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.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题
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.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Are you a big fan of pirate（海盗） stories? Do you know how to talk like a pirate? You can have fun on September 19th. This special holiday is called International Talk Like A Pirate Day. It was invented in 1995 by two young Americans, John Baur and Mark Summers.
These two good friends came up with this idea when they were playing racquetball, and began to talk like pirates. At that moment, they thought, “Young people are interested in pirate, but there is no such a chance for people to get together to share it. Why not have a day when everybody talks like a pirate?” They decided to make September 19th the date. Since then, Baur and Summers have tried hard to promote Talk Like A Pirate Day. As Baur said, “We’ve talked like pirates, and encouraged several of our friends to do so every September 19th.”
At first, this day was only known by a few people. In 2002, Baur and Summers sent a letter about their invented holiday to Dave Barry. This columnist（专栏作家）really liked their idea. He promoted the holiday and made it known to more and more people. Now, it has really become an international holiday. On Talk Like A Pirate Day, you need to dress like a pirate. You should wear a big hat or maybe cover one of your eyes. You can pretend to be any kind of pirate that you can find in any story or movie.
Having fun and being relaxed are not the only best things about the holiday. Young people share the same interest and childhood dreams that day. That's why it is welcomed by so many people, especially young people.
Unlike traditional holidays, International Talk Like A Pirate Day is a brand new holiday which is invented by the youth themselves and celebrated by themselves too. Because of Baur and Summers’ imagination and creativity, thousands of young people’s pirate dream come true. Next time, when you have a good idea, why not share it with your fiends and insist on your belief? Maybe you can create another wonderful holiday for the youth in the future.
1.How did John Baur and Mark Summers invent the special holiday?
| A．Many young people asked them to do it |
| B．They did it just for pleasure |
| C．They did it in order to honor pirates |
| D．They thought out the idea by chance and imagination |
2.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．It was Dave Barry who made more people know the holiday. |
| B．Talk Like A Pirate Day is a young, active and lively holiday |
| C．The holiday has been popular since the birth of it. |
| D．Thanks to John Baur and Mark Summers’ imagination and creativity, many people realize the pirate dream. |
3.According to the passage, which of the following can show that the holiday is special?
| A．It is a brand new holiday invented and celebrated by the youth themselves. |
| B．It is a wonderful and instructive holiday. |
| C．It has a long history. |
| D．People can make their dream come true on this day. |
4.Which of the following can serve as the best title of the passage in a newspaper？
| A．Young people’s pirate dream | B．Can you talk like a pirate? |
| C．John Baur and Mark Summers | D．September 19th—a traditional day in honor of pirates |
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
--What do you think of the talk?
--To tell the truth ,it was______。Many of us were soon ______of it and began to do something else.
A. boring; tired B. bored ; tiring
C. bored ;tired D. boring ;tiring
高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
-- What would you like to do? We have an hour until the lecture.
--- ______. Whatever you want to do is fine with me.
| A．All right. | B．It just depends. |
| C．Glad to hear that. | D．It’s up to you. |
高一英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Why do people like what they like? Scientists have taken on the task of solving this mystery(奥秘)for ages. In the 1960s, psychologist Robert Zajonc conducted a series of experiments where he showed people nonsense words and random shapes. Afterward he asked his subjects which they preferred out of ever thing they had been shown. In study
after study, people always chose the words and shapes they had seen the most. Their preference was for familiarity.
This discovery was one of the most important findings in modern psychology. But the preference for familiarity has clear limits. People get tired of even their favorite songs and movies. On one hand, humans seek familiarity, because it makes then feel safe. On the other hand, people love the thrill of something new. This change between familiarity and discovery affects ns all the time- not just our preferences for pictures and songs, but also our preferences for ideas and even people.
For that reason, the power of familiarity seems to be strongest when a person isn’t expecting it. The opposite is also true: A surprise seems to work best when it contains some familiarity. Nobody knows this better than Raymond Loews, who is considered to be the "father of industrial design. He had a theory that he said could help artists sell anything to anyone. He called it MAYA --"Most Advanced Yet Acceptable""To sell something surprising, make it familiar; and to sell something familiar, make it surprising," he said.
One of Loewy’s final tasks was too add an element(要素)of familiarity to a truly new invention: NASA’s first space station. Loewy’s biggest contribution to the space station was that he insisted NASA install a window with a view of Earth. Today, tens of millions of people have seen this small detail in films about astronauts. It is hard to imagine a more perfect example of MAYA: a window to a new world can also show you home.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
高一英语概要写作困难题查看答案及解析
—What do you think of Sam, the newcomer?
—Well, he talks as if he ________ everything.
| A．had known | B．has known | C．knew | D．will know |
高一英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
－What do you think of the speech given by the president?
－I like_________of what he said.
