2016考研英语精品阅读：历史的教训
Culture wars in Ukraine
乌克兰的文化战争
History lessons
历史的教训
The conflict in Ukraine spreads to its museums
发生在乌克兰的冲突波及至其博物馆
“HE WHO controls the past controls the future.”Orwell's dictum now faces a new test. Shortly before Russia annexed Crimea, the Bakhchisaraymuseum, north of Sevastopol, lent some valuable artefacts to an exhibition in theNetherlands. The question as to which country these (and other objects from Crimeanmuseums) should return is creating a diplomatic conundrum.
“谁控制过去谁就控制未来。”奥威尔的这则格言现如今正面临新的考验。在俄罗斯抢占克里米亚前不久，北塞瓦斯托波尔的巴赫奇萨赖博物馆给荷兰的一个展会出借了相当一批珍贵的文物。问题是，这些国家(和克里米亚博物馆的其他出借对象)返还文物变成了一个外交难题。
“Let yourself be overwhelmed by the gold of Crimea,”boasts the Allard Pierson Museum inAmsterdam. Never before has Ukraine lent so many mostly Crimean treasures. The Black Seapeninsula is filled with gems left by invaders over the centuries. The exhibition includes aScythian gold helmet from 400 BC, pottery from Greek colonisers and a lacquered Chinese boxthat came along the Si lk Road. “We have given our very best objects,” sighs ValentinaMordvintseva, a curator at the Crimean branch of the Institute of Archaeology. She fears shemay not see them again.
“都淹没在克里米亚的黄金之下吧，”阿姆斯特丹的阿拉德皮尔逊博物馆夸口。乌克兰从未出借过如此多的宝物，并且多数是来自克里米亚。黑海半岛遍地都是几个世纪以来入侵者留下的宝物。展出的物品有公元前400年的斯基泰人的金色头盔、希腊殖民者的陶器和通过丝绸之路传来的漆器。“我们已给出了我们最好的物品，”Valentina Mordvintseva—这位来自考古学研究所克里米亚分所的管理者叹息道。她担心自己可能再也见不到他们了。
Who is the rightful owner? On legal grounds, Kiev has the upper hand because the AllardPierson signed a loan agreement with the Ukrainian state. And as the Netherlands does notrecognise Russia's annexation, Ukraine still owns the property. Yet the Dutch also signedcontracts directly with the lending museums. And, says Inge van der Vlies, a professor at theUniversity of Amsterdam, there is an ethical case for returning the objects to them. But thereis no guarantee that Russia might not pinch the pieces the moment they arrive.
谁才是真正的主人?法律上来说，基辅(乌克兰共和国首都)有更具优势，因为阿拉德皮尔逊与乌克兰签署了贷款协议。并且荷兰并不承认俄罗斯的抢占，乌克兰仍然拥有所有权。然而，荷兰也与贷款博物馆直接签署了合同。同时，阿姆斯特丹大学的Inge van der Vlies教授表示，这是一个有关归还物品的道德案件。但也不能保证，俄罗斯在他们抢占之时不会接手这些合同。
The Dutch foreign minister, Frans Timmermans, does not wish to meddle but he also wants toavoid being seen to accept a new form of art looting. This may be impossible; whether thegold returns to Crimea or to Kiev, each side will accuse the Dutch of pilfering.
荷兰外长堤孟思并不希望插手，但他也不想他这种沉默被看做是对这种新形势的艺术掠夺的认可。无论金子最终归还于克里米亚或是基辅，每一方都将指责荷兰的偷窃行为，这或许不可能发生。
A UNESCO resolution warns of the “massive transfer of priceless cultural objects fromCrimean museums to the Russian capital”. But a rogue Russia is hardly going to be deterred byreminders to stick to its obligations under international law relating to cultural property.
