How many friends do you have? Not counting the hundreds on Facebook or the names gathering dust in your address book. But real friends, the ones cast in stone. The kind who would lend you $100 without asking why, or put you up if you were kicked out of your house.
Anthropologist Prof Robin Dunbar feels he can put a number on it: five. No matter how much of a social butterfly you are, you can count your real pals on one hand, he says. To that he says you can add an ideal number of 15 “good friends”, the kind of people you would see in a group and would join for a drink if you bumped into them in the pub, and up to 150 “meaningful contacts”.
Prof Dunbar’s latest research is an exact formula(公式) for friendship: new friendships take 34 hours of one-on-one time to form, in which you’d spend an ideal duration of three hours and four minutes per interaction together over the course of six months. Note that this is to turn an acquaintance into a friend, not one of the close friends that makes up your inner circle of five—to do that, you’d have to devote 90 hours, according to a 2018 University of Kansas study.
According to the experts, the pandemic years have changed the number and nature of our friendship. It gave people more grounds for disagreement: over adherence(遵守) to social-distancing rules, for example. Plenty of people lost relationships in the cracks. “We are always on the outlook for new and better friends, but lockdown has had a big effect in making people reevaluate,” says Dunbar. “Perhaps they’ve decided the time has come to part with some and therefore there’s an empty space to fill.”
The forecast for British friendship was already gloomy before the pandemic. Three million people said they feel lonely “often or always”, according to the Government’s 2019 community life survey. But the average British adult lost four friends over the course of the pandemic, according to the poll.
1. What does the underlined expression “cast in stone” probably mean?| A．Firmly connected. | B．Interested in stones. |
| C．Living nearby. | D．Extremely generous. |
| A．34 hours of one-on-one time. |
| B．90 hours of interaction. |
| C．Six months of one-on-one time. |
| D．Three hours and four minutes of interaction. |
| A．The more sociable you are, the more real friends you can make. |
| B．It’s much easier for people to make friends online. |
| C．The more friends you make, the happier your life will be. |
| D．There is a limit to the number of real friends in your life. |
| A．Whether to part with some old friends. |
| B．How to make better friends. |
| C．Whether to obey social distancing. |
| D．How to limit the number of friends. |
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【推荐1】I first met Paul Newman in 1968, when George Roy Hill, the director of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, introduced us in New York City. When the studio didn’t want me for the film—it wanted somebody as well-known as Paul—he stood up for me. I don’t know how many people would have done that; they would have listened to their agents or the studio powers.
The friendship that grew out of the experience of making that film and The Sting four years later had its root in the fact that although there was an age difference, we both came from a tradition of theater and live TV. We were respectful of craft and focused on digging into the characters we were going to play. Both of us had the qualities and virtues that are typical of American actors: humorous, aggressive, and making fun of each other—but always with an underlying affection. Those were also at the core of our relationship off the screen.
We shared the belief that if you’re fortunate enough to have success, you should put something back—he with his Newman’s Own food and his Hole in the Wall camps for kids who are seriously ill, and me with Sundance and the institute and the festival. Paul and I didn’t see each other all that regularly, but sharing that brought us together. We supported each other financially and by showing up at events.
I last saw him a few months ago. He’d been in and out of the hospital. He and I both knew what the deal was, and we didn’t talk about it. Ours was a relationship that didn’t need a lot of words.
1. Why was the studio unwilling to give the role to author at first?| A．Paul Newman wanted it. | B．The studio powers didn’t like his agent. |
| C．He wasn’t famous enough. | D．The director recommended someone else. |
| A．They were of the same age. | B．They worked in the same theater. |
| C．They were both good actors. | D．They had similar characteristics. |
| A．Their belief. | B．Their care for children. |
| C．Their success. | D．Their support for each other. |
| A．To show his love of films. | B．To remember a friend. |
| C．To introduce a new movie. | D．To share his acting experience. |
| A．1966 | B．1967 | C．1968 | D．1969 |
【推荐2】Have you ever heard the saying “If you want a friend, be one”? Here is how anew teacher made friends with the girls and boys in her class on the first day of school. As the bell rang, the teacher smiled at each girl and boy. Then she said in a quiet voice, “Good morning. How nice it is to have all of you in my class this year. I’d like to know each of you. I am sure we will enjoy working together.” Everyone felt that she meant what she said because of her sweet voice and her friendly look.
