Money or Friendship or Both
(1) Friends and money don&39;t mix. It&39;s a dangerous combination since a fight over money is one of the fastest ways to end a friendship. But what if a friend asks you to lend him or her some money? If you don&39;t lend your friend the money, you risk losing the friend. If you do lend your friend the money, you risk losing both the friendship and your money.
(2) We have to face facts, so here are some situations you might run across with your buddies (伙伴) and some helpful tips (忠告 )on how to deal with them. Think about why this person needs to borrow in the first place. If he is always living beyond his means, it&39;s his fault, not yours.
Any sensible person would not put himself in a position of debt so often. So simply say "no" to this friend. Even if your friend really needs that money for emergency use and you are willing to help him, before you dive into your pocket, follow this reality check: Do you have the extra money? Are you sure you don&39;t need it? Are you willing to write off that amount if it&39;s not returned? If your answers are negative, do yourself a favor and say "no".
(3) Let&39;s assume you can&39;t stand saying "no" to your friend because you don&39;t want him living off cat food. What do you do? Write down these details on a sheet of paper before opening up your wallet:
Amount of the loan
Date of the loan
Time of repayment
Amount of interest (if any)
Lender&39;s and borrower&39;s signature.
This will at least keep the borrower from forgetting the loan so easily. If your friend&39;s loan is past due, it&39;s important that you ask him-and it&39;s actually not rude. The longer you wait, the more you brood (忧伤), and the more your resentment builds.
(4) You can send him a friendly reminder via e-mail. Tell him something like "I&39;m going over my bank account and I&39;m Just wondering when we&39;ll be able to settle that money thing." E-mail saves you from an uncomfortable face-to-face confrontation. There is almost no chance of turning a bad reaction into an argument. Unlike a public conversation, an e-mail message will always be private.
(5) After asking two or three times, you might have to write it off and the friendship with it.
That&39;s what happens. If he just doesn&39;t have the money or is unwilling, then what kind of friend is that?
Paragraph 2 __________ 查看材料
A. Time to break off a friendship
B. Unconditional assistance to friends in need
C. Things to consider when you have to say "no" to your friend
D. Things to think over when you don"t want your friend to eat cat food
E. Strategies for borrowing money
F. Advantages of e-mail in handling money issues
The Changing Middle Class
The United States perceives itself to be a middle-class nation. However, middle class is not a real designation, nor does it carry privileges. It is more of a perception, which probably was as true as it ever could be right after World War II. The economy was growing, more and more people owned their own homes, workers had solid contracts with the companies that employed them, and nearly everyone who wanted a higher education could have one. Successful people enjoyed upward social mobility. They may have started out poor, but they could become rich. Successful people also found that they had greater geographic mobility. In other words, they found themselves moving to and living in a variety of places.
The middle class collectively holds several values and principles. One strong value is the need to earn enough money to feel that one can determine one&39;s own economic fate. In addition,middle-class morality embraces principles of individual responsibility, importance of family,obligations to others, and believing in something outside oneself.
But in the 1990s those in the middle class found that there was a price for success. A U. S.News & World Report survey in 1994 indicated that 75 percent of Americans believed that middle-class families could no longer make ends meet. Both spouses now worked, as did some of the children;long commutes became routine; the need for child care put strains on the family; and public schools were not as good as they once were. Members of the middle class were no longer financing their lifestyles through earnings but were using credit to stay afloat. The understanding of just what middle class meant was changing.
The information in this passage deals with__________. 查看材料
A. an individual
B. a social and economic group
C. apolitical organization
D. government
What Makes a Soccer Player Great?
Soccer is played by millions of people all over the world, but there have only been few players who were truly great. How did these players get that waywas it through training and practice,or are great players "born, not made"? First, these players came from places that have had famous stars in the past players that a young boy can look up to and try to imitate (效仿 ). In the history of soccer, only six countries have ever won the World Cup---three from South America and three from Western Europe. There has never been a great national teamor a really great player from North America or from Asia. Second, these players have all had years of practice in the game. Alfredo Di Stefano was the son of a soccer player, as was Pele. Most players begin playing the game at the age of three or four.
Finally, many great players come from the same kind of neighbourhood (聚居区) --a poor,crowded area where a boy&39;s dream is not to be a doctor, lawyer, or businessman, but to become a rich, famous athlete or entertainer. For example, Liverpool, which produced the Beatles (甲壳虫乐队) , had one of the best English soccer teams in recent years. Pele practiced in the street with a"ball" made of rags (破布). And George Best learned the tricks that made him famous by bouncing the ball offa wall in the slums (贫民窟) of Belfast.
All great players have a lot in common, but that doesn&39;t explain why they are great. Hundreds of boys played in those Brazilian streets, but only one became Pele. The greatest players are born with some unique quality that sets them apart from all the others.
According to the author, which of the following statements is true? 查看材料
A. Great soccer players are born, not made
B. Truly great players are rare
C. Only six countries have ever had famous soccer stars
D. Soccer is the least popular sport in North America and Asia
Farmers&39; Markets
Charlotte Hollins knows she faces a battle. The 23-year-old British farmer and her 21-year-old brother Ben are fighting to save the farm from developers that their father worked on since he was14. __________ (46)
"You don&39;t often get a day off. Supermarkets put a lot of pressure on farmers to keep prices down. With fewer people working on farms it can be isolating," she said. "There is a high rate of suicide and farming will never make you rich!"
Oliver Robinson,25, grew up on a farm in Yorkshire. __________ (47) "I&39;m sure dad hoped I&39;d stay," he said. "I guess it&39;s a nice, straightforward life, but it doesn&39;t appeal. For young,ambitious people, farm life would be a hard world." For Robinson, farming doesn&39;t offer much "in terms of money or life style". Hollins agrees that economics stops people from pursuing farming rewards: "providing for a vital human need, while working outdoors with nature".
Farming is a big political issue in the UK. __________ (48) The 2001 foot and mouth crisis closed thousands of farms, stopped meat exports, and raised public consciousness of troubles in UK farming.
Jamie Oliver&39;s 2005 campaign to get children to eat healthily also highlighted the issue. This national concern spells (带来) hope for farmers competing with powerful supermarkets.__________ (49)
"I started going to Farmers&39; Markets in direct defiance (貌视) of the big supermarkets.__________ (50) It&39;s terrible," said Londoner Michael Samson.
第46题____________ 查看材料
A. But he never considered staying on his father and grandfather"s land.
B. While most people buy food from the big supermarkets, hundreds of independent Farmers" Markets are becoming popular.
C. While confident they will succeed, she lists farming"s many challenges
D. Young people prefer to live in cities.
E. I seriously objected to the super-sizing of everything——what exactly do they put on our apples to make them so big and red?
F. "Buy British" campaigns urge (鼓励 ) consumers not to buy cheaper imported foods.