I have lived in my present house for 11 years. But I know very little about my neighbors. It’s not that I don’t want to know my neighbors. I am just quiet and shy. While some people are happy to invite the whole street to a dinner party, some of us will never be that outgoing. Here are a few ways for the rest of us.

The easiest way to get to know the people in your neighborhood is to go outside. Spend time in your front yard at a certain time. Sit in front of the door at the same time every day and finally someone will say hello. If you feel strange just sitting there, pick up a hobby that you can do in your front yard, like reading, bird watching, or drinking tea.

Then, you can look for community activities that you can drop into, chat a little, and leave whenever you want. When there is an activity going on, the focus won’t be on you, making it easier to communicate with people. Try five minutes; if you have to bail, no one will notice.

If you are interested in gardening, you will notice the neighbors who are also into gardening. Ask them about their garden! Asking questions is the easiest way to connect because you are placing the focus on the other person. If you have a dog, talk to other dog people on your walks. If you have a kid, ask other parents about stuff to do with kids.

If you are wondering why it’s good to be friendly with your neighbors, keep reading.

1.What makes the writer know little about his/her neighbors?

A His/Her bad experiences.

B The neighbors’ rudeness.

C A bad disease.

D His/Her character.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据第一段中的“I am just quiet and shy.”可知作者对邻居了解很少是因为他/她性格比较内向。故选D。

2.What’s the simplest way to get to know the neighbors?

A Going outside.

B Surfing the Internet.

C Taking part in parties.

D Looking for the same hobbies.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第二段第一句“The easiest way to get to know the people in your neighborhood is to go outside.”可知，了解邻居最简单的方法是走出去。故选A。

3.What does the underlined word “bail” mean?

A Control.

B Leave.

C Remove.

D Take.

解析：选B。B 词义猜测题。根据划线单词段落第一句的“and leave whenever you want”和第二句的“the focus won’t be on you”可知，参加社区活动可以在你想离开的时候就离开。故选B。

4.The fourth paragraph mainly talks about ________.

A parenting skills

B gardening ways

C shared interests

D friendly environment

解析：选C。C 段落大意题。根据该段内容，对园艺感兴趣的话就谈论园艺，喜欢养狗狗就谈论狗，养小孩就谈论小孩可知，该段主要讲的是邻里之间共同的兴趣爱好。故选C。

5.What may the passage talk about next?

A Activities among neighbors.

B Advantages of knowing about neighbors.

C Advice on how to make friends.

D Ways to reduce the risk of wrong friends.

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。根据最后一段，尤其是“why it’s good to be friendly with your neighbors”可知，接下来最有可能谈及了解邻里之间友好相处的好处。故选B。