课时跟踪练(一) Welcome to the unit & Reading--Pre-reading

　　Ⅰ.阅读理解

　　A

　　Research has found that adults today have fewer friends than they did in the 1980s, and that more people say they have no one to discuss important stuff with.

　　Play the violin. Not just play it - and sing along. A new study suggests that singing is an effective way to make new friends because it helps us bond quickly with others.

　　For the study, led by Eiluned Pearce, Ph.D.at Oxford University, researchers looked at participants, aged 18 to 83 in adult education classes organized by the Workers' Education Association in the UK. Eighty­four participants were enrolled in one of four singing classes; 51 participants were enrolled in one of two creative crafts classes or a creative writing class.

　　Over a period of seven months, the classes went weekly. During the first, third, and final months, researchers asked participants to tell how close they felt to their classmates. Results showed something surprising. Although participants in all the classes felt closer to their classmates by the study's end, participants in the singing classes developed that closeness much more quickly.

　　As for why exactly singing leads to fast group bonding, the researchers say one possible reason is that everyone does it at the same time. Compare that with creative writing or crafting, where everyone is working on an individual project. Another possible cause, according to the researchers, is that singing involves muscular effort, which causes the release of certain molecules (分子) that can make us happier and more willing to cooperate.

　　The point here is that singing can be a great icebreaker among large groups of strangers, which can lead to individual friendships down the line. "Really close relationships still depend on communication between individuals or much smaller groups，" Pearce said in a release, "but this study shows singing can start the bonding process."

　　语篇解读：研究发现很多人一起唱歌时很容易建立友谊关系。

　　1．What has research found about today's adults?

　　A．They don't really want friends.

　　B．They are looking for new friends.

　　C．They have fewer friends than before.

　　D．They like discussing important things with friends.

　　解析：选C　细节理解题。根据第一段可知，研究发现，现在的人跟以前相比朋友要少。

　　2．The researchers didn't expect that ________.

　　A．creative writing classes help people bond

B．the participants would become closer to others