Question

    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.What is the reason for the result of the study by the University of Chicago, 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 according to the passage ?

A.Wasting less time. B.Getting rid of useless contacts.

C.Coping with smart phone addiction. D.Feeling like you are a part of your surroundings.

3.What does something “bigger” mean in the passage?

A.Privacy B.Small talk C.Sensitive topics D.In-depth conversations

4.What is the author’s attitude toward small talk?

A.Positive. B.Negative. C.Doubtful. D.Passionate.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.D

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍和陌生人闲聊实际上是有用的。它可以让人快乐，让人有归属感。而且和陌生人以闲聊开始的深度谈话，更能让人感到快乐。

1.

推理判断题。根据第四段“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.”（ “人类是一种社会动物，”首席研究员之一Nicholas Epley告诉Live Science。“其他人也是人。结果发现，他们很想了解你”）可知，是人类身上具有的社会性和好奇心导致的。故选B项。

2.

细节理解题。根据第五段Apart from making you happier, small talk with strangers can also help you feel connected to your surroundings（除了让你更快乐，和陌生人闲聊也能让你感觉和周围的环境有联系）可知，闲聊能让你感觉和周围的环境有联系。故选D项。

3.

词义猜测题。根据第七段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（2010年的一项研究证明，有深度和有意义的谈话比闲聊更能带给你快乐。这项研究的参与者——79名大学生——在为期四天的实验后报告说，当他们进行三分之一的闲聊和两倍的深入交谈时，他们会感到更快乐）可知，第6段提及 “更大的东西”指代的就是第7段提及的in-depth conversations（有深度的交流）。故选选D项。

4.

推理判断题。根据第一段But scientists believe that it is actually more useful than it may appear to be（但科学家们认为，它实际上比看上去更有用），第五段Apart from making you happier, small talk with strangers can also help you feel connected to your surroundings（除了让你更快乐，和陌生人闲聊也能让你感觉和周围的环境有联系）以及最后一段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（谁知道呢，也许像“我喜欢你的帽子”这样简单的开场白就能引发一场严肃的谈话，在谈话中你可以从一个陌生人那里学到一些新东西）可知，作者对闲聊的态度是赞同支持的，认为它是积极的。A. Positive 积极的；B. Negative 消极的；C. Doubtful 怀疑的；D. Passionate热情的。故选A项。