题目内容
9．Silence is unnatural to man．He begins life with a cry and ends it in stillness．In between he does all he can to make a noise in the world，and he fears silence more than anything else．Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence．If he is introduced to another person，and a number of pauses occur in the conversation，he regards himself as a failure，a worthless person，and is full of envy of the emptiest headed chatterbox （喋喋不休的人）． He knows that 99% of human conversation means no more than the buzzing of a fly，but he is anxious to join in the buzz and to prove that he is a man and not a waxwork figure （蜡塑人像）．The aim of conversation is not，for the most part，to communicate ideas； it is to keep up the buzzing sound．There are，it must be admitted，different qualities of buzz； there is even a buzz that is as annoying as the continuous noise made by a mosquito．But at a dinner party one would rather be a mosquito than a quiet person．Most buzzing，fortunately，is pleasant to the ear，and some of it is pleasant even to the mind．He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing with his neighbors．
Those who hate to pick up the weather as a conversational opening seem to me not to know the reason why human beings wish to talk．Very few human beings join in a conversation in the hope of learning anything new．Some of them are content if they are merely allowed to go on making a noise into other peoples ears，though they have nothing to tell them except that they have seen two or three new plays or that they had food in a Swiss hotel．At the end of an evening during which they have said nothing meaningful for a long time，they just prove themselves to be successful conservationists
82．According to the author，people make conversation toD
A．exchange ideas B．prove their value
C．achieve success in life D．overcome their fear of silence
83．By"the buzzing of a fly"（Para.1），the author means"C"
A．the noise of an insect B．a low whispering sound
C．meaningless talks D．the voice of a chatterbox
84．According to the passage，people usually talk to their neighborsB．
A．about whatever they have prepared B．about whatever they want to
C．in the hope of learning something new D．in the hope of getting on well
85．What is the author's purpose in writing the passage？D．
A．To discuss why people like talking about weather．
B．To encourage people to join in conversations．
C．To persuade people to stop making noises．
D．To explain why people keep talking．
分析 本文是一篇社会文化类阅读，属于说明文，沉默是不自然的个性，出生时人们在哭，结束时寂静，人类最怕的是沉默，即使谈话也是为了克服沉默而导致的恐惧．本文以此展开，作者解释了人们为何不停地谈话．
解答 82．D．细节理解题．文章开始Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence．即表明了人类最怕的是沉默，即使谈话也是为了克服沉默而导致的恐惧．故选D．
83．C．词义猜测题．根据日常知识，大多数谈话没有什么特别意义．故此处the buzzing of a fly指的是无意义的谈话．故选C．
84．B．推理判断题．根据第二段最后一句话He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing with his neighbors．可知，表面与邻居交流可以谈任何想谈的内容，不必等到你有一智慧的想法才开口．故选B．
85．D．主旨大意题．本题需要对文章三段加以综合概括，尤其是第二段首句The aim of conversation is not，for the most part，to communicate ideas； it is to keep up the buzzing sound．可知，表面作者写本文的真实意图是解释人们为何不停的谈话．故选D．
点评 本文是一篇社会文化类阅读，题目涉及多道细节理解题，推理判断题，词义猜测题，主旨大意题．做题时学生应仔细阅读原文，把握文章主要内容，联系文章上下文内容并结合所给选项含义，从中选出正确答案，一定要做到有理有据，切忌胡乱猜测．
