1 . 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 2021 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; he 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(外围的) 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. |
| 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. |
| A．Conversation Counts |
| B．Ways of Making Small Talk |
| C．Benefits of Small Talk |
| D．Uncomfortable Silence |
| A．Addiction to smartphones. |
| B．Inappropriate behaviours in public places. |
| C．Absence of communication between strangers. |
| D．Impatience with slow service. |
2 . By now, we are all aware that social media has had a tremendous influence on our culture, in business, on the world-at-large. Social media websites revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize on the Web. However, aside from seeing your friend’s new baby on Facebook, or reading about Justin Bieber’s latest conflict with the law on Twitter, what are some of the real influences?
Social networks offer the opportunity for people to re-connect with their old friends and acquaintances, make new friends, share ideas and pictures, and many other activities. Users can keep pace with the latest global and local developments, and participate in campaigns and activities of their choices. Professionals use social media sites like LinkedIn to enhance their career and business development. Students can work together with their peers to improve their academic and communication skills.
Unfortunately, there are a few downsides too to social networking. If you are not careful, immoral people can target you for cyber bullying and disturbance on social sites. School children, young girls, and women can fall victim to online attacks which can create tension and suffering. If you are a victim of cyber bullying, do not take it lying down, but try to take appropriate legal action against the attacker.
Many companies have blocked social networks as addicted employees can distract themselves on such sites, instead of focusing on work. In fact, studies show that British companies have lost billions of dollars per year in productivity because of social media addiction among employees.
Also, what you carelessly post on the Internet can come back to trouble you. Revealing (泄露) personal information on social sites can make users vulnerable (易受伤害的) to crimes like identity theft, stalking, etc. Many companies perform a background check on the Internet before hiring an employee. If a potential employee has posted something embarrassing on social media, it can greatly affect their chances of getting the job. The same holds true for our relationships too, as our loved ones and friends may get to know if we post something undesirable on social networks.
Social media has its advantages and drawbacks as each coin has two sides. It is up to each user to use social sites wisely to enhance their professional and social life, and exercise caution to ensure they do not fall victim to online dangers.
1. Paragraph 2 mainly shows that social networks ________.| A．help students finish their homework | B．offer professionals good chances |
| C．benefit users in various ways | D．guide users to make right choices |
| A．forbid the use of social networks during work time |
| B．avoid posting embarrassing information |
| C．refuse to hire potential addicted employees |
| D．take legal action against the attackers |
| A．share experiences in using social media | B．remind people to wisely use social media |
| C．provide some advice on social problems | D．raise public awareness of social problems |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
3 . Aesha Ash is a ballet dancer who began The Swan Dreams Project in 2011. It is a program designed to bring ballet to girls of color in her community. Aesha Ash is one of the few women of color to ever grace the stages of the School of American Ballet in New York City. She wants to expose her community to more positive images of women of color through the use of ballet. She wants to show the world that beauty and grace are not defined by status or race.
Aesha grew up in the inner city of Rochester, New York, where crime, gun violence and poverty were among the biggest threats to the community. For her, that’s normal. That’s just life in the neighborhood, but what she remembers most is the dance studio. She started dancing at the age of five. A teacher mentioned to her mother that she had some promise in ballet, and that it would be difficult for her, as a woman of color, to enter the ballet world. But the hardship she faced was the very thing that pushed her to pursue a career in ballet.
And there’s so much negative stereotypes (刻板印象) and misunderstanding of who they are in the media. Through the use of imagery and her career as a ballet dancer, she challenges stereotypes that exist for women of color, particularly those from inner-city communities.
“It’s important that our girls see that side of themselves because for many kids it’s hard to be what you can’t see. I hadn’t seen a black ballet dancer before I decided that was what I wanted to be. It was really important for me to be in my environment displaying that because this is where I’m from. It was always beyond ballet,” Aesha Ash stated.
1. Why did Aesha start The Swan Dreams Project?| A．To promote the images of females of color by ballet. |
| B．To expose her community to a world of women of color. |
| C．To grace the stages of the School of American Ballet. |
| D．To show the world that beauty and grace are defined by status. |
| A．Comfortable. | B．Ancient. | C．Peaceful. | D．Unsafe. |
| A．Aesha had a gift for ballet according to her teacher. |
| B．The hardship Aesha faced was the color of her skin. |
| C．Acsha wanted to be a ballet dancer because of a woman dancer of color. |
| D．It is not easy to change the stereotypes that exist for women of color. |
| A．A teacher provides chances for girls of color. | B．A woman brings ballet to the girls of color. |
| C．Ballet changes the life of a woman of color. | D．A woman has changed the negative stereotypes. |
4 . When preparing fruit and vegetables, many people will peel (削皮) them. But often, it’s not necessary.
