Section B: Paragraph Matching
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
The Benefits of Solitude
A) I can be a reluctant socialiser. I’m sometimes secretly pleased when social plans are called off. I even once went on a free 10-day silent meditation retreat — not for the meditation, but for the silence.
B) So can relate to author Anneli Rufus... When parents on TV shows punished their kids by ordering them to go to their rooms, I was confused. I loved my room. Being there behind a locked door was a treat. To me a punishment was being ordered to play games with my cousin Louis.
C) Unsocial tendencies like these are often far from ideal. Abundant research shows the harms of social isolation, considered a serious public health problem in countries that have rapidly ageing populations... In the UK, the Royal College of General Practitioners says that loneliness has the same risk level for premature death as diabetes. Strong social connections are important for cognitive functioning...
D) This is especially clear from cases of extreme social isolation. Examples of people kept in captivity... solitary confinement all show how prolonged solitude can lead to hallucinations and other forms of mental instability.
E) But these are severe and involuntary cases of aloneness. For those of us who just prefer plenty of alone time, emerging research suggests some good news: there are upsides to being alone — for both our work lives and our emotional wellbeing.
F) Solitude is a time for reflection, for thinking about things more deeply. In a world increasingly focused on speed and competitiveness, solitude is precious and something to be treasured. And there are benefits in learning to love your solitude.
G) One key benefit of solitude is improved creativity. Gregory Feist... has defined creativity as thinking or activity with two key elements: originality and usefulness. He has found that personality traits commonly associated with creativity are openness... and a preference for being alone. Feist’s research on both artists and scientists shows that one of the most prominent features of creative folks is their lesser interest in socialising.
H) One reason for this is that such people are likely to spend sustained time alone working on their craft. Plus, Feist says, many artists are trying to make sense of their internal world... Solitude allows for the reflection and observation necessary for that creative process.
I) A recent justification... University at Buffalo psychologist Julie Bowker... was the first to show that a type of social withdrawal could have a positive effect — they found that creativity was linked specifically to unsociability. They also found that unsociability had no correlation with aggression...
J) Still, it turns out that solitude is important for more than creativity... One 2011 study showed that in branches of a pizza chain where employees were more active, introverted leaders were more effective. One reason for this is that introverted people are less likely to feel threatened by strong personalities... They’re also more likely to listen.
K) Since ancient times, meanwhile, people have been aware of a link between isolation and mental focus... One benefit of unsociability is the brain’s state of active mental rest... When another person is present, your brain can’t help but pay some attention. This can be a positive distraction. But it’s still a distraction.
L) Daydreaming in the absence of such distractions activates the brain’s default-mode network... Giving free rein to a wandering mind not only helps with focus in the long term but strengthens your sense of both yourself and others... And the occasional absence of focus ultimately helps concentration in the long run.
M) A more recent advocate... Susan Cain, author of Quiet... creativity... requires sustained attention and deep focus. Also, humans are such absorbent social beings that when we surround ourselves with others, we automatically take in their opinions and aesthetics. To truly chart our own path or vision, we have to be willing to isolate ourselves, at least for some period of time.
N) Still, the line between useful solitude and dangerous isolation can be blurry... Feist says, there’s a real danger with people who are never alone. It’s hard to examine one’s own thoughts, feelings and motives, to be self-aware... unless you have occasional solitude. In addition, introverts tend to have fewer but stronger friendships — which has been linked to greater happiness.
O) As with many things, quality reigns over quantity. Nurturing a few solid relationships without feeling the need to constantly populate your life with endless chatting ultimately may be better for you.
P) Thus, if your personality tends toward unsociability, you shouldn’t feel the need to change... as long as you have regular social contact... you have at least a few good friends and your solitude is good for your well-being or productivity, there’s no point agonising over how to fit a square personality into a round hole.
