话题04-社会现象18篇(原卷版)--阅读理解题型一(全国通用).docx

话题04 社会现象18篇
序号
内容
微话题1
Passage 1-5 服务与沟通
微话题2
Passage6-10 生活与工作
微话题3
Passage 11-18 社会发展

微话题1：服务与沟通
Passage 1
（2022新高考I卷C篇）The elderly residents (居民) in care homes in London are being given hens to look after to stop them feeling lonely.
The project was dreamed up by a local charity (慈善组织) to reduce loneliness and improve elderly people’s wellbeing. It is also being used to help patients suffering dementia, a serious illness of the mind. Staff in care homes have reported a reduction in the use of medicine where hens are in use.
Among those taking part in the project is 80-year-old Ruth Xavier. She said: “I used to keep hens when I was younger and had to prepare their breakfast each morning before I went to school. ”
“I like the project a lot. I am down there in my wheelchair in the morning letting the hens out and down there again at night to see they’ve gone to bed.”
It’s good to have a different focus. People have been bringing their children in to see the hens and residents come and sit outside to watch them. I’m enjoying the creative activities, and it feels great to have done something useful.”
There are now 700 elderly people looking after hens in 20 care homes in the North East, and the charity has been given financial support to roll it out countrywide.
Wendy Wilson, extra care manager at 60 Penfold Street, one of the first to embark on the project, said: “Residents really welcome the idea of the project and the creative sessions. We are looking forward to the benefits and fun the project can bring to people here.”
Lynn Lewis, director of Notting Hill Pathways, said: “We are happy to be taking part in the project. It will really help connect our residents through a shared interest and creative activities.”
1．What is the purpose of the project?
A．To ensure harmony in care homes. B．To provide part-time jobs for the aged.
C．To raise money for medical research. D．To promote the elderly people’s welfare.
2．How has the project affected Ruth Xavier?
A．She has learned new life skills. B．She has gained a sense of achievement.
C．She has recovered her memory. D．She has developed a strong personality.
3．What do the underlined words “embark on” mean in paragraph 7?
A．Improve. B．Oppose. C．Begin. D．Evaluate.
4．What can we learn about the project from the last two paragraphs?
A．It is well received. B．It needs to be more creative.
C．It is highly profitable. D．It takes ages to see the results.

Passage 2
（2021浙江1月卷B篇）At the start of the 20th century, an American engineer named John Elfreth Watkins made predictions about life today. His predictions about slowing population growth, mobile phones and increasing height were close to the mark. But he was wrong in one prediction: that everybody would walk 10 miles a day.
Today, in Australia, most children on average fall 2, 000 steps short of the physical activity they need to avoid being overweight. In the early 1970s, 40 per cent of children walked to school, while in 2010, it was as low as 15 percent.
The decline is not because we have all become lazy. Families are pressed for time, many with both parents working to pay for their house, often working hours not of their choosing, living in car-dependent neighborhoods with limited public transport.
The other side of the coin is equally a deprivation: for health and well-being, as well as lost opportunities (机会) for children to get to know their local surroundings. And for parents there are lost opportunities to walk and talk with their young scholar about their day.
Most parents will have eagerly asked their child about their day, only to meet with a “good”, quickly followed by “I’m hungry”. This is also my experience as a mother. But somewhere over the daily walk more about my son’s day comes out. I hear him making sense of friendship and its limits. This is the unexpected and rare parental opportunity to hear more.
Many primary schools support walking school-bus routes (路线), with days of regular,  parent-accompanied walks. Doing just one of these a few times a week is better than nothing. It can be tough to begin and takes a little planning-running shoes by the front door, lunches made the night before, umbrellas on rainy days and hats on hot ones-but it's certainly worth trying.
5．Why does the author mention Watkins' predictions in the first paragraph?
A．To make comparisons. B．To introduce the topic.
C．To support her argument. D．To provide examples.
6．What has caused the decrease in Australian children’s physical activity?
A．Plain laziness. B．Health problems.
C．Lack of time. D．Security concerns.
7．Why does the author find walking with her son worthwhile?
A．She can get relaxed after work. B．She can keep physically fit.
C．She can help with her son's study. D．She can know her son better.

