【推荐1】Bara Finch began to write to Elizabeth Martin 70 years ago. And they have been pen friends ever since then.

“70 years is a long time and such a lot has happened,” says Barbara. “I have lost my husband and my son, and she has lost her husband and her daughter. With things like that, her friendship means a lot to me.”

The two started writing letters to each other in November 70 years ago. At that time, Barbara was a 14-year-old pupil. In her school, there were some students from New Zealand. Among many pen friends, Barbara and Elizabeth were the only pair to form a long friendship.

Technology has made a big difference to how the pair communicates now. Instead of writing, they continue to send e-mails to tell each other about their daily lives every week. “We e-mail to each other instead if writing letters now mainly because it’s quicker and there is no cost,” says Barbara.

Barbara and Elizabeth not only write to each other, but they also meet face to face. Barbara goes from England to visit Elizabeth when she has time. They have visited each other 15 times. “Her family has become a second family to me. She says I’m the sister she never bad,” Barbara says.

1. From the second paragraph, we know that ________.

A．Barbara and Elizabeth both lost their sons

B．Barbara began to write to Elizabeth at age 15

C．they have ever had similar experiences over the years

D．friendship ended after they lost their family members

2. They began to write letters when Elizabeth ________.

A．went to New Zealand	B．came to Barbara’s school
C．was in her first grade	D．became an exchange teacher

3. Why did they e-mail to each other instead of writing?

A．Because e-mails cost nothing.

B．Because their friendship breaks.

C．Because they often meet face to face.

D．Because they are too old to write letters.

【推荐2】Public health data signals a genuine crisis in adolescent mental health: rising rates of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. But as we worry about tweens and teens who are struggling, we can’t ignore another mounting effect — the burdens that are shouldered by their friends and peers in an “always on” world.

We have studied teens and tech for over a decade. Their networks are ever-expanding, in no small part because there’s a sense that being nice means accepting fellow requests from acquaintances and friends-of-friends. And it’s not just staying connected — it’s keeping up with what others post, too.

Social media platforms thus make it technically possible to maintain more relationships than we are historically actually wired to track and manage. The result is an overwhelming wave of social information. It’s especially intense for adolescents whose developmental sensitivities drive them to care deeply about what their peers are doing and thinking.

Significant stress comes with trying to be a “good friend” in the age of social media. Friendship requires both public and behind-the-scenes support. Even before a social media post is made public, close friends can be pulled into photo selection, editing, and final examination. Besides, they need to respond in the right way and in the right amount of time, which differs from one relationship to another. Replying too quickly can be seen as over-eager, especially when the friendship is new or not close. But when it’s a close friend, too long a lag (延迟) can be hurtful.

The qualities that are key to building or breaking friendships are actually the same as they’ve always been: mutual (相互的) sharing of joys and sorrows, a give and take of acceptance and support, and an ability to weather and resolve conflicts. But technologies have transformed how friendships play out. Social media increases the burdens that come along with being a good friend. Too often, these dynamics hit teens hard in ways that are lost on adults. And that is what should be changed with the help of parents, schools and other parts of society.

1. What makes teenagers’ networks continue to expand?

A．The pressure to be nice.	B．The requests of their parents.
C．The need to meet more people.	D．The burden of living independently.

2. What does the author think of being a good friend in the age of social media?

A．Exciting.

B．Challenging.

C．Money-saving.

D．Risk-taking.

3. What should be changed according to the last paragraph?

A．The qualities of being a teen friend.

B．The conflicts between schools and parents.

C．The relations between parents and their teens.

D．The influences of social media on teen friendship.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Why more teens are addicted to social media

B．How teens nowadays gain long-standing friendships

C．How social media has made teen friendships more stressful

D．What makes teens become more sensitive to their peers’ needs