She told the girls and boys her name and wrote it on the black- board. Then she told them some of the things she liked to do and she was hoping to do with them during the year.
Then she said to the class, “Now you know my name and the things I like and I want to know your names and the things you like. Then I will feel that I know you.”
Could you make friends by doing the same as this teacher did? One way of getting to know girls and boys in your class is to find out more about them. It is often easy to be friends with those people who have the same hobbies with you. You play the same games and go on journeys together.
You may find that some newcomers in your class miss their old friends and feel strange and lonely. You can invite them to take a walk or to ride bikes with you. You will find many things in common to talk about. Just talking together in a friendly manner is one good way to make friends.
1. The teacher’s sweet voice and her friendly look ________.| A．made every girl and boy happy |
| B．told the girls and boys everything about herself |
| C．showed that she would like to be a friend of the girls and boys |
| D．meant she wanted to tell the boys and girls something interesting |
| A．he always feels lonely | B．you ask him to do something |
| C．he always thinks of his old friends | D．you talk with him in a friendly way |
| A．Learn more about them. | B．Go on journeys together. |
| C．Find out your differences. | D．Try to talk together. |
| A．How to make friends | B．A friend in need is a friend indeed |
| C．How to befriends with newcomers | D．Teachers can make friends with students |
I've had plenty of friends throughout my life, but I always felt like I was missing that one big friendship that so many other women seemed to have. As an only child, I had always longed for a sister. As an adult, all I wanted was a true best friend to fill that vacancy.
When I was thirty-two, I was living my dream as a stay-at-home mom and then my world came crashing down. On a Tuesday afternoon in May of 2018 I was diagnosed with a stage-two cancer. My days of dates, trips to the zoo, and lazy mornings at home with my twenty-one-month-old son turned into appointments with doctors, terrifying body scans and a whole lot of uncertainty.
Over the course of eight months I got cycles of treatment. While the pain and side effects were almost unbearable, the fear and anxiety that developed were even worse. My husband and parents were an amazing support system. However, I still felt depressed because it was impossible for them to figure out what I was going through both physically and emotionally. But I couldn't expect them to. Plus, I wanted to be strong for them so that they could in turn be strong for my son. I never missed having a sister more than I did during that time.
Eventually I found myself wishing for a "cancer friend" so that I could relate to someone who knew what I was going through. I would sit in the ward and look around the room, trying to find someone to befriend. I met some wonderful people, but somehow I never connected with them. Later, I continued to try to find a "cancer friend"; but in vain. So gradually I became despondent about the potential for finding such a friend.
Unexpectedly, I found what I needed in the most unlikely places. In my son's preschool, I met with a young mum called Leah, who also had a cancer. We had much in common and became the closest friends. We sometimes compared our situation to having been to war. We went to battle for our lives and found it became easier for us to do it together.
1. What caused the author' s world to crash down? (No more than 10 words)2. Why was the author still depressed though she had family members' support? (No more than 10 words)
3. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 mean? (No more than 5 words)
4. What did the author and Leah gain from their friendship? (No more than 15 words)
5. What do you learn from the author' s story? (No more than 20 words)
【推荐1】My mother spreads joy wherever she goes. Right now she is probably writing an encouraging note to a friend, praising someone she has come across in the hallway, or reading the newspaper to someone in her retirement community（社区）.
Growing up, my mother thought about becoming a dancer, but she didn't have the chance until retirement. Then she joined her first group, The Hot Flashes. Once she put on the tap shoes, "Dancing Grammy” was born.