Passage 3
（2019全国II卷B篇）“You can use me as a last resort(选择), and if nobody else volunteers, then I will do it.” This was an actual reply from a parent after I put out a request for volunteers for my kids’ lacrosse(长曲棍球) club.
I guess that there’s probably some demanding work schedule, or social anxiety around stepping up to help for an unknown sport. She may just need a little persuading. So I try again and tug at the heartstrings. I mention the single parent with four kids running the show and I talk about the dad coaching a team that his kids aren’t even on … At this point the unwilling parent speaks up, “Alright. Yes, I’ll do it.”
I’m secretly relieved because I know there’s real power in sharing volunteer responsibilities among many. The unwilling parent organizes the meal schedule, sends out emails, and collects money for end-of-season gifts. Somewhere along the way, the same parent ends up becoming an invaluable member of the team. The coach is able to focus on the kids while the other parents are relieved to be off the hook for another season. Handing out sliced oranges to bloodthirsty kids can be as exciting as watching your own kid score a goal.
Still, most of us volunteers breathe a sigh of relief when the season comes to a close. That relief is coupled with a deep understanding of why the same people keep coming back for more: Connecting to the community(社区) as you freely give your time, money, skills, or services provides a real joy. Volunteering just feels so good.
In that sense, I’m pretty sure volunteering is more of a selfish act than I’d freely like to admit. However, if others benefit in the process, and I get some reward too, does it really matter where my motivation lies?
8．What can we infer about the parent from her reply in paragraph l？
A．She knows little about the club.
B．She isn’t good at sports.
C．She just doesn’t want to volunteer.
D．She’s unable to meet her schedule.
9．What does the underlined phrase “tug at the heartstrings” in paragraph 2 mean?
A．Encourage teamwork.
B．Appeal to feelings.
C．Promote good deeds.
D．Provide advice.
10．What can we learn about the parent from paragraph 3?
A．She gets interested in lacrosse.
B．She is proud of her kids.
C．She’ll work for another season.
D．She becomes a good helper.
11．Why does the author like doing volunteer work?
A．It gives her a sense of duty.

B．It makes her very happy.
C．It enables her to work hard.
D．It brings her material rewards.

Passage 4
（2018全国II卷D篇）We’ve all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.
What’s the problem? It’s possible that we all have compromised conversational intelligence. It’s more likely that none of us start a conversation because it’s awkward and challenging, or we think it’s annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it’s an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.
Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can’t forget that deep relationships wouldn’t
even exist if it weren’t for casual conversation. Small talk is the grease(润滑剂) for social communication, says Bernardo Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. ＂Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk,＂ he explains. ＂The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them.＂
In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction(互动) with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. ＂It’s not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband,＂ says Dunn. ＂But interactions with peripheral(边缘的) members of our social network matter for our well-being also.＂
Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging, a bond with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. ＂Small talk is the basis of good manners,＂ he says.
12．What phenomenon is described in the first paragraph?
A．Addiction to smartphones.
B．Inappropriate behaviours in public places.
C．Absence of communication between strangers.
D．Impatience with slow service.
13．What is important for successful small talk according to Carducci?
A．Showing good manners. B．Relating to other people.
C．Focusing on a topic. D．Making business deals.
14．What does the coffee-shop study suggest about small talk?
A．It improves family relationships. B．It raises people’s confidence.
C．It matters as much as a formal talk. D．It makes people feel good.
15．What is the best title for the text?
A．Conversation Counts B．Ways of Making Small Talk
C．Benefits of Small Talk D．Uncomfortable Silence

