Unit 3 Friendship

Key to Exercises

Opener

Suggested answers for reference

1. I like the second best. You know why? Because the quotation tells me that a real friend is there when you are sad, when you are emotionally hurt, providing you with sympathy and comfort.

2. I like the third best. You know why? Because what I can learn from the quotation is that experience will teach you that to have real friends is more important than to have more friends.

3. I like the fourth best. You know why? Because the quotation tells me that it is a miracle to have a real friend who trusts and supports you when others are against you.

4. I like the fifth best. You know why? Because what I can learn from the quotation is that nothing can be more important than being honest in making friends.

5. I like the sixth best. You know why? Because the quotation tells me that a true friend is unforgettable, remaining in your heart as you journey through life.

Reading & Interacting

I. Understanding the Text

1.2

   Para. 1 serves as an introduction to why friendships end.

Para. 6 serves as a conclusion: Anyway, most friendships do enrich our lives no matter whether they are long or short.

2. Comprehension Check

2.1 Focusing on the main ideas

       Why do friendships end? The author offers some insights into the question. Friendships end because the situations friends are in change. These changes can’t help but affect a friendship. Next, the friends themselves may change. The breakups can be mutual or one-sided. It hurts less when both friends change. What tends to hurt most is when just one friend changes. A third reason is that as much as two people might want a friendship to survive, one or both of them might unintentionally neglect it. Lastly, conflicts can cause the end of a friendship, since most friendships have breaking points under pressure.

2.2 Digging into detail

   1. Why do some friendships end, no matter how much you want them to last?

2. When you decide to relocate for a new school or job, this can’t help but affect a friendship. Likewise, if a friend of yours is in an accident, develops an illness, or loses someone close, these situations can’t help but affect a friendship. These events can end friendships if the necessary adjustments are not made.

3. For example, when one or both friends start to date or get married, their friendship may come to an end. It hurts less when both friends want to do so. It tends to hurt most when just one friend changes.

4. Friendship needs regular care. Taking a friendship for granted can cause it to break.

5. A blow to a flower. If a flower gets repeatedly trampled on, it’ll eventually break. So even those amazing close friendships need care when conflicts arise.

