1 . Studies continue to show how important strong friendships are to our overall health. Here’re the rules you are supposed to know to keep strong and healthy friendships.
Be all ears to your friends. Too often, we only “half hear” what others are telling us, and have a hard time making space for caring about others’ conditions.
Throw away the judgment.
Forgive (原谅) where you can — and seek forgiveness when you make a mess of something. No one promises to bring perfection to a relationship, so being willing to accept and forgive the weaknesses of others makes you more likely to build a lasting friendship.
Respect your friends and their boundaries. Everyone has a right to set up personal boundaries to feel safe and respected. Some friends may have a difficult time letting people get close to them for fear of being hurt.
| A．Don’t crowd your friends. |
| B．Offer them what they need. |
| C．Support, trust, and honesty are givens. |
| D．But friendships don’t need to be perfect. |
| E．True friends don’t judge each other’s choices. |
| F．However, friendships require attention and care. |
| G．It’s also important that we’re able to recognize when we make mistakes. |
2 . Kiley Crisp, a 15-year-old teenager, has Williams syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes learning and developmental issues. Despite her outgoing personality, Kiley sometimes struggles to make friends. Last year, however, she met two amazing girls at a summer camp she went to. The girls, who live far away from her, daily contact Kiley. They call her, check in on her using social media, and make her feel deeply loved.
Kiley was out to dinner with family to celebrate her turning 15. She was extremely moved to find that her friends drove three hours to celebrate her birthday! In a video posted by her sister Ashley on social media, Kiley is seen moved to tears at how kind her friends were to surprise her on her birthday.
In the video, the 15-year-old is seen happily dancing around in a cafe. Then she feels two girls coming towards her. She realizes they are her two good friends. Kiley widens her eyes, unable to believe it, because both had told her that they felt sorry for not being able to come to observe her birthday. Then the two friends are seen comforting Kiley as they offer her hugs and wish her a happy birthday!
The video has acquired over 5.2 million views since it was posted, through which Kiley has received a lot of love. And in an update, she expressed her hearty thanks to those who left sweet comments. One of them said, “Really sweet of those girls to support their friend like that.” Another said, “The world would be a much better place if more people were like these girls. They are inspiring role models. We should all try to be so nice.”
1. Why is it difficult for Kiley to make friends?| A．She is hard to get along with. | B．She suffers from a disease. |
| C．She lives far from other children. | D．She seldom uses social media. |
| A．Her friends’ unexpected appearance. | B．Observing her birthday with families. |
| C．Her success in making friends online. | D．The surprise given by the cafe. |
| A．Overjoyed but ashamed. | B．Shocked and embarrassed. |
| C．Satisfied but confused. | D．Surprised and touched. |
| A．Kiley reminded people to view her video. |
| B．Kiley promised to help teenagers make friends. |
| C．Their friendship has inspired many people. |
| D．More people intend to join in her birthday party. |
3 . Americans use the word “friend” in a very general way.They have school friends, work friends, sports friends and neighborhood friends. These friendships are based on common interests.
People from the United States may at first seem friendly.
1. Be willing to take the first step. Don’t wait for them to approach you. Americans in another country may not know you can speak English. They may be embarrassed if they can't speak your language.
2. Use small talk to open the conversation.
3. Show an interest in their culture, their country or their job.Americans like to talk about themselves!
4. Invite them to join you for dinner or just for coffee or tea. Try to set a specific time. Americans sometimes make general invitations like “Let’s get together sometime.” Often this is just a way to be friendly.
5.
| A．Don’t expect too much at first |
| B．It is not always a real invitation |
| C．Ask them where they are from |
| D．Americans often chat easily with strangers |
| E．Don’t pay a visit to Americans without being asked |
| F．When the shared activity ends |
| G．Americans value strong life-long friendships with non-Americans |
4 . Do you always focus on studying and getting “A” grades in school? Most Chinese students work really hard. But in the United States, you might be considered a bookworm (书呆子) if you cannot socialize (社交). Socializing is as important as your grades. If you just study all the time and don’t socialize, your life won’t be complete. So, how does one socialize with students in the US?
Lots of high schools often have soccer games during the autumn term. I didn’t know anything about soccer, but I joined some of the soccer games in order to have fun with my friends. I thought I ,could learn the rules from others. However, to my surprise, some American students don’t even know the rules but still go to the games in order to socialize. They cheer for the soccer players and have fun together.
