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Have you ever watched the TV show Friends? Even though it ended years ago, many people still enjoy watching it today. One question that often comes up is: How could the characters afford their lives in New York City? Let’s take a look at what they might need to earn if they lived in today’s world.

In the show, each character had a different job. Monica worked as a chef and later became a head chef. Ross was a scientist who studied ancient life and also taught at a university. Rachel started with no job but later worked in the fashion industry. Chandler worked in a data-related office job. Joey was an actor, and Phoebe worked as a massage therapist and sometimes performed music in public. Their incomes in the early 2000s were much lower than what similar jobs might pay in 2026.

Living in New York City is expensive, especially when it comes to rent. Monica’s large apartment, which she got from her grandmother, would cost a lot more today. In 2026, renting an apartment like hers could require earning between $250,000 and $317,000 a year. Chandler and Joey’s apartment across the hall would also need a high income — around $183,000 to $250,000 each year. Apartments for Ross and Phoebe would similarly cost thousands of dollars every month.

To afford such rents, many landlords ask that a person’s yearly income be at least 40 times the monthly rent. This means the characters would need very high salaries. However, their expected earnings in 2026 are lower than what is required. For example, Rachel might earn about $190,000, but she would need over $250,000 to pay for her lifestyle. The same gap appears for the others.

That is why in the show, the friends often shared apartments. By splitting the rent, they could manage the high costs of living in the city. In the end, the story of Friends reminds us that living in a big city like New York is much more expensive today than it was in the 1990s, and having friends to share life with makes it more achievable.

1.1.Why does the author mention the TV show Friends at the beginning?

A To recommend a popular TV series.

B To introduce a topic for analysis.

C To review the actors’ careers.

D To compare different TV shows.

解析：选B。B推理判断题。文章开头以《老友记》这部经典剧集切入，随即提出核心问题 “How could the characters afford their lives in New York City?”，并由此展开对角色收入与纽约生活成本的分析。选项 A “推荐一部热门电视剧”、选项 C “回顾演员的职业生涯”、选项 D “对比不同电视剧” 均未在开头内容中体现，作者并非为了推荐或评价剧集本身，而是借助这部剧引出 “角色如何负担纽约生活成本” 的分析话题，因此 B 选项为正确答案。

2.2.What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us about the characters?

A Their career paths and professions.

B Their personal struggles in work.

C Their income changes over years.

D Their friendship in daily life.

解析：选A。A细节理解题。第二段首句明确指出 “each character had a different job”，随后依次介绍了 Monica、Ross、Rachel 等角色的具体职业，以及部分角色的职业发展（如 Monica 从厨师成长为主厨，Rachel 从无业到进入时尚行业）。选项 B “工作中的个人困境”、选项 C “多年来的收入变化”、选项 D “日常生活中的友谊” 均未在该段提及，该段核心内容就是角色的职业道路与具体职业，因此 A 选项为正确答案。

3.3.What is the purpose of listing the numbers in Paragraphs 3 and 4?

A To suggest moves to other cities.

B To explain salary expectations.

C To highlight a financial challenge.

D To criticize high urban costs.

解析：选C。C推理判断题。第三段列出了 2026 年纽约不同公寓对应的年收入门槛（如 Monica 的公寓需要 25 万 - 31.7 万美元的年收入），第四段则通过 “年收入需达到月租金 40 倍” 的标准，进一步指出角色的预期收入与生活成本需求之间存在缺口。这些数字并非为了 “建议搬去其他城市”（A 选项）、“解释薪资预期”（B 选项），也不是为了 “批评城市高成本”（D 选项，原文旨在通过数据揭示和说明现状，而非表达主观的批评），而是为了直观突出《老友记》角色在纽约生活面临的巨大经济挑战，因此 C 选项为正确答案。

4.4.What conclusion does the author draw about living in New York?

A It requires careful financial planning.

B Sharing costs makes it more possible.

C Friendship is the key to happiness.

D It was more affordable in the past.

解析：选B。B推理判断题。文章最后一段明确提到 “By splitting the rent, they could manage the high costs of living in the city” 以及 “having friends to share life with makes it more achievable”，强调分担成本是应对纽约高生活成本的有效方式。选项 A “需要周密的财务规划” 原文未提及；选项 C “友谊是幸福的关键” 属于过度解读，原文强调的是友谊对分担生活成本的作用，而非对幸福的作用；选项 D “过去更负担得起” 是原文的客观事实，但并非作者最终得出的核心结论。因此 B 选项 “分担成本让在纽约生活变得更有可能” 为正确答案。