2 . Healthy friendship can help us deal with stress and live happier, longer lives. Here are tips from relationship experts for making and deepening friendships.

Be optimistic

People receiving an unexpected communication, such as a short note or a small gift, appreciated the act more than the people sending it.     1     We often undervalue how much people like us. If we think we’re going to be liked, we become warmer, friendlier, and more open.

Expect awkwardness

Awkwardness isn’t a good reason to back out of a new relationship.     2     Besides, recent research from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University shows we often overvalue how awkward a first meeting will be. But when it comes to the effects of talking to strangers, the other person might be more worried about an awkward conversation.

    3    

Making a close friend takes time-often more than 200 hours of time together over several weeks, according to University of Kansas study. Do you know why people are often advised to take a class or volunteer?     4    

Practice

    5     How can we strengthen our muscles? By exercising, right? We can work our communication skills in the same way. In a 2022 study by Sandstrom, participants (参与者) were required to talk to strangers every day for a week. Guess what? In the end, people were less worried and more confident about starting conversations with strangers.

A．Put the time in

B．Make a list of close friends

C．It’s just a normal part of getting to know someone

D．Improving social skills are just like building up our bodies

E．Not surprisingly, a positive attitude can help us make friends

F．Repeated activities come with a fixed get-to-know-you schedule

G．Keep in mind that nobody gives it to you in all the ways you need

3 . Being a good friend isn’t always easy. Nevertheless, taking the time to develop a lasting friendship is worth every ounce of effort.     1     Here are a few things you can do to be a good friend to others.

Make time for each other

    2     The mark of a good friend is someone who makes time for you and makes spending time with you a priority. A good friend will also look for opportunities to maximize the time you have together by seeking fun and unique experiences that strengthen and maintain your bond.

Open up and allow each other to be vulnerable

A good friend is someone genuine, someone with whom you can be yourself and they can be themselves around you. A good friend allows you to be vulnerable with them and vice versa, meaning you can expose your emotions and circumstances with each other and trust one another to listen, be supportive, and have each other’s best interests at heart.     3     If your friend hurt you, don’t be afraid to talk about it.

    4    

It is one of the most important aspects of being a good friend. Your friend will need you for support, especially in hard times. Nobody wants to be friends with someone who actually isn’t interested in them. It’s hard to rely on a person who doesn’t behave in a trustworthy way. We all know well-intentioned people who say, “Okay, I will...” but never follow through. If that’s you, be aware that you’re destroying your friends’ trust. Eventually, they’ll stop believing what you say.

Apologize when you’ve made a mistake.

If you want your friends to trust you, then you can’t act like you’re perfect. If you know you’ve made a mistake, own up to it instead of denying. Though your friends won’t be happy that you made a mistake, they’ll be very pleased that you’re mature enough to admit it instead of just pretending that nothing is wrong, or worse — blaming it on someone else.     5     Let your friends hear the sincerity in your voice.

A．Be dependable.

B．Be a good listener.

C．When you do so, you should mean it.

D．A good friend is willing to stick their neck out on behalf of their friends.

E．It will contribute to direct lines of communication between both of you.

F．Friendships grow through shared experiences and quality time together.

G．Because good friendships provide a sense of belonging and security, knowing you are loved.

5 . When you are a kid, gaining a best friend forever can happen in a single play date. But when you grow up to be an adult, making and maintaining friendships gets harder. So how much quality time (优质时光) do you need before that stranger becomes your friend? A new study recently found that, on average, it takes about 50 hours with someone before you consider them a casual (感情不深的) friend, about 90 hours before you become real friends, and about 200 hours to become close friends.

The study’s author Jeffrey Hall, a communications professor, invited adults who are eager to make friends to take part in two experiments — people who had just moved to a new city in the past six months and college freshmen. He asked them to rate and track the degree of closeness and time spent together with a new person. “Results suggest that the chance of changing from casual friend to real friend is greater than 50% after around 80-100 hours together,” said Hall.

