【推荐1】You may have heard the expression “buying into the dip”. We usually think of this in terms of nesting (投资) --- for example, recessions (经济萧条) offer an opportunity to take advantage of buying cheap stocks that were once expensive.

But to me, “buying into the dip” is a term which covers a lot more than that. There are a few reasons that I was able to “buying into the dip” and start a business during the Great Recession: ChopDawg.com had zero upstart costs, with no need for any credit to get started. No loans, just $10 for the domain name. I picked a service that only required my own time and labor and that’s basically it, Not needing credit was a big deal for me, and I didn’t even think about this at the time.

I was also selling a service that was priced at just the right rock-bottom level to fill a need local small business badly needed more sales, since so many had cut their spending due to the recession. A website could give these businesses a new way to reach their customers, new and old.

From an economic standpoint, the Great Recession was an opportunity to start if you were selling the right thing at the right cost. During recessions, the pool gets way less crowded. Potential competitors become much more unwilling to risk, but for those who have an in-demand service, and the means to provide it, you are in business.

Back in 2009, website design had not yet become a commercial service, Offering web design as a service for small businesses was a novel idea, and many mom-and-pop shops didn’t know they needed it yet, which brings me to this: if you can solve a fresh-out-of-the-recession pain point at the right price, you have a chance of buying into the dip and helping a lot of people at the same.

1. What is “buying into the dip” to the author?

A．Selling things at low costs.

B．Buying cheap stocks in time.

C．Offering help to small businesses.

D．Starting a business with the least investment.

2. What does the underlined word “novel” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A．Familiar.	B．Simple.
C．Clear.	D．New.

3. What can be a suitable title for the passage?

A．Start small--very small.

B．Keep an eye on what you may need.

C．Serve right--quite right.

D．Adapt to changes in the Internet service.

【推荐1】When we’re young children, many of us seem to have little trouble making new friends.    1    . As adults, we tend to become more guarded with new people and have less time to devote to friendships. Consequently, most of us find it much harder to make new friends. If you’ve never experienced a close friendship, even as a child, you may find it even harder. But we all need and want good friends, even those of us who may sometimes pretend otherwise.
The need for friends is instinctual (本能的). Our survival used to depend on having friends to hunt and find food with, to help us build shelter and keep our families safe.    2    They add meaning to life. They help you enjoy the good times and overcome the difficult ones. While strong relationships with friends can be a huge source of fun and pleasure, they are also important for your physical and emotional health.
Good friends can：
●    3    
Even if it’s just having someone to share your problems with, friends can help you cope with serious illness, the loss of a job or loved one, the break­up of a relationship, or any other challenge in life.
● Help you to reach your goals.
Whether you’re trying to get fit, give up smoking, or otherwise improve your life, encouragement from a friend can really boost your willpower.    4    
● Improve your mood.
Happiness can be infectious.    5    
● Reduce stress and depression.
Having an active social life can benefit your immune system and help reduce isolation, a major factor for depression.

A．Friendships take time to form and even more time to deepen.

B．Provide support when you're going through tough times.

C．But as we age, friendships grow and develop differently.

D．Spending time with positive friends can be happy.

E．Yet they are less important nowadays.

F．It also increases your chances of success.

G．Today，good friends are just as important.

【推荐2】Mildred Webinga Freeman was an English teacher at the new middle school I attended in the ninth grade. She wasn’t my teacher, she was the adviser to the safety patrol (巡逻队) on which I served. I loved being around her and enjoyed her sense of humor and kind personality. She was also a good listener.

At the end of the year, she announced that she was moving to Florida, and I was very shocked and sad. We exchanged addresses and became pen pals. I could tell her anything, and she treated me with respect even though I was a teenager.

In Florida, Mrs. Freeman became a businesswoman, but she managed to find time to write letters and amusing stories and always took my concerns seriously. She had given me an open invitation to visit, and I missed her so much. When I wrote to take her up on the offer, she answered, “Get your shoes on and your bags packed! You are welcome anytime!”

I spent three weeks with her in Miami, thrilled to do anything from washing dishes to touring houses with her. Her love of poetry, music, and creative writing encouraged me. One day while hanging sheets on the clothesline, she looked up and said, “You know, the sky is fuel for the soul.” I have never looked at the clouds since without hearing those words. Two years later when I visited her house I had hoped to talk to her about school, but instead she was in a hospital bed in the guest room. She had cancer on the liver, and her family members were caring for her. I was in shock.

To this day, more than 50 years later, I still see her smile and think about the advice she gave me. Now and then I reread her letters, and I remember the importance of her smile and her friendship.

1. Which of the following can best describe Mrs. Freeman.

A．Humorous and kind-hearted.

B．Respectful and amusing.

C．Serious but patient.

D．Creative but fun.

2. Mrs. Freeman was the author’s ________.

A．English teacher.

B．class adviser.

C．safety guard.

D．pen pal.

3. How long did the author spend with Mrs. Freeman in Miami?

A．One day.

B．Three weeks.

C．One year.

D．Nine years.

4. Why did the author feel shocked when she visited Mrs. Freeman two years later?

A．She had a liver cancer.

B．She was doing housework.

C．She showed little interest in school.

D．She was not looked after by her family members.

5. What can we know about the author?

A．She wrote stories for Mrs. Freeman.

B．She often visited Mrs. Freeman in Florida.

C．She once went mountain-climbing with Mrs. Freeman.

D．She kept Mrs. Freeman’s letters for more than 50 years.

【推荐3】Are you a person who is good at making friends？As we all know，there are some people who seem to be surrounded by friends always，and there are others who always seem to be standing on the outside. If you are one of the outsiders，it is time to break out of your shell and start making new friends.    1    .

1. Be yourself

In fact，if you aren't yourself，it isn't you that others are becoming friends with. If you do not act like yourself，you may not be well received，because you are a totally different person，    2    .

2. Start with people you know

Reach out to people you have known, and reconnect with old friends you haven't seen in a long time. Don't forget about friends of friends. You may connect with some people just by hanging out with your friends and their friends.     3     If you stay home, you aren't going to meet people.

3. Use technology

There are all kinds of online groups you can take part in.    4    They create experiences people can join, and you get to meet like-minded people who share your interests.

4.    5    

When you meet new people, ask them questions about themselves. Not only do you get to learn more about them, but it shows them that you are interested. And they are going to open up to you more.

A．Ask questions

B．Open your heart

C．If you are invited to go out, go

D．Here are some tips that will help

E．Let people get to know the real you

F．Many are local groups that plan activities

G．High technology is useful in making friends