Americans are more socially isolated than they were 20 years ago, and nearly a quarter of people said they had “zero”close friends with whom to discuss personal matters. More than 50 percent named two or fewer confidants (密友), most often immediate family members, the researchers said.

　 “This is a big social change, and it shows something that’s not good for our society，” said Duke University Professor Lynn Smith. She said that it showed there was a surprising drop in the number of close friends people had since 1985. At that time, Americans most commonly said they had three close friends whom they had known for a long time, saw often, and with whom they shared a number of interests. They were almost likely to name four or five friends and the relationships often sprang from their neighborhoods or communities (社区).

　 Ties to a close network of friends create a social safety net that is good for society, and for the individual. People were not asked why they had fewer intimate (亲密的) ties, but Smith said that part of the causes could be that Americans are working more, marrying later, having fewer children, and commuting (往返上班) longer distances. “It’s one thing to know someone and exchange e-mails with him. It’s another thing to say, ‘Will you give me a ride out of town with all of my possessions and pets?’ and ‘Can I stay with you for a couple or three months?’” Smith said. “Worrying about social isolation is not a matter of nostalgia (怀旧之情) for a warm and comfortable past. Real things are strongly connected with that，” added Harvard University Professor Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone, a book on the decline of American communities. He suggested flexible work schedules would allow Americans to tend both personal and professional lives.

1. What’s the passage mainly talking about?

　　 A. American social isolation.

　　 B. Americans have “zero” close friends.

　　 C. Ties to a close network of friends are good for society.

　　 D. Flexible work schedules change Americans’ lifestyle.

2. From the second paragraph we can learn that people tend to ____.

　　 A. be closer than before

　　 B. be less close than before

　　 C. have more friends than before

　　 D. have more family members than before

3. Which of the following is the possible cause of American social isolation?

　　 A. They work more.

　　 B. They don’t marry.

　　 C. They have more children.

　　 D. They spend too much time on relaxation.

4. According to Professor Robert, ____.

　　 A. there could be four possible causes for American social isolation

　　 B. worrying about social isolation is not a matter of nostalgia

　　 C. flexible work schedules don’t affect (影响) Americans’ way of life

　　 D. American social isolation is only a small social　　　　 problem

　 Americans are more socially isolated than they were 20 years ago, and nearly a quarter of people said they had “zero”close friends with whom to discuss personal matters. More than 50 percent named two or fewer confidants (密友), most often immediate family members, the researchers said.

　 “This is a big social change, and it shows something that’s not good for our society，” said Duke University Professor Lynn Smith. She said that it showed there was a surprising drop in the number of close friends people had since 1985. At that time, Americans most commonly said they had three close friends whom they had known for a long time, saw often, and with whom they shared a number of interests. They were almost likely to name four or five friends and the relationships often sprang from their neighborhoods or communities (社区).

　 Ties to a close network of friends create a social safety net that is good for society, and for the individual. People were not asked why they had fewer intimate (亲密的) ties, but Smith said that part of the causes could be that Americans are working more, marrying later, having fewer children, and commuting (往返上班) longer distances. “It’s one thing to know someone and exchange e-mails with him. It’s another thing to say, ‘Will you give me a ride out of town with all of my possessions and pets?’ and ‘Can I stay with you for a couple or three months?’” Smith said. “Worrying about social isolation is not a matter of nostalgia (怀旧之情) for a warm and comfortable past. Real things are strongly connected with that，” added Harvard University Professor Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone, a book on the decline of American communities. He suggested flexible work schedules would allow Americans to tend both personal and professional lives.

1. What’s the passage mainly talking about?

　　 A. American social isolation.

　　 B. Americans have “zero” close friends.

　　 C. Ties to a close network of friends are good for society.

　　 D. Flexible work schedules change Americans’ lifestyle.

2. From the second paragraph we can learn that people tend to ____.

　　 A. be closer than before

　　 B. be less close than before

　　 C. have more friends than before

　　 D. have more family members than before

3. Which of the following is the possible cause of American social isolation?

　　 A. They work more.

　　 B. They don’t marry.

　　 C. They have more children.

　　 D. They spend too much time on relaxation.

4. According to Professor Robert, ____.

　 A. there could be four possible causes for American social isolation

　　 B. worrying about social isolation is not a matter of nostalgia

　　 C. flexible work schedules don’t affect (影响) Americans’ way of life

　　 D. American social isolation is only a small social problem

In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and found the answers interesting.

