9．Silence is unnatural to man．He begins life with a cry and ends it in stillness．In between he does all he can to make a noise in the world，and he fears silence more than anything else．Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence．If he is introduced to another person，and a number of pauses occur in the conversation，he regards himself as a failure，a worthless person，and is full of envy of the emptiest headed chatterbox （喋喋不休的人）． He knows that 99% of human conversation means no more than the buzzing of a fly，but he is anxious to join in the buzz and to prove that he is a man and not a waxwork figure （蠟塑人像）．
The aim of conversation is not，for the most part，to communicate ideas； it is to keep up the buzzing sound．There are，it must be admitted，different qualities of buzz； there is even a buzz that is as annoying as the continuous noise made by a mosquito．But at a dinner party one would rather be a mosquito than a quiet person．Most buzzing，fortunately，is pleasant to the ear，and some of it is pleasant even to the mind．He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing with his neighbors．
Those who hate to pick up the weather as a conversational opening seem to me not to know the reason why human beings wish to talk．Very few human beings join in a conversation in the hope of learning anything new．Some of them are content if they are merely allowed to go on making a noise into other peoples ears，though they have nothing to tell them except that they have seen two or three new plays or that they had food in a Swiss hotel．At the end of an evening during which they have said nothing meaningful for a long time，they just prove themselves to be successful conservationists
82．According to the author，people make conversation toD
A．exchange ideas B．prove their value
C．a(chǎn)chieve success in life D．overcome their fear of silence
83．By"the buzzing of a fly"（Para.1），the author means"C"
A．the noise of an insect B．a(chǎn) low whispering sound
C．meaningless talks D．the voice of a chatterbox
84．According to the passage，people usually talk to their neighborsB．
A．a(chǎn)bout whatever they have prepared B．a(chǎn)bout whatever they want to
C．in the hope of learning something new D．in the hope of getting on well
85．What is the author's purpose in writing the passage？D．
A．To discuss why people like talking about weather．
B．To encourage people to join in conversations．
C．To persuade people to stop making noises．
D．To explain why people keep talking．
分析 本文是一篇社會文化類閱讀，屬于說明文，沉默是不自然的個性，出生時人們在哭，結(jié)束時寂靜，人類最怕的是沉默，即使談話也是為了克服沉默而導(dǎo)致的恐懼．本文以此展開，作者解釋了人們?yōu)楹尾煌５卣勗挘?/p>
解答 82．D．細(xì)節(jié)理解題．文章開始Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence．即表明了人類最怕的是沉默，即使談話也是為了克服沉默而導(dǎo)致的恐懼．故選D．
83．C．詞義猜測題．根據(jù)日常知識，大多數(shù)談話沒有什么特別意義．故此處the buzzing of a fly指的是無意義的談話．故選C．
84．B．推理判斷題．根據(jù)第二段最后一句話He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing with his neighbors．可知，表面與鄰居交流可以談任何想談的內(nèi)容，不必等到你有一智慧的想法才開口．故選B．
85．D．主旨大意題．本題需要對文章三段加以綜合概括，尤其是第二段首句The aim of conversation is not，for the most part，to communicate ideas； it is to keep up the buzzing sound．可知，表面作者寫本文的真實(shí)意圖是解釋人們?yōu)楹尾煌５恼勗挘蔬xD．
點(diǎn)評 本文是一篇社會文化類閱讀，題目涉及多道細(xì)節(jié)理解題，推理判斷題，詞義猜測題，主旨大意題．做題時學(xué)生應(yīng)仔細(xì)閱讀原文，把握文章主要內(nèi)容，聯(lián)系文章上下文內(nèi)容并結(jié)合所給選項(xiàng)含義，從中選出正確答案，一定要做到有理有據(jù)，切忌胡亂猜測．
