How to Make Friends
Friendship is a very important human relationship and everyone needs good friends. Good friendship has many benefits. It offers companionship, improves self-worth and promotes good health. There are times in our lives such as when we have recently moved into a new town, or changed our jobs or schools. Such changes often leaves us without a friend . But for many of us the process is difficult and requires courage. Below are some helpful suggestions on how to make and keep friends.
1. Associate with others.
The first step to making friends is associating with other people. You can go to public places to meet new people. Besides, you will need to make yourself known by becoming an active member of such places.
2. Start a conversation
Starting a conversation is the second most important step in making new friends. You can always start the conversation. Being able to make small talk is a very useful skill in relating with other people.
3.
Choosing friends with common interests is important in building friendship as these interests would always bring you and your friend together, Hanging out will always be a pleasant experience.
4. Let it grow.
It is a good thing to stay in touch. However, try not to press your new friend with calls, messages or visits as this would likely wear him or her out and finally you may lose your friend. . The best friendships are the ones that grow naturally.
5. Enjoy your friendship
The best way to enjoy your friendship is to allow your friends to be themselves. Try not to change them from who they are to what you want them to be. Become the kind of friend you will want your friend to be to you.
| A．Be cheerful. |
| B．Do things together. |
| C．Do not wait to be spoken to. |
| D．Try not to find fault with your friends. |
E. Making new friends comes easy for some people.
F. For a friendship to develop you need to stay in touch.
G. So you will need to give your friend time to react to you.
根据短文内容，从短文后的七个选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
What makes one person more intelligent than another? What makes one person genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person a fool? Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live? ___________
We know, however, that just being born with a good mind is not enough. In some ways, the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle. __________ Mental exercise (done with the mind) is particularly important for young children. Many child psychologists think that parents should play with their children more often and give them problems to think about. ______
_____ If, on the other hand, children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.
____________ According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot (白痴), then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things. So it is probably better for parents to say very positive things to their children, such as “______
______” or “You are such a smart child.”
| A．It needs exercise. |
| B．Parents should also be careful what they say to young children. |
| C．These are very old questions and the answers to them are still not clear. |
| D．Child psychologists don’t believe it. |
E. The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent.
F. You must be careful what you are doing.
G. That is a very clever thing you did.
From time to time, we all get a bit down. Maybe we are feeling bad because we’re not doing well with our goals. There are many reasons for feeling down, but I’m not able to discuss all of them. ______
Make a list. Sometimes we are sad simply because we are troubled by all the things we have to do. ______ Make a list of the most pressing things you have to do. Thus you’re getting things under control. You can see, right in front of you, what you need to do, and that can pick up your mood.
______ You’ve made a list, and you still feel puzzled? Well, get started on the first thing you need to do. Once you get into action, you’ll feel better. And once you start doing something, you will feel much better than lying around feeling sorry for yourself.
______ I like Brown Eyed Girl, the Kinks, the Ramones, or an upbeat Beatles tune. You might have your own brand of feel-good music. Whatever it is, let yourself move to the beat. It may just be what the doctor ordered.
Talk about it. Get a best friend, family member or coworker you can talk to. ________ It can also help you work out the reasons you’re feeling down.
| A．Take action. |
| B．Play some lively music. |
| C．Get out of the house and do something. |
| D．Getting things off your chest makes a big difference. |
E. Start simply by picking up a piece of paper and a pen.
F. Do whatever you need to do to feel good about yourself.
G. What I can talk about are some things that have worked for me.
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Everyone needs a break, and vacations are not meant for serious study. ____ The Spring Festival is coming up so this is the perfect time to discuss some great English language literature to take on a long train journey.
Before getting into the recommendations, you need to determine your English reading comprehension level. If you’re at the beginner level, there are two options: reading a children’s book or reading a book that you’ve read in Chinese translation. ____ If you’re at the intermediate level, popular books like pop fiction, mysteries and thrillers are good options. For advanced readers, classic works of literature or modern prize winners (Nobel, Pulitzer) are good options.