Fruit and vegetables are rich sources of nutrition like vitamins. Not consuming enough of these nutrient-rich foods is linked to an increased risk of diseases. Eating 400g of fruit and vegetables a day, as the WHO recommends, is difficult to achieve for many people. So could consuming fruit and vegetable peels help with this issue by adding important nutrients to people’s diets?
They can certainly contribute. For example, nutritionally important amounts of vitamins and minerals are found in the peels of seven root vegetables: beetroot, field mustard, wild carrot, sweet potato, radish, ginger and white potato. And the US Department of Agriculture shows that unpeeled apples contain 15% more vitamin C, 267% more vitamin K, 20% more calcium and 85% more fibre than peeled apples.
Another reason is the effect on the environment. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, uneaten food, including peels, generates 8%-10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. New Zealand alone reports an annual wastage of 13,658 tonnes of vegetable peels and 986 tonnes of fruit peels.
Given the nutrient content of peels and its contribution to food waste, why do people peel fruit and vegetables at all? Some must be peeled as the outer parts don’t taste nice, are hard to clean or cause harm. Also, peeling may be a necessary part of the recipe, for example, when making mashed potato. But many peels, such as carrot and kiwifruit, are suitable to be eaten, yet people habitually peel them anyway. Some people peel fruit and veg because they are concerned about pesticides (杀虫剂) on the surface.
If you want to find out more about fruit and vegetable peels and what to do with it, there is lots of advice online including help on how to deal with peels. With a little investigation and creativity, you can help to reduce waste and increase you fruit and vegetables intake.
1. Where is the text most probably taken from?| A．A cooking guidebook. | B．A life magazine. |
| C．A poster about environment. | D．An ad about a health website. |
| A．Not eating the peels will lead to higher risks of some diseases. |
| B．Some significant vitamins and minerals are only found in peels. |
| C．Eating peels can increase people’s intake of important nutrients. |
| D．Peels have more nutrients than fruit and vegetables’ inner parts. |
| A．To highlight the serious food problem in the country. |
| B．To draw our attention to greenhouse gas emissions. |
| C．To call on New Zealanders not to throw away peels. |
| D．To show peels’ negative impact on the environment. |
| A．Because some recipes tell them to do so. |
| B．Because the outer parts are hard to clean. |
| C．Because there exists too much pesticides. |
| D．Because they’re used to peeling vegetables. |
5 . Over the years, digital communication has brought about more changes than the printing press did. And the standout early adopters are teenagers, whose brains appear to have an extraordinary
As a species, our brains are still flexible and
There are
There is a possible
| A．activity | B．capability | C．responsibility | D．opportunity |
| A．operating | B．promoting | C．adjusting | D．establishing |
| A．functions | B．options | C．restrictions | D．positions |
| A．opposed | B．imposed | C．limited | D．extended |
| A．keep up with | B．come up with | C．put up with | D．end up with |
| A．entertaining | B．multitasking | C．interacting | D．gossiping |
| A．curiosities | B．criticisms | C．concerns | D．shortcomings |
| A．memorize | B．internalize | C．realize | D．socialize |
| A．changed | B．controlled | C．troubled | D．interrupted |
| A．attitudes | B．prospects | C．trends | D．skills |
| A．advantage | B．distraction | C．indication | D．tuition |
| A．narrow-minded | B．global-minded | C．absent-minded | D．quick-minded |
| A．reluctant | B．addicted | C．exposed | D．enthusiastic |
| A．however | B．hence | C．moreover | D．instead |
| A．Consequently | B．Additionally | C．Nevertheless | D．Thus |
6 . Could buying paintings make you rich?
Is investing in paintings a good way to get rich fast? And how should you invest in art?