There seems to be no end to her energy as she tap-dances her way into people's hearts, bringing smiles to sad places. But this is nothing new for my mother.
Being a lifetime educator, she was recognized in 2015 as her school district's Teacher of the Year. I remember her evening phone calls to her students' homes when she took a break from grading papers. They weren't the typical bad-news calls many parents would expect. Usually she was calling about something positive.
I was the youngest of seven children and life wasn't easy for my mother. I remember sitting on the back of her bike as she took me to a daycare center for low-income families on her way to Rosary College, where she was seeking an education degree. At home she was tough as she had to be. She had been strict in my childhood, but I learned from watching her. Her work ethic（道德）and determination passed down to me.
I could write a book about my mother, and probably I will someday. Better yet, we may write one together, as her dream to be a writer hasn't yet been realized. But she got one step closer by attending the Erma Bombeek Writers* Workshop in Dayton, Ohio, where she was inspired to write a book.
From mother of seven to grandmother of eighteen, my mother continues to inspire everyone she meets. She has many titles, but my favorite is Mother.
1. What does the author's mother tend to do?| A．She often helps poor people. | B．She changes her aims constantly. |
| C．She joins energetic people. | D．She brings happiness to others. |
| A．To know her students' performance at home. |
| B．To help her students' parents build confidence. |
| C．To tell her students' parents some good news. |
| D．To ask her students to grade their papers fast. |
| A．Dull but smooth, | B．Difficult but rewarding. |
| C．Relaxing and enjoyable. | D．Rough and meaningless. |
| A．To show her love and respect for her mother. |
| B．To keep a record of her mother's retirement life. |
| C．To find inspiration to write a book for her mother. |
| D．To praise her mothers professional achievements. |
【推荐2】Steve and Yaser first met in their chemistry class at an American university. Yaser was an international student from Jordan. He was excited to get to know an American. He wanted to learn more about American culture. Yaser hoped that he and Steve would become good friends. At first, Steve seemed very friendly. He always greeted Yaser warmly before class. Sometimes he offered to study with Yaser. He even invited Yaser to have lunch with him.
But after the term was over, Steve seemed more distant. The two former(以前的) classmates didn’t see each other very much at school. One day Yaser decided to call Steve. Steve didn’t seem very interested in talking to him.. Yaser was hurt by Steve’s change of attitude. “Steve said we were friends,” Yaser complained. “And I thought friends were friends forever.” Yaser is a little confused.
He is an outsider(局外人) to American culture. He doesn’t understand the way Americans view friendship. Americans use the word “friend” in a very general way. They may call both casual acquaintances(熟人) and close companions(伙伴) “friends”. Americans have school friends, work friends, sports friends and neighborhood friends. These friendships are based on common interests.
American society changes rapidly. Studies show that one out of five American families moves every year. American friendships develop quickly, and they may change just as quickly. People from the United States may at first seem friendly. Americans often chat easily with strangers. They exchange information about their families, hobbies and work. They may smile warmly and say, “Have a nice day.” or “see you later.” schoolmates may say, “Let’s get together sometime.” But American friendliness is not always an offer of true friendship.
1. According to the text , what made Yaser a little confused ?| A．Steve’s inviting him to dinner | B．Steve’s studying with him |
| C．Steve’s cold attitude | D．Steve’s misunderstanding him |
| A．American families | B．American friendships |
| C．People from the United States | D．Misunderstandings |
| A．Americans may not only call casual acquaintances but close companion “friends”. |
| B．American society changes rapidly, and the families move frequently. |
| C．Americans often seem friendly, and chat easily with strangers at first. |
| D．Americans think friendship means a strong lifelong relationship between two persons. |
| A．that people should not make friends with Americans. |
| B．that everyone needs friends. |
| C．the importance of keeping friendship. |
| D．how Americans view friendship. |
【推荐3】I can well remember the pain. My stomach was sick, my heart hurt, and my eyes were painful from holding back tears.
