Security guard, truck driver, salesperson—year after year, these jobs appear on lists of the unhappiest careers. Although many factors can make a job unhappy, unusual hours, low pay, no chance for advancement — these three gigs stand out for another reason: a lack of small talk.

Psychologists have long said that connecting with others is central to well-being, but just how much conversation we require is under investigation. In one study, researchers eavesdropped(窃听) on undergraduates for four days, then cataloged each overheard conversation as either small talk (What do you have there? Popcorn?(Yummy!) or serious (So did they get divorced soon after?). They found that the second type related with happiness—the happiest students had roughly twice as many serious talks as the unhappiest ones. Small talk, meanwhile, made up only 10 percent of their conversation, versus almost 30 percent of conversation among the least content students.

However, don't just consider chat worthless yet. Scientists believe that small talk could promote linking. Chatting with strangers could brighten your morning. In a series of experiments, psychologists gave Chicago travelers varying directions about whether to talk with fellow train passengers something they typically avoided. Those told to chat with others reported a more pleasant journey than those told to enjoy your being alone or to do whatever they normally would. None of the chatters reported being rejected. And the results held for introverts(内向者) and extroverts(外向者) alike which makes sense, since acting extroverted has a positive effect on introverts.

Small talk can also help us feel connected to our surroundings. People who smiled at, made eye contact with, and briefly spoke with their Starbucks reported a greater sense of belonging than those who rushed through the business. Similarly, one not yet published paper found that when volunteers broke the silence of the Tate Modern to chat with gallery goers, the visitors felt happier and more connected to the exhibit than those who were not approached.

So go ahead, pry. Chitchat needn’t be idle. And nosiness isn’t all bad.

1.The author attributes the unhappiness felt by security guards, truck drivers and sales people to ________.

A. unusual hours and low pay

B. a lack of small talk

C. no chance for advancement

D. an absence of serious conversation

2.What was the conclusion of the study mentioned in the second paragraph?

A.Connecting with others is central to our well-being.

B.We require 30 minutes of conversation every day to be happy.

C.Serious conversation is linked to happiness.

D.Small talk cannot help make us feel happy.

3.The author used the Tate Modern example to demonstrate that ________.

A. connecting with others is key to our happiness

B. unserious conversation could promote bonding

C. small talk can help us feel connected to our surroundings

D. smiling can help people gain a great sense of belonging

4.Which of the following shows the development of ideas in this passage?

Are you truly happy? Do you ever know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness? __1._ The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.

※ Make a plan for achieving goals that you believe will make you happy. Your moods will very likely increase if you are going after something you value.

※ Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. ___2._

※ When something goes wrong, try to figure out a solution instead of being absorbed in self-pity. Truly happy people don’t allow setbacks to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can turn the circumstances back to their favor.

※ __3. These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continuous happiness.

※ ___4.___ Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance, you will be subconsciously (下意识地) putting yourself in a better mood.

※ Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. Find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you happy.

※ Keeping healthy is another way to achieve happiness. __5.__

A. What makes one person happy may be very different from what makes someone else happy.

B. On the contrary, if you are around people who are happy, their emotional state will be infectious.

C. Being overweight or not eating nutritious foods can have a negative effect on your mood.

D. These are important questions for anyone who is seeking happiness to ask themselves.

E. Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy.

F. There are some tips in life that lead to happiness.

G. It’s also important to take some time each day to do something nice for yourself.

Salvador Dali (1904-1989) was one of the most popular modern artists. The Pompidou Centre in Paris is showing its respect and admiration for the artist and his powerful personality with an exhibition bringing together over 200 paintings, sculptures, drawings and more. Among the works and masterworks on exhibition the visitor will find the best pieces, most importantly The Persistence of Memory. There is also L’Enigme sans Fin from 1938, works on paper, objects, and projects for stage and screen and selected parts from television programmes reflecting the artist’s showman qualities.

The visitor will enter the World of Dali through an egg and is met with the beginning, the world of birth. The exhibition follows a path of time and subject with the visitor exiting through the brain.

The exhibition shows how Dali draws the viewer between two infinities (无限). “From the infinity small to the infinity large, contraction and expansion coming in and out of focus: amazing Flemish accuracy and the showy Baroque of old painting that he used in his museum-theatre in Figueras,” explains the Pompidou Centre.

The fine selection of the major works was done in close collaboration (合作) with the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain, and with contributions from other institutions like the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.

1.Which of the following best describe Dali according to Paragraph 1?

A. Optimistic.B. Productive.C. Generous.D. Traditional.

2.What is Dali’s The Persistence of Memory considered to be?

A. One of his masterworks.

B. A successful screen adaptation.

C. An artistic creation for the stage.

D. One of the best TV programmes.

3.How are the exhibits arranged at the World of Dali?

A. By popularity.B. By importance.

C. By size and shape.D. By time and subject.

4.What does the word “contributions” in the last paragraph refer to?

A. Artworks.B. ProjectsC. Donations.D. Documents.

At first, the earth’s surface(表面) layer (层) was made up of huge blocks of hard, solid rocks. Then slowly, the rocks broke up into smaller and smaller pieces. Finally stones, pebbles (卵石) and grains of sand were formed. Many sorts of plants and animals lived and died on the surface of the earth. Their remains mixed up with the stones, pebbles and formed soil. The outmost layer of the earth is soil.

There are many ways in which large pieces of rock break into smaller ones. Wind, water, heat and cold help to break up rocks. When winds blow grains of sand against a large rock for a long time, the softer layers of the rock are slowly worn away. These leave holes and cracks (裂缝) in the rock, which become bigger and finally the rock breaks up into smaller pieces.

The moving water of streams and rivers also helps to break up rocks. As the water moves along, it carries with it small pieces of rock. These rub the larger ones. Thus, the larger rocks are worn down to smaller pieces.

The heat of the sun is also helpful to breaking up rocks. When the sun shines, the rocks become very hot. If these rocks are suddenly cooled, they may crack. Ice also plays a part in making soil. Water in the cracks can turn into ice in cold weather. As this happens, it becomes bigger and the cracks become wider, and finally break into smaller pieces.

1.According to the passage, soil ________.

A. forms very slowly

B. is a mixture of stones, pebbles and sand

C. makes up the layers of the earth

D. is becoming smaller and smaller

2.How many factors are mentioned in helping break up rocks?

A. Three.B. Four.C. Five.D. More than five.

3.Which of the following speeds up(加速) the breaks of rocks most?

A. Hot weather.

B. Cold water.

C. Sharp changes in temperature.

D. More dead plants in the cracks.

4.Which of the following is NOT true?

A. The remains of many plants and animals formed soil.

B. If a large rock never moves, it will never break up.

C. Even if a large rock never moves, it will break up.

D. Ice in the cracks helps to break up rocks.

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