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!”

    Accountants Assistant

    When you join us in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general duties. If you are educated to GCSE grade C level, we would like to talk to you.  This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience.  Feel free to come to our office in person for the chance.

    Father Christmas

    We're looking for a very special person preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.

    Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sunday, 10:30-16:00.

    Excellent pay.

    Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Center, Station Parade, Eastbourne.

Producer, London Kiss

    We're looking for producers to join us in the second of London 100 FM. You'll work on the station's music programmes. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kissl00.

    Software Trainer

    If you are aged 24-45 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing. You will be allowed to make our decision, and to design courses as well as present them. Pay upwards of￡15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV(简历) to Mrs R. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited.

    On Saturday my Catalan friend invited me to come along to a Calotada. Being from the UK, I had no idea what this would need, but he promised me it was a fun Catalan(卡塔兰)tradition, and so I agreed to go. I wasn't disappointed!

First, we took a train out to a small town near Tarragona, about an hour away from Barcelona centre. I was already amazed by how different everything looked from the city as the train rushed through small towns, all sitting on the coastline.

When we arrived, we were greeted by the sight of a small wind instrument band and about a dozen people dancing in a circle. While my friend later told me that it is a traditional Catalan dance called La Sardana, at the time I was totally confused at what I was seeing! It seemed so strange but yet so lovely that they were doing this dance completely for themselves.

Once we had been fully entertained by the dancers, we finally went inside for the Calotada and it was soon revealed to me what it actually was. We sat down at the table and a huge plate of leeks(大葱)was placed in front of us. It was explained to us that you have to peel the leeks with your fingers, dip them in a (delicious!) sauce and eat them. This sounds easier than it was.

    My friend had been right in the end, it had been an extremely fun day and it felt great to get involved in a local tradition of a place I am temporarily calling home. It really inspired me to learn more about the Catalan culture, although hopefully next time it will be something less messy!

    What a lesson for me! It was August and it was hot. I had to wear a tie to do a survey door by door in this neighbourhood, but I was always refused. I finally caught on and began with “Before you close the door, I am not selling anything and I just need to ask a few questions about yourself and the community”.

    The young woman inside the doorway stopped for a moment, confused by my rude introduction and finally said, “Sure. Come on in. Don't mind the mess. It's hard to keep up with my kids.”

    “I just need to ask a few questions about yourself and your family. Although this may sound personal, I won't need to use your names. This information will be used.” She interrupted me. “Would you like a glass of cold water? You look like you've had a rough day.” “Why yes!” I said gratefully. Just as she returned with the water, a man came walking in the front door. It was her husband. “Joe, this man is here to do a survey.” I stood and politely introduced myself.

    “Joe works for the town,” she said. “What do you do?” I asked. She jumped right in not letting him answer. “Joe collects garbage. You know I'm so proud of him.”

    There was a silence. I didn't know what to say. I shook my head searching for the right words. “That's unbelievable! Most people would not be satisfied with a job like that. It certainly is a difficult one. But your attitude about it is amazing.” I said.

    She walked over to the shelf. As she returned she held a small framed（装裱）paper, walking toward Joe. “I have always been proud of him and always will be. You see I don't think the job makes the man, but the man makes the job!” she said as she handed me the paper.

    It said: If a man is called to be a cleaner, he should clean streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, “Here lived a great cleaner who did his job well.”

    How do you get a man to do his share of the housework? If you are like most women, you've faced this question the hard way.

    A man will enjoy a clean, orderly house, but he usually won't make the effort to clean or organise it. This doesn't mean that a woman has to do all the housework; she may have to manage many of the household duties, and request her partner's participation(参与). A woman can often say that men and women should take equal responsibility(责任) for housework.

    Very few men are raised to be fully responsible for housework, and many men look on housework as women's work. On the other hand, most men will readily work around the yard, make repairs and complete projects on weekends or evenings, and it's important that you give your man appreciation(欣赏) for those things, too. Most men will take on a little housework around the house if asked politely. They are even more likely to do housework if they can choose what they want to do, and do it without being monitored(监视).

    Here's the key: men want to feel that they are doing housework either because they want to do a task, or because they simply want to please their women. Men are much less likely to take on household tasks they consider uninteresting and unimportant. In other words, men are likely to do a household task just for the good of the house.

    Does your local high school have a student newspaper? Only 1 in 8 of New York's public high schools has student newspapers—and many of those are published just a few times a year. A few more are online, which can leave out poorer schools.

    Rebecca Dwarka, an 18-year-old senior who works for her student paper said, "Facebook is the new way of finding out what happened. Nobody wants to actually sit down and read a whole article about it. This makes a 'whole article' sound a little like a long sentence in lonely places."

    I am not nostalgic(怀旧的) about high school student newspapers and never worked for mine. I put out what was then called a personal magazine with a group of friends because we wanted to write about peace, war and rock 'n' roll without school officials warning us not to make jokes about the local officials.

    School newspapers are in decline(衰落) because students now find out what happened on social networking websites. This is a little discouraging because it proves that for millions of Americans, journalism is becoming a do-it-yourself thing. Every citizen can be a reporter.

    When something happens, we look for social media messages. Facebook posts and Tweets have become the means by which citizens and reporters can prove, deny, pass on stories and express opinions without the press' challenging, researching or slowing the message.

    It requires seeing something carefully and it uses an eye for details to help prove a larger view. And even journalism that conveys an opinion tries to be fair. If school newspapers begin to disappear, I hope there are other ways for students to learn that.