“You know, Annie,” my friend John said. “Joanna and Andrea were just talking about you.” I immediately got nervous. “They said that the only reason you start on the basketball team is that the coach likes you. It’s not that you’re good.” I thought I might be sick. “They said they’re tired of you always getting what you want.”
I struggled to keep myself from crying, sinking to my knees on the cold floor. After John told me everything my supposed best friends said about me, I was hurt.
Joanna and Andrea came in, acting as if nothing had happened. Joanna was still my deskmate, and Andrea was still my partner for our history project. I was amazed at their abilities to pretend we had perfect friendship, especially since they’d said such hurtful things.
I was a freshman in high school, and I felt like I didn’t have a friend in the world, all because of gossip.
The tongue can be our worst enemy. Gossips harm confidence and separate close friends. They are like sharp knives, cutting one’s self-respect into pieces. When we say unkind things about others, we’re sticking knives into their hearts.
So how was I to act next? When Joanna and Andrea pretended our friendship hadn’t changed, I thought of attacking them back. But instead, I told them directly that they had hurt me. Joanna started crying and Andrea was speechless. I knew they were both sorry for what they had said. They apologized, and I forgave them. Sure, things were a little embarrassing at first, but soon enough everything was back to the way it had been before.
I still deal with gossip, sometimes as a receiver and sometimes as a sharer. But the more I learn about the friendship, the more I realize the importance of tolerating others—something gossip never does.
1. From the second paragraph, we can conclude that Joanna and Andrea ________.| A．were grateful that the writer was their friend |
| B．did not think the writer was the coach’s favorite |
| C．were unhappy about the writer being on the team |
| D．made fun of the writer’s basketball performances |
| A．She decided to fight back immediately. |
| B．She pretended that nothing had happened. |
| C．She found it uncomfortable to speak to them. |
| D．She told them how she felt about their words. |
| A．unconcerned | B．positive |
| C．negative | D．unclear |
【推荐1】In an ideal world, we would be able to devote as much time to sports as we feel we need. But in reality, with growing demands in both work and family, we can only jump at the chance for our physical exercise when we can. Making the most of that time to practice Yin Yang yoga, which mixes the dynamic and slow-paced elements of yoga, helps keep you active and relaxed.
Yin and Yang are the Taoist concepts representing a balance of opposite forces which are also interconnected. Yin is inactive, cooling, and negative, associated with the female force. Yang is active, warming, and positive, associated with action and movement. They are complementary to one another, as one cannot exist without the other.
Yin Yang yoga is a combination of high-energy movement which builds energy, increases strength and promotes stamina (耐力), followed by the more restful practice of Yin to give us a deeper stretch (拉伸) and calm the nervous system.
If you have a busy and active life you may feel more in Yang, so taking some cooler, slower Yin yoga practice into your routine may help you feel calmer and more balanced.
If you are practicing for an hour, divide the time in half, Warm up with sun salutations (拜日式瑜伽), continue into a dynamic flow and then move on to some standing postures. After half an hour your heart will be pumping, muscles tighten up and you are hopefully feeling energetic, but ready for a rest. Then pick five Yin postures to hold for 3-5 minutes, or even longer if you are enjoying them!
As ever with yoga, if you are a beginner or have health issues, always attend a class with a trained instructor first to guide you safely through the yoga practice and avoid injury.
