Who can ______ me carry this heavy basket?

[    ]

　　A. look    B. want    C. help    　　D. ask

Except for a few times, Americans are not big present-givers. There’s no exchange of presents among business people, and if one American tries to give another a present, it may look like that he wants to bribe (贿赂) him. Americans have learned that in some other countries people like to give presents to others, but among ourselves we don’t see the need for presents.
Even friends may never exchange presents. When I go to foreign countries, I try to bring back little things for close friends, but nobody would feel unhappy if I didn’t. I don’t often re­member a friend’s birthday, and few people outside of my family remember mine. If someone gave me presents too often, I’d get unpleasant. But a present from a foreigner - that kind from his or her homeland — won’t go wrong, except to government employees (政府职员) who can’t be given presents.
You usually open a present at once and in front of the person who gives it except Christmas and birthday presents. You should only say, "It’s so nice. Thanks…" when you get Christ­mas or birthday presents.
You may want to bring a bottle of wine (葡萄酒) or flowers to a dinner party, but you’re
never asked to.  Nobody will mind if you bring wine, but your friend may not use it that evening.
At Christmas we often give presents to our family and sometimes our friends. We also give presents to people who have been helpful during the year- doormen, babysitters, housecleaners, newspaper senders— anyone who has often helped us.
【小题1】   What does "close friends" mean in the passage?

"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the baby was lying in her arms and she moved the cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped(吃力地喘着气). The doctor turned quickly and looked out of the hospital window. The baby had been born without ears. Luckily, time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. Though the misfortune(不幸)happened to him, he grew into a handsome boy. Yet he felt ashamed when he communicated with others.
“You should get in touch with other young people,” his mother told him, with a kindness in her heart. The boy’s father talked with the family doctor about his ears. “Could nothing be done?” the father asked. “I believe I could give him a pair of outer ears, if they could be got,” the doctor replied.
Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, “You are going to the hospital, Son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need, but it’s a secret.” The operation is a big success. Later he married and entered the diplomatic(外交的)service. One day, he asked his father, “Who gave the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her.”
“You could, my son,” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know…not yet.”
The years kept their secret, but one of the darkest days did come. He stood with his father over his mother’s casket(棺材). Slowly, the father stretched forth(伸出) a hand
and raised the thick, reddish brown hair to reveal the mother had no outer ears.
"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," his father whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they?"
【小题1】Why did Mother gasp when she saw her newborn baby?

Not long ago, I opened an interesting e-mail from Jennifer, a friend of mine. “I’ve realized I want to be around people who make me happy,” she wrote, “I’ve been seeing how I feel after communicating with different people and making a mental list of who I feel good about. And you’re on my list.”

Then she invited me — and 11 other women— to a “Movie Night” to be held every six weeks at her house. We’d chat, eat, and watch feel-good movies. She made it clear in her invitation that there was no stress to show up to all or any movie nights. Wonderful! I e-mailed her back immediately. I was in.

Later, Jennifer told me she had some puzzled reactions to her invitation. Though all the women were willing to join, some said they didn’t see themselves as cheerful people. “I’ve told them they didn’t have to be cheerful around me all the time. I invited them because they made me feel happy,” she says.

Research shows that gatherings such as Jennifer’s make sense. In a US study, researchers measured(测量) the happiness of 4739 people at regular intervals (间隔) over 20 years. The study found that a person’s happiness depends on(取决于) the happiness of people they connect with. Amazingly, it also found that happiness spreads not only between direct friends, but also among friends of your friends’ friends! And those good feelings seem to be the most contagious (传染性的) among friends of the same sex.

“People with more supportive friends are less likely to develop sadness,” says Dr Toupey Luft, a psychologist in Penticyon, British Columbia. “Though you can’t choose your family or workmates, you do have control over friendships.” With a little effort, you can add more positive(乐观的) relationships to your social circle. Here’s how…

1.How many people did Jennifer invite?

   A. 1             B. 11               C. 12               D. 13

2.What kind of things can you do on Jennifer’s movie night?

   A. Gathering and measuring happiness among friends.

B. Chatting, eating and watching feel-good movies.

C. Being cheerful all the time.

D. Showing up stress.

3.What do the underlined words mean?

   A. 有意义       B. 有鉴赏力        C. 有感觉           D. 制造气氛

4.Which of the following is right?

   A. Jennifer was puzzled with her invitation.

   B. All the women who were invited are cheerful people.

   C. Jennifer invited people who are cheerful around her all the time.

   D. People with more supportive friends seem to be more positive than people who don’t.

5.Can you guess what will be talked about in the following passage?

   A. Why it is important to pick friends who make you feel good.

   B. How to make friends who make you feel good.

   C. What kinds of friends you should not make.

   D. How you can find your social circle.