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, realestate 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 serf-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】推断题。本题问越来越多的欧洲人仍然单身的原因。通过第一段第三句“The shift away from family life to solo lifestyle, observes a French sociologist, is part of the 'irresistible momentum of individualism'”(从家庭生活向单身生活方式的转变是个人主义不可阻挡的潮流的一部分。)可以推断出人们的这种选择是受到整个社会的这种趋势的影响，故[A]项(他们被压倒性的个人主义所驱使)正确。[B]他们过早进入劳动力市场、[C]他们拥护一种稳定性的商业文化和[D]他们对经济前景感到悲观，均非本题所问的原因。
单选题
What is said about European 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】细节题。本题问关于欧洲社会本文告诉我们什么。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。[A]它形成了小型家庭的趋势、[C]尽管有自由市场它仍限制了消费者的选择和[D]它受到了不可抵抗的个人主义的威胁，均属于文中未提及的内容。
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】推断题。本题问根据第三段新一代的单身族怎样。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]健康、富有的，是新一代单身族的特征。[A]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]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]消极、阴郁的，也是指过去的单身生活。
单选题
The author quotes Eppendorf to show that______. A. some modern 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
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】考点：例子题。本题问作者引用Eppendorf的例子为了说明什么。文中最后一段引用Eppendoff的话说“I've always done what I wanted to do: live a self-determined life.”(我只做自己想做的，过自己作主的生活)，这说明了新单身族的生活主张。故[A]一些现代女性喜欢自由自在的生活正确。[B]在今天，家庭不再是欧洲社会的基本单位，属于过度推理，不是此例说明的问题。[C]一些专业人员有太多的工作要做以至于不会孤独，与这个例子无关。[D]大部分欧洲人认为单身生活是不可接受的，与文意不符。
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.