The other common way to socialize is to join after-school clubs. You can choose clubs that you are interested in and make a lot of new friends. For example, one of my friends started a sketch (素描) club. I was interested, so I joined the club. There I met lots of students who were also interested in sketching. We soon became friends with each other. Socializing is an important thing in the US. But grades are still important, too. A complete student should have the ability to balance (平衡) his or her studying and socializing.
1. You might be considered________ if you cannot socialize in the United States.| A．a good student | B．a bookworm | C．a lazy student | D．a hard-working student |
| A．During the autumn term. | B．During the summer term. |
| C．During the spring term. | D．During the winter term. |
| A．Five. | B．Four. | C．Three. | D．Two. |
| A．Most Chinese students work really hard. |
| B．Not all American students who go to the soccer games know the rules. |
| C．The writer joined some of the soccer games in order to play soccer. |
| D．If you want to make lots of new friends, you can join clubs that you are interested in. |
| A．How to Make New Friends. | B．Balance Studying and Socializing. |
| C．Socializing Is Not as Your Grades. | D．Socializing Is the Most Important Thing in the US. |
5 . For the British, the home is a private place in which he or she goes to hide away from the troubles of life. It is very seldom that one would be invited to a British person’s home. It is rude to knock on a person’s door if you are not invited. If you are invited, don’t ask to see more than the downstairs that your British host invites you into. Never ask how much the house or any of the items in it cost.
To the American, most of them want their home to be a place where they can entertain (款待) and share their lives with their friends. They may be delighted to give you a full tour of their houses. They may also be pleased when you show your interest and pleasure in their houses.
Both British and American people will engage in quite a bit of chat and a drink or two before the meal is served. After the first mouthful, you should say how delicious the food is and ask something about it. Remember, never eat with your mouth open and make very little noise while eating. It would be nice of you to help your host in any way. Maybe offer to pour some drinks or clear up after the meal.
1. If your British friend invites you to his home, you can _________.| A．see anything you like |
| B．ask how much his house is |
| C．only see the downstairs that you’re invited into |
| D．ask the cost of any the items in it |
| A．happy | B．angry | C．sad | D．worried |
| A．参与 | B．陷入 | C．回避 | D．限制 |
| A．Different table manners between British and American people. |
| B．Some manners on visiting British and American people’s home. |
| C．Different ideas about the home between British and American people. |
| D．Different ideas about how to get along well with neighbors between British and American people. |
6 . Friendships can have a major effect on your health and happiness, but it’s not always easy to develop or keep friendships. You should understand the importance of social connection in your life and what you can do to develop lasting friendships.
What are the advantages of friendships?
Friends can help you celebrate good times and provide support during bad times.
Why is it sometimes hard to make friends or keep friendships?
Many adults find it hard to develop new friendships or keep up existing friendships. Friendships may take a back seat to other more important ones, such as working or caring for children or aging parents.
Developing and keeping good friendships take efforts.
| A．Never giving up also matters. |
| B．Good friends are good for your health. |
| C．Friends prevent you from sadness as well as loneliness. |
| D．The broader your efforts, the greater your possibilities of success. |
| E．You and your friends may have grown apart due to changes in your lives or interests. |
| F．We benefit from our friends because we get to choose the ones who make us feel happiest. |
| G．However, friendship can provide enjoyment and comfort which makes the effort worthwhile. |
Five ways to make a great first impression (印象)! Researchers have discovered that, in general, it only takes seven seconds for a person to start making judgments about you when they first meet you. That’s why you should follow these useful tips on how to create a good first impression.
Before meeting someone, start thinking about the purpose of the meeting. Are you trying to impress them? For example, if you want to make new friends at a social event, you will want to appear friendly. And if you decide to run for class president at your school, you will need to appear confident.
Smiling is the most important thing you can do when meeting someone new. It shows that you’re friendly and makes people around you feel more comfortable. To have a winning smile, make sure your teeth are clean by brushing them every day.
Before you begin speaking, you will be judged on your body language. Therefore, it’s important to show trust in yourself by standing up tall and putting your shoulders back. Besides, if you uncross your arms, you will appear relaxed and friendly.
