A
September is an exciting month in every college freshman’s life. For many, it’s the first time that they’ve left home to live in a new environment. But after the hustle and bustle of a few weeks, excitement gives way to a less enjoyable emotion—homesickness.
Homesickness manifests itself in many ways. You may miss mum’s cooking, your pets, or even your old bed. All this becomes a fond memory of the past. Homesickness can be a bitter feeling for many students, especially when faced with the challenges of settling into an unfamiliar environment.
But remember, you’re not alone. According to a recent BBC article, 70 percent of British college students experience homesickness. In this increasingly globalized world in which people migrate to faraway places for a relationship, education or work, homesickness is a feeling shared by many adults.
Homesickness can have similar symptoms to depression and in extreme cases it can develop into a panic attack. As for the term, homesickness or nostalgia wasn’t invented until the 17th century. It was considered a disorder by a Swiss physician, who attributed soldiers’ mental and physical discomfort to their longing to return home, “nostos” from Greek, and the accompanying pain, “algos”.
Studies in recent years, however, have shown that nostalgia may have some benefits to our mental health. After a decade of surveys and researches, Constantine Sedikides, a US social psychologist, found that nostalgia is what makes us human. He explains that nostalgia can resist loneliness, boredom and anxiety. Therefore, it’s necessary for college students to learn some ways to overcome the uncomfortable feeling.
21. From the first two paragraphs, we can infer that ________.
A. homesickness means a fond memory of the past
B. only a few students will experience homesickness
C. homesickness is an enjoyable emotion among freshmen
D. college freshmen usually suffer from homesickness after weeks
22. What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
A. Some benefits about homesickness.
B. Other problems in college freshmen’s life.
C. How to make campus life more meaningful.
D. Some tips on how to cope with homesickness.
23. In the author’s eyes, homesickness is ________.
A. common but solvable B. unexpected and cheerful
C. temporary but discouraging D. inevitable and disgusting
【答案】21. D 22. D 23. A
【解析】这是一篇说明文。文章介绍大学新生常有的想家的情绪，作者介绍想家带来的负面后果，但是同时作者也指出想家是很正常的，有时也给学生带来好处。
21. 推理判断题。由第一段中的“But after the hustle and bustle of a few weeks, excitement gives way to a less enjoyable emotion—homesickness.”（但在忙碌了几个星期之后，兴奋让位于一种不太愉快的情绪——乡愁。），可得出大学新生通常在几周后会开始想家。故选D项。
22. 推理判断题。由最后一段中的“He explains that nostalgia can resist loneliness, boredom and anxiety. Therefore, it’s necessary for college students to learn some ways to overcome the uncomfortable feeling.”（他解释说，怀旧可以抵御孤独、无聊和焦虑。因此，大学生有必要学习一些克服不适感（乡愁）的方法。），可得出下一段最有可能讨论的是关于如何处理乡愁的一些方法。故选D项。
23. 推理判断题。由第三段“But remember, you’re not alone. According to a recent BBC article, 70 percent of British college students experience homesickness. In this increasingly globalized world in which people migrate to faraway places for a relationship, education or work, homesickness is a feeling shared by many adults.”（但请记住，你并不孤单。根据英国广播公司最近的一篇文章，70%的英国大学生都有思乡之情。在这个日益全球化的世界里，人们为了恋爱、教育或工作而移居到遥远的地方，乡愁是许多成年人的共同感受。），可知作者认为乡愁具有普遍性；由最后一段中的“He explains that nostalgia can resist loneliness, boredom and anxiety. Therefore, it’s necessary for college students to learn some ways to overcome the uncomfortable feeling.”（他解释说，怀旧可以抵御孤独、无聊和焦虑。因此，大学生有必要学习一些克服不适感（乡愁）的方法。），可知作者让读者学习一些克服乡愁的方法，说明作者认为乡愁是可以解决的。故选A项。
