Question

【题目】Lunch hours are getting shorter and shorter , and even disappearing in some parts of today’s working world . With fewer employees but more tasks to be accomplished in a day , many Americans treat lunch not as a break but as just another task to squeeze into an already over-booked day . But do quick meals at the desk actually improve productivity over more leisurely meals ? According to the latest study published in the journal PLOS ONE , they could help you get more done .

The researchers only studied 32 employees , so the findings are arguable . But when they assigned one group to eat at their desks and the other to dine with a colleague at a restaurant , they found that those who ate lunch together showed a decline in their performance on tests that measured concentration , memory and the ability to catch errors and read emotions in facial expression following lunch than before lunch . Both groups ate the same meals , but those who ate alone were only given 20 minutes to consume their food , while the paired participants were allowed one hour in the restaurant . Those who ate alone did not have as large a drop in their cognitive（认知）processing as those who ate in the restaurant .

There were too many factors at play to determine which had the strongest influence on cognitive control . Whatever factor was responsible , however , the group that took a restaurant lunch break came back more relaxed , say the author , and that likely affected their cognitive sharpness Sharing a meal outside the office with a friend appears to have a calming effect , and while it reduces intellectual skills , it could foster social harmony and teamwork , which may be an important feature of some work tasks .

But don’t feel sorry for the lone lunchers . It turns out that since they were able to maintain their cognitive skills following the meal , they might be in a better position to think creatively for projects that require more solutions or approaches .

【1】What can we learn about the research ?

A. Its findings are unlikely to raise argument .

B. Both groups were given one hour for lunch .

C. The employees having lunch together performed worse in all aspects .

D. The cognitive skills of the group eating alone declined less than the other .

【2】Sharing a meal with a friend can help __________ .

A. enhance the cognitive sharpness B. improve harmonious teamwork

C. finish all the work afterwards D. maintain the intellectual skills

【3】What task does the author think is more suitable for those dining alone ?

A. The task requiring cooperation . B. The task requiring calming effect .

C. The task requiring creativity . D. The task requiring harmony .

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】B

【3】C

【解析】本文讨论了独自吃饭和与朋友聚餐对认知能力的影响。

【1】细节理解题。由Those who ate alone did not have as large a drop in their cognitive（认知）processing as those who ate in the restaurant .可知独自吃饭的人比去饭馆聚餐的人认知技能下降的少，选D。

【2】细节理解题。由it could foster social harmony and teamwork , which may be an important feature of some work tasks .可知和朋友一起吃饭能够提高和谐的团队合作，选B。

【3】细节理解题。由But don’t feel sorry for the lone lunchers . It turns out that since they were able to maintain their cognitive skills following the meal , they might be in a better position to think creatively for projects that require more solutions or approaches .可知作者认为有创造力的工作更适合独自吃饭，选C。