I often read of incidents of misunderstanding or conflict. I'm left1.Why do these people create mistrust and problems, especially with those from other2?

    I was growing up in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1960s,3children from different races and religions played and studied4in harmony. At that time my family lived a stone's5from Ismail's. And no one was bothered that Ismail was a Malay Muslim and I was an Indian Hindu-we just6our differences. Perhaps, our elders had not filled our heads with unnecessary advice, well7or otherwise.

    We were nine when we became friends. During the school holidays, we'd8the countryside on our bicycles, hoping to9the unexpected. At times Ismail would accompany my family as we made a rare shopping trip to town. We would be glad of his10.

    When I was twelve, my family moved to Johor. Ismail's family later returned to their village, and I11touch with him.

    One spring afternoon in 1983, I stopped a taxi in Kuala Lumpur. I12my destination. The driver acknowledged my13but did not move off. Instead, he looked14at me. “Raddar?”he said, using my childhood nickname(绰号). I was astonished at being so15addressed(称呼). Unexpectedly! It was Ismail! Even after two16we still recognized each other. Grasping his shoulder, I felt a true affection, something17to describe.

    If we can allow our children to be18without prejudice, they'll build friendships with people, regardless of race or religion, who will be19their side through thick and thin. On such friendships are societies build and20we can truly be, as William Shakespeare once wrote, “we happy few, we band of brothers”.

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 {#blank#}1{#/blank#} 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.

    Start a conversation

    Starting a conversation is the second most important step in making new friends.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} You can always start the conversation.  Being able to make small talk is a very useful skill in relating with other people.

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    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.

    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.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} The best friendships are the ones that grow naturally.

    Enjoy your friendship

    The best way to enjoy your friendship is to allow your friends to be themselves.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} 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.

    Color is fundamental in home design-something you'll always have in every room. A grasp of how to manage color in your spaces is one of the first steps to creating rooms you'll love to live in. Do you want a room that's full of life? Or are you just looking for a place to relax after a long day?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}, color is the key to making a room feel the way you want it to feel.

    Over the years, there have been a number of different techniques to help designers approach this important point.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}, they can get a little complex. But good news is that there're really only three kinds of decisions you need to make about color in your home: the small ones, the medium ones, and the large ones.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.They're the little spots of color like throw pillows, mirrors and baskets that most of us use to add visual interest to our rooms. Less tiring than painting your walls and less expensive than buying a colorful sofa, small color choices bring with them the significant benefit of being easily changeable.

    Medium color choices are generally furniture pieces such as sofas, dinner tables or bookshelves.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.They require a bigger commitment than smaller ones, and they have a more powerful effect on the feeling of a space.

    The large color decision in your rooms concern the walls, ceilings, and floors. Whether you're looking at wallpaper or paint, the time, effort and relative expense put into it are significant.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. While all of them are useful

B. Whatever you're looking for

C. If you're experimenting with a color

D. Small color choices are the ones we're most familiar with

E. It's not really a good idea to use too many small color pieces

F. So it pays to be sure, because you want to get it right the first time

G. Color choices in this range are a step up from the small ones in two major ways