The study found that the amount of time spent talking together, or the fact that you spent time at school or work with them, was unrelated to friendship closeness. “It is really easy to spend a lot of time with people as they are routinely in the same place at the same time as you,” Hall said. “However, my study shows you can have workmates you spend hundreds and hundreds of hours with and still not develop a friendship.”

You do not need to become best friends with your workmates to develop meaningful relationships with them. But for those of us hoping to change from “girl who I eat lunch at work with” to “friend I can depend on,” Hall suggests that you need to take the relationship out of the workplace for it to become a friendship. The participants who did activities outside of work with someone, such as being invited to have lunch in their home, were more likely to develop deeper relationships with them.

1. What is the new study mainly about?

A．Ways of making friends in a new environment.

B．Why people need to make different friends.

C．Different levels of friendship.

D．How long it takes to develop a friendship.

2. What do we know about the participants in the study?

A．They knew each other before.

B．They had difficulty in making new friends.

C．They were in great need of friends.

D．They started their new life in the same city.

3. What does Hall want to tell us in paragraph 3?

A．It is easy to get along well with classmates.

B．Friendship closeness is related to communication.

C．It is unnecessary to become best friends with workmates.

D．Just spending enough time together doesn’t result in friendship.

4. What does the underlined word “routinely” probably mean in paragraph 3?

A．Usually.	B．Impressive.
C．Seldom.	D．Confidently.

5. Which can help people build deeper relationships with workmates according to Hall?

A．Joining the same work team.

B．Having lunch at work with them.

C．Inviting them to your home after work.

D．Sharing work experience with each other.

6 . The stands were always filled with family members to support their favorite players. I attended each of my son’s games. His father worked nights for years, and missed out on most of his games. My son Jorden knew if his dad could, he would be there sitting right beside me.

When Jorden was younger, some family members would occasionally come to watch. But gradually they stopped showing up. Never once did Jorden lead me to believe that this bothered him, but apparently it did. It wasn’t until when he was asked to give a speech at his baseball event that he made it very clear not only to me but a room filled with over 150 people just how important it is to have extra fans in the stands.

His speech was anything but like I thought it would be. It wasn’t short and bittersweet. It wasn’t his quick thank you to his coaches and teammates. He poured his heart out, saying he seldom had grandparents, aunts or uncles coming to support him. He was grateful that his teammates’ family members showed up to support not just their own loved ones but the entire team of boys. Clearly Jorden desired more than just me. Never did I ever think my son would be hurting inside as he looked out to the bleachers to see only me at each and every game.

As he struggled to get each word out through tears, I promised I would attend as many events of the children around as I possibly could. There was no way I could allow another child to feel what my son was feeling. This small simple gesture would mean so much to any child. Neither Jorden nor I was upset with those who never attended his games. Jorden just wanted someone else besides me to witness his craft in action. I understand all of our lives become complicated and that everyone is busy with their own children and jobs that may not allow them as much free time as they’d like.

1. What do we know about Jorden’s father?

A．He had long been misunderstood by Jorden.

B．He had few chances to attend Jorden’s games.

C．He managed to be with Jorden in every game.

D．He had made excuses to miss Jorden’s games.

2. What was Jorden’s speech about?

A．His ambition to win the championship.

B．His gratitude to his mother and coaches.

C．His complaint about his family members.

D．His desire for support from more people.

3. What does the author think of Jorden’s speech?

A．Depressing.

B．Complicated.

C．Astonishing.

D．Absurd.

4. How did the author respond to Jorden’s speech?

A．She tried to be actively involved in children’s games.

B．She promised not to miss out on games of every child.

C．She offered to invite many relatives to Jorden’s games.

D．She decided to lead Jorden to trust his family members.

7 . It’s dinner time. Susan Green sets the table. Her husband Michael and two children take their seats at the table, and an awkward silence descends (降临). 14-year-old Carolyn plays restlessly with a fork, while 16-year-old Billy frowns(皱眉) at the dish in front of him. Meanwhile, Michael reaches absently for an object that isn’t there, an unmistakable look of disappointment on his face. The Greens are experiencing   their   first   evening   without   electronic devices (电子设备 ),   as part of a month-long experiment to see if going without technology will make them a happier family.

