Japanese couples, too busy for a normal social life, are increasingly turning to actors to play their friends on the most important days of their lives.
Several agencies have sprung up(涌现)offering actors to attend weddings or even funerals.The first guest-for-hire company was established about nine years ago and around 10 agencies now send out dozens of pretend friends to family events.
Agencies such as Hagemashi Tai, which means “I want to cheer you up”, charge around ￡100 for each “guest”. Other services such as giving a speech in praise of a bride or the groom cost extra.
The appearance of the small fake friends industry has been linked to social and economic changes in Japan.With lifetime employment (终身雇佣制)a thing of the past, couples feel uncomfortable about inviting work colleagues to their wedding.Increasingly busy and put upon, many Japanese surround themselves with only a very small circle of friends.
When they marry, however, they are under pressure to match the number of their new partner’s wedding guests.
Office Agents, the largest provider of pretend friends, makes sure that its employees have done their homework and know all about the bride or groom before the wedding.
Hiroshi Mizutani, the company’s founder, said the fake friends he provides must look happy, be well dressed and look like people with good jobs.
小题1:Why did fake friends industry come into being in Japan?
A．Because of social and economic changes
B．Because of lifetime employment
C．Because of normal social life
D．Because of work pressure小题2:Pretend friends will be present at the following occasions except ________.
A．weddings
B．funerals
C．work
D．family gathering小题3:The agents make sure that ________.
A．fake friends have done their housework
B．fake friends have good jobs
C．fake friends must look happy and be well dressed
D．fake friends feel uncomfortable小题4:What is the best title of this passage?
A．Japanese Couples are Under Pressure to Get Married
B．Japanese Couples’ Social Life
C．The First Guest-for-hire Company in Japan
D．Japanese Couples Rely on Fake Friends
小题1:A
小题2:C
小题3:C
小题4:D
题目分析：本文讲述的是现在的日本人要依赖这些虚假的朋友在他们的生活中起一定的作用。文章中详细描述了提供这样服务的公司的一些具体的信息。
小题1:A 细节题。根据文章第四段1,2行The appearance of the small fake friends industry has been linked to social and economic changes in Japan.可知A项正确。
小题2:C 细节题。根据文章第二段第一行和最后一行Several agencies have sprung up(涌现)offering actors to attend weddings or even funerals和send out dozens of pretend friends to family events.可知ABD三项都是的，只有C项没有提及。
小题3:C 细节题。根据文章最后一段Hiroshi Mizutani, the company’s founder, said the fake friends he provides must look happy, be well dressed and look like people with good jobs可知C项描述的正确的。
小题4:D 主旨大意题。根据文章主题段第一段Japanese couples, too busy for a normal social life, are increasingly turning to actors to play their friends on the most important days of their lives.
现在的日本夫妻要依赖这些虚假的朋友在他们的生活中起一定的作用。故D项正确。
点评：本文讲述的是现在的日本人要依赖这些虚假的朋友在他们的生活中起一定的作用。文章中详细描述了提供这样服务的公司的一些具体的信息。文章基本上是考查细节题，对此类题型考生可以首先从问题中找到关键词，然后以此为线索，运用略读及查阅的技巧在文中迅速寻找这一细节，找到后再把这一部分内容仔细阅读一遍，仔细比较所给选项与文中细节的细微区别，在准确理解细节的前提下，最后确定最佳答案。