单选题 As a wise man once said, we are all ultimately alone. But an increasing number of Europeans are choosing to be so at an ever earlier age. This isn"t the stuff of gloomy philosophical contemplations, but a fact of Europe"s new economic landscape, embraced by sociologists, real-estate developers and ad executives alike. The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle, observes a French sociologist, is part of the "irresistible momentum of individualism" over the last century. The communications revolution, the shift from a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc on Europeans private lives.
Europe"s new economic climate has largely fostered the trend toward independence. The current generation of home-aloners came of age during Europe"s shift from social democracy to the sharper, more individualistic climate of American-style capitalism. Raised in an era of privatization and increased consumer choice, today"s tech-savvy workers have embraced a free market in love as well as economics. Modern Europeans are rich enough to afford to live alone, and temperamentally independent enough to want to do so.
Once upon a time, people who lived alone tended to be those on either side of marriage twenty something professionals or widowed senior citizens. While pensioners, particularly elderly women, make up a large proportion of those living alone, the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s who increasingly view living alone as a lifestyle choice. Living alone was conceived to be negative—dark and cold, while being together suggested warmth and light. But then came along the idea of singles. They were young, beautiful, strong! Now, young people want to live alone.
The booming economy means people are working harder than ever. And that doesn"t leave much room for relationships. Pimpi Arroyo, a 35-year-old composer who lives alone in a house in Paris, says he hasn"t got time to get lonely because he has too much work. "I have deadlines which would make life with someone else fairly difficult." Only an Ideal Woman would make him change his lifestyle, he says. Kaufmann, author of a recent book called "The Single Woman and Prince Chaming" thinks this fierce new individualism means that people expect more and more of mates, so relationships don"t last long—if they start at all. Eppendorf, a blond Berliner with a deep tan, teaches grade school in the mornings. In the afternoon she sunbathes or sleeps, resting up for going dancing. Just shy of 50, she says she"d never have wanted to do what her mother did—give up a career to raise a family. Instead, "I"ve always done what I wanted to do: live a self-determined life."

单选题 More and more young Europeans remain single because ______.

单选题 What is said about European society in the passage?

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。第二段第二句话提到“The current generation of home-aloners came of age during Europe"s shift from social democracy to the sharper, more individualistic climate of American-style capitalism. ”(现在单身生活的这一代人成年时，欧洲正处在由社会民主向更加鲜明，个人气息更浓的美式资本主义转换的时代。)即欧洲正在向美式资本主义转变。因此，B项“它越来越接近美式资本主义”正确。其他三项均属于文中未提及的内容。

单选题 According to Para. 3, the newest group of singles are ______.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 推断题。根据第三段最后一句“They were young, beautiful, strong! Now, young people want to live alone. ”(他们年轻，漂亮，强壮!现在年轻人喜欢单独生活)及第三段第二句中的“the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s who increasingly view living alone as a lifestyle choice. ”(最新的单身者是那些越来越多的选择独身生活的三四十岁的高收入群体)，可以得知D项“健康、富有的”是新一代单身族的特征。A项“热情、愉快的”不正确。文中提到“Once upon a time, people who lived alone tended to be those on either side of marriage...”(从前，单身生活的人要么是未婚，要么是曾经结过婚……)，因此，B项要么是未婚，要么是曾经结过婚，是指过去的单身族，不是指新一代的单身族。C项“消极、阴郁的”，也是指过去的单身生活。