“With extreme
To invest in art as a true investment, you need a starting
Art is also not a regulated investment so when things go wrong-for example, an artwork
Of course given the current environment of low interest rates, investing in art may still give you a(n)
Yet you don’t necessarily have to be super-wealthy to invest in art. There are a growing number of art fairs and online marketplaces aimed at buyers with a more
| A．accuracy | B．carefulness | C．enthusiasm | D．generosity |
| A．finances | B．earnings | C．economy | D．allowances |
| A．installation | B．concern | C．power | D．demand |
| A．fund | B．energy | C．desire | D．time |
| A．guards | B．batteries | C．devices | D．police |
| A．accidents | B．appliances | C．measures | D．drinks |
| A．partner | B．spectator | C．target | D．therapy |
| A．turns up | B．turns out | C．turns in | D．turns away |
| A．better | B．earlier | C．healthier | D．lower |
| A．fall apart | B．fall down | C．go ahead | D．go up |
| A．right | B．level | C．option | D．rate |
| A．ceased | B．proceeded | C．recovered | D．shrank |
| A．fixed | B．extensive | C．massive | D．modest |
| A．sensitive | B．direct | C．flexible | D．sensible |
| A．afford | B．rescue | C．replace | D．understand |
7 . As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, realistic goal setting generally produces the best results. That is partially
What is far less understood by scientists,
Newspapers relay (转发) reports of goal setting prevalent in industries and businesses up and down both Wall Street and Main Street, yet there has been surprisingly little research on how the practice of setting goals may have
“Goals are widely used and promoted as they have really
“It turns out there’s
A typical example Schweitzer and his colleagues mention is the 2002
Other studies have shown that
Schweitzer admits his research runs counter to (违背) a very large body of literature that
| A．how | B．why | C．when | D．because |
| A．moreover | B．therefore | C．however | D．otherwise |
| A．objected | B．contributed | C．opposed | D．adapted |
| A．doubtful | B．subtle | C．beneficial | D．competitive |
| A．get involved in | B．add to | C．show off | D．enroll in |
| A．considerable | B．huge | C．declined | D．little |
| A．risks | B．problems | C．expenses | D．rewards |
| A．success | B．collapse | C．rise | D．release |
| A．ignorant | B．affordable | C．tolerant | D．profitable |
| A．equipping | B．burdening | C．inspiring | D．capturing |
| A．forced | B．made | C．set | D．gave |
| A．expected | B．persuaded | C．drove | D．commanded |
| A．praises | B．denies | C．neglects | D．ruins |
| A．supporters | B．volunteers | C．participants | D．experts |
| A．undervalued | B．spread | C．rejected | D．over-recommended |
8 . The Negative Impacts of Volunteer Tourism
Volunteer tourism, or voluntourism, is an increasingly popular form of altruistic travel. Its appeal lies in being an experience that allows visitors to feel good by being a part of some kind of meaningful change. But despite good intentions from participants, volunteering abroad has been the target of heavy criticism over the past few years.
Voluntourists only have a limited amount of time, and the ability to change the systems and provide support for the places they visit. Being volunteers, they also simply don’t have the skills to do so. And they can sometimes inadvertently perpetuate unhelpful and even patronizing(自视高人一等的)ideas about the places they visit. A number of studies have shown that volunteer tourism can have negative impacts,
*Unskilled labor creates more work
Previously, volunteering opportunities were often
*Volunteers take local jobs
In the meantime, this takes jobs away from locals who would have been paid to do the same work. It also prevents them from learning or being taught the skills that could then be used to
*There is no long-term commitment
Lots of communities do need the help and assistance of volunteers, but what are they able to address in the few short weeks of their “
* There is a lot of focus on
Voluntourism tends to place a lot of emphasis on the volunteers, sometimes even at the expense of the community they are looking to help. Travel companies attract individuals with promises of
What Can We Do Instead?
Short-term volunteers, especially students, also need to be given the opportunity to explore various different cultures and destinations. But they should take the time to learn about the socio-cultural backgrounds of the places they visit. Short-term placements thus become more about experiences and
This kind of cross-cultural engagement can do a lot of good in a world that is increasingly leaning towards violence and xenophobia.
1.| A．let alone | B．in terms of | C．rather than | D．thanks to |
| A．transmitted | B．restricted | C．appointed | D．delivered |
| A．cast | B．concern | C．agreement | D．solution |
| A．well-understood | B．well-organized | C．well-bred | D．well-meaning |
| A．seemingly | B．unexpectedly | C．otherwise | D．extremely |
| A．serve | B．survive | C．sustain | D．support |
| A．invested in | B．removed from | C．devoted in | D．set aside |
| A．immediately | B．continuously | C．carefully | D．incredibly |
| A．appeal | B．campaign | C．efforts | D．visit |
| A．locals | B．organizers | C．foreigners | D．technicians |
| A．overshadow | B．match | C．deserve | D．pair |
| A．rewarding | B．cultivating | C．praising | D．motivating |
| A．cost-effective | B．energy-boosting | C．short-lived | D．long-term |
| A．distinguish | B．suspend | C．shelter | D．prevent |
| A．stock | B．cultural | C．idea | D．information |
9 . To much of the world, bullfighting has always been distinctly Iberian. But these days, parts of France are laying claim to this tradition. From the Cte Basque to the arenas of Arles and Beziers, it has spread to towns where bullfighting has long been banned, and been embraced with such enthusiasm you’d think the sport had been born there.
The rising passion for blood and sand has been resisted by animal-rights activists. Last month someone set off a bomb near the bullring in Carcassonne. Yet France’s enthusiasts fiercely defend their right to these moral rituals. Bullfighting, they insist, is part of the heritage, an expression of a shared regional culture that should be protected.
