阅读短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。

    My parents were in a huge argument, and I was really upset about it. I didn't know who I should talk with about how I was feeling. So I asked Mom to allow me to stay the night at my best friend's house. Though I knew I wouldn't tell her about my parents' situation, I was looking forward to getting out of the house. I was in the middle of packing up my things when suddenly the power went out in the neighborhood. Mom came to tell me that I should stay with my grandpa until the power came back on.

    I was really disappointed because I felt that we did not have much to talk about. But I knew he would be frightened alone in the dark. I went to his room and told him that I'd stay with him until the power was restored. He was quite happy and said, “Great opportunity.”

    “What is it?” I asked.

    “To talk, you and I” he said. “To hold a private little meeting about what we're going to do with your mom and dad, and what we're going to do with ourselves now that we're in the situation we are in.”

    “But we can't do anything about it. Grandpa,” I said, surprised that here was someone with whom I could share my feelings and someone who was in the same “boat” as I was.

    And that's how the most unbelievable friendship between my grandfather and me started. Sitting in the dark, we talked about our feelings and fears of life — from how fast things change to how they sometimes don't change fast enough. That night, because the power went out, I found a new friend, with whom I could safely talk about all my fears and pains, whatever they may be. Suddenly, the lights all came back on. “Well,” he said, “I guess that means you'll want to go now. I really like our talk. I hope the power will go out every few nights!”

    Guide Dogs of America, A History is the book that we all have been waiting for. It's a book that tells how and where the guide dog movement really started, with information never before revealed--until now. After reading this 200-page, picture-filled work, you will know about every aspect of Guide Dogs of America(GDA) from its inception to how it has become one of the top guide dog schools in the country.

    Joseph W. Jones, Sr., was refused a guide dog because of his age--he was fifty seven--but he would not accept defeat. He researched the guide dog movement and with the help of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, established his own school, one that would provide guide dogs free of charge to visually impaired people regardless of their age.

    The school graduated 18 guide dog teams the first year with students staying at, GDA's first trainer, Lambert Kreimer's house on South Virginia Avenue in Burbank, and Jones manning the office on Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood.

    In 1952, Jones addressed the quadrennial(四周年纪念的) IAM Grand Lodge Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. “I sincerely prayed to God for two things,” Jones said. “After my wife passed away and left me with a ten-year-old boy, I prayed that I would be spared long enough to see this organization well established and that my ten-year-old boy would become a man. Both prayers have been answered. The organization is well established, it is in the hands of the IAM and my boy is a man, and I am proud to say that today he is a member of the IAM.”

    Jones' pray for a successful organization had been answered now, ten years after he was rejected for being too old, his dream of having a guide dog for himself, hundreds of others had already been given the gift of sight because of his drive and determination. That school, now known as Guide Dogs of America, has provided guide dogs to thousands of people free of charge.

    A disease called “Panama” is threatening supplies of the world's most popular fruit—banana.Two years ago,the United Nations warned that the "Panama disease" could destroy "much of the world's banana crop."Since then,things have not gotten better.A new outbreak was discovered last year in Australia.The disease started in Asia in the 1990s, and later spread to Africa and the Middle East.

    World health officials worry the disease could travel to Latin America,one of the top banana producers in the world.All this is a big concern because bananas are an important source of income and nutrients for millions of people.They are grown in 135 tropical nations.The United Nations lists bananas as one of the most important foods, along with rice,wheat and corn.

    Randy Ploetz is a professor at the Tropical Research & Educational Center at the University of Florida.Many consider him as America's top banana expert.As he explained,Panama disease affects the Cavendish banana.The Cavendish is one of more than 500 kinds of bananas.But it is the most popular.

    “The industry is waking up to the problem,”Ploetz said.“They are pretty scared.”He was speaking Thursday by telephone from Miami,Florida,where he is among 1,000 people attending the International Banana Congress.The meeting was supposed to take place in Costa Rica,but was moved at the last minute.There were concerns banana growers could spread Panama disease from dirt collected on their shoes,Ploetz said.

    Ploetz said reports that Cavendish banana production could end are not correct.But if the disease spreads to Latin America,it could hurt the world's economy along with food supplies for millions of people.Still,he said there is reason for hope.Scientists in Australia are working on a genetically engineered banana that might not be at risk of getting Panama disease.

