Small talk like “What do you have there? Ice-cream?” or “The weather today is beautiful, isn't it?” is a waste of time, according to some people. But scientists believe that it is actually more useful than it may appear to be.

One example comes when you are on a train or a plane. The thought of talking to the stranger can be scary and silly. But a study by the University of Chicago found that people who chat to strangers enjoy a better ride than those who sit in silence or keep playing their phones.

In the study, researchers asked people at Chicago train stations to start conversations with fellow travelers. Most of them refused to do so at first because they didn't expect to get a friendly answer. But the result is the opposite-most strangers didn't refuse to be talked to; instead, they were glad to talk to.

“Human beings are social animals,” Nicholas Epley, one of the researchers said, “Other people are people, too. And it turns out that they'd like to get to know you.”

What's more, small talk with strangers can help you feel related to your surroundings(环境). Some studies found when people are often smiled at and spoken to, there is more chance for them to have a stronger sense of belonging instead of feeling like they are being forgotten.

However, if you are already comfortable enough to make small talk with strangers, you should try to develop it into something “bigger”.

A 2010 study proved that having a deep and meaningful conversation gives you even more happiness than small talk. Participants(参与者) in the study reported that compared with some simple greetings and replies, they were a lot happier when they went on with the small talk and further it into in-depth conversations.

But deep conversations can start with small talk, can't they? So the first step is to start talking, no matter how casual the topic is. And who knows, maybe an opening line as simple as “I like your hat” could lead to a serious conversation in which you learn a lot from a stranger.

【小题1】According to Nicholas Epley, what is the reason for the result of the study by the University of Chicago?

A．Most people are scared of being refused.

B．People are naturally interested in others.

C．People are afraid of being lonely or bored.

D．People try to show their good side to strangers.

【小题2】Which of the following is an advantage of small talk?

A．Wasting less time.

B．Getting more smiles.

C．Staying away from phones for a little while.

D．Feeling like you are a part of your surroundings.

【小题3】Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
(①②③④⑤⑥⑦⑧=Paragraphs1-8)

A．①/②③④⑤/⑥⑦/⑧	B．①/②③④/⑤⑥⑦/⑧
C．①/②③/④⑤/⑥⑦⑧	D．①/②③④⑤/⑥⑦⑧

【小题4】What can we infer about the author's attitude toward small talk?

A．The author thinks deep conversations may start before small talk.

B．The author believes small talk is useless without deep conversations.

C．The author agrees people should start small talk actively.

D．The author doubts whether people should start small talk.