“What do you think I should do?” asks your friend, as she sits beside you, waiting for your advice. This is no easy situation. Say something your friend disagrees with or something helpless, and you might feel you’ve disappointed her.

It’s human nature to want to offer solutions when someone comes to you with a problem. It’s also easy to fall into the trap of simply saying that “Everything will be OK”. ___1___ But we often say that because we believe we need to say something. This is because we’re glad that our friend has come to us for help, even if we don’t really think we’re able to give it. ___2___ The answer is yes... if it’s done in the right way.

In fact, friends often really only want someone to listen to them. It’s important to try to work out whether they’re actually asking for advice, or simply wanting to talk over whatever is going round in their head. ___3___ There’s no harm in asking whether they’d like you to give suggestions.

It’s also important to be honest. If you’re unable to think of a way to solve your friend’s problem, just say so. Your friend won’t feel upset, and you can still listen carefully and try to put yourself in their shoes. ___4___ You can ask yourself “What would I do if I were to experience the same thing?” Later you can go back to your friend with a few helpful suggestions.

___5___ It can be hard to listen to your friend going over and over the same thing without being able to help them. They will certainly be thankful if you just allow them to “talk it out”, though. Maybe they’re building up courage to take action, and need to convince themselves they’re doing the right thing. Just being there for them may be all you have to do to make things better.

A. Friendship is the most important to us.  

B. This is not actually useful for your friend.  

C. So is it a good idea to try to give advice at all?  

D. You can find someone else to ask for their ideas.  

E. Sometimes a problem doesn’t go away overnight.  

F. Talking may make people feel better all by themselves.  

G. Then you can go away and try to think of something helpful.

1.1.

A

B

C

D

解析：选B。第 1 空（转折衔接・否定无效回应） 解析：前文提到人们容易说 “一切都会好起来的” 这类套话，后文用 “But” 转折，说明说这句话的原因（觉得总得说点什么）。此处需填一个否定这类套话作用的句子，承接前文 “误区”，引出后文的转折逻辑。 选项分析：B 选项 “This is not actually useful for your friend.（这对你的朋友其实毫无用处）” 直接否定了 “一切都会好起来的” 这句话的实际意义，与前文 “陷阱”“误区” 呼应，且为后文 “但我们仍会说” 的转折提供合理前提；其他选项中，A（友谊重要）、F（倾诉本身有益）、E（问题不会过夜）均与 “套话的作用” 无关，排除。

2.2.

A

B

C

D

解析：选C。第 2 空（设问过渡・引出核心观点） 解析：前文指出人们即便帮不上忙也想回应朋友，后文给出肯定答案 “是…… 但用对方法”，此处需填一个设问句，承接前文 “想提供帮助” 的话题，引出后文 “正确提供建议” 的核心观点。 选项分析：C 选项 “So is it a good idea to try to give advice at all?（那么，尝试给出建议到底是个好主意吗？）” 以设问形式衔接前文，既呼应了 “人们想提供建议” 的行为，又直接引出后文的肯定回答及条件限制，符合 “提出疑问 — 解答疑问” 的逻辑；其他选项中，D（找别人求助）与上下文话题不一致，G（事后想建议）属于后文细节，排除。

3.3.

A

B

C

D

解析：选F。第 3 空（承接需求判断・强调倾诉价值） 解析：前文提到要判断朋友是 “要建议” 还是 “想倾诉”，后文建议 “问问他们是否需要建议”。此处需填一个强调 “倾诉本身意义” 的句子，支撑前文 “朋友常只是想被倾听” 的观点。 选项分析：F 选项 “Talking may make people feel better all by themselves.（倾诉本身就可能让人感觉好起来）” 直接点明倾诉的价值，解释了为什么朋友有时不需要建议，只需要倾听，与前文 “想把事情倾诉出来” 衔接紧密；其他选项中，A（友谊重要）话题无关，C 已用于设问，排除。

4.4.

A

B

C

D

解析：选G。第 4 空（承接换位思考・引出后续行动） 解析：前文提到 “想不出办法就直说，同时倾听并换位思考”，后文说 “之后可以找朋友给建议”，此处需填一个连接 “换位思考” 与 “后续给建议” 的过渡句，体现 “当下无法给出建议，事后再补充” 的逻辑。 选项分析：G 选项 “Then you can go away and try to think of something helpful.（之后你可以先离开，试着想些有用的办法）” 中 “Then” 承接前文 “换位思考” 的动作，“想有用的办法” 呼应后文 “给一些有用的建议”，形成 “当下倾听 — 事后思考 — 给出建议” 的完整逻辑链；其他选项中，D（找别人）与 “自己想办法” 矛盾，E（问题不会过夜）与语境无关，排除。

5.5.

A

B

C

D

解析：选E。第 5 空（承接倾听困境・理解反复倾诉） 解析：后文提到 “听朋友反复念叨同一件事却帮不上忙，确实为难”，此处需填一个解释 “朋友反复倾诉” 的原因或合理性的句子，让后文的 “为难” 更易理解，同时引出 “陪伴倾听” 的重要性。 选项分析：E 选项 “Sometimes a problem doesn’t go away overnight.（有时候，问题不会一夜之间解决）” 解释了朋友为何会反复念叨 —— 问题尚未解决，需要反复梳理，这让后文 “听反复倾诉的为难” 更具合理性，且与后文 “鼓起勇气行动、说服自己” 呼应，说明反复倾诉是解决问题的过程；其他选项中，A（友谊重要）与 “反复倾诉” 无关，F 已强调过倾诉的价值，排除。