1 . Who are your friends? Are they all similar in age to you?     1     But you can widen your social circle and gain life-enriching benefits by becoming friends with someone younger or older than you. Having friends of different ages can greatly improve the quality of your life.

Having older friends can change your attitude towards life because they have already gone through the challenges you are facing. They have been young parents, have survived a job loss, and can help you get through these changes in your own life.     2     Then you’ll feel more ready for what’s coming in future stages.

When older people make friends with younger people, they get to share their experiences which can be very rewarding.     3     Giving your wisdom and attention makes you feel better. It gives you meaning and is good for your mental health. Having younger friends can also make you feel younger by including new ideas and energy in your life.

    4     While making new friends may seem frightening, it’s actually easier than you think. You can first think about your acquaintances or coworkers and see if any of them share your values and interests and would make a good friend. Then see if you can make a coffee date. Besides, you can consider joining in a class that your coworker or acquaintance participates in that you think you will enjoy.     5    

All in all making friends with people not your age can open your eyes to new ideas and new experiences that can be life-changing.

A．For human beings, giving is good.

B．Where to find friends sharing a common interest?

C．Then how can you make intergenerational friends?

D．Having friends at your own age is natural, of course.

E．What’s more, younger friends can give you some fresh ideas.

F．It’s believed that joining in activities like volunteering is also an effective way.

G．An older friend also helps you “try on” certain life experiences before you get there.

2 . Setting boundaries (界限) with people, especially those you care about, can be difficult. You may feel guilty about doing so, but there’s no need to. You won’t be able to care for others if you can’t care for yourself.     1    

Offer alternatives (选择) to what they want.

You may have a friend who wants to come over and stay all day. Being a good friend doesn’t mean doing everything they want you to do. You have every right to decide what you feel comfortable with.     2     However, you can offer alternatives. You can say, “It’s OK to come over, but only one hour is available.”

Tell your friend you’ll help, but you expect help, too.

You may find that you are always asked for help but never receive any in return.     3     For example, if your friend always asks for a lift, you could say, “I don’t mind taking you places, but I’ll need some gas money if this is going to continue.”

    4    

Let them know you’ll be there for them with conditions. Some “friends” want to use up all you’ve got, but never offer anything in return.     5     These are “friends” you don’t need, and you’ll need to let them know now. Offer a warning about boundary violations to let your friend know when they occur. You might say, “Hey, you failed to keep an appointment as arranged and that wasn’t cool.”

A．Give a warning.

B．Do some helpful acts.

C．You don’t have to cut them off completely.

D．They may borrow things from you but refuse to return the favor.

E．Setting up boundaries gives you a chance to practice this self-care.

F．They may constantly borrow things from you but refuse to return the favor.

G．Let your friends know that you expect the same amount of help that you give.

3 . Ever wonder why you get along better with some people over others? Or who might become your lifelong friends or romantic partners?     1    .

The sunny person

Ever heard of the saying that you are a mix of your five closest friends? When you surround yourself with sweet and caring people, you also catch their positive energy.

    2    . Just as research shows, positive thinking can increase your lifespan, strengthen your immune system and reduce your risk of developing heart diseases.

The adventure seeker

What’s life without a little adventure?     3    ; together you can start journeys that change your life forever. Not only does being adventurous reduce your levels of anxiety and depression, but it can also make you more intelligent. In addition, the new cultures, environments and experiences can cause your brains to think differently.

The natural psychologist

When you’re having a bad day, it’s good to have someone who understands you. Good listeners make the best friends because they have high emotional intelligence, read you well and provide authenticity（真诚）. Often these natural psychologists would like to ask you some questions that help you think about your problems.     4    .

    5    

When you surround yourself with people who value logic and problem-solving, they can encourage you to use critical thinking instead of just trapping yourself in conflicts. If you’re especially the type of person to depend on others to make you feel better, being around logicians can help you become more independent and practical. They will remind you that working through challenges is more rewarding than passively daydreaming.