　 One morning I got into three different taxis and announced, “Well, it’s my first day back in New York in seven years. I’ve been in prison.” Not a single driver replied, so I tried again. “Yeah, I shot a man in Reno.” I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked. The only response came from a Ghanaian driver, “Reno? That is in Nevada?”

　 Taxi drivers were uniformly sympathetic when I said I’d just been fired. “This is America,” a Haitian driver said. “One door is closed. Another is open.” He argued against my plan to burn down my boss’s house. A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope; he refused to take me to the middle of George Washington Bridge—a $20 trip. “Why you want to go there? Go home and relax. Don’t worry. Take a new job.”

　 One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word “BANK” on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks. The driver picked me up every time. My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.

　 “Let’s go across the park.” I said. “I just robbed the bank there. I got $25,000.”

　 “$25,000?” he asked.

　 “Yeah, you think it was wrong to take it?”

　 As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.

　 “Hey, there’s another bank,” I said, “Could you wait here a minute while I go inside?”

　 “No, I can’t wait. Pay me now.” His reluctance may have something to do with money—taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low—but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can’t expect unconditional support.

61. From the Ghanaian driver’s response, we can infer that ____.

　 A. he was indifferent to the killing　　　　 B. he was afraid of the author

　 C. he looked down upon the author　　　　 D. he thought the author was crazy

62. Why did the Pakistani driver refuse to take the author to the middle of the George Washington Bridge?

　 A. Because he was able to help the author to find a new job.

　 B. Because he wanted to go home and relax.

　 C. Because it was far away from his home.

　 D. Because he thought that the author would commit suicide.

63. What is the author’s interpretation of the driver’s reluctance “to wait outside the Chemical bank”?

　 A. The driver was too busy to wait.

　 B. The driver thought it wrong to support a taxi rider unconditionally.

　 C. The driver was frightened and wanted to leave him as soon as possible.

　 D. The driver did not want to help a suspect to escape from a bank robbery.

64. Which of the following statements is true about New York taxi drivers?

　 A. They are ready to help you do whatever you want to.

　 B. they often refuse to pick up those who would kill themselves.

　 C. They are sympathetic with those who are out of work.

　 D. They work only for money.

65. The passage mainly discusses ____.

　 A. how to please taxi drivers.

　 B. how to deal with taxi drivers

　 C. the attitudes of taxi drivers towards riders with problems

　 D. the attitudes of taxi drivers towards their work

The British film star Hugh Grant can’t seem to work out what women want.?

“There’s no girl who only wants bastards（坏种），and no girl who wants a nice guy（伙计）.Women want both,” the British star tells the May issue of the Talk magazine.?

“And，really，they’d like to change by turns on a weekly basis. Can any man be both? I like to keep women guessing.”

Since Grant’s break-up last year with his longtime girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley，the thought of throwing himself into another big relationship doesn’t seem like it’s expected.?

“How easy do you think it is to find someone you can share 14 years of personal jokes with? Not easy. And I don’t know that I will，” he says.

Still，the 40-year-old star admits he can’t help thinking that his clock is ticking.?

“In the end，I want to have kids（children）.But in the back of my mind，I never wanted to have kids until I’d done something I’m proud of written a book，had my name on something really worthwhile,” he says. “I’m determined not to be in front of the cameras any more.”?

With all of these concerns（心思)inside，has Grant ever considered seeing a psychiatrist（精神病医生)to sort things out??

“I don’t think I need treatment，thank you,” sniffs the star.?

“I’m frightened of those people. And more than that，I don’t want to know what lies ?beneath?（在下面）.”?

1.Judging from what Hugh Grant says，the film star may consider himself 　　　　.?

A. either a bastard or a nice guy

B. both a bastard and a nice guy at the same time?

C. a bastard in one week and a nice guy in the other?

D. neither a bastard nor a nice guy?

2. Hugh Grant 　　　 .

A. is looking for another girlfriend at the present time?

B. never feels sure of finding a girlfriend who can take the place of Elizabeth Hurley?

C. considers it a shame to look for another girlfriend?

D. doesn’t value much the relationship he had with Elizabeth Hurley?

3.The underlined clause “his clock is ticking” possibly means 　　　 .?

A. he’s having a good time　　　　　 B. he can’t stand being single?

C. his film life is going to end soon　　　　 D. he is getting too old?

4.Hugh Grant thinks that he is not yet successful enough to be 　　　 .

A. a nice guy　　　　　　　　　　 B. a husband

C. a film star　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. a father??