Question

We all need friends and we always have．Our ancestors found that gaining the basic necessities of life was easier in a group．It’s estimated that the maximum number of people who lived in early communities of hunter-gatherers was 150．

Friends aren’t bound（受……限制）by blood or family bonds, employment contracts or legal obligations．Our circle of associates includes work colleagues and people we meet at parties, in the pub or on the train to work．Some associates are much more important than our family．We are capable of exchanging an email with these associates, and may have mutual acquaintances with a good number of them, providing common ground．We do things for one another because we want to．Whether writing an answer to a photo put on Facebook, sending a birthday card by post, or making a hospital visit, the efforts we have made for our friends are out of kindness．It is this nature of friendship which requires nothing in return that makes it beneficial and valuable．

Friendships take work, and they need to be nurtured, nourished and maintained．We feel good about helping our friends because we are friends．However, we often lose touch with our friends because of a lack of time and energy．When we are carrying a heavy load at work, involved in a serious relationship or raising children, it’s hard to spare time for friends．In these situations, we need to remind ourselves of what friends are for and why they can be so important in our lives．

In a survey of more than 2,000 married couples aged 55 or older, for both men and women, having friends was the best predictor of being satisfied in marriage — possibly because they were more satisfied with their lives as a result of having friends．

Researchers suggest social relationships are the reason why women live longer than men, Social bonds reduce the risk of disease by reducing blood pressure, cholesterol（胆固醇）and heart rate．A lack of good friends is as harmful to your health as smoking or being overweight．Indeed, people without friends are more likely to die younger．Not only do friendships prolong（延长）our lives, they make us happier too．People who are socially active don’t feel so stressed or feel they can not enjoy anything easily — they also tend to feel better about their lives and who they are．

1.What makes friendship beneficial and valuable?

A．Its being not bound by blood or family bonds．

B．Its being easy to maintain．

C．The good we have done to our friends．

D．That we make efforts for friends out of kindness．

2.What should we do when we have no time for friends?

A．Quit our jobs．

B．Give our friends calls．

C．Remind ourselves of what friends are for．

D．Turn to our friends for help．

3.What can we infer from the survey in the fourth paragraph?

A．Having friends makes people satisfied in marriage．

B．The older people are, the more satisfied they are in marriage．

C．Married couples are more satisfied with their lives．

D．Married couples are easier to have friends．

4.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．Friendships prolong our lives and make us happy．

B．Men should learn to be socially active．

C．Women live longer than men．

D．Women tend to be less stressed．

Answer 1

1.D

2.C

3.A

4.A

【解析】

试题分析:本文讲了我们需要朋友，怎样对待朋友以及友谊对我们的重要性。

1.1】D细节理解题。根据第二段：the efforts we have made for our friends are out of kindness．It is this nature of friendship which requires nothing in return that makes it beneficial and valuable．句意：我们为朋友所做的一切努力都是出于善意。这是友谊的本质属性——我们不需要回报。这将使友谊更加的有益和难能可贵。故选D.

2.C细节理解题。根据第三段：When we are carrying a heavy load at work, involved in a serious relationship or raising children, it’s hard to spare time for friends．In these situations, we need to remind ourselves of what friends are for and why they can be so important in our lives．句意：当我们忙于处理繁重的工作、处于一段关系危机或者养育孩子而没有时间顾及朋友的时候。在这种情况下，我们需要自我提醒：朋友意味着什么，为什么他们在我们的生活中如此重要。故选C.

3.3】A细节理解题。第四段段意：在调查的2000多年龄在55岁或者更老的已婚夫妇中，不管是男人还是女人，拥有朋友是对婚姻满意度的最好的预测器。因为可能因为拥有朋友使他们对生活更加的满意。可知拥有朋友的人对生活，婚姻生活更加的满意，故选A.

4.4】A细节理解题。根据最后一段：Not only do friendships prolong（延长）our lives, they make us happier too．句意：友谊不但延长我们的生命更使我们活得开心。故选A.

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