    If you feel at present that you don't have enough friends in your life, one reason may be that you have let yourself become too busy to make time for the relationships you already have. Starting and keeping friendship requires effort and commitment.

    Many of us let our lives become so busy with work and other responsibilities that we don't get around to scheduling time for pleasure and renewal(叙旧)with the friends, relatives and acquaintances we already have.

    Making the effort to call your friends more regularly and to accept more of their invitations you receive from others can improve your social life in a hurry!

    Are there any people you could call right now and be sure to receive a pleasant welcome? Are there people that you could count onto help you in time of difficulty? Can you have close talks with them? Do you have fun when you are together? Are you happy to have them in your life?

    If you haven't seen much of them lately, is it because you have become too busy? Have you grown apart? Was there an argument?

    If the main reason you haven't been getting together with the people you already know is that you have got too busy, take a good look at how you spend your time. Compare it with your real values and priorities(优先考虑的事)in life. Is your busy lifestyle really bringing you the quality of life that you want?

    If you have become too busy for friends, why has this happened? Are you seeking material toys in your life at the expense of relationships with other human beings? Have you allowed your time to be over spent because you never say “No” to anyone? Do you insist on doing things yourself that could be appointed to others? If so, why? Do you believe that everything depends on you?

    Examine whether the way you are now spending your time accurately reflects your deepest values and priorities. Make sure that you schedule adequate time for the things that are truly most important to you.

    If you really want to keep friends in your life, make a space in your schedule, and a space in your heart for them.

Elephants might be the most well－known and well－loved animal in African wildlife. But conservation (保护) of the African elephant faces special difficulties. While the elephant population is half of what it was 40 years ago, some areas of Africa have more elephants than populated areas can support. That's why AWF scientists are studying elephant behavior, protecting habitats and finding ways for humans to live peacefully with elephants in Africa.

Years ago, overhunting and the ivory trade were the biggest threats to elephants' survival. Luckily, ivory bans (禁令), hunting rules and protected areas protect elephants from these dangers today.

The 21st century brings a different challenge to elephant conservation—land－use. Elephants walk across borders and outside parks and other protected areas. So they often destroy crops, causing conflicts (冲突) between local farmers and these big animals.

Successful conservation strategies (策略) must allow elephants to walk freely in their natural habitats while reducing conflicts between elephants and local people.

AWF researchers are searching for a way to give both elephants and people the space they need. The AWF is collecting information on elephant habitats and behavior. The information they gather will help to develop the widest possible space for elephants.

The AWF is helping elephants by protecting their habitats. And they also work with local farmers to improve their life in order to encourage them to protect rather than destroy elephants.

Max Du won the Canada-Wide Science Fair. His project is a drone (无人机) to save people who go into cardiac (心脏的) arrest. Max got the inspiration during Christmas break last year. "I got a toy drone from my parents, but I couldn't fly it because it is snowy." Max said. "So I played with it at home, and it got me thinking how a drone could be used as an indoor robot that could help people."

About 35, 000 people have cardiac arrests in Canada each year. Most of those happen outside of a hospital, of whom fewer than 10 percent survive. Max believed a drone could offer faster support and life-saving medicine, but he had to build it himself to know for sure.

Testing his drone took about six months. Max's parents had to deal with their son's constantly flying and crashing in the home. Every time Max would create an exciting innovation, such as an extendable arm, it would add extra weight to his drone, causing it to break apart. Then Max would have to buy all new parts. Max tested using more lightweight materials until his design was more balanced.

Through trial and error, the 14-year-old boy finally got it right. His drone can open a door handle, fly in the air and then land softly on the ground. A new extendable arm can be released to administer a shot or hand a patient lifesaving medicine. A built-in camera could directly conference with an emergency response team whose members could monitor the patient remotely.

Max plans on applying for a patent (专利) so he can make connections in the health-care industry to get it made for real. He's spent his summer learning about artificial intelligence at California's Stanford University as one of 32 kids selected worldwide. He'll head next to the University of Pennsylvania to take a college-level robotics class before returning to high school in September.