2.3 Understanding difficult sentences

   1. B     2. B     3. A     4. A     5. B

II. Focusing on Language in Context

1.1

   1. We set out to find the truth behind the mystery of the scientist’s disappearance.

2. A good relationship is built on honesty, trust, and mutual respect.

3. Kids may grow faster or slower but most of them still end up with an average height.

4. In the joint venture, the Chinese party will hold a 51 percent controlling interest.

5. Although John has dated the girl for a year, he is still in two minds as to whether to marry her or not.

6. Many people are unaware of just how much food and drink they consume each day.

7. In order not to hurt Mary’s feelings, please don’t refer to the incident again.

8. He and Jeannie used to live together, but recently they have been apart for the first time.

9. Adam has announced that he is to take an extended touring break in order to spend more time with his family.

10. Jim survived the heart attack thanks to the prompt first aid treatment.

11. His interview did not go well and his chance of getting the job slipped away.

12. Kids exposed to an unhealthy environment tend to grow up with more problems.

13. An occasional all-nighter is rough, but he is young enough to bounce back.

14. Olivier turned it down flat and tried to persuade Vivien to do likewise.

15. Nowadays when you buy a house in a big city, you have to invest lots of money.

1.2

   1. passion           2. due to           3. moreover

4. cannot help but     5. revive           6. As much as

7. neglected          8. on her own       9. injure

1.3

1. While there are a couple of antibiotics that usually work, if they are overused they, too, may cease to be effective.

2. I felt betrayed when he treated me like that.

3. At least three people are reported to have been involved in the crime.

4. The main reason that he developed liver cancer is because he had been exposed to high levels of radiation.

5. Do not take on more responsibilities than you can handle.

2. Word Formation

2.1

   skilled → unskilled

balance → imbalance

sufficient → insufficient

agreeable → disagreeable

understanding → misunderstanding

2.2

   1. As for the children of the unskilled workers, relatively few of them are able to secure a place in college.

2. Friendships are hard to survive in a disagreeable social environment.

3. Some conflicts due to misunderstandings can cause the end of friendships.

4. In recent years, we have invested more in basic science, but I think the investment ratio is still insufficient.

5. The imbalance between consumption and investment must be corrected in order to achieve sustained economic growth.

3. Sentence Patterns

3.1

   1. There is no doubt he is impeccable when it comes to honesty.

2. When it comes to diet and exercise, we all know what to do, but we seldom do what we know.

3. I’m not good at English, but when it comes to math, I am the best in the class.

3.2

1. No matter how heavy the rain was, the soldiers kept marching on.

2. Sam said, “No matter who becomes the President, I don’t care.”

3. No matter whether she comes or not, it makes no difference to me.

4. Comprehensive Practice

4.1 Cloze

       When it comes to friendship, few of us deliberately want them to cease. On the contrary, we want our friendships not merely to survive, but to flourish. Yet, no matter how much we value friendship, sometimes we do drift apart from one another. Without noticing it we may fail to invest enough time and effort in maintaining our relationships. If we neglect them in this way they cannot help but be damaged. And once the damage is done, it is often hard to revive the friendship.

4.2 Translation

1. The article/essay helps us get a deep insight into the nature of the problem.

2. Based on mutual respect, friendship will flourish.

3. Like a plant, friendship will wither if neglected.

4. No matter what may happen, we will do our best to overcome it.

5. A friendship without constant care from both sides will end up with a breakup.

6. This year cold weather has seriously affected the crops in the northern region.

7. As much as I hate to do it, I must finish the task as planned.

8. That means the new law also applies to private businesses.

Reading & Comprehending

Reading 1

1. Comprehension Check for Reading 1

   1. F   2. T   3. F   4. T   5. T   6. T   7. T   8. F   9. T   10. T

2. Translation

1. 你的朋友被告上法庭受审，而你被传唤作证。

2. 他发现人们对一个好朋友在这种情况下该怎么做有着截然不同的看法。

3. 然而，他们并不认为仅仅为了朋友免遭入狱服刑就有必要歪曲事实，尤其当该朋友有明显过错时。

4. 他们认为谢丽尔太有控制他人的欲望，很多人认为谢丽尔应该少管闲事，不要想方设法去改变梅根。

Reading 2

Comprehension Check for Reading 2

1. He wrote in the sand: “Today my best friend slapped me in the face.”

2. He wrote on a stone: “Today my best friend saved my life.”

3. We should learn to forgive when someone hurts us and learn to always bear it in mind when someone does something good for us.

4. It was so powerful that he got everything he prayed for: food, a wife, a house, clothes and a ship.

5. He prayed that all his friend’s prayers be answered.

6. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Integrated Skills Practicing

I. Viewing & Listening

Three simple tips:

1. Establish open lines of communication with your roommate. If something is bugging you, don’t be afraid to let him or her know. Be upfront and assertive, but not rude. And keep in mind that it’s always easier to deal with problems sooner than later.

2. Be respectful of your roommate’s property and space. Ask permission before you borrow things that aren’t yours. Don’t forget that only half the room belongs to you. And always lock the door, even if you’ll be back in a minute.

3. Above all else, treat your roommate how you would like to be treated. That’s the golden rule.

III. Writing

Model paper for your reference

Friendship is often compared to a flower. In general, flowers need sunlight and water to grow. If you don’t exposeflowers regularly to enough sunlight and water, they will wither and even die. The same applies to friendship. If you take a friendship for granted, not spending time and energy nurturing/taking care of it, you may one day find your friendship has ceased to exist. Conflict can be compared to a blow to a flower. Friendships, especially young friendships, are unable to endure conflicts just as flowers cannot survive repeated blows. If you have made promises to spend your time with your friend, keep your word. Otherwise it will hurt your friend’s feelings. Old friends may be able to forgive your faults, but you cannot expect new friends to do the same. You must keep in mind that most friendships have a breaking point and take care not to allow any conflict to go beyond that point.                                                    (157 words)