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 form a business culture of stability to one of mobility and the mass entry
of women into the workforce have greatly wreaked havoc (扰乱) 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 form 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 (精通技术的) workers have embraced a
free 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.
Kaufann, author of a recent book called "The Single Woman and Prince Charming",
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 dee 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 ______.
A. they are driven by an overwhelming sense of individualism
B. they have entered the workforce at a much earlier age
C. they have embraced a business culture of stability
D. they are pessimistic about their economic future
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[考点] 推理题
[解析] 根据题干，定位到文章的第二段：“The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle...is part of the 'irresistible momentum of individualism' over the last century. ”越来越多的欧洲人在比以往更年轻的时候选择单身，这种从家庭生活向单身生活方式的转型在20世纪是“个人主义不可抗拒势头”的一部分。选项A是这句话的同意转述；选项B、D与文中的内容相违背，属于无中生有的选项；文中提到静态的商业文化向动态转型，这是大大扰乱欧洲平静生活的原因，并非更多年亲人保持单身的原因，所以C项不正确。故选择A选项。
单选题
What is said about Europeans society in the passage?
A. It has fostered the trend towards small families
B. It is getting closer to American—style capitalism
C. It has limited consumer choice despite a free market
D. It is being threatened by irresistible privatization
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[考点] 推理题
[解析] 定位在文章的第二段：“Europe's shift from social democracy to the sharper, more individualistic climate of American-style capitalism. ”欧洲社会经历了从民主社会向美国资本主义社会转变的过程。由此得知欧洲社会的形态越来越趋向于美国资本主义社会。因此答案为B。
单选题
According to Paragraph 3, the newest group of singles are ______.
A. warm and lighthearted
B. on either side of marriage
C. negative and gloomy
D. healthy and wealthy
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[考点] 细节题
[解析] 定位到文章第三段：“the newest crop of singles are high earners in their 30s and 40s...They were young, beautiful, strong!”新一代独居的人是高收入阶层，他们年轻健康漂亮。因此选择D。
单选题
The author quotes Eppendorf to show that ______.
A. some modem women prefer a life of individual freedom
B. the family is no longer the basic unit of society in present-day
Europe
C. some professional people have too much work to do to feel lonely
D. most Europeans conceive living a single life as unacceptable
单选题
What is the author's purpose in writing the passage?
A. To review the impact of women becoming high earners
B. To contemplate the philosophy underlying individualism
C. To examine the trend of young people living alone
D. To stress the rebuilding of personal relationships
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[考点] 主旨题
[解析] 通过对语篇的分析，我们从文章的每一段内容上可以归纳几个关键词：alone, the trend toward independence, live alone等。作者写作的目的是为了对年轻人选择单身这一趋势进行调查。A，B选项虽然在文章中都有涉及，但不够全面；而D项的结论在文章中没有提及。