联合国教科文组织(UNESCO)颁布的一项决议对“大规模的将物价的珍宝从克里米亚博物馆转运至俄罗斯首都”一事提出了警告。但是这个决议几乎不能制止一个无赖般的俄罗斯，使其在涉及文化财产的国际法律之下履行其义务。
凯程教育：
凯程考研成立于2005年，国内首家全日制集训机构考研，一直从事高端全日制辅导，由李海洋教授、张鑫教授、卢营教授、王洋教授、杨武金教授、张释然教授、索玉柱教授、方浩教授等一批高级考研教研队伍组成，为学员全程高质量授课、答疑、测试、督导、报考指导、方法指导、联系导师、复试等全方位的考研服务。
凯程考研的宗旨：让学习成为一种习惯；
凯程考研的价值观口号：凯旋归来，前程万里；
信念：让每个学员都有好最好的归宿；
使命：完善全新的教育模式，做中国最专业的考研辅导机构；
激情：永不言弃，乐观向上；
敬业：以专业的态度做非凡的事业；
服务：以学员的前途为已任，为学员提供高效、专业的服务，团队合作，为学员服务，为学员引路。
如何选择考研辅导班：
在考研准备的过程中，会遇到不少困难，尤其对于跨专业考生的专业课来说，通过报辅导班来弥补自己复习的不足，可以大大提高复习效率，节省复习时间，大家可以通过以下几个方面来考察辅导班，或许能帮你找到适合你的辅导班。
师资力量：师资力量是考察辅导班的首要因素，考生可以针对辅导名师的辅导年限、辅导经验、历年辅导效果、学员评价等因素进行综合评价，询问往届学长然后选择。判断师资力量关键在于综合实力，因为任何一门课程，都不是由一、两个教师包到底的，是一批教师配合的结果。还要深入了解教师的学术背景、资料著述成就、辅导成就等。凯程考研名师云集，李海洋、张鑫教授、方浩教授、卢营教授、孙浩教授等一大批名师在凯程授课。而有的机构只是很普通的老师授课，对知识点把握和命题方向，欠缺火候。
对该专业有辅导历史：必须对该专业深刻理解，才能深入辅导学员考取该校。在考研辅导班中，从来见过如此辉煌的成绩：凯程教育拿下2015五道口金融学院状元，考取五道口15人，清华经管金融硕士10人，人大金融硕士15个，中财和贸大金融硕士合计20人，北师
大教育学7人，会计硕士保录班考取30人，翻译硕士接近20人，中传状元王园璐、郑家威都是来自凯程，法学方面，凯程在人大、北大、贸大、政法、武汉大学、公安大学等院校斩获多个法学和法硕状元，更多专业成绩请查看凯程网站。在凯程官方网站的光荣榜，成功学员经验谈视频特别多，都是凯程战绩的最好证明。对于如此高的成绩，凯程集训营班主任邢老师说，凯程如此优异的成绩，是与我们凯程严格的管理，全方位的辅导是分不开的，很多学生本科都不是名校，某些学生来自二本三本甚至不知名的院校，还有很多是工作了多年才回来考的，大多数是跨专业考研，他们的难度大，竞争激烈，没有严格的训练和同学们的刻苦学习，是很难达到优异的成绩。最好的办法是直接和凯程老师详细沟通一下就清楚了。
建校历史：机构成立的历史也是一个参考因素，历史越久，积累的人脉资源更多。例如，凯程教育已经成立10年（2005年），一直以来专注于考研，成功率一直遥遥领先，同学们有兴趣可以联系一下他们在线老师或者电话。
有没有实体学校校区：有些机构比较小，就是一个在写字楼里上课，自习，这种环境是不太好的，一个优秀的机构必须是在教学环境，大学校园这样环境。凯程有自己的学习校区，有吃住学一体化教学环境，独立卫浴、空调、暖气齐全，这也是一个考研机构实力的体现。此外，最好还要看一下他们的营业执照。
2016 年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语（一） 真题及答案（完整版） Text 1 France, which prides itself as the global innovator of fashion, has decided its fashion industry has lost an absolute right to define physical beauty for woman. Its lawmakers gave preliminary approval last week to a law that would make it a crime to employ ultra-thin models on runways. The parliament also agreed to ban websites that" incite excessive thinness" by promoting extreme dieting. Such measures have a couple of uplifting motives. They suggest beauty should not be defined by looks that end up with impinging on health. That's a start. And the ban on ultra-thin models seems to go beyond protecting models from starring themselves to health -as some have done. It tells the fashion industry that it move take responsibility for the signal it sends women, especially teenage girls, about the social tape -measure they must use to determine their individual worth. The bans, if fully enforced ,would suggest to woman （and many men ）that they should not let others be orbiters of their beauty .And perhaps faintly, they hint that people should look to intangible qualities like character and intellect rather than dieting their way to sine zero or wasp-waist physiques . The French measures, however, rely too much on severe punishment to change a culture that still regards beauty as skin-deep-and bone-showing. Under the law, using a fashion model that does not meet a government-defined index of body mess could result in a $85,000 fine and six months in prison. The fashion industry knows it has an inherent problem in focusing on material adornment and idealized body types. In Denmark, the United States, and a few other countries, it is trying to set voluntary standard for models and fashion images there rely more on pear pressure for enforcement. In contrast to France's actions, Denmark's fashion industry agreed last month on rules and sanctions regarding age, health, and other characteristics of models .The newly revised Danish Fashion Ethical charter clearly states, we are aware of and take responsibility for the impact the fashion industry has on body ideals, especially on young people. The charter's main toll of enforcement is to deny access for designers and modeling agencies to Copenhagen. Fashion week, which is men by the Danish Fashion Institute .But in general it relies on a name-and -shame method of compliance. Relying on ethical persuasion rather than law to address the misuse of body ideals may be the best step. Even better would be to help elevate notions of beauty beyond the material standards of a particular industry. 21. According to the first paragraph, what would happen in France [A] Physical beauty would be redefined [B] New runways would be constructed
