There are good reasons to value our friendships.Some years ago a public-opinion research firm,Roper Starch Worldwide,asked 2007 people to name one or two things that said the most about themselves.Friends far outranked homes jobs, clothes and cars.

    “Ironically,” says Brant R.Burleson, professor of communication at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., “the better friends you are, the more likely you'll face conflicts.” And the outcome can be what you don't want—an end to the relationship.

    The good news is that most troubled friendships can be mended.

    Swallow your pride. It wasn't easy, but that's what Denise Moreland of Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii did when a friendship turned sour.For nearly four months,Moreland,45,had watched over Nora Huizenga's two young daughters, who were living with their father on the base,while Huizenga,40,completed training as a dental hygienist in Nevada.“I felt honored to be asked to step in,” Moreland says.

    “When Huizenga returned at Christmas,” Moreland recalls,“I had so much to tell her, but she never called.”

    One daughter had a birthday party, but Moreland wasn't invited. “I felt like I'd been used,” she says.At first, Moreland swore to avoid Huizenga.Then she decided to swallow her pride and let her friend know how she felt. Huizenga admitted that she'd been so worried about being separated from her family that she'd been blind to what her friend had done to help her. Today she says, “I would never have figured out what happened if Denise hadn't called me on it.”

    When a friend hurts you, your instinct is to protect yourself.But that makes it harder to solve problems,explains William Wilmot,author of Relational Communication.“Most of us are relieved when differences are brought out in the open.”

    Apologize when you're wrong—even if you've also been wronged.But over the course of a friendship, even the best people make mistakes. “We don't think clearly when we're arguing,” says Michael Lang,a professional mediator (调解人) in Pittsburgh. Instead, says Lang, ask: “What's going on? This doesn't make sense.”

    See things from your friend's point of view. Sociologists Rebecca Adams Rosemary and Blieszner interviewed 53 adults who each had many friendships lasting decades. “We were curious how these people managed to sustain strong friendships for so long,” says Blieszner. Tolerance is key, the researchers learned.” It's surprising how often a dispute results from a simple misunderstanding,” adds psychotherapist Anne Frenkel.

    Accept that friendships change. “Friendships change as our needs and lifestyles change,” Wilmot observes.

    Making friends can sometimes seem easy,says Yager.The hard part is keeping the connections strong during the natural ups and downs that affect all relationships.Her suggestion: Consider friendship an honor and a gift,and worth the effort to treasure and nurture.

    Put a group of strangers in a room together, and they'll probably start a conversation. "Hot today, isn't it?" one might say. "You said it." another replies.

Why do we talk so much about the weather? When we meet new people, we don't begin by telling them our life story. We start with small talk, a polite conversation about something like traffic or weather.

    Research suggests that small talk can build new friendships. When we begin conversations with new people, we want to feel comfortable, and so do they. We use small talk to find common interests. Once we have a common interest, a friendship can begin.

    Small talk even helps people get hired. In order to impress at a job interview, you need to bond with the interviewer right away. Proper small talk can make that first impression get you the job.

    So, how can you make small talk lead to a new friendship or job? First off, find common ground. Select something around you that you share with the other person.

    Next, keep the conversation going. Compliment (赞美) the other person to make him or her feel comfortable, and ask questions to show interest.

    Third, keep eye contact (接触). When you look people in the eye, they feel you appreciate what they are saying. It makes you appear honest and builds trust.

    Naturally, shy people might not have enough confidence to start up conversations with strangers. Talking to someone you don't know is not the easiest thing to do! Some experts say with more practice, small talk does get easier.

    Some people avoid small talk because they dislike discussing things like traffic or weather. For them, they are just too small. However, when you think about it, small talk is anything but small. In fact, it is actually a very big deal!

    Traveling alone gives you the freedom to create your own schedule and do as you please. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} For example, a travel partner can provide practical support and celebrate in the rewards of first-hand experience with unfamiliar locations and cultures. Here are several steps to find a travel partner who will improve your journey. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Traveling should be fun. When you are on a trip, you will want to do lots of activities that you enjoy. Preferably, your companion will want to do the same things as you.