1. What can be inferred from paragraph 1?| A．Most of our sports time should be spent on Yin Yang yoga. |
| B．We’d better devote as much time to physical exercise as we can. |
| C．Busy schedule makes it impossible for us to do any form of sports. |
| D．Yin Yang yoga can be a choice of physical exercise when time is tight. |
| A．Independent from one another. |
| B．Competitive against one another. |
| C．Similar to each other but unable to work together as a whole. |
| D．Different from each other but together making a good combination. |
| A．Relaxing muscles. | B．Building stamina. |
| C．Strengthening the body. | D．Quickening the heartbeat. |
| A．Hold each Yin posture for longer than 5 minutes. |
| B．Do not practice yoga when you are not in good health. |
| C．Start your yoga practice under the guidance of a trainer. |
| D．Spare half an hour for five Yin postures in every yoga practice. |
【推荐2】Does the night sky excite you? Astronomy can be a (most) wonderful pastime activity. There are many things to learn for fun, and a chance to discover something new. In fact, some amateur astronomers have made great discoveries just with their eyes or binoculars (双筒望远镜).
Beginners to astronomy should shy away from buying telescopes until they’ve watched the universe through binoculars. These simple instruments help beginners get used to seeing the view through a more powerful instrument than the naked eye. With a telescope, not only are the pictures upside down, but they are usually greatly magnified (放大): much bigger than the normal size. Thus, it’s best to test your skills first with binoculars.
A good pair of binoculars opens a completely new world that can’t be seen with the naked eye. In our solar system alone, binoculars can show craters (坑，环形山) on the Moon, the rings of Saturn, states of Venus, four bright moons of Jupiter, all the planets except Pluto, small planets, and comets with tails.
We can see many more stars when using binoculars. There are hundreds of stars that we can see with binoculars. These stars often change in brightness, and they are interesting to watch. And many star clusters (群) and galaxies can be seen.
1. According to the passage, the underlined “astronomy” is _______.| A．a machine which tells you about future | B．a branch of science to study plants and animals |
| C．a kind of telescope | D．a branch of science to study universe |
| A．be shy of | B．think of | C．avoid | D．consider |
| A．at the normal position | B．much smaller than the real ones |
| C．bigger than the real ones | D．not as clear as what you see through binoculars |
| A．states of Pluto | B．the rings of Saturn | C．craters on the Moon | D．states of Venus |
| A．Astronomy is a wonderful pastime | B．How to use a telescope |
| C．Watching the sky through binoculars | D．Amateur astronomers’choice |
【推荐3】Elephants are among the few wild animals to build strong social al connections of companionship, friendship and family. They are able to recognize not only their own mothers, calves (幼崽), brothers and sisters but also their grandmothers, aunts, cousins and nieces. They know elephants they’ve interacted within the past, and have been observed to build particular friendships with unrelated elephants.
These features partly result from the way that elephants live. “Herds” are very small units a group of three or four closely related female elephants plus their calves, who live and travel together for all their lives. Sometimes, though, these herds join up with other herds, living, feeding playing and travelling together. These groups almost always go back into their basic family units in the end, but if they come across each other again they will express recognition and love.
Like all mammals (哺乳动物), elephant communicate a great deal through body language. Love is often expressed by crossing or “hugging” their long noses, usually between close relatives and friends who have travelled in the same herd for a long time. And much physical communication takes place with the ends of elephants’ noses — they use these to comfort and reassure each other, to greet friends, and to recognize the efforts of a hard-working mother or the birth of new calves.
When a member of the herd is close to death, the whole herd will stop moving and stay resting in one small area for a time. Once the elderly or sick elephant passes away, they will stay on for a few more days — gathering around the dead body, and seeming to make aloud high sad sound for their companion that has passed away.
1. What is special about elephants according to paragraph 1?| A．They can identify various species. | B．They live independently in most cases. |
| C．They tend to establish social networks. | D．They seldom interact with unrelated ones. |
| A．Feed the other herds. | B．End up in their original herds. |
| C．Give birth to new calves. | D．Live together for all their lives. |
| A．Make fun of. | B．Take control of. |
| C．Give confidence to. | D．Turn a blind eye to. |
| A．Letting out a faint sound. |
| B．Moving forward in small groups. |
| C．Crossing or hugging their long noses. |
| D．Gathering around in memory of the companion. |
