The reading passage focuses on a social phenomenon — choosing to be alone on purpose. The passage can be broadly divided into four main parts: what living alone is, what people think of living alone, who prefer living alone, the author’s comments on living alone and what he advises for living in solitude. Look at the following chart and you find:
1. The first part is one paragraph, i.e. Paragraph 1, which tells us that living alone is a common social phenomenon. By recent count, all 22 million people live alone for one reason or another. 
2. The second part is one paragraph, too, i.e. Paragraph 2, which tells us what people think of living alone. While many people think living in solitude may be a sort of national disease, others take it as a characteristic of American hero. There are some people who choose to live alone on purpose such as hunters, explorers and Henry Thoreau, a U.S. famous thinker and essayist.
3. The third part consists of eight paragraphs, from Paragraph 3 to 10. In this part the author mentions 3 famous literary giants who choose to be alone and tells us what message we can draw from the people who choose to be alone. Paragraphs 3 and 4 express the idea that poets and philosophers are for the inspiration in solitude. And William Wordsworth is taken as an example here. Paragraphs 5 and 6 are about the idea that solitude is improved by being voluntary. And John Milton is taken here as an example. Paragraphs 7 to 9 tell us that some artists went outdoors to be alone. Here the author takes Henry Thoreau as an example to illustrate the point that the artists choose to be alone by themselves while their loved ones prepare comforts for them at home. To them nothing is more companionable than solitude. Paragraph 10 is the message we take from those who choose to be alone: the more confident we are, the less we desire to keep company with others.
4. The fourth part is, in fact, the most important part as the author makes his comments on living alone. This part is made up of six paragraphs, from Paragraph 11 to 16. In Paragraph 11 the author makes a point of comparison between people living with other people and people living alone. He argues that if we live with other people, their temporary absence can be refreshing. Then the author presents his own argument that it is different when we live alone: solitude strikes hardest at us. Paragraphs 12 and 13 are very important in the passage as the two paragraphs are supporting the author’s viewpoint that solitude is hard for people. He starts from the argument that it is human that people need to talk to others. Then he describes in detail as to how people living alone will behave ridiculously and talk at length to themselves and their pets and the television. In the last 3 paragraphs, the author offers his advice to readers that people should stay rational, settle down and enjoy grace and pleasure, not like a self-centered British poet. After all, there is no place like home.