____ When I pick up a book I like, even though the first few chapters are really hard to get through, I would try to get accustomed to the language the author uses. Generally, after the first few chapters, things get a lot easier, especially if I get involved in the story.
Another great way to keep yourself motivated is to find a friend who’s interested in reading the same book. You can make goals that you both want to achieve. ____
Some quick recommendations: Harry Potter, start with the first book and go on from there; the Narnia series; anything by US writer Michael Crichton; and if you like horror, US writer Stephen King is always unusual and fun. ____ Happy reading!
| A．If you pick a book which is so challenging, it will be too stressful. |
| B．The most important thing is to pick a book that you’re really interested in. |
| C．You may also enjoy your reading when hanging out with your family. |
| D．You should just find a topic or author you’re interested in, and the rest will go from there. |
E. You can also discuss plot lines or vocabulary issues with each other by SMS or e-mail.
F. Instead, they’re a great way to take a break and enjoy a good book.
G. This will help you get over any unfamiliar words or phrases, since you’re already familiar with the story.
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Choosing to Study Overseas
Every year, thousands of students choose to study in another country for a semester, the summer, or a year. Studying overseas can be an exciting experience for many people.
Living in another country can help you to learn a language, and about another culture.
Overseas study may also look good on your future resume. Many companies today want employees who speak a second language, or have experienced living or working in another country.
Making the right choice
Once you decide to study overseas, you have to make some choices. To choose the right country or school. Ask yourself: Where do I want to go and why? How much do I want to pay? Do I want to live with a host family, with roommates, or alone?
Getting ready to go
Get your passport and visa early! Learn about the money. Bring some of it, and a credit card, with you.
Once you are there
After the first few weeks overseas, many students will feel a little homesick. They may miss their family, friends, and familiar ways of doing things. When you feel sad or homesick, try to talk to others, or write about your feelings in a notebook.
| A．Why do it? |
| B．You should improve your mother tongue before you go. |
| C．Large number of students can’t afford to study overseas. |
| D．How long do I want to study overseas? |
E. Remember that it takes time to get used to a new place, school, and culture.
F. You will see the world in a new way, and learn more about yourself.
G. Before you go, learn some of the language, and read about some common customs in your host country.
根据短文内容，选出能概括每一段主题的最佳选项。选项中有一项为多余选项。
| A. Travel as often as possible B. Provide great value to the world C. Work hard and face great challenges D. Make the very best of every situation E. Spend time with friends who improve you F. Work on something every day that moves you |
Everyone hopes to live a long life. But how can you make your long life happy and meaningful? You can read on to find answers. Go traveling wherever you want and go to see one part of the world you’ve never seen before. You will not regret it. Traveling has less to do with seeing things, as it does with experiencing them. It has less to do with discovering something, as it does with discovering yourself. You run into all the good things and bad things about yourself on a daily basis if you travel to new places, and you are provided with the opportunity to grow far beyond your years.
You can go through life and make new friends anytime, but no one can take the place of those persons who truly improve you. They are the most important people you will ever meet because they tear down the invisible walls you have built in your mind. In other words, they come into your life and help you develop your potential that you would never have been aware of without them.
The road to greatness is far from easy. You can be absolutely certain that when you feel you are getting weaker from struggle, you are in fact growing stronger than you ever have been before. The more difficulties you meet and solve on your lifelong journey, the more meaningful your life story will be.
One of the great secrets of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is doing the best you can with what it done to you. It’s all about how you choose to respond to different situations. This simple choice makes a world of difference. If you find your situations tolerable, by all means tolerate them; if you find them intolerable, break through them. Eventually you are free because you alone are responsible for your thoughts and how you use them to improve your growth.
The best way to get ahead in this world is not to complete with others, but to serve them. If you want to get a promotion at work, be good to your boss. If you want to build a successful business, be of service to your potential customers. Provide unmistakable value. Value is what makes relationships, businesses, and personal efforts grow. At any age, in any situation, for every possible life path, there is value you can provide. Success and happiness will come when you choose to work for the world.