LESSON

1
Building a
Better
Relationship
1 ‌Conflicts happen in almost every friendship. When there is a conflict,
there may be several methods of dealing with it. Take a look at the
following methods and check those you have used in the past.

1. Going to an expert.
2. Asking parents for advice.
3. Discussing the problem with friends.
4. Seeking advice from teachers.
5. Posting the problem on the Internet.
6. Others:

,
LET S
TALK

2 ‌Among the methods you have used, which was the

most effective? Why?
8
9
 R eading Normal 4-10
Fast 11-17

It’s Phoebe’s first year at senior high. She was upset1 about a problem

with a friend at school, so she sent a message to Cora. Cora is an

influencer, and she often shares her ideas and helps people solve2 problems

on her vlog. She reads out Phoebe’s problem and gives her some advice3 on
5 building a better relationship4.

Phoebe

I’m in my first year at senior high, and I’m a member of

the cheerleading squad. However, I’ve recently had a

problem with my best friend, Kathy. She is the team
10 captain5. I think she’s picking on me. Last Thursday, she got

mad in front of everyone because I showed up for practice a

few minutes late. Later, she even shouted at me because I

messed up my moves. I’m afraid our friendship will be

destroyed6 if this continues. What can I do?

10
 1

1:36 / 3:16

(Cora’s advice) 15

Dear Phoebe, that can happen in any friendship. I had a similar experience
in high school.

First, you need to stay cool. Next time Critical Thinking

Kathy shouts at you, take a step back, breathe7 How do you stay calm when
you are getting angry? Does
deeply, and listen to what she says. Showing this method usually work?
20

Why or why not?

anger is bad for a relationship. Conflicts8 can’t

be solved when emotions9 are high.

I also need to emphasize10 the importance of taking responsibility11. Phoebe,

maybe you don’t fully appreciate12 your friend’s position. Perhaps it is no big

deal for you to arrive a little late for practice, but Kathy might not think so. 25

Lesson 1　Building a Better Relationship 11

 As the captain, she has the

stress13 of getting everyone

to work together, so she

can’t show favoritism to

30 her friends. That could be
why she “picks on” you, as
2:56 / 3:16

you said.

Another thing to mention14 is the powerful effect15 of kind words in

ending conflicts. Arguments 16 between friends can be very painful, and

35 nobody really “wins.” So, try to use friendly words to end the bad feelings.
For example, you could thank her for her efforts, and say the team is doing

well because of her. You can also promise17 you’ll try your best for the team.

Building good relationships with other people is an important life skill.

It can be difficult, but it’s worth18 learning. Anyway, Phoebe, I hope my tips
40 will help you. I’m sure your relationship will become stronger than ever.

Remember, when two sides are in conflict, there doesn’t have to be only one

winner.

—by Pamela Brown

Critical Thinking

Do you think relationships will

become stronger after conflicts are
solved? Why or why not?

12
 R eading Skills
Skimming
1
Skimming is reading quickly to find the most important ideas in a reading.
Often, the author states them in the first and last paragraphs and the first
and last sentences of each paragraph.

Example:
Paragraph
The first sentence: First, you need to stay cool.
4 The last sentence: Conflicts can’t be solved when emotions are high.
Important idea: Stay cool and you can solve conflicts.

 Practice
Now skim the fifth paragraph, and write down the first and last sentences
and its important idea.
The first sentence:
Paragraph

5 The last sentence:

Important idea:

Track 18
ic strip about cultural con
is a com flict.
ow
Bel
1 2 3

Kenji: ‌Marco, time to go! Kenji: The party starts Marco: This is Italy.
Marco: Why?‌ at 6:30. No one will be
there early.

Lesson 1　Building a Better Relationship 13

 R eading Matrix
To get a better understanding of this reading, go through it again and fill in the
blanks with the statements (A)~(F).

M E S S AG
E

Introduction:

Problem:

M E S S AG
E

Solutions:
1.
2.
3.

Conclusion:

A Building good relationships is an important life skill.

