It was raining. I went into a café and asked for a coffee. 21 I was waiting for my drink, I realized there were other people in the place, but I sensed 22 . I saw their bodies, but I couldn’t feel their souls 23 their souls belonged to the 24 .
I stood up and walked between the tables. When I came to the biggest computer, I saw a thin, small man 25 in front of it. “I’m Steve,” he finally answered after I asked him a couple of times what his name was. “I can’t talk with you. I’m 26 ,” hw said. He was chatting online and, 27 , he was playing a computer game-a war game. I was 28 .
Why didn’t Steve want to talk with me? I tried 29 to speak to that computer
geek(怪人), 30 not a word came out of his mouth. I touched his shoulder, but no reaction(反应). I was 31 . I put my hand in front of the monitor, and he started to shout, “ 32 !”
I took a few steps back, wondering if all those people in the café were looking at me. I 33 , and saw nobody showed any interest.
34 , I realized that the people there were having a nice conversation with their machines, not with people. They were more 35 having a relationship with the 36 , particularly Steve. I wouldn’t want to 37 the future of human beings if they preferred sharing their lives with machines 38 with people.
I was worried and sank in my thoughts. I didn’t even 39 that the coffee was bad, 40 Steve didn’t notice there was a person next to him.
21. A. Before B. Since C. Although D. While
22. A. pain B. loneliness C. sadness D. fear
23. A. because B. when C. until D. unless
24. A. home B. world C. Net D. Café
25. A. sleeping B. laughing C. sitting D. learning
26. A. busy B. thirsty C. tired D. sick
27. A. first of all B. just then C. at the same time D. by that time
28. A. Surprised B. delighted C. moved D. frightened
29. A. once B. again C. first D. even
30. A. but B. so C. if D. or
31. A. excited B. respected C. afraid D. unhappy
32. A. Shut up B. Enjoy yourself C. Leave me alone D. Help me out
33. A. walked about B. walked out C. raised my hand D. raised my head
34. A. From then on B. At that moment C. In all D. Above all
35. A. interested in B. tired of C. careful about D. troubled by
36. A. computer B. soul C. shop D. geek
37. A. tell B. plan C. imagine D. design
38. A. other than B. instead of C. except for D. as well as
39. A. pretend B. understand C. insist D. realize
40. A. as if B. just as C. just after D. even though