They became friends again that day. Until then, they _______ to each other for nearly two years.

A. didn't speak        B. hadn't spoken       C. haven' t spoken    D. haven' t been speaking

Observer 2007-03-28 13:54

   Nothing could be more shameful for McDonald’s and KFC. They are violating labour’s rights. The government must immediately bring the guilty to justice. A stricter government inspection system must be enforced to protect the workers.

Nathan 2007-03-28 21:39

It is known that McDonald’s and KFC and other fast-food restaurants pay the lowest wage they possibly can to get their employees. I think it’s kind of funny that these two restaurants have not yet set up unions. It is also known that they also take every possible measure e(legal, and sometimes illegal) to prevent their employees from forming or joining unions. I think it is high time that government enforced the law that they have made.

Cushman 2007-03-28 22:32

The deepest reason is that China has a large population. If you complain that the pay is very low, the boss will tell you that can go to other places and that there are a lot of people waiting for the job. Today finding a job is not very easy, so you don’t have many choices, and you have to face the reality.

Chip 2007-03-29 20:33

If wages were too low, people wouldn’t work for them, but they do, so it proves the wages are reasonable. Sure, they could raise the wages, but why should they? The workers are still working, still willing to show up on time, and it keeps costs lower. Were they to raise wages, they would have to FIRE more workers, and the price of burgers would go up. Then people wouldn’t buy them, then McDonald’s would once again FIRE more workers because of a reduced demand, and you’d be back in the same boat, just with less people working.

What are they debating about?

A．McDonald’s and KFC pay too low a salary to their employees.

B．Setting up a social security system.

C．Fast-food restaurants have no rights to fire workers.

D．McDonald’s and KFC will be punished for their behaviour.

According to Chip, it is____for McDonald’s and KFC to give employees a low salary.

A．unacceptable       B．shameful        C．acceptable        D．illegal

In the opinion of Cushman, the key to the problem is that____.

A．the social security net has not been set up

B．China has too large a population

C．the government has not taken stronger steps to protect workers

D．the unions have not played an important part to raise the wages.

The underlined word “they” in Nathan’s words refers to____.

A．the employees                          B．governments    

C．all the restaurants                        D．fast-food restaurants

When I was a young student, a Chinese teacher told us, “If you make one close friend in school, you will be most fortunate. A true friend is someone who stays with you for life.”   36   tells us that he was right. Good friendship is just not easily   37 . It is possible that we simply do not stay in one place long enough for   38  friendship to   39 .
However, there can be   40  disagreement on the need for each of us to think carefully about the kind of friendship we want. To most of us, friendships are considered very important, but we need to have clear in our   41   the kinds of friendship we want. Are they to be close or   42   at arm’s length? Do we want to   43  ourselves or do we want to walk on the surface? For some people, many friendships on the surface are   44  enough—and that’s all right. But at some point we need to   45   that our expectations are the same as our friends’ expectations. The sharing of   46  experience   47  our tears as well as our dark dreams is the surest way to deepen friendships. But it   48  be undertaken（进行）slowly and carried on only if there are   49  of interest and action in return.
What are some of the   50  of friendship? The greatest is the attraction to expect too much too soon. Deep relationships   51  time. Another “major difficulty” is the selfishness to think one “possesses” the other, including his time and attention. Similarly, friendships   52  actions in return. In   53  words, you must give as much as you take.
Finally there is a question of taking care of. Unless you spend   54  time together, talking on the phone, writing letters, doing things together, friendships will die   55 .?

The reporters exposed the corruption (腐败) of several high officials in the government;

as a result, they ________ to resign from office.

A. asked       B. were asked      C. had been asked       D. have asked

--- Can you guess if they _______ to play basketball with us?

--- I think they'll come if they _________ free.