Small talk—the likes of “What do you have there? Popcorn?” or “The weather today is beautiful, isn’t it?”—is meaningless and a waste of time, according to some people. But scientists believe that it is actually more useful than it may appear to be.
One example comes when you are on a train or a plane. The thought of talking to the stranger sitting beside you can be scary, because you know the conversation is sure to be awkward. But a study by the University of Chicago in the US found that people who chat to strangers enjoy a better ride than those who sit in silence or occupy themselves with their phones.
In the study, researchers asked people at Chicago train stations to start conversations with fellow travelers. Most of them refused to do so at first because they expected not to get a friendly answer. But the result turned out to be just the opposite—most strangers were not only willing to be talked to, but also pleasant to talk to.
“Human beings are social animals,” Nicholas Epley, one of the lead researchers, told Live Science. “Other people are people, too. And it turns out that they’d like to get to know you.”
Apart from making you happier, small talk with strangers can also help you feel connected to your surroundings. Previous studies found that when people are frequently smiled at, made eye contact with and spoken to at coffee shops, they tend to have a stronger sense of belonging instead of feeling like they are being ignored and left out.
And if you are already comfortable enough to make small talk with strangers, you should try to develop it into something “bigger”.
A 2010 study proved that having a deep and meaningful conversation gives you even more happiness than small talk. Participants in the study—79 college students—reported after the four-day experiment that they were much happier when they had a third as much small talk and twice as many in-depth conversations.
But deep conversations can start with small talk, can’t they? So the first step is to start talking, no matter how casual the topic is. And who knows, maybe an opening line as simple as “I like your hat” could lead to a serious conversation in which you learn something new from a stranger.
1.Why are most people willing to have a talk during a trip, according to Nicholas Epley?
A.Most people are nice to strangers.
B.People are naturally curious about others.
C.People are afraid of loneliness or boredom.
D.People try to show their good side to strangers.
2.Which of the following is a benefit of small talk?
A.Wasting less time.
B.Developing useful contacts.
C.Disconnecting from phones for a while.
D.Feeling like being a part of your surroundings.
3.According to the 2010 study, in what way can people get more happiness from talking with strangers?
A.Starting with serious topics. B.Starting with casual topics.
C.Making it important and deep. D.Choosing pleasant surroundings.
4.What is the author’s attitude toward small talk?
A.Supportive. B.Negative.
C.Doubtful. D.Objective.
Open water swimming
I had only swum in open water a few times, and always in gentle lakes, so I wasn’t prepared for how rough Lake Windermere appeared on a cold day. A swimmer told me the water felt colder than it had been measured, and that the water was a bit rough. But I, along with 10,000 others, was about to complete the challenge.
Most of the people taking part were doing a one-mile race, and 10 races were planned over the weekend. There seemed to be a mix of open-water enthusiasts alongside complete beginners—which is precisely the aim of the swims, to get as many people as possible completing their own challenge. The oldest woman competing was 77, taking part in the two-mile race, alongside a man who last year had swum in every one-mile race.
I had chosen the third one-mile race of the day. There were over 600 people in my race. We were taken through an acclimatization area, a children’s paddling pool-sized part of the lake where we moved in to feel how cold the water was. “Not too bad” was everyone’s thought! Then we headed out towards the middle of the lake.
We’d been warned that the first 100 metres would be really rough. However, somewhere near the 750m mark I was still waiting for the calm; it felt more like swimming in the sea than a lake. I tried to focus on my breathing and technique, and just keep going. As I approached the 400m-to-go mark my lower right leg became painful. I recalled overhearing people talking about how they kept swimming through the pain, so I tried. But it didn’t work. I began to feel the entire leg tight and painful. I didn’t want to stop, so I bent my right knee and just kicked with the left leg.
Finally I saw the finishing post, and I just concentrated on getting there—still one-legged. My finishing time was 38 minutes 25 seconds but that didn’t matter—the atmosphere was fantastic and everyone felt a sense of achievement, whatever their time. I’m hooked, and want to give it another go. I’ve already signed up for my next open-water swim.
1.How did the author feel before the race?
A.Scared of the most challenging race.
B.Disappointed by the difficult conditions.
C.Concerned about the other swimmers in the race.
D.Determined to be as tough as the people around her.
2.Why does the author mention the two people in Paragraph 2?
A.To stress the importance of the race.
B.To praise the experienced swimmers.
C.To show the wide range of the participants.
D.To introduce the various events of the race.
3.The author suggests in Paragraph 4 that ______.
A.the race would cause breathing problems
B.the race became harder than she had expected
C.it was really necessary to prepare for tough swims
D.it would have been easier if she had taken others’ advice
4.What does the author talk about in the last paragraph?
A.Her confidence in her own ability.
B.Her pride in having swum so quickly.
C.Her eagerness to repeat the experience.
D.Her surprise at having managed to finish.
