The trend in everyday conversation is to use grandiose(夸大的)words．“Outstanding” is the

new “good,” “amazing” is the new “OK, ” and “huge” is the new “big.”

　 I was in a restaurant in Washington D．C．last weekend and every question I asked was answered with exaggeration．

　 Me：How is the salmon?

　 Sever：Fantastic!

　 Me：Does it come with rice?

　 Sever：Absolutely!

　 Would a “good” and a “yes” have been enough? Of course!

　 My father is an average-sized man．He hasn’t gained weight or height for the past 30 years. Therefore, his size remains the same．However，in the same amount of time，his T-shirt size has gone from small to medium to large to extra large．

The reason for the exaggerated word is clear：we are bored with our lives. We want the next

—next thing now．Immediately!

　 And we also want others to think that we still care，that we can still be delighted，that we know that everything is just great．Even when deep inside we know it can’t be．Everything can’t be great．

I’m not a scientist，so many methods of proof leave little to be desired，or a lot to be desired，or an immensity(无限)．　

Listen to the voices around you．Listen to your own voices．There is nothing on the radio that is good or bad，weather is either beautiful or horrible．

Listen，the next time when someone asks you something and you agree，because when you

could simply say “yes”, instead you will say “absolutely’’ or “without doubt ” or “Oh，yeah，unquestionably ---- absolutely without doubt."

Have people forgotten what it is like to be OK? Simply OK with what they have and who they are? If everything is outstanding，if everything is the most amazing thing ever，is anything ever amazing at all?

1．By telling his experience in the restaurant，the author intends to ________．

　 A. show his interest in exaggerated words

　 B. prove that exaggerated words are widely used

　 C. blame the restaurant for using exaggerated words

　 D. tell us the food in the restaurant is extremely good

2．What do we know about the author’s father?

　 A. He has gained height and is now a tall man．

B. He likes following the fashion in clothing．

C. His weight is getting greater and greater．

D.The size of his T-shirt is described in exaggerated words．

3．So many people like using exaggerated words because_________．

　 A. they are not satisfied with being normal

　 B. they don’t want to be looked down upon by others

　 C. they want to be different from others

　 D. they are brave in telling their true feelings

4．According to the passage，if you approve of something，you’d better say “________”．

　 A. fantastic　 B. perfect　 C. OK　　　　 D. absolutely

When high school started, Becky and I became best friends．We __1__ many interests and quickly became inseparable．When high school ended, we both cried _2__ we would attend different colleges in the fall．

Our first term of university life was _3__．We had a huge telephone bill and our e-mails were incredibly long．In the second term I found some new friends with whom I felt very __4__．These were friends with whom I could be myself and _5_ out my feelings．I was eager to share my new friends with Becky.

When Becky finally visited me at my school, we were excited．She __6__ a toy bear to me as a present and told me about her college life．However, something unexpected happened when I __7__ her to my new friends．Her eyes grew dark and I could see the __8_ within them．My new friends tried to share their friendship, but Becky seemed __9__ to accept it．I didn’t understand __10_ the people I loved most couldn’t love each other.

Becky left．I knew she was not happy．I thought long about what had happened．After many unanswered questions, I understood that she was __11__．She saw me with my new friends and _12__ that we no longer shared the same experiences．She saw all the fun I was having __13__ her and wished she could be a part of it．She wished she could be in their __14__.

I wrote a letter to Becky __15__ she’s always my best friend．I told her everyone had friends from home and friends from school, and all the friends were indeed life’s greatest __16__．Becky wrote me back soon．She was in __17__ and felt sorry about what she had done.

I think Becky and I both learn an important lesson from it．__18__ can influence our friendship and change the experiences we’ve shared．We are now walking on two different paths of __19_．While new friends are special and exciting, old friends are always there, __20__ to share their heart and soul, no matter how far apart.

1．A．showed              B．developed           C．protected          D．shared

2．A．because               B．unless                C．although            D．while

3．A．modern               B．peaceful            C．hard                  D．normal

4．A．anxious             B．comfortable         C．familiar              D．strange

5．A．figure                  B．make                C．pour                  D．hold

6．A．brought               B．returned             C．donated             D．recommended

7．A．admitted             B．introduced           C．mentioned          D．referred

8．A．concern               B．doubt                  C．curiosity           D．hurt

9．A．ashamed             B．cautious            C．unwilling           D．calm

10．A．how                  B．why                    C．that                   D．whether

11．A．aggressive         B．discouraged         C．proud               D．jealous

12．A．regretted            B．argued               C．promised           D．proved

13．A．for                    B．from                 C．without             D．across

14．A．expectation          B．position               C．reception            D．relation

15．A．recognizing       B．predicting            C．assuming           D．explaining

16．A．gift                     B．spirit                  C．achievement        D．sign

17．A．sympathy         B．agreement            C．surprise               D．confusion

18．A．Nothing             B．Anything             C．Something           D．Everything

19．A．success          B．happiness            C．research           D．life

20．A．choosing            B．planning             C．waiting              D．demanding