2016年全国硕士研究生入学统一考试英语试题 Section I: Use of English Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points) In Cambodia, the choice of a spouse is a complex one for the young male. It may involve not only his parents and his friends, １those of the young women, but also a matchmaker. A young 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. [A] folding [B] piling [C] wrapping [D] tying 10. [A] passing [B] lighting [C] hiding [D] serving 11. [A] meeting [B] collection [C] association [D] union 12. [A] grow [B] part [C] deal [D] live 13. [A] whereas [B] until [C] if [D] for 14. [A] obtain [B] follow [C] challenge [D]avoid 15. [A] isolated [B] persuaded [C] viewed [D] exposed 16. [A] whatever [B] however [C] whenever [D] wherever 17. [A] changed [B] brought [C] shaped [D] pushed
2016年武汉市初中毕业生学业考试 英语试卷 第I卷（选择题共85分） 第一部分听力部分 一．听力测试（共三节） 第一节（共5小题，每小题1分，满分5分） 听下面5个问题。每个问题后有三个答语，从题中所给的A,B,C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每个问题后，你都有5秒钟的时间来作答和阅读下一小题。每个问题仅读一遍。 1.A. A nice plate B. Delicious C.For Kate 2.A. A black cat B. Very heavy C.It’s black 3.A. In the meeting room B. At eight thirty C.For about one hour 4.A.I t’s a nice one B.The smaller one C.High in the sky 5.A.This afternoon B.With Jenny C.In the office 第二节（共7小题，每小题1分，满分7分） 听下面7段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A,B,C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来作答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。 6.Who sings well? A.Mary B.Kate C.Classmates 7.How will the man probably go to the hotel? A.On foot B.By bus C. By subway 8.What happened to the boy? A.He was late for school B.He went to see a doctor C.His father left him alone home. 9.Who thinks history is not as popular as art? A.The man B.The woman C. Both of them 10.What’s the time now? A.10:15 B.10:30 C.10:45 11.Where are the two people? A. In the man’s office B.In the woman’s home C. In a restaurant 12.What does the woman mean? A.She has just bought a new car. B.She has no tim e to help the man. C.She will drive the man to the station. 第三节（共13小题，每小题1分，满分13分） 听下面4段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A,B,C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟，听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间，每段对话或独白两遍。 听下面一段对话，回答13至15三个小题。
2016年考研英语一翻译真题及译文 (ctrl+D收藏即可)。更多考研信息请关注我们网站的更新! 2016年考研英语一翻译真题及译文 试题来源：Slowing Down to the Speed of Life: How to Create a More Peaceful, Simpler Life from the Inside Out 原文作者：Richard Carlson, Joseph Bailey 文章主题：Mental Health， 文章字数：
原文和逐句对照译文： 46. We don’t have to learn how to be mentally healthy; it is built into us in the same way that our bodies know how to heal a cut or mend a broken bone. 我们不必学习如何保持健康的心理;它与生俱来，正如我们的身体知道如何让伤口痊愈，如何让骨折好转。 47. Our mental health doesn’t really go anywhere; like the sun behind a cloud, it can be temporarily hidden from view, but it is fully capable of being restored in an instant. 健康的心理其实一直都在我们身边;正如乌云背后的太阳，人们有时会看不见它，但是它完全有能力立刻回来。 48. Mental health allows us to view others with sympathy
广东省广州市2016年中考英语试卷 一、语法选择（共15小题：每小题1分，满分15分） 阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，从1-15各题所给的A、B、C、D项中选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。 