I was lacking in everything needed to start a new friendship.

My parents moved to the town when they decided to look for new jobs but they didn’t realize I was really hurt when I said goodbye to my old friends. It felt awful to be a new student in the school and when my classmates were chatting, what I could do was to be caught up in my thoughts watching the clouds outside the window. I was not good at math or history; nor was I good at drawing or dancing. I was shy and timid (胆小的). I had a few friends back at my hometown and it seemed that they were the only ones who I could be friends with for my whole life. I felt I had achieved a point of saturation (饱和) with regard to having friends and I could make no further addition to my friends list. I was ashamed of myself, so I believed I deserved (应受) no notice from others until Emily came to my world.

Emily was fearless, outspoken and easy to go. She was everything I was not and I was too shy to come out of my shell. I met Emily in school almost every day and ye I never talked to her. We were in the same class but we were like poles apart. How I wished I could be like her or at least be a friend of hers!

It was another ordinary day. I was on the school bus back home, when I got up to get down the bus, my schoolbag was stuck in the armrest (扶手). I didn’t notice it and stood up with all my strength. Unfortunately, my schoolbag was torn apart and all the contents fell on the ground. I knelt down to pick them up. Suddenly, I saw a hand passing me some of the books.

I looked up and found it was Emily who was helping me.

5 . When I first met George, I was in my early 30s. My children were just entering school life, enabling me to escape from endless housework. At 65, George had recently retired and was seeking a rewarding hobby for his golden years. We met at a local painting class. Thus began a friendship that was to last for 25 years — until the day he died.

George was an energetic man who lived life to the full. He loved his family and his friends. As the only male in a painting class full of women, George looked after every woman with the same attention. George took to painting with an inspiring level of passion, even changing the spare bedroom of his home into a studio. George housed many of painting items in a tool box — a red metal tool box. For about six years George and I studied together until the completion of the course.

One day, he rang me and I went to visit him. He was very ill. “Betty!” he said, “I’ve always been hoping to leave my box to you. I’m afraid I can’t paint anymore, and you have the best talent and are most likely to use it.” With tears in my eyes, I accepted the gift with the proviso (附带条件) that he could take it back at any time. He never did. He died two days later.

I still use much of his equipment today. As I paint, I often remember George, his big personality, generosity and unfailing encouragement. The most treasured item is the red tool box, still in good shape. The original shop sticker is still firmly in place although the price has worn off. But that’s all right because to my mind some things, like friendship, are beyond price.

There is a popular saying — All good things must come to     1     end. This, however, might not always be true. For the six friends in Friends, the “good things”— the friendships between them have never really ended. 

Perhaps you haven't seen Friends. The TV series (连续剧) tells the story of six ordinary young people    2     came to New York City to make their fortune and find love. Each of them had a different     3    (personal). However, they were able to put their differences aside and became good friends. 

Such a long time     4    (pass) since the last episode (一集) of Friends was on. Fans have been looking forward to     5    (see) the six friends' reunion on the screen. That wish finally came true. A special episode, Friends: The Reunion,     6    (broadcast) online on May 27,2021. 

Your English teacher once probably advised you to watch Friends. For sure, watching the series will help you learn English. But you can learn a little     7    (much) from Friends than the others. One thing it can teach us all is how     8     (gain) lasting friendships. As Rachel once said, “     9    (obvious), there were no cellphones back in the 1990s. It was just friends sitting around     10    chatting together.” If you want to have lifelong friends, don’t just chat online. Make sure to always be there — for your friends!

The Most Precious Gift

In the sixth grade, our teacher assigned “secret friends” for the coming week. The purpose of this assignment was to do nice things for your friend without letting them know who was doing it. We could leave encouraging notes on their desk or mysteriously leave a card in their backpack or book. Our teacher wrote each kid’s name on a piece of paper and threw them into a bucket, then we each closed our eyes and drew the name of the classmate who we were to secretly make friends with and support over the next five school days.

However, by the middle of the week, everyone, including me, had turned this assignment into a contest to see whose secret friend could leave the best gift. Instead of encouraging notes, we left stationery sets (文具) on our friend’s desk. Instead of giving compliments, we were giving snacks, candies and even money. It seemed that everyone was getting cool presents from their friends, except me.

My friend followed our teacher’s directions without a fault. I received handmade cards, notes with nice thoughts and countless smiley-face pictures claiming that I was one of the nicest girls in the class. My friend seemed to think highly of me from the notes that were left, but the lack of gifts made me wonder what was up with whoever had pulled my name.

On the last morning of our assignment, I walked into my classroom and noticed that there was a package on my desk. I eagerly unwrapped it and stared down at my desk. There sat a hand-made rabbit, wearing blue dark clothes with messy ears. Beside it was a note, saying “Your favorite rabbit. Hope you will like it.” The girls sitting near me made fun of the “odd and ugly” gift I had received and laughed at me. I felt my face turn red, angrily threw it into the desk and dashed out of the classroom. The moment I was out, someone called my name. She was Mary, a girl who was shy and always sat at the corner of the classroom.

“I’m your secret friend,” she wept.

Knowing that she had stayed up late to make the rabbit, I was ashamed.