The use of electronic devices has increased greatly over the past 10 years, and recent studies suggest that they may be responsible for decreased levels of happiness. Susan Green had noticed these worrying tendencies in her own family. “I was often telling Billy to turn off his game and go and get some fresh air, or Carolyn to stop chatting with her friends and get some sleep. What worried me more is that when they invited their friends over, I would find them all sitting together looking at their phones and not talking,” she says.

Susan’s concerns made her carry out her own research into the issue. When she came across an article in a weekend newspaper about people who gave up using electronic devices for a month, she was eager to try it with her own family. However, she realised that it was going to take more than reading an article to persuade them. “I found some of the research mentioned in the article very worrying, but I doubted if my family would be convinced, ” she says. “But I wanted to avoid financial rewards(金钱奖励), as they felt a bit too individualistic.” In the end, the promise of a fun family day out at a theme park persuaded the Greens to go tech-free for a whole month.

The Green family’s experiment is now over, but they have made a promise to try and stick to some of the rules that they established during their tech-free month. Susan feels delighted with the results of the experiment and is certain that it helped her to achieve her aim of improving her family’s happiness.

1. Why did everybody at the table seem unhappy?

A．They didn’t like the food.

B．Someone argued with the others.

C．Someone was absent from this family gathering.

D．They were experiencing an evening without technology.

2. What about Billy and Carolyn troubled Susan most?

A．They had fallen behind with their studies.

B．They failed to get on with their friends.

C．They were afraid to talk when being in front of others.

D．They were glued to their screens when being with their friends.

3. How did Susan persuade her family to get involved in her experiment?

A．By reading them an article.

B．By promising them a day out at a park.

C．By providing financial rewards for them.

D．By introducing them to people with similar issues.

4. What would be the best title for this text?

A．Technology has never been far from us

B．A tech-free month helps improve a family’s happiness

C．Parents show understanding of their children’s media use

D．Happiness in the digital age is never an individual matter

8 . One summer night, a boy felt himself lifted from bed by his father. Dazed with sleep, he saw stars flashing across the heavens. “What is it?” the child whispered. “Shooting stars. They come every year in August.” Decades have passed, but I remember that night still, because I was the fortunate boy whose father believed a new experience was more important than an unbroken night’s sleep.

Some parents like my father have the gift of opening doors for their children. This art of adding dimensions to a child brings the reward: the marvelous moment when the spark bursts into a flame that will burn brightly on its own one day. At a Golf Association tournament, a ten-year-old girl played creditably. “How long have you been interested in golf?” someone asked. “I got it for my ninth birthday,” she said.“ Your father gave you a set of clubs?” “No,” she said, “he gave me golf.”

I have a friend, a psychiatrist, who says there are two types of people: those who think of life as a privilege and those who think of it as a problem. The first type is enthusiastic and energetic. The other type is suspicious and self-centered. And he adds, “Tell me about your childhood and I can tell you which type you are likely to be.”

The real purpose, then, of trying to open doors for children is to build eager and outgoing attitudes, which is the most valuable legacy we can pass on to the next generation. But why don’t we work harder at it? Probably because sometimes we don’t have the awareness or the selflessness or the energy. And yet, for those of us who care what becomes of our children, the challenge is always there but the opportunities also come repeatedly. Many years have passed since that night. And next year, when August comes with its shooting stars, my son will be seven.

1. Why does the author mention the girl in Paragraph 2?

A．To show parental impact on children’s passion.

B．To suggest hobbies always start from the small.

C．To highlight the importance of diverse experiences.

D．To prove true passion usually arises from the reward.

2. What do the underlined words “adding dimensions to” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Setting an example for.	B．Broadening the horizons of.
C．Providing attentive care for.	D．Narrowing the possibilities of.

3. What will the author’s psychiatrist friend agree with?

A．Stability in upbringing builds confidence.

B．Parenting styles requires professional guidance.

C．Childhood experience determines adult happiness.