全文翻译
A) 我是一个不太情愿社交的人。有时当社交计划被取消时，我暗自高兴。我甚至曾经参加过一个免费的十天静默冥想静修——不是为了冥想，而是为了静默。
B) 所以我能理解作家安内利·鲁弗斯。当电视节目中的父母通过命令孩子回房间来惩罚他们时，我感到困惑。我爱我的房间。在那里，锁着门是一种享受。对我来说，惩罚是被命令去和我的表弟路易斯玩游戏。
C) 像这样的不社交倾向通常远非理想。大量研究表明社会隔离的危害，在人口迅速老龄化的国家，社会隔离被视为一个严重的公共健康问题。在英国，皇家全科医师学会表示，孤独感带来的早逝风险与糖尿病相当。强大的社会联系对认知功能很重要。
D) 这在极端社会隔离的案例中尤其明显。被囚禁的人的例子、单独监禁都表明，长时间的独处可能导致幻觉和其他形式的精神不稳定。
E) 但这些是严重且非自愿的独处情况。对于我们这些只是喜欢大量独处时间的人来说，新兴研究带来了一些好消息：独处有好处——对我们的工作生活和情感健康都有好处。
F) 独处是反思的时间，是更深入思考事物的时间。在一个越来越注重速度和竞争力的世界里，独处是珍贵的，值得珍惜的。而且学会热爱独处是有好处的。
G) 独处的一个关键好处是提高创造力。格雷戈里·费斯特将创造力定义为具有两个关键要素的思维或活动：原创性和实用性。他发现，通常与创造力相关的个性特征包括开放性和对独处的偏好。费斯特对艺术家和科学家的研究表明，创造性人群最显著的特征之一是他们对社交的兴趣较低。
H) 一个原因是这些人可能会花长时间独处于他们的手艺上。此外，费斯特说，许多艺术家试图理解他们的内心世界。独处为创造过程所需的反思和观察提供了空间。
I) 最近的一项论证来自布法罗大学的心理学家朱莉·鲍克，她率先表明一种类型的社会退缩可能产生积极效果——他们发现创造力与不善社交密切相关。他们还发现不善社交与攻击性没有任何相关性。
J) 然而，事实证明独处的重要性不仅限于创造力。2011年的一项研究表明，在员工更主动的披萨连锁店分店中，内向型领导者更有效。一个原因是内向的人不太可能被强势的个性所威胁。他们也更可能倾听。
K) 自古以来，人们就已经意识到隔离与精神专注之间的联系。不善社交的一个好处是大脑的主动心理休息状态。当另一个人在场时，你的大脑情不自禁地会给予一些注意。这可以是一个积极的分散注意力。但它仍然是一个分散注意力。
L) 在没有这种干扰的情况下做白日梦会激活大脑的默认模式网络。让思绪自由漫游不仅在长期内有助专注，而且强化了你对自己和他人的感知。偶尔缺乏专注最终有助于长期的注意力集中。
M) 一位较近期的倡导者是苏珊·凯恩，《安静》一书的作者。创造力需要持续的注意力和深度专注。此外，人类是如此善于吸收的社交动物，当我们围绕在他人身边时，我们会自动吸收他们的意见和审美。要真正规划我们自己的道路或愿景，我们必须愿意孤立自己，至少在某段时间内。
N) 然而，有益的独处与危险的隔离之间的界限可能模糊。费斯特说，从不独处的人存在真正的危险。除非你偶尔独处，否则很难审视自己的思想、感受和动机，很难有自我意识。此外，内向者倾向于拥有更少但更牢固的友谊——这与更大的幸福感相关。
O) 与许多事物一样，质量重于数量。培养几段稳固的关系，而不觉得需要不断用无休止的聊天来填满你的生活，最终可能对你更好。
P) 因此，如果你的性格倾向于不善社交，你不应该觉得需要改变。只要你有定期的社交接触，你至少有几个好朋友，你的独处对你的健康或生产力有益，就没有必要为如何把方的性格塞进圆的洞而烦恼。
Answers & Explanations (答案与解析)
Section B 解析
36. C。解析：定位段落C。提到社会隔离在“rapidly ageing populations”（快速老龄化的人群）中被认为是严重公共卫生问题。
37. H。解析：定位段落H。提到“Solitude allows for the reflection and observation necessary for that creative process”（独处为创作过程所需的反思和观察提供了可能）。
38. B。解析：定位段落B。作者Anneli Rufus写到独处是“treat”（款待/享受），而被命令玩游戏是“punishment”（惩罚/penalty）。
39. I。解析：定位段落I。Bowker的研究是“the first to show”（第一次展示）不爱社交（unsociability）与创造力有关。
40. M。解析：定位段落M。Susan Cain提到“To truly chart our own path... have to be willing to isolate ourselves”（要规划我们自己的道路，必须愿意孤立自己/独处）。
41. E。解析：定位段落E。提到独处有益处（upsides），包括“work lives”（工作生活）和“emotional wellbeing”（情感健康）。
42. O。解析：定位段落O。提到“Nurturing a few solid relationships... may be better for you”（培养一些稳固的关系可能对你更好）。
43. L。解析：定位段落L。提到“Giving free rein to a wandering mind... helps with focus in the long term”（让思维漫游长期来看有助于专注）。
44. G。解析：定位段落G。研究显示“one of the most prominent features of creative folks is their lesser interest in socialising”（创意人才最显著的特征之一是社交兴趣较低）。
45. N。解析：定位段落N。Feist提到“It’s hard to examine one’s own thoughts... to be self-aware... unless you have occasional solitude”（如果不偶尔独处，很难审视自己的思想，也很难自我觉察/认识自己）。
核心搭配与高分句型
【核心搭配】
chart one's own path：规划自己的道路 (M段)
quality reigns over quantity：质量胜过数量 (O段)
a far cry from：与...大相径庭 (N段)
give free rein to：放任，让...自由发挥 (L段)
【亮点句型解析】
Paradoxically structure:
"Paradoxically, therefore, periods of solitude actually help when it comes time to socialise once more."
（因此，矛盾的是，一段独处的时间实际上在再次社交时会有所帮助。）使用了 Paradoxically (矛盾地) 引起下文的反直觉结论。
"Paradoxically, therefore, periods of solitude actually help when it comes time to socialise once more."
（因此，矛盾的是，一段独处的时间实际上在再次社交时会有所帮助。）使用了 Paradoxically (矛盾地) 引起下文的反直觉结论。