B Phoebe sent a private message to an influencer, Cora.
C Showing gratitude with kind words can help.
D Phoebe felt upset with Kathy for picking on her.
E Understanding other people’s positions is a key skill.
F Staying cool and taking a step back may work.
14
 R eading Comprehension
According to the reading, choose the best answer(s) to each question below. 1
1. ‌What is the main idea of the reading? Gist

(A) It is easy for people to keep a friendship.

(B) A teenager is complaining about her best friend.
(C) Conflicts between friends do more harm than good.
(D) An influencer offers tips for solving relationship problems.
2. ‌What is Cora’s first suggestion for Phoebe when her friend gets mad at
her? Detail

(A) Calm down and listen.

(B) Take a deep breath and apologize.
(C) Be cool and show her appreciation.
(D) State her point of view in a clear way.
3. ‌Which of the following statements is NOT true? Inference

(A) Kind words can play a part in ending a conflict.

(B) Solving a conflict requires active listening skills.
(C) There may not be a winner or a loser in every conflict.
(D) To solve a conflict, we should show our true emotions.
4. ‌‌Match the following characters with the correct descriptions. Detail
● shares her ideas on her vlog.
Phoebe ●

● is the captain of the cheerleading squad.

● was late for cheerleading practice.
Cora ●
● shouted at her teammate for messing up moves.
● sent a message to an influencer to ask for advice.
Kathy ●
● suggested showing appreciation for others’ efforts.

Lesson 1　Building a Better Relationship 15

 V ocabulary Track 1-2

 Words for Production

1. upset unhappy, worried, or angry about something
[√p1sEt] adj. 苦惱的，心煩的
‌Janice is really upset about her poor exam results.
upset v. [T] (upset, upset, upset) 使心煩，惹惱
[√p1sEt] ‌Carrie is angry with me, but I can’t remember doing anything to
upset her.
2. solve to end a problem or difficulty; to find an answer to a question
[sAlv] v. [T] 解決；解答
‌We will need to work together to solve this problem.
‌The first step in solving this math question is to find the value of x.
solution n. [C] 解決辦法
[s@1lu?@n] ‌Mr. Wang is seeking a solution to his company’s money troubles.
3. advice an opinion about what someone should do
[@d1vaIs] n. [U] 建議
My older brother gave me some useful advice when I started senior
high school.
advise v. [T] 勸告
[@d1vaIz] Ms. Chen advised her class to make good use of their time.
4. relationship a way in which people or things are linked to each other
[rI1le?@n%?Ip] n. [C] 關係，關連
The relationship between Antonia and her sister is very close.
relations n. [ pl.]（往來）關係
[rI1le?@nz] We have good relations with our friendly neighbors.
related adj. 有關的；有親戚關係的
[rI1letId] Dolphins and whales are very closely related.
I thought Dave and James were brothers, but they’re not related
at all.

16
5. captain the leader of a sports team; the person who is in charge of an airplane
[1k{ptIn] or a ship


n. [C]（運動隊）隊長；機長，船長
I think Andy is our best player and should be the captain of our team.
1
The captain said the plane was going to land at a different airport
because of the weather.
6. destroy to bring something to an end by harming it very badly
[dI1strOI] v. [T] 破壞，摧毀
The injury destroyed Mark’s chance of playing in the game on
Saturday.
destruction n. [U] 毀滅，破壞
[dI1str√k?@n] The destruction of the ancient city was caused by a strong
earthquake.
7. breathe to take air in and send it out of the lungs
[briD] v. [I, T] 呼吸
While we practice this exercise, we need to breathe deeply and
slowly.
I love to go to the mountains and breathe the fresh air.
breath n. [C, U] 呼吸
[brET] I took a deep breath and swam down to the bottom of the pool.
After climbing the stairs to the fifth floor, I was out of breath.
8. conflict a situation in which people do not agree with each other
[1kAnflIkt] n. [C, U] 衝突，爭執
I always try to deal with a conflict by discussing the problem calmly.
Jessica is in conflict with her parents because she wants to stay up later.
conflict v. [I] 衝突，矛盾
[k@n1flIkt] Denise’s opinions often conflict with mine, as we are very different
in personality.
9. emotion a personal feeling such as anger, joy, or love
[I1mo?@n] n. [C] 情緒，情感
David is a shy boy who often tries to hide his emotions.
Lesson 1　Building a Better Relationship 17
 V ocabulary

