Question

【题目】根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

Tips for waiting in line

We’ve all been there — when lining up at the supermarket checkout counter, the lines next to us always seem to be moving faster than the one we are standing in. 【1】 . It has also offered tips on picking the fastest line.

●【2】

A cart (购物车) full of items doesn’t tell the whole story. Every person requires a fixed amount of time to say hello, pay, say goodbye and clear out of the lane. And that amount of time is an average of 41 seconds per person. 【3】 . This means if there are five people ahead of you, each with 10 items in their carts, the waiting time will be 355 seconds. But if there is only one person ahead of you, with 50 items in the cart, the waiting time is 191 seconds. You do the math.

● Study the customers

How many people are ahead of you is one thing, and who they are is another. 【4】 The items in their carts are also important. For example, four bottles of the same milk will definitely go faster than four completely different items.

● Go left

According to a research, around 90 percent of people are right-handed. 【5】 . So heading to the opposite direction — left — will give you a better chance of finding a faster line.

A. Choose a “snaky line”

B. Pick someone with a full cart

C. It means a majority of people tend to naturally go to the right

D. The person at the head of the line goes to the next available counter

E. On the other hand, the time that each item takes to be rung up is only three seconds

F. For example, if they are old people, they tend to move slower and delay the checkout process

G. Now The New York Times gives you some deep understanding into the math and psychology of queuing

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】G

【2】B

【3】E

【4】F

【5】C

【解析】

试题分析：本文介绍了几个排队的技巧。

【1】G 考查对上下文的理解和推理判断能力。空前句意：当在超市收银台排队时，我们旁边的队伍似乎总是比我们站的队伍移动的快。空后句意：它也会提供一些选择最快队伍的技术。故这里G（现在《纽约时报》让你对一些关于排队的数学和心理学有深入了解。）符合上下文，故选G。

【2】B 考查对上下文的理解和推理判断能力。此空是本段的主题句。根据文中第一句句意：装满东西的购物车并不能说明等待时间长。故这里此空用B（挑选排在购物车满的人后面。）符合上下文，故选B。

【3】E 考查对上下文的理解和推理判断能力。空前句意：那些时间量平均每人41秒。空后句意：这就意味着如果你前面有5个人，每个人购物车有10件东西，总等待时间就是355秒。故这里E（另一方面，每样东西花费的时间只有3秒。）符合上下文，故选E。

【4】F 考查对上下文的理解和推理判断能力。空前句意：你前面有多少人是一回事，他们是谁是另一回事。故这里F（例如，如果他们是老年人，他们可能移动得更慢，延迟结算过程。）符合上下文，故选F。

【5】C 考查对上下文的理解和推理判断能力。空前句意：根据一项研究，大约90%的人喜欢在右边。空后句意：因此，走到相反的方向——左边——会给你找到更快队伍的更好的机会。故这里选C（那意味着绝大多数人可能很自然的去右边。）符合上下文，故选C。