While flatmates can bring about stress and difficulty, they can also be great company and develop into wonderful, lifelong friends. Before making the decision to live with a flatmate or to live alone, consider carefully all the accompanying advantages and disadvantages.

Most people join forces with a flatmate primarily due to financial problem. A shared living space also means you're responsible for only half of the rent or shared bills. Additionally, when you're splitting costs, you can afford a better apartment than you could alone. However, money can become a point of argument for flatmates as well. If your flatmate gets laid off or quits his job, you may have to pick up his bill until he's back on his feet. Your flatmate may also insist he owe less because he doesn't use the shower too often.

In addition to bills and the rent, flatmates also typically share responsibility for unpleasant tasks, such as cleaning or doing the dishes. Without a flatmate, cleaning and tidying responsibilities are yours alone. However, flatmates also frequently end up sharing plenty of other things many people would rather not: use of the TV, the bathroom, food and even clothing, for example. You may have to wake up earlier than you'd like to get a hot shower before work or give up watching your favorite show because your flatmate beat you to it.

When you live alone,   you get to determine the terms of your social life, and you go home to an empty house or apartment at the end of the day. That can be preferable if you're a serious student or professional, someone who needs to work and rest in the quiet of an apartment. With a flatmate, there are unexpected guests and your social options can expand sharply. Keep in mind, however, that having a flatmate means that he may feel social when you do not, and you may have to deal with wanted house guests.

Some people are always on time, while others are at least 20 minutes (and sometimes even hours) late! It’s annoying, because while you wait for your friend, you feel offended.     16    

First of all, talk to your friend about your feelings. Don’t offend them.     17     Ask your friend why they are always late and find out the answer. It might happen that your friend just doesn’t know how to effectively manage their time. By the way, you’re not the only person whom your friend makes wait, so don’t take things personally.

Try to find a way to make your friend come on time. For example, you can tell them that your cellphone is out of power and you can’t be called. If your friend can’t call and tell you they will be late, they will have to come on time.     18     Don’t worry. You don’t have to come earlier!

When nothing works, change your attitude to accept the fact that your friend will never come on time.     19     For instance, don’t arrange the meetings when your friend has to pick you up for the movie. You know your friend will be late and you will miss it!

    20     Take a book or a newspaper to read, so you can entertain yourself and never notice the time that you have to wait. If you’re not a book lover then check your email or chat with your other friends.

On a summer evening, my wife and I were on our way to the grocery store when I noticed a man sitting on the sidewalk. A used advertisement banner (横幅) draped loosely around his waist was his only _______in the bad weather. The blank look in his eyes indicated he was possibly incapable of _______mental function. We tried asking him a few questions, but he showed no _______that he had heard or understood us. “He looks starving. Let’s buy him a loaf of bread, my wife_______.

When we returned, he wasn’t there.________,we decided to go home, wondering what to do with the loaf of bread. We'd barely gone a hundred meters when we ________him. He was seated with a family of migrant labourers who had camped there. Surprisingly, none of the family members seemed to________his presence. In fact, he looked to be quite welcome. Out of curiosity, I stopped my motorcycle and ________.

It was dinnertime and the family was________around an open fire. The man was eating hungrily from a plate—identical to the ones from which the family partook their meals. Even as she roasted more food, the lady watched on the stranger ________, making sure that his plate was not________.The other members of the family chatted happily as they ate. The family was far from ________because they were the people who had no roof over their heads. But they shared what they had, not something they had no _________for. Overcome with guilt, we________the loaf of bread near the man and rode away, but not before_________the true meaning of giving and sharing.

Amy’s friendship was on the rocks, so she wrote a post on a forum exchange for advice about it. Since primary school, Amy, who was an awkward student then, and her friend Jenny, a popular and     36    (friend) girl, have been good friends for eight years. Whether they are walking to school, doing homework or just hanging out at the weekend, they are hardly     37    of each other’s sight. However, Jenny broke Amy’s heart.

They originally planned to watch a film last Saturday afternoon. But unfortunately, Jenny had a cold so that they didn’t make it. Today, Amy received a horrible surprise that Jenny had been seen     38     (chat) with another girl in a café on Saturday afternoon. When     39     (hear) this, Amy was     40    (terrible) angry and at a loss, not knowing what to do next.

On the forum, Amy got two     41    (reply), one of     42     says that this friendship is worth     43    (save), for her friend Jenny perhaps wants to make    44    apology for her behaviour and give Amy an     45    (explain). However, in the other reply, it is suggested that Amy should rethink this friendship and move on if this friendship is not equally valued.