Passage 5
(2017全国II卷B篇) I first met Paul Newman in 1968, when George Roy Hill, the director of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, introduced us in New York City. When the studio didn’t want me for the film — it wanted somebody as well known as Paul — he stood up for me. I don’t know how many people would have done that; they would have listened to their agents or the studio powers.
The friendship that grew out of the experience of making that film and The Sting four years later had its root in the fact that although there was an age difference, we both came from a tradition of theater and live TV. We were respectful of craft(技艺) and focused on digging into the characters we were going to play. Both of us had the qualities and virtues that are typical of American actors: humorous, aggressive, and making fun of each other — but always with an underlying affection. Those were also at the core(核心) of our relationship off the screen.
We shared the belief that if you’re fortunate enough to have success, you should put something back — he with his Newman’s Own food and his Hole in the Wall camps for kids who are seriously ill, and me with Sundance and the institute and the festival. Paul and I didn’t see each other all that regularly, but sharing that brought us together. We supported each other financially and by showing up at events.
I last saw him a few months ago. He’d been in and out of the hospital. He and I both knew what the deal was, and we didn’t talk about it. Ours was a relationship that didn’t need a lot of words.
24. Why was the studio unwilling to give the role to the author at first?
A. Paul Newman wanted it.
B. The studio powers didn’t like his agent.
C. He wasn’t famous enough.
D. The director recommended someone else.
25. Why did Paul and the author have a lasting friendship?
A. They were of the same age.
B. They worked in the same theater.
C. They were both good actors.
D. They had similar characteristics.
26. What does the underlined word "that" in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. Their belief.
B. Their care for children.
C. Their success.
D. Their support for each other.
27. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A. To show his love of films.
B. To remember a friend.
C. To introduce a new movie.
D. To share his acting experience.
微话题2：生活与工作
Passage 6
（2021新高考I卷D篇） Popularization has in some cases changed the original meaning of emotional (情感的) intelligence. Many people now misunderstand emotional intelligence as almost everything desirable in a person's makeup that cannot be measured by an IQ test, such as character, motivation, confidence, mental stability, optimism and “people skills.” Research has shown that emotional skills may contribute to some of these qualities, but most of them move far beyond skill-based emotional intelligence.
We prefer to describe emotional intelligence as a specific set of skills that can be used for either good or bad purposes. The ability to accurately understand how others are feeling may be used by a doctor to find how best to help her patients, while a cheater might use it to control potential victims. Being emotionally intelligent does not necessarily make one a moral person.
Although popular beliefs regarding emotional intelligence run far ahead of what research can reasonably support, the overall effects of the publicity have been more beneficial than harmful. The most positive aspect of this popularization is a new and much needed emphasis (重视) on emotion by employers, educators and others interested in promoting social well-being. The popularization of emotional intelligence has helped both the public and researchers re-evaluate the functionality of emotions and how they serve people adaptively in everyday life.
Although the continuing popular appeal of emotional intelligence is desirable, we hope that such attention will excite a greater interest in the scientific and scholarly study of emotion. It is our hope that in coming decades, advances in science will offer new perspectives (视角) from which to study how people manage their lives. Emotional intelligence, with its focus on both head and heart, may serve to point us in the right direction.
16．What is a common misunderstanding of emotional intelligence?
A．It can be measured by an IQ test. B．It helps to exercise a person’s mind.
C．It includes a set of emotional skills. D．It refers to a person’s positive qualities.
17．Why does the author mention “doctor” and “cheater” in paragraph 2?
A．To explain a rule. B．To clarify a concept.
C．To present a fact. D．To make a prediction.
18．What is the author’s attitude to the popularization of emotional intelligence
A．Favorable. B．Intolerant.
C．Doubtful. D．Unclear.
19．What does the last paragraph mainly talk about concerning emotional intelligence?
A．Its appeal to the public. B．Expectations for future studies.
C．Its practical application. D．Scientists with new perspectives.

Passage 7
（2021全国乙卷B篇）When