A．more B．many C．few D．Much
高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
What`s out there? How can you learn all of America`s colleges? How do you find the best match---the best college for you? Big or small, private or public? 1. .Researchers are necessary for making a good college decision. 2. . Don`t easily believe what others say, such as “Someone told me that Colorado College is too small” and “Someone told me that Michigan is too big.” Every college has something for someone. 3. . It does not mean it will be a good place for you just because you have heard the name of a college. It doen`t mean that you will not like it just because you have not heard the name of a college.
4. .That means in these colleges you can fit in with the other students, find the level of education you need and feel good on campus. Researching the colleges means finding several college where you really want to go.
One quick way to research the colleges is to take a tour of the colleges on your computer. 5. . Check out the hundreds of colleges on these two websites. When you find one that sounds like a place you would like to go to, check out its website and learn more. Make a list of 20 colleges and then choose a short list of 10.
www.campustours.com
www.youniversityto.com
A.There is no college that is wonderful for everyone.
B.Here are the two top websites to get you started
C.Get your parents involved in the decision-making process.
D.That means collecting information from many sources.
E.Don`t take too much time doing your research.
F.There are many things to consider.
G.There are many colleges where you will be happy.
高一英语信息匹配中等难度题查看答案及解析
Can you imagine a cloud floating in the middle of your room? Do you want to know what it feels like to fly like a bird? Find your answers in Time Magazine's 25 "Best Inventions". Here, we have picked out the most interesting 4 to share with you.
Talking Gloves
Ever felt confused by the sign language used by disabled people? Here is the "helping hand" you need. Four Ukrainian students have created a pair of gloves that helps people with hearing and speech problems communicate with others. The gloves are equipped with sensors that recognize sign language and translate it into text on a smartphone. Then the smartphone changes the text to spoken words.
Google Glasses
Google Glasses are like a computer built into the frame of a pair of glasses. With its 1.3-centimeter display, the glasses allow you to surf the Internet and make calls without even lifting a finger. The glasses also have a camera and GPS mapping system. Users can take and share photos, check maps and surf the Internet just by looking up, down, left and right.
Indoor Clouds
It's not virtual.That's a real world. Dutch artist Smilde managed to create a small but perfect white cloud in the middle of a room using a fog machine. But it required careful planning—the temperature, humidity（湿度）and lighting all had to be just right. Once everything was ready, the cloud formed in the air with the machine. But it only lasted for a short while.
Wingsuits
The suit fulfills your dreams of flying like a bird.Well, not exactly flying, but gliding（滑翔）through the air. It increases the surface area of the human body, which makes it easier for people to float in the air. Fliers wearing wingsuits can glide one kilometer in about 30 seconds.
1.Who will probably be the users of “Talking Gloves”?
A.Disabled people B.Normal people.
C.Trained people. D.Working people.
2.How can users of Google Glasses surf the Internet?
A.By moving the mouse. B.By tapping the keyboard.
C.By moving the eyeballs. D.By pressing the button.
3.Which of the following can help you fly?
A.Talking Gloves. B.Wingsuits.
C.Google Glasses. D.Indoor Clouds.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Have you ever heard of the saying, “If you want a friend, be !” What does it ? There are many different things that you can do to friends. You may find out what they are if you someone make friends.
Here is one new teacher made friends with the in her class on the first day of the school. When the bell , the teacher smiled at all the students. Then she said, “Good morning. How nice it is to have all of you my class this year! I want to each of you very much.. I’m sure we will enjoy working together.”
The teacher smiled, used a pleasant and acted a friendly way. She told the students her and wrote it on the blackboard. Then she told them something she liked to and hoped to do with them during the year. The students knew that she liked many of the same things they liked. Everyone felt that she what she said. Each of them wanted to know her and be her friend. Then she let the students tell something about . So they felt that the teacher knew them. Could you make friends as the teacher ?
How do you know and like your classmates? One is to find out more about them. During the you can talk to them. You may ask them their names and the names of the schools they went to last year. They want to know about you, too. You may tell them about your interests or your holiday experiences. It is often easy to be friends with people who have interests and play the same games. As you talk, the others may be thinking, “I like to do. It should be fun to be friends with you.” Remember! Just talking together in a friendly way is one good way to make friends.
1.A.one B. it C. that D. careful
2.A. show B. want C. have D. mean
3.A. meet B. make C. have D. get
4.A. look B. hear C. listen D. watch
5.A. what B. why C. how D. when
6.A. teachers B. students C. workmates D. parents
7.A. sang B. got C. rang D. spoke
8.A. in B. on C. with D. about
9.A. teach B. know C. learn D. like
10.A. sound B. sentence C. phrase D. voice
11.A. on B. by C. in D. to
12.A. family B. father C. work D. name
13.A. do B. eat C. get D. play
14.A. meant B. liked C. was D. forgot
15.A. much B. better C. enough D. still
16.A. themselves B. their parents C. the teacher D. the school
17.A. was B. did C. got D. saw
18.A. way B. day C. teacher D. class
19.A. break B. class C. teaching D. day
20.A. no B. different C. many D. the same
高一英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析