Monster Zoo
Monster Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world, covering more than 15 km squares. It is home to more than 50 species of rare and native animals. The zoo is located 70 km from the city New South Australia.
Monster zoo was founded in 1983 as a breeding area (繁殖区). Officially open to the public in October 1993, Monster Zoo is now home to more than 500 animals.
Opening Hours
Monster zoo is open daily from 9: 30 am to 5: 00 pm with last entry at 3: 00 pm. The zoo is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day and all public holidays. The exception to this is if the forecast temperature for Monster Zoo is 40 degrees or above, it will be closed.
To get the most out of your visit we recommend setting aside a minimum of four to five hours to fully enjoy the Monster zoo.
Tickets
Child (4-14 years old) : AU $ 28. 50
Adult (15 years old and over) : AU $ 51. 75
Family / Mini Group: AU $ 132. 75
Meet the Keeper
Monster zoo offers various daily zoo keeper talks and animal feeds that give guests the chance to interact (互动) with our friendly workers and learn about the zoo’s unique residents.
Looking for a more unique animal experience? Consider booking a Behind the Scenes Animal Experience to come face to face with some of our special animal residents.
Café
Ketabi Café is open from 9: 30 am to 5: 00 pm daily and offers a variety of tasty treats, small snacks and hot meals.
Picnics
For those who prefer to bring their own meals, special picnic areas are available close to the Visitor Center. Please note that due to fire risk, the zoo does not allow for the use of BBQs.
1.What can we learn about the zoo from the text?
A.It is the largest zoo in the world.
B.It is open daily all year except Christmas Day.
C.It is open to the public ten years after it was founded.
D.It is home to more than 500 species of animals.
2.If three young men aged 12, 14 and 19 visit the zoo, how much will they pay?
A.AU $ 155. 25. B.AU $ 108. 75.
C.AU $ 85.25. D.AU $ 132. 75.
3.Where does this text most probably come from?
A.A health newspaper. B.An animal book.
C.A travel website. D.A fashion magazine.
阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。
In 1971, China’s first subway line in Beijing was formally put into operation. By December 2017, there were 171 subway lines stretching over 5,083 km in 35 cities on the Chinese mainland. Currently, China has the longest urban railway network in the world, which is predicted to surpass 6000 km by 2020.
The rapid development of China’s urban railway system reflects the country’s growing economic strength. The system has experienced the fastest growth over the past 15 years due to the investment of wealth accumulated from the reform and opening up in urban infrastructure construction. An urban railway system is expensive to build, with one kilometer of subway costing approximately 700 million yuan ($110 million). A city without economic strength cannot develop such an expensive system.
The progress in urban railway construction technologies has also contributed to the fast expansion of the infrastructure. Subway construction involves building underground tunnels, laying rails, manufacturing trains and the operation and management of subways. It is a systematic project which not only covers traditional infrastructure building but also modem electronics and information technology. China s railway construction technologies are the best in the world, with Chinese subway trains now exported to developed countries including the United States.
The expansion of Chinese cities has made it necessary to develop urban railway systems. Since the start of the reform and opening up, a large number of people have migrated to cities and the number of private cars has increased dramatically, resulting in serious traffic congestion. Building subways has become an important way to solve this problem.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of China’s reform and opening up, and the rapid development of China’s urban railway system exemplifies the achievements made by the policy. As China furthers its opening up, it will continue to maintain steady and rapid economic growth and railway systems will be available in more and more cities.
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假定你是李华，你的美国笔友Tom来信说他对中医感兴趣，想来中国学习。请你给他回封 邮件，具体内容如下：
1.支持他的决定；
2.简单介绍中医及其优点；
3.学习中医的好处。
注意：1.词数80左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Tom,
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Yours,
Li Hua
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。
No more do you have to enter a bank to withdraw money or transfer it to someone. Many banks have already made transactions (业务，交易) possible online and 1. (access) to people everywhere. Companies like PayPal and Venmo have created platforms where people can send and receive money from any location 2. (use) the Internet.
Paying bills has also become simplified, thanks 3. technology. You can 4.(automatic) schedule payments when they are due rather than having to remember 5. (mail) a check. With your cell phone and a banking app, you can manage all of your necessary bill payments online.
Setting up automated payments through a banking app is especially helpful for seniors 6. may have memory problems. Caregivers or loved ones can help set up recurring (反复出现)bill payments so there’s never a question 7. or not a bill will be paid on time.
It’s even simple to pay for things using only your smartphone. With Apple Pay and Google Wallet, you don’t need to carry cash when you go shopping. These apps securely link your bank account to your mobile phone. The same 8. (machine) you use to swipe (刷磁卡) your credit card at the store now allow mobile payments from your phone.
Keeping up with all of these innovations may seem like 9. struggle, but these technologies can simplify your life to help you worry about far 10. (few) things.
With all of the payment capabilities available these days, you could leave home without your wallet be just fine
