It is difficult to find true friends these days. A lot of people would backstab(背后伤人). Some make friends just to use them. Others promise to be your friends but they are never there when you need them the most. They appear only when they need something from you.

    Once you find a friend who is worth keeping, make sure to take care of what you have with that person. How? Here are some tips on how to make friendship last forever:

    1).Call for no reason. Call just to say “Hi” or just to ask “What's up?” You don't need a huge or an important reason to call a friend. If you can't call, just send an e-mail. This would send a message that you remember your friends at any time of the day.

    2).Know when to say I'm sorry and thank you. Don't let pride get in the way, especially when you are wrong. The word “sorry” already has saved a lot of friendships. Show praise for the things, big or little, which your friend does for you. Did she listen to you when you were complaining about that physics exam? Did he offer his shoulders for you to cry on when somebody broke your heart? Say thank you. It's that easy.

    3).Avoid hurtful words. If you have nothing good to say, don't talk at all. Don't hurt your friend's feelings by saying hurtful words that, most of the time, you don't really mean. If you're a true friend, you will be careful with your words.

    4).Don't lie to a friend. Trust is the first thing for building up true friendship. Write them a note from time to time. Also, try to be thoughtful. Give simple gifts that will make their day.

    5).Know how to keep a secret. Show your friends that they can depend on you to be there whatever happens. If you promise to keep the secrets for your friends, just do it.

    6).Be generous with your time. Spare some time to see your friends however busy you are. You can always spare an hour or two after school or work to visit them.

    If you are the type of person who knows how to take care of friendship, you are certainly a keeper!

    One night, Mary saw a girl sitting by the road near her house. The girl's coat was very old and thin. It couldn't keep warm at all. Mary thought a cotton coat may be helpful to the girl. So she opened the window and shouted to the girl, “Come to the front door of my house, please!” The girl was surprised, but she did as Mary said. She knocked at the door of Mary's house. Mary opened the door and smiled warmly to the poor girl. She handed a cotton coat to the girl. Just then she saw a smile on the girl's face. That night, Mary was very happy for what she had done.

    The poor girl had never appeared again since that night. Years later, Mary almost forgot the poor girl.

    One day, Mary got a call from a lawyer（律师）called Jack. Jack invited her to his office. After they met, Jack gave Mary a letter. It said, “Forty years ago, a beautiful girl helped me. In that winter, she gave me warmth and hope. Later I got through the hardest time in my life and then started a happy life.”

    After Mary read the letter, she remembered that homeless girl. “Where is she now?” asked Mary.

    “Mrs. Hope died two months ago,” answered Jack. “She left one of her houses to you. Besides, there is one more thing she left to you — a cotton coat.”

根据短文内容，回答下列问题。

    It's easy to tell someone good news, but what about bad news? Are there any good ways to give bad news without making people too upset? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    ★Say something good. Try to start the conversation with something good so that what you say is not all bad. For example," I know you play soccer very well, but we only need one teammate." Or you may end the conversation with a promise. "{#blank#}2{#/blank#}."

    ★Prepare your listener for the news. Use words to introduce what you're going to say, like "I'm really sorry, but..."or "I'm afraid I've got some bad news." {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    ★Try to give a reason. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Try to explain the decision: if you have to cancel a trip with friends, can you explain why?

    ★{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. If you're giving someone bad news, try to use a soft friendly voice to make you sound kind. Say things to show you understand, like "I'm really sorry. I know this must be disappointing."

    "Can I see my baby?" asked the happy new mother. When the baby was in her arms, she found the baby had been born without ears.

    Time proved (证明) that the baby's hearing was perfect, He got on well with his classmates. But one day, he rushed home and said to his mother with tears in his eyes, "A boy, a big boy…called me a freak(怪胎)."

The boy grew up. He developed a gift, a talent for literature(文学) and music.

    The boy's father had a meeting with the family doctor." Could anything be done?" he asked the doctor,

    "I believe I could graft (移植) a pair of outer ears, if you could get them," the doctor said.

    However, two years went by, nobody wanted to offer the young man ears. Then one day the father said, "Son, someone will donate his ears to you. But it's a secret, "The operation was a great success.

    Time kept the secret, but the day did come... The young man stood with his father beside his mother's body. Slowly, the father held out a hand and raised the thick, brown hair. To his surprise, the son found his mother had no outer ears.

    "Mother said she was glad she never let her long hair be cut," he said gently, "and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they?"

    Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what is done but not known.

    At 7.40 when Mrs Fang is at breakfast, there comes a call. Twenty minutes later, she is with Ann, because Ann cannot stop her baby from crying. There, Mrs Fang helps wash Ann's three-day-old baby and she soon calms down. It is Ann's first child and she is learning what to do. After that, Mrs Fang goes on to see Mr Johnson, a rich old man who lives alone. His arm was broken and cannot wash or put on his clothes himself. He must be looked after every day.

    Then Mrs Fang gets her second call that day. She goes to the home for the old. There she works with the old people till 2.00 p. m. One by one, she answers their questions and helps them take their medicines, while the doctor takes care of other more serious problems.

    Mrs Fang keeps hurrying around all day and sometimes she can be rung up even late at night when the sick must be helped. She is busy, but she likes her job and enjoys helping others.