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Use of English (2024)

Your social life is defined as “the activities you do with other people, for pleasure, when you are not working”. It’s important to have a social life, but what’s right for one person won’t be right for another. Some of us feel energised by spending lots of time with others, [1] some of us may feel drained, even if it’s doing something we enjoy.
This is why finding a [2] in your social life is key. Spending too much time on your own, not [3] others, can make you feel lonely and [4]. Loneliness is known to impact on your mental health and [5] a low mood. Anyone can feel lonely at any time. This might be especially true if, [6], you are working from home and you are [7] on the usual social conversations that happen in an office. Other life changes can [8] periods of loneliness too, such as retirement, changing jobs or becoming a parent.
It’s important to recognise these feelings of loneliness. There are ways to [9] a social life, but it can feel overwhelming [10]. It’s a great idea to start by thinking about hobbies you enjoy. You can then find groups and activities related to those where you will be able to meet [11] people. There are groups aimed at new parents, at those who want to [12] a new sport for the first time, or networking events for those in the same profession to meet up and [13] ideas.
On the other hand, it’s [14] possible to have too much of a social life. If you feel like you’re always doing something and there is never any [15] in your calendar for downtime, you could suffer social burnout or social [16]. We all have our own social limit and it’s important to recognise when you’re feeling like it’s all too much. Low mood, low energy, irritability and trouble sleeping could all be [17] of poor social health. Make sure you [18] some time in your diary when you’re [19] for socialising and use this time to relax, [20] and recover.
1.
[A]
because
[B]
unless
[C]
whereas
[D]
until
2.
[A]
contrast
[B]
balance
[C]
link
[D]
gap
3.
[A]
seeing
[B]
pleasing
[C]
judging
[D]
teaching
4.
[A]
misguided
[B]
surprised
[C]
spoiled
[D]
disconnected
5.
[A]
contribute to
[B]
rely on
[C]
interfere with
[D]
go against
6.
[A]
in fact
[B]
of course
[C]
for example
[D]
on average
7.
[A]
cutting back
[B]
missing out
[C]
breaking in
[D]
looking down
8.
[A]
shorten
[B]
trigger
[C]
follow
[D]
interrupt
9.
[A]
assess
[B]
interpret
[C]
provide
[D]
regain
10.
[A]
at first
[B]
in turn
[C]
on time
[D]
by chance
11.
[A]
far-sighted
[B]
strong-willed
[C]
kind-hearted
[D]
like-minded
12.
[A]
try
[B]
promote
[C]
watch
[D]
describe
13.
[A]
test
[B]
share
[C]
accept
[D]
revise
14.
[A]
already
[B]
thus
[C]
also
[D]
only
15.
[A]
list
[B]
order
[C]
space
[D]
boundary
16.
[A]
fatigue
[B]
criticism
[C]
injustice
[D]
dilemma
17.
[A]
sources
[B]
standards
[C]
signs
[D]
scores
18.
[A]
take over
[B]
wipe off
[C]
add up
[D]
mark out
19.
[A]
ungrateful
[B]
unavailable
[C]
responsible
[D]
regretful
20.
[A]
react
[B]
repeat
[C]
return
[D]
rest
全文翻译

你的社交生活被定义为"你在不工作时与他人一起进行的娱乐活动"。拥有社交生活很重要,但适合一个人的可能不适合另一个人。我们中的一些人通过与别人共度大量时间而感到精力充沛,而另一些人可能即使在做自己喜欢的事情时也会感到精力耗竭。

这就是为什么在社交生活中找到平衡是关键。独处时间太多,不与他人交往,会让你感到孤独和孤立。众所周知,孤独会影响你的心理健康,并导致情绪低落。任何人都可能在任何时候感到孤独。例如,如果你在家工作,错过了办公室里通常发生的日常社交对话,这可能尤其真实。其他生活变化也可能引发孤独期,比如退休、换工作或成为父母。

重要的是要认识到这些孤独的感觉。有方法可以克服社交生活问题,但起初可能会让人感到不知所措。一个很好的主意是首先思考你喜欢的爱好。然后你可以找到与这些相关的团体和活动,在那里你将能够结识志同道合的人。有针对新手父母的小组,针对那些想第一次尝试一项新运动的人,或者针对同一行业的人会面和交流想法的社交活动。