D．One’s personality is related to childhood experiences.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The author is always addicted to shooting stars.

B．It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to motivate kids.

C．The author will go to see shooting stars with his son.

D．It is impossible to unlock kids’ potential without eagerness.

9 . Every time we move to a new place, we’re faced with the challenge of making new friends. Connecting with a community is important to your sense of belonging, but it may take three to six months to finally make new friends, or even longer.     1    .

Get the word out

Tell your friends, family and co-workers that you’re moving and looking to meet new people. Make sure to communicate what kind of connections you’re looking for, like someone to show you around town. Use this time to do some research. Look up if your favourite coffee shop has branches in your new neighborhood.     2    . These groups, like volunteer organizations, can offer you a sense of familiarity.

Add more routine (惯例) to your day

Setting time aside for activities, communities or places you love can help you feel more at home. Do you go on a run every morning? Try running at the same park for a week. Or go back to that restaurant around the block at least once a month.     3     . By doing the same things, you’re seeing the same faces and you will become less shy to ask a question because you see them all the time.

Explore interest groups

    4     . Nowadays, you can find most of them online — for food, sports, or religion, just to name a few. You could also use your move as an opportunity to try things that you’ve been eager to try for years. That way, you feel connected to the city with the good memory of you excitedly exploring something new.

    5    

You don’t have to push yourself to make friends within weeks. Try to focus on being connected in the moment. When you’re new in town, you may feel shy or even frightened to share your true self. But you’ll find your people more quickly if you devote yourself into the things that you are interested. Laying that up is one way to really attract people with same interests, and soon you will find yourself connected.

A．Reconnect with old friends

B．Focus on the connection, not the friendship

C．And here are some tips on making friends anywhere we go.

D．You can also be more intentional about making new connections.

E．There’s also a good chance you’ll find similar community groups.

F．Group settings like interest are also helpful for meeting new people.

G．These acts seem small, but are of great importance in making connections.

10 . On a busy Saturday, I was at the mall with my mom. The mall was alive with the chatter of people and the sound of music. Everywhere I looked, there were people dressed in nice clothes, laughing and chatting with their friends.

My mom, on the other hand, wore a simple dress and old shoes. Her clothes looked worn out compared to the others’. As we walked past store windows, I couldn’t help but notice the difference. I saw young girls in bright dresses and boys in tidy shirts. They looked so modern and confident.

Feeling a bit out of place, I tried to pull my mom towards less crowded areas. I didn’t want anyone to notice us or, more specifically, notice her. It wasn’t because I wasn’t proud of my mom. I just felt she deserved better.

As we walked around, we entered a store with beautiful clothes. The fabrics (面料) felt soft, and the designs were fashionable. My mom’s eyes lit up when she saw a lovely sweater. “This would look great on you,” she said with a smile.

I checked the price tag and was shocked. It was much too expensive for us. I knew my mom worked hard to make ends meet. Every penny was made use of in our life. Yet, here she was, willing to spend on a sweater for me.

Looking at her, I realized something. My mom might not have the beautiful clothes or the latest accessories (配饰), but she had a heart of gold. She always put me first, even if it meant giving up her own wants.

Suddenly, I felt a wave of warmth. I hugged her tightly. “Mom, I don’t need the sweater. I just need you,” I whispered. She smiled, “I know, dear. But it’s nice to have dreams sometimes, right?” We left the store, hand in hand, feeling wealthier than ever.

1. How did the author feel when comparing her mom’s clothes to others’ at the shopping center?

A．Proud.

B．Confident.

C．Embarrassed.

D．Excited.

2. What can be inferred about the mother from the story?

A．She dislikes beautiful things.	B．She has saved much money.
C．She bought many clothes for the writer.	D．She struggles to support the family.

3. Which of the following best describes the author’s mom?

A．Hardworking and busy.	B．Selfless and caring.
C．Responsible and serious.	D．Rich and generous.

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the story?

A．A Day at the Shopping Center	B．The Price of Fashion
C．My Mom’s Clothes	D．The Most Valuable Sweater