The rest of the Continent should take note. The paradox (自相矛盾) of an ever-more-united Europe is that as borders between member states become less important, so do the nations themselves-and regional identities are valued. It’s easy to forget that most European nation-states were created as we know them only during the 19th century, after a long series of bloody conflicts. “If the chances of war had been a little different, all the regions sharing bullfight might have been together,” argues Jean Michel Mariou, a huge fan of bullfighting. On both sides of the Pyrenees there are Basques, there are Catalans, there are common cultures, he says. “Bullfighting is only one expression of it.”
Bullfighting isn’t the only cultural tradition that has begun to go beyond borders, of course. To name but one other: the Celtic revival, built largely around musical groups along the coast of Ireland, Scotland and Cornwall, Brittany and Normandy. But while bagpipes (风笛) may stir the blood, they don’t spill it. And the violence of bullfighting horrifies many people who don’t feel they share in its culture.
“The concept of lasting local tradition doesn’t mean anything anymore,” says Josyane Wuerelle, coordinator of the Federation de Liasions Anti-Corrida in Agde. Bullfighting is about attracting tourists, not honoring local history, she argues. Robert Marge doesn’t see it that way, of course. He recently declined an invitation to organize a bullfighting in Paris’s enormous Stade de France. “We didn’t want to sell our souls by bringing bullfight to a region where it doesn’t exist,” he explains. But he has also got the sense to know that some traditions don’t travel well.
1. What can we learn about bullfighting from the first two paragraphs?| A．It is legal in France. | B．It will boom tourism in France. |
| C．It has become popular in France. | D．It is part of the heritage of France. |
| A．Shared cultures could bring people together. |
| B．The continent of Europe is more united than ever. |
| C．Bullfighting is a popular culture in many regions. |
| D．Regions sharing bullfight were separated by wars. |
| A．It ignores animal rights. | B．It honors local tradition. |
| C．It is intended for money. | D．It is too violent for Paris. |
| A．Fight over Bullfight | B．Culture or Violence |
| C．Bullfight and Tourism | D．Passion for Blood and Sand |
10 . We’ve all done it. We buy something we think we like and then change our minds about it. Whether panic buying, an impulse purchase or shopper’s remorse, we’re fortunate many companies allow us to easily exchange or refund items. In fact it’s so easy these days that retailers are seeing an increase in a new type of shopper: the serial returner.
A serial returner is someone who buys items, often in bulk, only to return most of them. Hester Grainger, 41, founder of Mumala Club, estimates spending £300 to £400 each month on clothes, but returning “around 80%”. This isn’t unique. Barclaycard, which processes nearly half of the UK’s credit and debit card transactions, says that in the last two years 26% of retailers have seen an increase in in-store and online returns—with the number of items being sent back up by 22%.
It’s a problem for companies. Handling these returns eats into profits. Free delivery for the customer means the company foots the bill. Items may need to be repackaged. They are damaged—making them unfit for resale. Tony Mannix, CEO of Clipper, a logistics firm that handles returned goods for major retailers, said about 5% of them end up “being binned”. Sometimes the fast fashion cycle has moved on. By the time the item comes back, it becomes a cut-price (降价出售的) item on a reduced-to-clear (清仓减价) rail—at further loss to the company.
Some companies are taking action to deter this behaviour. Four in ten retailers now say they charge for returns to discourage the sending of non-faulty items. Online retail giant Amazon was reported to have started barring customers with too many returned items. This is something a study by retail management system Brightpearl found over half of UK fashion retailers would consider. And Barclaycard says a third of retailers have hiked their prices to cover these returns.
But Vicky Brock, director of data innovation at ReBound Returns, a returns management software system, believes this isn’t the best strategy. She says discouraging returns shows a lack of understanding by the retailer. Using data, companies can reduce returns by helping customers choose better. Some companies already provide a suggested size based on the customer’s previous purchases and information on height and weight. Ultimately, she says, returns are now as much a part of the shopping experience as buying things, and shops need to take this into consideration.
1. The underlined word “binned” in paragraph 3 is similar in meaning to “________”.| A．banned | B．devalued | C．thrown away | D．replaced |
① raise the prices greatly
②bar the customers who have returned products too frequently
③ cover the costs of returns with the revenues
④ask for fees of returns
⑤ provide discounts for customers with few return records
| A．①②④ | B．②③ | C．①④ | D．②④⑤ |
| A．If companies help customers make wiser decisions, the rate of returns will decline. |
| B．Discouraging returns shows retailers’ deep understanding of the rule of marketing. |
| C．Shops can make use of the data of returns to help enhance the customer experience. |
| D．Making purchases and being charged for returns play an important part in customers’ shopping experience. |
