2 . We all have friends that need a little advice, but one of the problems with those types of conversations is that it’s really easy to come off as a know-it-all when you’re offering help. When you do that, nobody’s going to listen.

    1     But it’s not an easy conversation to have someone, especially when you know all the extenuating circumstances of the situation. I talked with relationship and family therapist Roger S. Gil to get some advice for dealing with these situations.

Obviously not everyone is looking for your advice. Before you go offering up your point of view, make sure they’re interested in hearing it. As Roger Gil points out, often friends aren’t looking for you to solve a problem. They just want you to listen and maybe ask some questions. So, ask if they’d like to hear your input or insights on a problem, but also ask questions about why thee feel a certain way. If they say “no”, let them finish their story and listen politely.     2     Just wait for them to finish complaining before offering advice (or asking if they want). Sometimes the best way to figure something out is to do it on their own.

Speaking of listening. It’s also a good idea to figure out right away what your friends want from you. Gil describes this as differentiating between opinions, expert advice, and being a “sounding board”. Essentially, don’t pretend like you know something you don’t.     3    

Now that you know whether or not your friends or family actually want your advice, it’s time to learn how to advise without sounding like a know-it-all. This is a lot harder than you might think. As Gil points out, one way to offer advice without sounding pretentious (自以为是的) is to avoid “You should” statements.     4     By offering up your opinion clearly defined as your opinion, you remove the implication that “you know best”.

A．Definitely don’t act like you’ve been in a situation you haven’t been in.

B．Different situations require different approaches so we need to know what we should contribute.

C．Gil also adds that even when you know the answer to something, you might want to keep your mouth shut.

D．Gil’s advice, seems obvious, but it’s incredibly easy to get on your high-horse and use “You should” if you’re not careful.

E．When you have a friend who’s stuck in trouble, it’s normal to want to provide some type of insight to get them out of it.

F．However, the key is to make sure you stay in “listening mode” for as long as possible, and you don’t push your advice when it isn’t wanted.

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Beautiful Birthmarks: The Power of Acceptance

Whenever you hear the word “birthmark (胎记)”, you probably think of one of those black or brown spots you have somewhere on your body. However, for me, it’s completely different — I have them both on my lips and inside my mouth, which make them quite visible and, to me, ugly. When

I was young, these birthmarks kept making me feel extremely awkward and self-conscious (难为情的). As these birthmarks always drew a lot of attention, people often asked me, “What are those black marks on your lips?” When I told people that they were birthmarks, they usually said, “How strange！”

In pictures, I used to hide my birthmarks by pursing (噘起) my lips, so I would not have to deal with people’s questions. As I was growing up, the situation didn’t get any better. In the school, my classmates would always tease me, making me feel hurt and helpless. In society, I often encountered individuals who would inquire about my birthmarks even before they knew my name.

Such experiences left me feeling disheartened. I felt like people judged me by my appearance without considering my personality.

My birthmarks are caused by a genetic condition from my mom’s side of the family. My mom’s mom has birthmarks on her lips, and my mom’s uncle and my uncle have some on their bodies. I used to try to cover them up with makeup, but it never looked good. I even consulted a doctor, wanting to have surgery to remove them. But when imagining the process, I would get nervous and eventually give up.

Whenever I cried to my mom about them, she would always comfort me and say, “Learn to accept them and see them as beautiful birthmarks.” However, it wasn’t easy for me to accept my own birthmarks. Every time I showed my birthmarks, people would look at me with strange eyes. I began to regret why I had given up on the surgery and chosen to accept my birthmarks.

注意：1. 续写词数应为 150 词左右。
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
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One day, I met my cousin, who also had a large birthmark on his arm._

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From then on, when I met people, I began to change myself.

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8 . Once you get close enough to someone, it’s easy to assume they’ll be a friend for life—but friendships take work, too, and it’s important that you make time to cultivate these relationships as well.     1    . Read on to discover some questions you should ask your close friends.

1. “How do you think we’ve both changed since we became friends?”

There’s a good chance that you’ve been friends with those closest to you for some time, which means you’ve both changed in certain ways over the years. Shari, founder of Imperfectly Perfect Life, says it’s important to reflect on that change. “    2    ,” she shares.

2. “    3    ”

“You don’t have to just focus on your own friendship. People vary greatly in what makes them feel most connected to others—for some it’s sharing something exciting together, while for others, it’s doing daily tasks together,” Julia, a clinical psychologist, notes.

3. “What is the best advice you’ve ever received?”

Another way you can “gain a deeper understanding of your friend’s values, beliefs, and the lessons they’ve learned along their journey” is by asking them about the best advice they’ve ever received. “This provides an opportunity to share wisdom that has had a significant impact on their personal growth,” Natalie shares. “    4    , fostering mutual understanding within your friendship.”

4.“What are your biggest dreams for your life?”

    5    , if you are truly committed to being friends for life. “Many friendships keep the friends locked in to their current reality,” Moore cautions. “But knowing your friend’s goals can create the space for your friendship to grow.”

A．What life experience has shaped you the most?

B．Acknowledging your growth can enhance your friendship

C．When do you feel most connected to the people in your life?

D．It’s also good to acknowledge that even the closest friendships are not perfect

E．You should know what your friend actually envisions for themselves in the future

F．Additionally, it opens the door for meaningful conversations about life’s challenges

G．We’ve talked to different experts to get their best advice on how to create stronger bonds