In a far-away place, there was a village. The village was___1___ in potatoes than anywhere else in the country. At the end of every growing season, ___2____potatoes were dug out of the ground, and readied for market. In each home, men and women would_____3_____divide the potatoes into three groups, large, medium and small. One year, there was a young man___4_____received his share of the potatoes. As the other villagers_____5_____, he walked around the village laughing and talking._____6____villagers thought he was lazy, and they worried that this man would never get______7_____potatoes ready in time. When it was time for the villagers____8______to market, they were greatly surprised to find that the man’s potatoes____9____perfectly into three groups. After _____10____the man how he did it, they understood he was not lazy, ____11____very clever. He had put all his potatoes in a cart and pulled it alo ng the village’s rough dirt road. As the cart moved up and down over the road, the potatoes moved_____12____. The small potatoes moved to the bottom, the larger potatoes rose to the top and the medium potatoes rested___13___ the middle. Life___14____like this too. The rough roads we travel along can also___15____us. 1. A. rich B. richer C. richest D. more rich 2. A. thousand with B. thousands with C. thousand of D. thousands of 3. A. busily B. busy C. more busily D. busier 4. A. who B. which C. what D. whose 5. A. work B. was working C. were working D. works 6. A. A B. An C. The D. / 7. A. he B. him C. himself D. his 8. A. go B. going C. to go D. went 9. A. are divided B. were divided C. are dividing D. divided 10. A. asking B. asked C. ask D. asks 11. A. so B. and C. or D. but 12. A. too B. also C. either D. neither 13. A. on B. in C. with D. by 14. A. has B. are C. were D. is 15. A. to help B. help C. helps D. helped 二、完形填空（共10小题，每小题1.5分，满分15分） 阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从16-25各题所给的A、B、C、D项中选出最佳选
2016研究生入学统一考试试题及答案解析(英语二) Section 1 Use of English Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark [A], [B], [C] or [D] on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points) Happy people work differently. They’re more productive, more creative, and willing to take greater risks. And new research suggests that happiness might influence__1__firm’s work, too. Companies located in places with happier people invest more, according to a recent research paper.__2__, firms in happy pla ces spend more on R&D (research and development). That’s because happiness is linked to the kind of longer-term thinking__3__for making investments for the future. The researchers wanted to know if the__4__and inclination for risk-taking that come with happiness would__5__the way companies invested. So they compared U.S. cities’ average happiness__6__by Gallup polling with the investment activity of publicly traded firms in those areas. __7__enough, firms’ investment and R&D intensity were correlated wi th the happiness of the area in which they were__8__.But is it really happiness that’s linked to investment, or could something else about happier cities__9__why firms there spend more on R&D? To find out, the researchers controlled for various__10__that might make firms more likely to invest – like size, industry, and sales – and for indicators that a place was__11__to live in, like growth in wages or population. The link between happiness and investment generally__12__even after accounting for these things. The correlation between happiness and investment was particularly strong for younger firms, which the authors__13__to ―less codified decision making process‖ and the possible presence of ―younger and less__14__managers who are more likely to be influe nced by sentiment.‖ The relationship was__15__stronger in places where happiness was spread more__16__.Firms seem to invest more in places where most people are relatively happy, rather than in places with happiness inequality. __17__ this doesn’t prove that happiness causes firms to invest more or to take a longer-term view, the authors believe it at least__18__at that possibility. It’s not hard to imagine that local culture and sentiment would help__19__how executives think about the future. ―It surely seems plausible that happy people would be more forward-thinking and creative and__20__R&D more than the average,‖ said one researcher. 