Ⅰ.阅读理解
A
Some coffee shops in Norway are hoping to solve the problem of loneliness.They’ve come up with a clever idea to supply ceramic mugs(马克杯) labeled “Skravlekopp”．This translates roughly as “chatterbox”or，as a Norwegian friend explained to me，“someone who barely stops talking，but not in a negative sense”．
The idea is that you can choose to have your coffee served in a green Skravlekopp as a way of signaling to others nearby that you feel like chatting.Someone with a similar urge for companionship can sit down with you and you’ve suddenly got a friend，at least for a short while.
It might seem like a lot of extra effort just to strike up a conversation with a stranger，but the fact is that many people have lost that skill，especially younger generations that now have more contact with people over texting and social media than face-to-face.It can feel awkward and uncomfortable to approach someone，not knowing if they want to talk.But with Skravlekopp，a simple mug bridges that gap.
“It turns out that we up here in the north are a little shy and often afraid to disturb others.We need a little signal that we are available and that it is allowed to have a little talk.Maybe you can talk to someone you’ve never talked to before，maybe you can teach something you’re good at，maybe you know something you didn’t know，maybe you can meet again，maybe not.You can be the little human meeting someone’s needs today，”said a customer in his post on the Internet.
And people do need it more than ever.Ours has been called the “age of loneliness”，and in the United States about 20 to 30 percent of the population suffer from it.Last year it was reported that around 200，000 older people in the UK had not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month.
So we need initiatives like this.I hope other towns and cities take note，realizing that it doesn’t take much to put a smile on someone’s face and make their day.
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语篇解读 本文是一篇记叙文。在挪威，有些咖啡馆希望解决人们的孤独问题，为此他们想出了一个好主意，提供带有“Skravlekopp”标签的绿色马克杯，帮助人们找到聊天对象，结交朋友。
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1．If a customer uses a Skravlekopp mug，it indicates that he or she .
A．is in trouble and needs help
B．is sad and looking for comfort
C．hopes to have someone to talk with
D．wants to drink coffee in a different way
答案 C
解析 细节理解题。根据第二段首句可知，如果顾客使用 Skravlekopp 马克杯，则表明他或她想聊天。故选C。
2．Why do many young people have trouble with face-to-face communication?
A．They aren’t good at expressing themselves.
B．They don’t feel like connecting with people.
C．They lack the chance of approaching people.
D．They rely too much on phones and the Internet.
答案 D
解析 推理判断题。根据第三段中“...but the fact is that many people have lost that skill，especially younger generations that now have more contact with people over texting and social media than face-to-face”可知，许多年轻人在面对面交流方面遇到困难是因为他们过度依赖手机和网络。故选D。
3．What does the author think of the initiative?
A．It is very effective.
B．It is quite necessary.
C．It will increase coffee sales.
D．It has room for improvement.
答案 B
解析 观点态度题。根据最后一段中“So we need initiatives like this.I hope...”可知，作者认为这样的举措是非常有必要的。故选B。
4．What can be the best title for the text?
A．A Coffee Mug Can Find You a Friend
B．A Coffee Mug Can Get Rid of Your Pressure
C．What a Coffee Mug Means to Your Life
D．How a Coffee Mug Shapes Your Character
答案 A
解析 标题归纳题。根据文章中心段第一段可知，你可以选择用带有“Skravlekopp”标签的马克杯喝咖啡，找到你的聊天对象，结交朋友。故选A。
