Old friends They finish your sentences, and they tell you the truth when you've had a bad haircut. ____ mostly, they are always there for you-whether it's in person or late-night phone calls-in good times and _____. But as the years pass, it becomes increasingly _____ to see each other, to make new memories. ___, my high school friends and I promised to have reunions.

A few months ago, we met up for a two-day _____ in the American Southwest. We grew up together in Maine and have said for years that we should have a（n）_____ event, yet it was often put off or _____ due to schedule conflicts（冲突）. Not this year.

The weekend _____ long talks by the pool, wonderful meals, and a hike that brought the entire group to _____. Not tears of sadness or anger, but a close tie with such physical ______ between us. It's heartbreaking that we can't spend our days together in the same neighborhood. But that's ______. Grown-up life.

The most ______ is the group's adaptability to one another. The time we ______ apart is non-existent. No need to get reacquainted, we jump back in the saddle（车座）and it's as comfortable as ever. Old friends—friends with an ever-present ______ of support and sisterhood, friends that know each other-are hard to come by and yet we ______ today as we were years ago, laughing in the back row of Mr. McKechnie's 9th grade math class.

Life today,______, has no math class. Our world is full of ______, full of fear. Yet it ______ me— now, more than ever—how important it is that we stay ______. We may have questions about our future, but we have true faith in our past, and though this reunion of friends has come to a close, we are already ______ our plans for the next one.

   As an old saying goes, "Surround yourself with the people you want to be like. " 【小题1】 Here are four signs that you are surrounded by good friends who care about you but not just what you can do for them!

【小题2】

A good friend can tell when you need an ear, or just take time and talk something out. More importantly, they help you determine where you have good ideas and where they think you' re wrong.

Your friends care about you.

【小题3】They also take time to be there when you need them, and want to help you be the best person you can be.

You feel like your friends have your best interests at heart.

You may not always agree with what your friends say or their perceptions of a situation. 【小题4】 This can be a tricky line to walk, and sometimes you should ignore the advice of others. Nevertheless, a good friend will be less worried about sparing your feelings than looking out for you.

Your friends check in on you.

Good friends care about the people close to them. If they don't hear from you periodically, they will pick up the phone or even send an email, "Dude, where you at？Everything okay？"This doesn't mean they constantly worry about you, because sometimes people get sick or busy and life happens. 【小题5】

   We all know that the friendship is a good thing. But do you know that friends have a great influence on your happiness and quality of life？Good friends provide comfort and joy，and even improve your health. 【小题1】 Many of us struggle to meet new friends and develop good connections. Even when we're willing to put in time and effort，we don't always know how to go about it.

Why are friends important？

Our society often places stress on romantic relationships. We think that if we can just find that right person，we'll be happy. But research shows that friends are more important to psychological（心理的）well-being than our love and family relationships. 【小题2】 Studies show that a lack of social connections can be as damaging as smoking，or as drinking too much. The quality of our friendships is even tied to longevity（长寿）.

【小题3】

Technology has changed the meaning of friendships in recent years. With the click of a button，we can add a friend or make a new connection. 【小题4】

Technology can provide social opportunities by helping you reconnect with old friends，start new relationships with people around the world who share similar interests，and keep relationships with friends who don't live nearby. However，online friends can't hug you when you're upset，or celebrate a happy event with you after work.

【小题5】 So make it the most important thing to stay in touch in the real world，not just online. You'll get a lot more out of an in-person conversation than you will over text.

I'm glad to hear that you will come to study in our school.

Yours,

Li Ming

   “We've been good friends for so many years. And I don't think you _______ to do that…” I said to myself,looking at Jack, my friend who was running across the _______ field.

How I _______ I could join them! But it is impossible because of the pain in my left foot, _______ by Jack.

I first met Jack in a football match in the elementary school. When my team looked as if we were beaten,Jack, who was watching, volunteered to join us. He was so _______ and skilled that we won. _______ , Jack and I often _______ together and became best friends.

But something happened before an important football match between Class 6 and my class. My class had so many good players that we had to _______ the best ones. Jack and I were in the same team. The match was close in the first half. I saw my chance and was ready to score a goal. Suddenly, Jack slid to stop the ball ,but _______ me in my left foot. I knew I had lost the ____________ to score and was carried off the field. But what really hurt me was that Jack didn't apologize to me. And when some of my teammates said he did it on purpose to ____________ me from scoring,I felt even ____________ .

Now I stand here, with tears in my eyes. I don't want to ____________ those words but I don't know how to persuade myself they are ____________ . Then everything changes when Jack scores and wins! How excited I am!

While I am still ____________ in excitement, someone pats my shoulder. It is Jack, with a smile on his face. “I'm sorry that you cannot join in because of my ____________ . But you see, Jason, we ____________ them! No matter whether you joined in or not, you've made a ____________ . Come on. Let's celebrate!” Suddenly, I am ____________ by the players. The sunshine is so bright that I close my eyes. Riding high above my teammates, I feel so happy. And I know the ____________ between Jack and me will last forever.