1. [A] why [B] where [C] how [D] when 2. [A] In return [B] In particular [C] In contrast [D] In conclusion 3. [A] sufficient [B] famous [C] perfect [D] necessary 4. [A] individualism [B] modernism [C] optimism [D] realism 5. [A] echo [B] miss [C] spoil [D] change 6. [A] imagined [B] measured [C] invented [D] assumed 7. [A] Sure [B] Odd [C] Unfortunate [D] Often 8. [A] advertised [B] divided [C] overtaxed [D] headquartered 9. [A] explain [B] overstate [C] summarize [D] emphasize 10. [A] stages [B] factors [C] levels [D] methods 11. [A] desirable [B] sociable [C] reputable [D] reliable 12. [A] resumed [B] held [C]emerged [D] broke 13. [A] attribute [B] assign [C] transfer [D]compare 14. [A] serious [B] civilized [C] ambitious [D]experienced 15. [A] thus [B] instead [C] also [D] never 16. [A] rapidly [B] regularly [C] directly [D] equally 17. [A] After [B] Until [C] While [D] Since 18. [A] arrives [B] jumps [C] hints [ D] strikes 19.[A] shape [B] rediscover [C] simplify [D] share 20. [A] pray for [B] lean towards [C] give away [D] send out
2019中考英语阅读理解汇编 广安市罗渡中学2019中考英语：阅读理解编题（1）含答案 【实战训练】 A （2019中考日常生活类训练） Have yu ever seen a ar withut a driver? It sunds razy, but these puter-driven driverless ars will sn be filling rads near yu. panies like Ggle and Tesla have been designing and testing these ars, and the tehnlgy is there. S hw? The ars have sensrs（感应器）all arund whih an find ther ars and bets in the rad. Rad signs are read by aeras, and satellite navigatin systes（卫星导航系统）are used s the ar knws hw t get where yu want t g. All yu have t d is type in the address! Finally, a entral puter syste takes in all the infratin that it reeives fr the sensrs and aeras and wrks ut when t speed up, stp and turn. Sund like yur idea f heaven（天堂）? Sitting bak, lking ut f the windws and even wathing a fil r reading a bk while ‘driving’ wuld be pssible with this new
Section I Use of English Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on the ANSWER SHEET. (10 points) In Cambodia the choice of a spouse is a complex one for the young male. It may in volve not only his pare nts and his frien ds, 1 those of the young wome n, but also a matchmaker. A young man can 2 a likely spouse on his own and them ask his parents to 3 the marriage negotiations. or the young man's parents may make the choice of a spouse, giving the child little to say in the selection. 4 , a girl may veto the spouse her parents have chosen. 5 a spouse has been selected, each family investigates the other to make sure its child is marrying 6 a good family. The traditional wedding is a long and colorful affair. Formerly it lasted three days 7 by the 1980s it more commonly lasted a day and a half. Buddhist priests offer a short sermon and 8 prayers of blessing. Parts of the ceremony involve ritual hair cutting, 9 cotton threads soaked in holy water around the bride's and groom's wrists ,and 10 a candle around a circle of happily married and respected couples to bless the 11 .Newlyweds traditionally move in with the wife's parents and may 12 with them up to a year, 13 they can build a flew house nearby. Divorce is legal and easy to 14 ,but not common .Divorced persons are 15 with some disapproval. Each spouse retains 16 property he or she 17 into the marriage, and jointly -acquired property is 18 equally. Divorced persons may remarry, but a gender prejudice 19 up .The divorced male doesn't have a waiting period before he can remarry 20 the woman must wait the months. 1. [A] by way of [B] as well as [C] on behalf of [D] with regard to 2. [A] adapt to [B] provide for [C]compete with [D] decide on 3. [A] close [B] renew [C]arrange [D] postpone 4. [A] In theory [B] Above all [C] In time [D] For example 5. [A] Although [B] Lest [C] After [D] Unless 6. [A] into [B] within [C] from [D] through 7. [A] sine [B] or [C] but [D] so 8. [A] test [B]copy [C]recite [D] create 9. [A] folding [B] piling [C] wrapping [D] tying 10. [A] lighting [B] passing [C] hiding [D] serving 11. [A] meeting [B] association [C] collection [D]union 12. [A] grow [B] part [C] deal [D]live 13. [A] whereas [B] until [C] for [D] if 14. [A] obtain [B] follow [C] challenge [D]avoid 15. [A] isolated [B] persuaded [C] viewed [D] exposed 16. [A]wherever [B] however [C] whenever [D]whatever 17. [A] changed [B] brought [C] shaped [D] pushed 18. [A] divided [B] invested [C] donated [D] withdrawn 19. [A]clears
