1.1. Birds of a feather...

Focus on

Two children who are friends
Imagen de *isa1970* en Flickr. 
 Licencia CC

Think of the following questions about friendship:


  • What is a friend?
  • Which adjectives would describe a friend of yours ? Which ones are negative? What others could go on the list?
    trustworthy, fun-loving, selfish, outgoing, empathic, two-faced, talkative, reserved, discreet, honest
  • Is it easy to make friends?
  • What is your best friend like? Is he/she a childhood friend? A long-distance friend?
  • How often do you hang out with your friends? What do you like doing together?
  • Do you friend everybody who tries to contact you on Facebook? Why (not)?

Do it yourself

Match the following words related to different aspects of friendship with the definitions on the right. Write the correct letter in the space provided.

FRIENDSHIP LETTER MEANING
1. A close friend a. A person you know a little, but who is not a close friend
2. Mate / Pal / Buddy b. A person who you write friendly letters, but you have never met
3. An acquaintance c. A person who only wants to be your friend when things are going well
4. A loyal friend d. A good friend
5. A pen friend / pen pal e. To dislike someone very much
6. A fair-weather friend f. A friend that you can trust even in difficult times
7. Friends in high places g. Informal words for 'friend'
8. A shoulder to cry on h. To stop fighting or quarrelling
9. To hate someone's guts i. A person who will always listen to your problems
10. To bury the hatchet j. People who are powerful and important and who will help you

Enable JavaScript

Moving on

Now listen to these words related to friendship and complete the sentences using the correct word.

Do it yourself

Read the following text called How to find true friends and write the correct heading below (1-8) for each paragraph. Write the correct number in the space provided:

1.  A good friend is attentive and adaptable.
2.  A good friend makes it clear that they care about you.
3.  A good friend is honest.
4.  A good friend is supportive of you and your goals.
5.  A good friend is fun, unique and interesting.
6.  A good friend accepts you for who you are, even when you're being a butthead.
7.  A good friend sticks with you in good times and bad.
8.  A good friend is a friend you can trust.
HOW TO FIND TRUE FRIENDS
8 Qualities of a good friend

What are the qualities of a good friend? True friendships can start instantly but they take time to build. Here are a few qualities to look for when making friends as a teen -- and beyond.

NUMBER:

A good friend may not share every detail of every second of their life, but they do try to be clear about their intentions. This means that they try to present an accurate picture of who they are and of different situations. When something doesn't seem right, they let you know.

NUMBER:

OK, this is a given, and probably the reason you became friends in the first place. But there's a lot to be said for chemistry and shared interests.

As for fun, it depends how you define it: Some friends are fun because they're the life of the party, others are fun because they notice every strange little detail about a situation. Some people are fun simply because they see life like no one else does.

NUMBER:

A good friend is at least a fairly good listener and notices how little, day-to-day things affect you. They can't read your mind, but chances are they can usually tell when you're happy, sad, excited, shocked or upset. If they're aware that they're doing something that annoys you, they try to change their ways or at least talk to you about it.

NUMBER:

Sure, your friend may think you're cool, but are they on the same page as you? Do they know what you want most out of life? A really good friend will know what makes you tick and help you become the person you want to be. They won't try to change who you are or drag you into situations that make you uncomfortable or put you at risk of losing something that matters to you.

NUMBER:

A true friend won't try to steal your girlfriend or boyfriend, your job or your personality. They won't gossip about you constantly or try to damage your reputation. They will let you know when they're concerned and do their best to stick up for you when you're in trouble.

NUMBER:

Different people may have different ways of letting you know that they care about you. One person may give you a big hug whereas another person might gently tease you. A big clue that someone cares is that they talk to you fairly often and, in general, know what's going on in your life and act interested about it.

NUMBER:

Loyalty is a quality almost everyone lists when asked what they look for in a friend. A loyal friend will stick with you when your new play is a flop, when you bomb the SATs or when your parents get divorced. If you move or switch schools, they'll do their best to stay in touch with you.

NUMBER:

In friendship, being accepting goes hand in hand with being loyal. A true friend rolls with the punches as you grow and change and know how to deal with your quirks and faults.

They are also patient with you when you make mistakes -- even big ones -- and learn how to forgive you when you hurt them. In other words, they treat you as you'd like to be treated, even when you aren't at your best.

Adapted from: http://teenadvice.about.com/od/friends/tp/qualities_of_good_friends.htm

Enable JavaScript

Do it yourself

Read these short conversations between friends and fill in the gaps . Once you have completed the conversations, listen to check your answers:

CONVERSATION 1. DROP ME A LINE

Adriana: I heard you're moving to New York.
Ryan: Yes. I've got an offer in upstate New York.
Adriana: Oh, that's great! But I'm going to you.
Ryan: Me, too. Let's in touch.
Adriana: Yeah. Don't forget to drop me a when you down.
Ryan: me. I won't. I'll keep you .
Adriana: You have my address?
Ryan: Well, I have your e-mail address.
Adriana: All right! I look to hearing from you soon. Good luck!

 

CONVERSATION 2. IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP CONTACT

Frank: I just received a letter from one of my old high school .
Sarah: That's nice!
Frank: Well, actually I haven't from him in ages.
Sarah: To be frank with you, I've been of touch with most of my old friends. Only one or two still me posted about what they are doing.
Frank: I know. It's really hard to contact when people move around so much.
Sarah: That's right. People just apart! But you're lucky to be in touch with your buddy again

 SOURCE: http://www.focusenglish.com/dialogues/friendship/friendindex.html

Enable JavaScript

Do it yourself

Read the following sayings about friends and relationships and match them with the situations where you would use them. Write the correct letter in the space provided. Do you have the same sayings in your language?

SAYINGS LETTER SITUATIONS
1. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. a. When two friends with the same interests become inseparable.
2. His bark is worse than his bite. b. A person who takes advantage of people who try to help him.
3. Birds of a feather flock together. c. Ever since Clare came back from America, she has been getting on much better with her boyfriend.
4. Give him an inch and he'll take a mile. d. He's often irritable but he's kind at heart.
5. A leopard can never change its spots. e. You got yourself into this situation, so you'll have to get yourself out of it.
6. If you make your own bed, you'll have to sleep in it. f. She's been a difficult person ever since I first met her at school.
7. Two's company, three's a crowd. g. If I were you, I wouldn't go on holiday with Sonia and Mike.

Adapted from: http://www.autoenglish.org/id-friends.pdf

Enable JavaScript

 
Always friends
Imagen de shutterpal
en Flickr. Licencia CC

Think of your friends and answer the following questions:

  • Think of friends who are trustworthy, outgoing and selfish. Give examples of when they have been like that.
  • Saythe name of an acquaintance and the name of a close friend.
  • Think of a friend who is a shoulder to cry on.
  • Do you have friends in high places who have ever helped you?
  • Do you remember the names of your school mates? Do you keep in touch with them or are you lost touch?
  • Have you ever described any friends of yours with the following sayings?
    - His bark is worse than his bite.
    - Give him an inch and he'll take a mile.
    - A leopard can never change its spots.