Question

    It was decades ago now, but it’s still one of the most memorable conversations of my life. On a long, slow train heading north, with nothing to do but watch the rain, the man sitting opposite began trying to talk to me. Like most young women who have learned the hard way to be careful of strangers, I was unfriendly. But curiosity took over when he said that he was just bored, and liked talking.

So that’s what we did for hours and hours as the man turned out to be quite talkative. When the train finally pulled in, we didn’t change numbers. However, I still think about it sometimes on long, boring journeys, before getting a phone out and scrolling silently like everyone else. It’s a rare person who can cheerfully break the social rule about not talking to strangers without any ill intention, but life would be more interesting if more of us knew how to do it.

And that’s why I can’t be as cynical as I probably should be about “Tube Chat” campaign launched to encourage Britons to talk to each other. All anyone is being asked to do is to start a conversation they wouldn’t otherwise have had — maybe with a friend from whom they’ve been apart or a neighbor they don’t know.

Obviously, it takes more than a bit of small talk over garden fences to unite strangers together. More people live alone than did so a generation ago, and the rise in freelancing（自由职业）means more of us work alone too. We socialize increasingly through screens, sending texts instead of bothering to call.

It’s true that the “Tube Chat” campaign of a few years back failed in its attempts to make Londoners talk to each other on public transport. But even city people who would normally die rather than make eye contact with strangers still happily gather in large numbers by the Thames for the New Year’s Eve fireworks. They would get a far better view at home on television — it’s not really about the fireworks, but about being part of something communal (公共的).

There’s no guarantee (保证) that this latest campaign to reconnect will succeed wherever others have failed. But if there ever a moment to stop social disbelief it may start a fire to warm a world that sometimes feels cold. Wherever my train friend is now, ________.

1.The author introduced her train friend to ________.

A.share her most memorable but boring journey

B.express her deep regret for losing touch with him

C.show that talking to strangers can add interest to life

D.explain why people are becoming indifferent

2.The underlined word “cynical” is closest in meaning to ________.

A.doubtful B.supportive C.confused D.disappointed

3.The example of Londoners gathering for the New Year’s Eve fireworks is used to show that ________.

A.“Tube Chat”, failed in its attempts to unite strangers together

B.it’s hard to break the social rule about not talking to strangers

C.people have a wish to be socially connected by nature

D.“Tube Chat” made some difference to reconnecting people

4.Which of the following best fits in the blank in the last paragraph?

A.I hope he’s still talking B.I hope he is still as interesting

C.I will miss him forever D.I will try to get in touch with him

5.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A.Keep our desire to connect. B.Avoid talking to strangers.

C.Show respect for social disbelief D.Socialize with our friends.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.C

4.A

5.A

【解析】

这是一篇夹叙夹议文。作者通过自己一次火车上和陌生人聊天的愉快经历告诉我们，我们要有和别人交流的想法，这样我们的生活会更有趣。

1.

推理判断题。根据文章第一句It was decades ago now, but it’s still one of the most memorable conversations of my life.可知，距今已有几十年了，但它仍然是我一生中最难忘的对话之一。再结合第二段but life would be more interesting if more of us knew how to do it.可知，但是如果我们中的更多人知道如何去做，生活会更有趣。由此推知，作者介绍自己火车上的朋友，目的是告诉我们与陌生人交谈可以增加生活趣味。故选C。

2.

词义猜测题。根据上一段It’s a rare person who can cheerfully break the social rule about not talking to strangers without any ill intention，but life would be more interesting if more of us knew how to do it.很少有人能毫无恶意地打破不与陌生人交谈的社交规则，但如果我们中有更多的人知道如何这样做，生活将会更加有趣；再结合划线单词所在句的内容可知，此处划线单词“cynical”的意思是“怀疑”，因为作者认为和陌生人可能会有趣，所以作者不怀疑这项活动。故选A。

3.

推理判断题。根据倒数第二段 But even city people who would normally die rather than make eye contact with strangers still happily gather in large numbers by the Thames for the New Year’s Eve fireworks. 可知，即使是那些通常宁愿死去也不愿与陌生人有眼神接触的城市居民，仍然开心地大批聚集在泰晤士河边，观看新年前夜的烟火表演。由此可推知，从本性上来看，人们希望与社会有联系。故选C。

4.

推理判断题。根据最后一段But if there ever a moment to stop social disbelief it may start a fire to warm a world that sometimes feels cold.可知，如果有一个时刻可以阻止社会的不信任，它可能会点燃一堆火来温暖这个有时会感到寒冷的世界。由此可知，作者愿意和陌生人交流或交谈，所以作者还是希望自己的火车朋友还能那么健谈。故选A。

5.

主旨大意题。阅读文章，并结合第一段It was decades ago now, but it’s still one of the most memorable conversations of my life. 可知，作者结合自身的经历和一项社会活动“Tube Chat”来告诉我们，我们要有和别人交流的想法，这样我们的生活会更有趣，结合选项可知，选项A，符合题意。故选A。