    Discuss financial plans. Before you travel, you should plan a budget. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You don't want to be planning an expensive getaway when your friend is looking for budget travel.

    Have an honest conversation. If you are thinking about traveling with a companion, take some time to have an open discussion. Schedule a time to sit down and talk. Try saying, "I know we've talked about the idea of traveling through Europe together. Let's have a coffee this week and actually talk that through." {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You should also talk about your travel style.

    Find someone who is flexible. Choose a travel partner who can adjust. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Maybe it will rain on the day you planned to visit the Grand Canyon. Or you might not be able to get reservations at that French restaurant you've been dying to try.

A. Look for someone with common interests.

B. You should discuss your goals for the trip.

C. Travel with a friend who is pretty easygoing.

D. But traveling with a partner has its benefits, too.

E. Make sure that you are on the same page concerning money.

F. Try to meet your new travel partner in person before your trip.

G. No matter how carefully you plan your trip, it is likely that something will go wrong.

    Porridge doesn't have a very tasty name, does it? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. I'm here to try and convince you that porridge can be a delicious, convenient and very healthy way to start the day.

    Porridge is a type of food served for breakfast, usually a type of grain with either milk or water. It is thicker than liquid, but not solid. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, so it's a very good option for people who are ill, and it provides long-lasting energy for the day.

    Porridge preparation, such as the amount of materials and cooking time depends on what you choose to use as your porridge base. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, I put a very big handful of oats (麦片) in a pot, add a little bit of water and about 200ml of milk, and let the mixture boil. It takes about five minutes to cook.

    Once it's cooked, the fun part is adding the flavors (味道). Porridge alone doesn't have a very strong flavour. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, I think this is what makes porridge exciting! It is like a blank piece of paper-you can add almost anything you want to the porridge base. Seeds, nuts and dried fruits are very healthy options to add and can give you energy for the day. But if you don't like these, or you're allergic, then sugar and chocolate are also very tasty options.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Either oats or corn or both are "staple foods" for most people on the earth. You can usually buy big bags of either, then add local materials to make your porridge interesting-whatever is cheap and convenient to find, wherever you are.

Hopefully porridge sounds a lot tastier now!

A．If you've never eaten it

B．If I'm cooking for myself

C．The porridge base is very easy to digest

D．It doesn't have a very tasty reputation, either

E．It is often heated up but lacks all kinds of nutrition

F．You can make porridge almost anywhere in the world

G．Although some people think this makes porridge boring

    Every person has a history of pain and tragedy that includes regret from the situation. At times, it's often hard to explain that pain to someone else. The challenge with a tragedy is the lack of support from someone.

    This has often been my challenge when I try to explain what occurred to me. When I was younger, I was a victim of a tragic accident that changed my life both academically and emotionally. At sixteen months old, due to the neglect of my babysitter I fell off the bed. The injury was so severe that I was rushed to the emergency room and the doctors explained to my mom that I suffered from a blood clot (血块) located on the left side of the brain.

    I was later diagnosed with what is known as a traumatic brain injury (外伤性脑损伤)．This accident affects my long term memory and testing ability. I often struggle with understanding information related to school and feel frustrated that I will not pass my tests. The pressure of school is so much, since I must always work harder than most students.

    I become easily disappointed that I study a lot but often flunk or re-take tests. It is hard to imagine, because in my mind I feel prepared for the work; however, the test results do not connect with the information in my brain. Although I always don't pass my tests, I feel like this injury encourages me to work and shows me that I can be confident when it comes to the future. For example, I have been able to maintain my grades, been employed for over a year at a local restaurant, and obtained my driver's license. I look forward to attending college, getting married, raising a family, and being a success. I will continue to live my life to the fullest and prove that an injury does not limit my life journey.