【正文】 told me of John’s life, his days in the British Navy ( 海軍 ) during World War I and how he almost lost hope when his ship was attacked by a German Uboat in the North Sea and he found himself in a lifeboat with five others. Close to death, he thought he heard the sound of wings. He put up his hands, only to catch a seagull that had landed on the side of the boat. The seagull saved the lives of the six men as it was used to catch fish, which kept them alive until they reached land. This period of John’s life was one he never talked about. But the ritual he first performed as a young man remained a part of him until he died. Now I visit Lucy as often as I can, just to chat or very often walk along the beach to the pier end. We enjoy the fortable silence, each lost in special memories. 29. Seeing John feeding the seagulls, the author might feel _____. A. proud B. worried C. curious D. guilty 30. Why did the author introduce herself to the lady? A. She wanted to make more friends. B. She was also fond of feeding seagulls. C. She was told the lady was John’s daughter. D. She was attracted by what the lady was doing. 31. We can infer from the text that John _____. A. once served in both World Wars B. was a man with a grateful heart C. spent his childhood in Bangor D. joined the navy in the 1970s 32. What does the author mainly tell us in the text? A. She expressed her thanks to a seagull that saved her life. B. She told us the story of how she made friends with a lady. C. She shared with us her memories of a man who fed seagulls. D. She talked about her childhood spent on the beach at Bangor. D ★★★★☆ A man pulls into the parking lot, turns off the engine, and sits for a minute feeling anxious about the next two hours. An important client (客戶(hù) ) has invited him to an open house in celebration of their new downtown office. He hates these things. He doesn’t know what to say, he doesn’t know anyone except the client, and he always feels like he’s trying not to look lost. He sinks deeper into the seat, making a tough decision about when to leave. Casual (隨意的 ) conversation happens at least a dozen times a day. Yet for some of us, many occasions that involve small talk don’t ever get any easier, and may even increase anxiety and cause some people to feel on edge about social events, business lunches, and chance meetings with neighbors. Unfortunately, as we are suffering our own disfort, our neighbors, friends, and workmates generally consider us distant, cold, and proud. If your conversations disappear almost as soon as they’ve begun, or if you’re an unwill ing participant at social and business gettogethers, you’ll need some skills. Just get involved in a meaningful dialogue, try your best to introduce an interesting topic when there’s a silence, and develop business friendships whenever and wherever possible. Small talk isn’t the lowly stepchild of real conversation. Without it, you rarely get to the real conversation. Small talk is the icebreaker that clears the way for a deeper conversation. People who excel at small talk are experts at making others feel included, valued, and fortable. And that goes a long way toward furthering a business relationship, or making a friend. Don’t be fooled into thinking that all those other people you see who are smiling and happily chatting e by it naturally. Sure, some are naturalborn talkers, but most have had to work at it. They’ve practiced, attended courses and read books. You don’t think so? Believe me, I know. I used to be a single minded, unsociable engineer — no one has worse skills than I once did. I have bee an expert by learning some skills and then practicing them. It’s that simple. 33. According to Paragraph 2, those who are poor at casual conversation _____. A. are sometimes considered unfriendly B. believe small talk is a waste of time C. have few chances to meet strangers D. feel fortable when they are with neighbors 34. What does the author stress in Paragraph 4? A. The important functions of small talk. B. The difficulties of starting a deep conversation. C. The advantages of small talk over real conversation. D. The difference