How you smell can influence people’s first impression of you. If you have a bad body smell, it will put people off. In short, aim to smell clean and avoid putting on a lot of scented products.
What you wear matters. While you should look clean and tidy, it’s also important to dress properly, whether you’re going to a birthday party or a sporting event. You should think about what your clothes say about you.
| A．Smell good |
| B．Dress to impress |
| C．A smile goes a long way |
| D．Decide what image (形象) you want to present |
| E．Be careful about your body language |
8 . Do you want lots of success in school and in your friendship? If you want to learn how to balance your friendship and study, read on.
• Talk about your goals for school.
Share what academic success looks like for both of you.
• Share tips and tricks with each other.
Exchange study techniques to learn how to be more successful. Maybe you know some learning methods like making a list of key ideas and reviewing them one hour a day. Chat about how you’ll both try to master your subjects.
• Remind each other to take your health seriously.
Put your wellness above everything else to succeed in school.
•
Remember that you both can overcome any challenges with enough effort. In order to get the most out of your studies, keep a “growth mindset”, an optimistic outlook that lets you see any difficult topic or task as an opportunity to learn.
• Prioritize (优先安排) exams and finals.
| A．Keep positive attitudes about school. |
| B．Fight for any challenges enthusiastically. |
| C．Your methods will be always encouraging. |
| D．Give each other space during more intense periods. |
| E．It’s important to be clear about what your goals are. |
| F．You’ll lift each other up and get an extra edge in class. |
| G．So you can both be at your best physically and mentally. |
9 . Sammie Vance is an extraordinary kid. She was just named one of People's Girls Changing the World in 2021, and she is only 12 years old.
The seventh grader from Indiana is collecting bottle caps to upcycle them into benches for her school and neighborhood parks. But these benches are more than just for sitting. There are many kids in her school who have trouble in finding friends.
Sammie learned about buddy benches at a camp she attended one summer. At the camp, there were benches set up when children felt lonely. They would sit down signaling to other kids that they were in need of a friend.
She loved the idea and told others, “This would be really cool to have them at my school.” Then she sprang into action by initiating a meeting with her president and the Parent-Teacher Association to present her idea.
Sammie used a comic strip she created showing how a simple bench could help classmates understand when one of their own needed a friend. The adults were surely impressed by her initiative but were more impressed with how she planned to make the benches.
Sammie continued her efforts and expanded her project to collect more benches for other schools. She made an online page where she calls for others to follow her journey and make bottle cap donations.
Today, Sammie has helped fix 200 recycled benches in schools and neighborhoods and she has no plans of stopping. She knows first-hand that a young age has no limitations to impacting the world. “I just look forward to making a difference,” she said, “and inspiring other people to make a difference.”
1. Why did Sammie want to set up buddy benches?| A．She was in need of friends. | B．She wanted to win recognition. |
| C．She had to finish an assigned project. | D．She intended to help kids make friends. |
| A．Sammie's comic strip. | B．Sammie's strong determination. |
| C．Sammie's plan of making benches. | D．Sammie's meeting with the president. |
| A．Demanding. | B．Honest. | C．Caring. | D．Humorous. |
| A．More Donations Have Come as a Help | B．This Kind-hearted Girl Inspires Friendship |
| C．A Young Girl Is Named People's Girl | D．200 Buddy Benches Are Equipped in Schools |
10 . Friendship needs care and attention to keep it in good health. Here are five ways to sustain (保持) long-distance friendships.
·Set a regular dateLong-lasting friendships share the characteristic that both sides equally contact (联系) and share with one another. With busy schedules, squeezing in phone calls can be a challenge.
Make sure you have communicated with your friend about how frequently each of you wants to be contacted and what method works best for you both.
Anniversaries and birthdays carry even more weight in long-distance friendships. Although technology might make day-to-day communication possible, extra effort goes a long way on special days. Simply keeping a diary that keeps track of friends’ birthdays and other important dates will make sure nothing slips by you.
·Don’t rely on technology alone| A．Remember important dates |
| B．Compensate by writing letters |
| C．It is also helpful for you to be a friendship keeper |
| D．Try to find a time that works for both of you and stick to it |
| E．Friends need to talk about their preferred methods of communication |
| F．It is easy to have a sense of connectedness through social media |
| G．You may be the friend who left or the one who was left behind |
