way that you look, sound and behave.

E．The information may be facts or opinions or attitudes or any combination of these.

F．Each involves the interviewer in fact-to-face contact or telephone contact with another person.

G．You will be using these clues to make informed guesses about what the interviewees might really mean.