emotional adj. 情感上的

[I1mo?@n¬] I was thankful for my friend’s emotional support during my recent
difficulties.
10. emphasize to show that something is important
[1Emf@%saIz] v. [T] 強調，重視
During the job interview, Ivan tried to emphasize his computer
skills.
emphasis n. [U] 強調，重視
[1Emf@sIs] Your writing is quite good, but you need to put more emphasis on
your main point.
11. responsibility a duty to deal with something
[rI%spAns@1bIl@tI] n. [U] 責任
When Mom is working late, my sister takes responsibility for
preparing dinner.
responsible adj. 需負責任的；有責任感的
In class today, the teacher made me responsible for handing out
[rI1spAns@b¬]
the papers.
Alex is a responsible young man who takes good care of his family.
12. appreciate to understand a situation; to understand how good and useful a
[@1pri?I%et] person or thing is; to be thankful for
v. [T] 體認；欣賞；感激
We appreciate your concern and will try our best to improve the
situation.
I’m not an artist, but I know how to appreciate a good painting.
I really appreciate your kindness and will never forget your help.
appreciation n. [U] 欣賞；感激
[@%pri?I1e?@n] As Laura grew older, her appreciation of good food grew.
I showed my appreciation by sending the teacher some flowers.
13. stress a continuous feeling of worry or upset caused by a difficult situation
[strEs]
n. [U] 壓力
You’ve been under a lot of stress at work so I’m not surprised
18
you feel ill.
 stressful adj. 充滿壓力的，令人緊張的
[1strEsf@l] The time before an exam is very stressful for most students.
14. mention to write or talk about someone or something
v. [T] 說到，提起
1
[1mEn?@n]
When you spoke to Kevin, did you mention your vacation plans?
15. effect a result of the influence of something; a reaction or result that is produced
[I1fEkt] on purpose
n. [C] 影響；效果
Jack’s advice has had no effect on his son, who never listens to
anyone.
One common side effect of taking the medicine is a dry mouth.
effective adj. 有效的
[I1fEktIv] A hot bath is an effective way to relax at the end of the day.
16. argument a spoken disagreement about something
[1Ar©j@m@nt] n. [C] 爭執，爭論
I had a big argument with my sister because she used my phone
without asking.
argue v. [I] 爭吵，爭論
[1Ar©ju] This morning, two of my classmates were arguing about an
unfinished project.
17. promise to tell someone that you will definitely do something in the future
[1prAmIs]
v. [T] 保證，允諾
Karen promised me that I could stay at her place when I go to
Canada.
promise n. [C] 諾言
[1prAmIs] Nathan always tries his best to keep a promise, for who will trust
him otherwise?
18. worth good or important enough to be done; having a value that matches
[w^†] the price
adj. 值得；有……價值的
The museum has a lot to see and is really worth visiting.
It’s a nice jacket, but it isn’t worth three thousand dollars.
Lesson 1　Building a Better Relationship 19
 V ocabulary

worth n. [U] 價值
[w^†] I think the price they gave you is much higher than the car’s
true worth.

 Words for Recognition

 1. influencer [1Influ@ns_] n. [C] a person who uses social media to affect what other
people buy or do 網路紅人

2. vlog [vlAg] n. [C] a social media account or a personal website where someone regularly
posts videos 影像部落格（video 和 blog 的組合，指含有影片內容的部落格）

 3. cheerleading squad [1t?Ir%lidIµ skwAd] n. [C] a group of people who provide
support to a sports team by cheering and dancing 啦啦隊

4. favoritism [1fev@rIt%Iz@m] n. [U] the practice of giving one person or group better
treatment than another 偏袒

 Idioms & Phrases Track 3

1. pick on to repeatedly be unkind to someone 找碴，指責

‌Jane felt the manager was picking on her and decided to quit her job.
2. show up to arrive for a meeting or an activity 出現，出席
Leo
‌ was very disappointed when Alice didn’t show up for their date.
3. mess up to do something badly 搞砸
Janice messed up her dance performance when she fell down.
4. take a step back to stop doing something in order to think about it 停下來思考
‌We should take a step back and think about this project more carefully.
5. no big deal not a very important matter 沒什麼大不了
It’s no big deal if Mike can’t come to the meeting this afternoon.