A．The enthusiastic logician

B．The man of action

C．Instead of telling you what to do, they would rather guide you to potential solutions

D．Befriend someone who is ready to step out of his comfort zone and travel around

E．People who are positive and optimistic can actually benefit your health

F．Anyhow at least here are four types of people worth keeping in your life

G．Just like rare precious stones, good partners can be hard to find

4 . When I moved into my apartment in Toronto, the path forward of my immigrant life wasn’t clear. I was busy figuring out a new language and culture. I didn’t know anyone well in Toronto and wasn’t sure if I wanted to stay. As time passed, I grew roots into the ground while taking pictures of the garden next door.

My studies required me to take exams which I prepared for in the evenings, after work. My mother visited to take care of me. Once she arrived in Toronto, I showed her a few places she could wander to in the neighborhood. One day, on arriving home in the evening, I found her waiting for me.

“You will not believe it,” she said “Your neighbor talked to me today. She called me over to show me her garden, but I did not want to go empty-handed, so I snatched (一把抓起) the garden pictures from the shelves and gave them to her. She wanted to know about us.” I rang them and got an invitation that same evening.

My neighbors were incredibly welcoming. They “adopted” me that evening. Immigrants themselves, Ann and John were curious about me. They told us about their lives and their grandchildren.

Over the years, I felt like I became an extended member of their family. Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, birthdays, I was at Ann and John’s. They helped me embrace my new Canadian identity.

After graduation, I got a chance that meant I needed to move west. I didn’t get back to Toronto much, but when John’s 90th birthday came along, I couldn’t miss it.

Countless family and friends came to their house and its magic garden to celebrate John’s spirit. I stepped away to let myself navigate (穿行) those familiar garden paths, and there, I met Michael. Michael ended up joining me out west, and when we decided to get married, we immediately called Ann and John.

“You are having your wedding here!” they said. We could not refuse that offer. My parents couldn’t make it to our wedding. Age, disease and distance shattered (使破灭) my hopes of having them witness our happiness. But Ann and John, our other families and friends did not let any shadow fall over that day.

Many seasons have now passed. Ann still watches over her garden and perhaps secretly listens for John’s voice, now a memory. Life continues, but I know the garden will grow greener in spring. I cannot wait to wander its pathways again, wandering in Ann’s steps.

1. What do the first three paragraphs mainly talk about?

A．What the author’s new life in Toronto was like.

B．How the author met her neighbors.

C．How the author got along with her neighbors.

D．How the author’s mother interacted with their neighbors.

2. What does the underlined word “adopted” imply in paragraph 4?

A．Ann and John offered the author a place to live.

B．Ann and John made the author feel at home.

C．Ann and John helped the author get a new identity.

D．Ann and John became the author’s legal parents.

3. Why does the author say her neighbors’ garden was a magic garden?

A．It gave her a lot of hope and happiness.

B．It always attracted her to return to visit her neighbors.

C．It was where people gathered to celebrate John’s spirit.

D．It enabled her to meet her neighbors and her husband.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing this article?

A．To tell how she got used to her life in Toronto.

B．To show the importance of a friendly neighborhood.

C．To introduce how she met her husband and married him.

D．To describe the close bond between her and her neighbors.

5 . The truth of life is that in most cases there are the people around us that make us very happy.     1    . But apart from them, you also need to have various types of people in your life.

Good listener

As a flood of problems and worries catch you up, sometimes it is the best comfort to talk to someone who would hear you out.     2    . If you have such a person, you have to value him.

    3    

You have many really smart people around you, but it is not easy to find a wise person. If you find such a person, it means that you will surely go through any challenge that stands in your way together.

The one to encourage

There are such special people that inspire and encourage us to live our life to the fullest. If you are lucky to have your encourager, you will always know how special and strong you are.     4    .

Your any time rescue

It is the most precious feeling when you know that there is a person who will come to help.     5    . Most probably you will be lectured on how great it is to have them as a friend. Next time something goes wrong, I’m sure you will be ready to act the same in return.

A．A soul mate

B．A person of wisdom

C．You may relax and be yourself without their presence

D．Sure, it’s our family and those people who understand and accept us

E．Such people make us move forward, reach goals and fight for our dreams

F．The situation may be that you don’t feel awkward calling them to lend you a hand

G．You don’t need any advice or help, just to talk to that person and not to see judgment in their eyes