“It’s easier than most children think to make new friends, ” says the newest and youngest author member of the National Talk Show Guest Registry, Natalie Tinti．“Stop waiting for others to discover who you are and start discovering your happiness and sharing it with others！”

　　Even before Natalie Tinti entered the first grade she showed an amazing ability to create beautiful drawings．With a talent and love for illustrating(插图), Natalie was encouraged to use her colorful imagination to build a story around some of her favorite color-filled characters－both real and illustrated．Now ten years old, the result of Natalie’s efforts is an award-winning children’s book titled Sewing a Friendship．

　　“When I am not writing, I love to do two things most－drawing pretty characters and playing with my friends, ” explains Natalie．“I developed the girls in Sewing a Friendship based on the people I spend time with every day．I hope my book will encourage other girls to reach out and make new friends, even if they think they have nothing in common with a person．”

　　Sewing a Friendship tells the story of four girls who learn the true meaning of friendship when they extend their circle to include a classmate whose abrasive(生硬粗暴的)behavior keeps other children from becoming her friends．In developing the girlfriends’ relationships, the story offers its young readers the opportunity to discuss how to make friends and think carefully about the importance of showing kindness to everyone．

　　“Research has shown that the ages of seven and eight, particularly for girls, mark an important change in how friendship is viewed, ” writes Sarah Moore in her article Girls Face Friendship Challenges from an Early Age．“Being a writer who is only ten years old herself, Natalie is able to develop relatable personalities and a storyline(故事情节)that is smart and age-suitable．”

　　In 2009, Sewing a Friendship won a Silver Medal from the Reader’s Favorite Book Review and Award Contest．Natalie Tinti is presently working on her next book which will focus more on how friends help one another through difficult situations．

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阅读下面四篇短文，从每题所给的四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

　　When an NBA player is young he thinks he can win the championship by himself．It is only later when he has aged and been through many battles that he learns an important lesson：there is no “I ” in “team”．

　　There is no better example of the value of teamwork than the Boston Celtics．Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were all superstars on three different teams．Yet, none of them had any titles to show for it．Then, last season, they decided to sacrifice money and individual statistics to play together．Garnett and Allen joined Pierce on the Celtics and changed the NBA in the process．

　　It started in simple ways．Garnett and Allen are two of the most intense athletes in the world．They treat every second of every practice like it is the NBA championship．If you want to play alongside them then you will have to do the same．So, the young guys on the Celtics started giving their full effort too．

　　Pierce had been the star of the Celtics for many years．He used to shoot the ball many times a game．But with the addition of Allen and Garnett he shot less and focused on defense．His selflessness showed the young players that doing what made the team better was the only thing that mattered．

　　When the Celtics were winning and the game was almost over, Garnett, Pierce and Allen would come out of the game．But they wouldn't just sit on the bench．Instead, they stood and cheered and screamed for their teammates．They wanted to support their friends and teammates．

　　Now, the guys who don't play know they can still affect the game by cheering so they scream and cheer when Garnett, Allen and Pierce are playing．The Celtics have developed a strong relationship．They are more than just teammates．They are brothers．

　　The result：the Boston Celtics won the 2008 NBA championship and are considered the favorites to win the Eastern Conference championship again this year．

　　There is a saying that goes, "A successful team beats with one heart．" If that is the case, the Celtics may have the biggest heart in the NBA．

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阅读理解

　　I belong to that group of people known as wives．I am a wife．And, not altogether incidentally, I am a mother．

　　Not too long ago a male friend of mine appeared on the scene fresh from a divorce．He had one child, who is, of course, with his ex－wife．He is obviously looking for another wife．As I thought about him while I was cooking one evening, it suddenly occurred to me that I, too, would like to have a wife．Why do I want a wife?

　　I would like to go back to school so that I can become economically independent, support myself, and, if need be, support those dependent upon me．I want a wife who will work and send me to school．And while I am going to school I want a wife to take care of my children．I want a wife to keep informed of the children's doctor appointments．And to keep informed of mine, too．I want a wife to make sure my children eat properly and are kept clean．

　　I want a wife who will wash the children's clothes and keep them mended．I want a wife who arranges for their schooling, makes sure that they have an adequate(足够的)social life with their peers(同伴)，takes them to the park, the zoo, etc．

　　I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs．I want a wife who will keep my house clean．I want a wife who will keep my clothes clean, mended, replaced when need be, and who will see to it that my personal things are kept in their proper place so that I can find what I need that minute I need it．I want a wife who cooks the meals, a wife who is a good cook．I want a wife who will plan the menus, do the necessary grocery shopping, prepare the meals, serve them pleasantly, and then do the washing up while I do my studying．I want a wife who will care for me while I am sick and sympathize(show the feeling of pity)with my pain and loss of time from school．I want a wife to go along when our family takes a vacation so that someone can continue to care for me and my children when I need a rest and change of scene．

　　If, by chance, I find another person more suitable as a wife than the wife I already have, I want the freedom to replace my present wife with another one．Naturally, I will expect a fresh, new life; My wife will take the children and be only responsible for them so that I am left free．

　　When I am through with school and have a job, I want my wife to give up working and remain at home so that my wife can more fully and completely take care of a wife's duties．

　　My God, who wouldn't want a wife?

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阅读理解

　　A train that floats on air? It's not magic－it's magnets(磁)．And it's close to reality．

　　In Virginia USA the fall of 2002, a train with no wheels traveled on air and carried college students across their campus．In Japan, a whisper-quiet railway engine hovered and raced at 350 miles per hour using magnets and electricity as the power．And in China, a magnet train line linked Shanghai with nearby Pudong Airport．

　　These trains use magnetic levitation(悬浮)technology, “maglev” for short．They use the same rules as the magnets you pick up at home or school：opposite poles of magnets attract each other, and like poles repel each other．

　　How does it work?

　　Powerful magnets on the bottom of train repel magnets on the track, which is actually just a magnet-filled guiding way．With a magnetic field of sufficient force, the train will go hovering on air, which seemed impossible to us in the past．

　　When an electrical current is sent through the track, the train moves．Turn the current backwards and the train slows down．

　　Maglev doesn't rely on the friction(摩擦力)of wheels on track, so it can climb a much steeper hill than a traditional train．And it can travel easily in snow and ice, something that could bring normal trains to a screaming stop．

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