Question

Loneliness is like a disease, and what’s worse, it’s contagious. It can spread from one person to another, according to the recent research that stresses the power of one person’s emotions to affect even people they don’t know.

The new analysis, involving 4,793 people who were interviewed every two years between 2005 and 2015, showed that a friend of a lonely person was 52% more likely to develop feelings of loneliness by the time of the next interview. A friend of that person was 25% more likely, and a friend of a friend of a friend was 15% more likely.

''Loneliness is not just the property of an individual. It can be transmitted across people—even people you don’t have direct contact with,” said John T. Cacioppo, a psychologist of University of Chicago who led the study published in the December issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Loneliness has been linked to medical problems, including depression, sleep problems and generally poorer physical health. Identifying some of the causes could help reduce the emotion and improve health, experts said.

Although the study did not examine how loneliness spreads, Cacioppo said another research has provided clues. “Let’s say for whatever reason you get lonely. You then interact with other people in a more negative fashion. That puts them in a negative mood and makes them more likely to interact with other people in a negative fashion and they minimize their social ties and become lonely,” Cacioppo said.

According to Cacioppo, loneliness spread more easily among women than men, perhaps because women were more likely to express emotions.

Lonely people become less and less trusting others. This makes it more and more difficult for them to make friends—and more likely that society will reject them. Therefore, it is important to recognize and deal with loneliness. Cacioppo emphasizes people who have been pushed to the edges of society should receive help to repair their social networks.

1.It can be concluded from the first .paragraph that .

A. loneliness spreads in social networks

A. emotions are only transmitted between friends

B. more and more people are suffering from loneliness

C. loneliness is actually a kind of disease

2.According to Cacioppo, lonely people   .

A. rely heavily on others

B. are more likely to trust others

C. are less likely to be rejected by friends

D. will probably be deserted by society

3.The word “ minimize” in Paragragh 5 is closest in meaning to .

A. increase B. reduce C. create D. keep

4.What should lonely people do to get rid of loneliness? '

A. Refuse the help given by others.

B. Admit and try to solve it.

C. Interact with others more negatively.

D. Express emotions more often.

Answer

1.A

2.D

3.B

4.B

【解析】

试题分析: 本文讲述孤独产生的原因及处理的方法。

1.A考查推理判断题。根据第一段提到Loneliness is like a disease, and what’s worse, it’s contagious孤独就象一种疾病，而且有传染性，故选A项。

2.D考查推理判断题。根据最后一段提到Cacioppo emphasizes people who have been pushed to the edges of society should receive help to repair their social networks可知Cacioppo强调那些被推到社会边缘的人应该收到帮助来修复社交关系网络，故选D项。

3.B 考查细节理解题。根据倒数第三段提到That puts them in a negative mood and makes them more likely to interact with other people in a negative fashion and they minimize their social ties and become lonely这让他们处于一个负面情绪中使他们更不想与其它人联系，减少与社会的联系，故选B项。

4.B 考查推理判断题。根据最后一段提到Therefore, it is important to recognize and deal with loneliness因此重要的是认识和处理这种孤独，故选B项。

考点 ：日常生活类阅读。