2016 英语（一）阅读理解 Text 1 France, which prides itself as the global innovator of fashion, has decided its fashion industry has lost an absolute right to define physical beauty for women. Its lawmakers gave preliminary approval last week to a law that would make it a crime to employ ultra-thin models on runaways. The parliament also agreed to ban websites that “incite excessive thinness” by promoting extreme dieting. Such measures have a couple of uplifting motives. They suggest beauty should not be defined by looks that end up impinging on health. That’s a start. And the ban on ultra-thin models seems to go beyond protecting models from starving themselves to death-as some have done. It tells the fashion industry that it must take responsibility for the signal it sends women, especially teenage girls, about the social tape-measure they must use to determine their individual worth. The bans, if fully enforced,would suggest to women (and many men) that they should not let others be arbiters of their beauty. And perhaps faintly,they hint that people should look to intangible qualities like character and intellect rather than dieting their way to size zero or wasp-waist physiques. The French measures, however, rely too much on severe punishment to change a culture that still regards beauty as skin-deep-and bone-showing. Under the law, using a fashion model that does not meet a government-defined index of body mass could result in a $85,000 fine and six months in prison. The fashion industry knows it has an inherent problem in focusing on material adornment and idealized body types. In Denmark, the United States, and a few other countries, it is trying to set voluntary standards for models and fashion images that rely more on peer pressure for enforcement. In contrast to France’s actions, Denmark’s fashion industry agreed last month on rules and sanctions regarding the age, health, and other characteristics of models. The newly revised Danish Fashion Ethical Charter clearly states: “We are aware of and take responsibility for the impact the fashion industry has on body ideals, especially
学校生活 一、阅读理解（共15小题；共30分） A Characters: Evan, Mrs. Bordoni, Mr. Contei, Rita, Marco, Tom Setting: An elementary school Mrs. Bordoni:(Stands at the school gate) Good morning! You need to go straight to your classrooms, children. (A shy boy walks up, looking nervous.) What is your name? Evan: (Looking at the ground) My name is Evan. Mrs. Bordoni: Welcome to Northside. I'm the principal(校长). Mrs. Bordoni. Evan: (Looks surprised) Oh! Good morning. Mrs. Bordoni: I know you are new to our school, but you will like it here. I will take you to your classroom. Evan: I didn't want to move and leave my friends. Mrs. Bordoni: You will have friends here. You'll see. Mrs. Bordoni: Here's your room, 106. Mr. Cortez: Welcome to our class! I'm Mr. Cortez. Evan: (The class looks at him. He speaks softly.) Hello. Mr. Cortez: We are talking about a story we just read. Who can tell Evan what it was about? Rita: This family moves to a new state. Their story is both funny and sad. Evan: (Cheering up) Did they like the new place? Marco: Not at first. But they made lots of new friends. Mr. Cortez: What happened to make them change their minds? Tom: The girl from next door said he needed help. When they got to her house, a sign said, "Welcome". Marco: It was a surprise party for them. The whole family was laughing. Mr. Cortez: The neighbors made the family feel welcome. Mrs. Bordoni: (Stands in the doorway) Evan, it's time for lunch. (They enter the lunchroom. A sign says, "Welcome Evan".) It is hard to change schools and leave old friends. Now, we are your friends.