20
 G rammar Focus
It is N / adj. ( for sb. ) to V 1
To V is N / adj. ( for sb. )

Examples:
1. Perhaps it is no big deal for you to arrive a little late for practice,
but Kathy might not think so.
2. To win an Olympic medal is amazing for such a young athlete.

 Practice
Change the sentences into the alternative pattern mentioned above.
1. To go abroad for further studies is exciting for Tina.

→ It is exciting for Tina to go abroad for further studies.

2. To invest in this business is a big risk for you.

→
3. It is important for us to take steps to prevent these animals from dying out.

→
4. It is difficult for the people of the village to get clean water to use.

→
5. To be on time will be a piece of cake for you if you take the MRT.

→
6. To know something about local traditions is helpful for travelers.

Lesson 1　Building a Better Relationship 21

  Bonus
Susan had a quarrel with her mom over whether to stay in the club. Use the
given words and the above sentence patterns to see why Susan thinks she
should stay.

Dear Mom,
I am sorry that I yelled at you last night.
But let me tell you why 1
(it/important/me/
spend so much time on club activities). I know
2

(go home late at night/dangerous/a girl). Besides,

3 (it/difficult/me/do all my
homework ) if I spend so much time on club activities. However, because I have
4
so much pressure from schoolwork,
(have a break from the stress/is/especially important/
. Don’t
me). Also, friends are important in our lives, which you tell me so often
(it/will/
you think 5
college,
easier/me/make friends) in a club? What’s more, if I want to go to a good
6 (have experience of club
rmance. If
activities/helpful). I know you worry about my safety and academic perfo
7
I promise I’ll be home before nine and do well in my schoolwork,
(it/OK/me/stay in the club)? Please!
Love,
Susan

22
 L anguage in Real Life
Learn sentence patterns used in real life, such as in these words by Martha Graham. 1
Great dancers are not great because of
their technique; they are great because of
their passion.
-Martha Graham

Martha Graham (1894-1991) was an American modern dancer.

She developed her own style, which was known as the Graham
technique. It had a huge influence on dance in America and
around the world, and is still widely taught nowadays.

 Observe
What do you see from Graham’s words and the following examples?
1. Last Thursday, she got mad in front of everyone because I showed up for practice
a few minutes late. (Line 10)
2. For example, you could thank her for her efforts, and say the team is doing well
because of her. (Line 36)

S +V + + S +V
S +V + + NP

 Practice
Rewrite the sentences by using the above patterns.

The beach is not beautiful because there is lots of trash on it.

→The beach is not beautiful because of
.

The man is happy because of the tasty noodles.

→The man is happy because
.

Lesson 1　Building a Better Relationship 23

 LPart 1
istening Lab Track 19

Four experts are giving helpful advice on how to end conflicts. Listen carefully
and match each expert with the statement that best summarizes his/her opinion.

Expert 1 Expert 2 Expert 3 Expert 4

A  Think of B  Make each C  Don’t discuss D  Offer

win-win other’s position the situation practical
solutions. clear. right away. tips.

Part 2
True or False: Determine whether each of the following statements is true or
false based on what the experts say.
( T / F ) 1. Janet had an argument with her daughter, Nancy.
( T / F ) 2. Expert 1 listened to his friend’s complaint for an hour.
( T / F ) 3. Expert 2 is very likely a college teacher.
( T / F ) 4. For Expert 3, sending messages late at night is impolite.
( T / F ) 5. Expert 4 suggests we should ask questions when we don’t understand.

24
A ctivity

Find the Way Out

Corner

Part 1
Alex and Eric are trapped in the “conflict maze.” Now, help them find the way out.

,
LET S
TALK
Part 2
Work with your group members and develop a conflict situation as well as ways
to resolve it. Some possible situations are as follows:
1. Being excluded from a group of friends.
2. Spreading rumors about a person.
3. Breaking a promise to keep a secret.
4. Spotting a friend cheating on an exam.
25