另一方面,也完全可能有太多的社交生活。如果你感觉自己总是在做某事,日历中从来没有空闲的休息时间,你可能会遭受社交倦怠或社交疲惫。我们都有自己的社交极限,重要的是要认识到何时你感觉太多了。情绪低落、精力不足、易怒和睡眠困难都可能是社交健康状况不佳的迹象。确保你在日记中留出一些时间,在不需要社交的时候,用这段时间来放松、重新调整和恢复。

深度解析 (Answers & Logic)

  • 1. [C] whereas. 逻辑关系题。前半句说有些人觉得和别人共度时光能“充满活力(energised)”,后半句说另一些人觉得“精疲力竭(drained)”。前后形成强烈的对比,故填“然而/反之(whereas)”。
  • 2. [B] balance. 语义衔接题。既然社交多会累、少会孤独,因此在社交生活中找到一种“平衡(balance)”才是关键。
  • 3. [A] seeing. 词义辨析题。花太多时间独处,不“去见(seeing)”其他人,会让你感到孤独。
  • 4. [D] disconnected. 语义并列题。与 lonely 构成并列的负面情感,不社交会让人感到孤独和与外界“脱节的/失去联系的(disconnected)”。
  • 5. [A] contribute to. 动宾搭配题。众所周知,孤独会影响心理健康并“导致/促成(contribute to)”情绪低落。
  • 6. [C] for example. 逻辑关系题。后面举了居家办公的例子来说明上文的“任何人都可能随时感到孤独”。填“例如(for example)”。
  • 7. [B] missing out. 固定搭配题。居家办公让你“错失/漏掉(missing out on)”了办公室里平常的社交对话。
  • 8. [B] trigger. 动宾搭配题。其他的如退休、换工作等生活变化也会“引发/触发(trigger)”孤独的时期。
  • 9. [D] regain. 动宾搭配题。既然前面谈到了失去社交联系(孤独),那么这句的意思是:有很多方法可以“重新获得/恢复(regain)”社交生活。
  • 10. [A] at first. 逻辑副词题。有很多方法恢复社交,但这在“一开始(at first)”可能会让人觉得难以应付/压力很大。
  • 11. [D] like-minded. 语义辨析题。通过你喜欢的爱好,你能够遇到“志同道合的(like-minded)”人。
  • 12. [A] try. 动宾搭配题。针对那些想要第一次“尝试(try)”一项新运动的人。
  • 13. [B] share. 动宾搭配题。同行业的人聚在一起“分享/交流(share)”想法。
  • 14. [C] also. 逻辑关系题。上文讲社交太少会孤独,这里转向另一个极端,说“另一方面,社交生活太多也是(also)可能的”。
  • 15. [C] space. 词义搭配题。如果你的日历上从来没有任何用于休息的“空间/空隙(space)”。
  • 16. [A] fatigue. 语义并列题。与 social burnout(社交倦怠)并列,你可能会遭受社交倦怠或社交“疲劳(fatigue)”。
  • 17. [C] signs. 词义辨析题。情绪低落、缺乏活力、烦躁和睡眠困难,这些都是社交健康状况不佳的“迹象/标志(signs)”。
  • 18. [D] mark out. 动词短语题。确保你在日记中“划出/留出(mark out)”一些时间。
  • 19. [B] unavailable. 语义衔接题。这段时间里,你对于社交是“没空的/不可用的(unavailable)”,即这段时间谢绝社交。
  • 20. [D] rest. 语义并列题。利用这段时间去放松、“休息(rest)”和恢复。

核心长难句精解 (High-Light)

1. what 引导的主语从句与对比结构:
"It’s important to have a social life, but what’s right for one person won’t be right for another."
【解析】`what` 引导的主语从句充当 `won't be` 的主语,意思是“对一个人合适的东西”。这句话高度概括了文章的主旨:社交生活没有放之四海而皆准的标准。
2. 条件状语从句与嵌套的定语从句:
"If you feel like you’re always doing something and there is never any space in your calendar for downtime, you could suffer social burnout or social fatigue."
【解析】`If` 引导条件状语从句。在从句中使用了 `feel like` 后面跟两个并列的宾语从句。这句话形象地描绘了现代人因社交过度而导致日程表满负荷、没有“停工期(downtime)”的焦虑状态。

Practice makes perfect.