Brian knew he had been drinking more and
more, but he was convinced that he'd return to more moderate drinking when he
wasn't so pressured at work, and that "a few too many drinks now and
then" wasn't a major problem.
"My wife and father were on me to stop
drinking, but you know how critical and protective family can be," said
Brian. "So I blew them off."
It wasn't until his friend Jack spoke up
that Brian started to think differently. "That really hit home, because I
wouldn’t expect a friend to confront me with something that personal unless it
was very important," said Brian. "Jack said he was really concerned
about me. He pointed out that my personality changed after I had a few
beers--that I became belligerent(寻衅的). For a normally easy-going guy, that was a dramatic change in
behavior."
Jack could see that Brian's numerous
drinking binges(放纵)
were causing problems. Brian was frequently calling into work sick and falling
behind in his work, and his marriage was seriously on the ropes. Brian was
teetering(摇摇欲坠) on
the edge of disaster. "I didn't want to see a good life and a good
friendship ruined," said Jack, "so I approached Brian, shared my
honest observations with him, and suggested that he seek
help."
After a couple days of soul searching,
though still reluctant, Brian took Jack's suggestion and was assessed by an
addiction professional. The expert recommended that Brian check into a
treatment center, and one day later Brian did so.
Many people fear taking the path that Jack
took. Speaking up to a friend who may have a problem with alcohol or other
drugs can be a tricky undertaking.
Yet it's true that a concerned friend can
do a lot. Most people don't recognize they have a substance abuse problem and
most don't seek help for a problem until someone close to them intervenes(干预).
1.What happened to Brian according to the
passage?
A. He suffered from an illness called
alcohol addiction.
B. He changed so much that he was deserted
by his family.
C. He became morally corrupted drinking too
much all day.
D. He drank a little more than normal to
escape the pressure.
2.What does “that” in the 3rd paragraph
refer to?
A. Brian’s drinking
binges.
B. Jack’s talk with Brian.
C. Wife and father’s
intervention. D.
Brian’s different thoughts.
3. Brian could accept Jack’s suggestions
mainly because ____________.
A. he found his friend was very critical
and protective
B. Jack’s suggestions were professional and
persuasive
C. Jack and Brian’s family had different
opinions
D. he knew his friend wouldn’t easily
intervene his personal affair
4. Brian’s alcohol abuse brought him many
problems EXCEPT ____________.
A. his refusal to listen to his
family B. his bad temper and aggressiveness
C. his failure to do his work
well D. his
marriage problems
5. The writer narrates Brian’s story in
order to ____________.
A. tell us the bad results of alcohol
addiction
B. warn us not to fall into the habit of
drinking
C. show friends have real power to
intervene
D. prove a friend in need is a friend
indeed
Parents: “My daughter was so excited about the Korean-style uniform, saying it’s her dream to wear a miniskirt to school every day,” a mom said. “My daughter also called her classmates to talk about how handsome the boys looked in the uniforms! If the students wear such beautiful uniforms, how can they concentrate on their studies?”