I count myself in nothing else so happy

as in remembering my good friends.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
British poet and playwright

My Best Friend Mary

Who knows us better than our friends? Friends share with us, count on us and comfort
us. When we make mistakes, friends forgive us. When we are down, they lift us up. And if we
move away, they keep a part of us back home.
While we get on well with a number of people, we are usually friends with only a few.
I first met Mary when I was in the sixth form at school. Her family moved into a new
flat right next to ours. They invited us to their house-warming party. We hit it off right from
the beginning. That day I found my best friend.
Mary was in the highlight of the party. She was active, talkative, high-spirited and
spontaneous, and she charged everybody around with her cheerfulness. I liked her dancing
and singing and playing the piano for the guests. She was not the shy type. We had such a
wonderful time.
Within the next few months we found out that we had a lot in common and became
close friends. We have been together for five years now. Every time we meet we both feel we
have a lot to communicate to each other. We laugh at the same things and we can talk for
hours. We have really good discussions about everything that is important to us: literature,
music, fashion, clothing, cooking, guys, etc. I also like it when she challenges my opinions. I
think her charm is not only in her beauty, but in her thought, her opinion and her shrewdness.
She has her own opinion on every topic. We are both loud, outgoing, active, and we like to be
in the centre of attention. We enjoy spending money on CDs, clothes and going out to the
cinema, theatre and discos. We have a good understanding of each other’s problems. I think
Mary is very kind and she loves helping people. She would give her neighbour the shirt off
her back if needed. She’s capable of great unconditional love and devotion. When I feel
down, she is always there to cheer me up. When other people criticise me, she supports and
encourages me.
We seem to have the same attitude to the important things in life. Still there are things
that we argue about. Maybe that is because I was born under Taurus and Mary was born under
Gemini. I’m punctual and she is often late. I am a very tidy person, while she is the opposite.
Her room is always a mess. I don’t think she even knows where their vacuum cleaner is. Also,
she changes her mind easily. She doesn’t always think before she acts and she doesn’t always
learn from her mistakes. Actually, nor do I, as my mum says. Though she is easygoing, she
can be stubborn and impulsive at times. In her turn, she thinks I can sometimes be too
straightforward and frequently offend people. She also says that I enter into relationships
easily, without getting to know people well. But because I feel so good with her, I put up with
anything she says or does.
In appearance, Mary is a pretty girl. She has fair hair and blue eyes. Her curly hair and
full lips go well with her plump cheeks. She is not very tall, nor is she slim because she is a
hearty eater and has a sweet tooth. Every Monday, and on every New Year’s Eve she

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promises herself to turn over a new leaf. She decides to give up eating extra food and to take
up aerobics, but she never does that. I am glad she is not so irresponsible in other matters. She
always keeps her word when it concerns me and other people. She has never let me down.
After leaving school we have decided to pursue the same profession. We both like the
job of a teacher because we get a lot of personal satisfaction from dealing with children, or
helping them to get involved in studying.
Sometimes friends of childhood drift apart when they grow up or choose different paths.
But I am sure Mary and I will be friends for life. They say it takes a minute to find a special
person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them. I
am lucky to have a special friend like Mary. She has added colour to my routine life. We
respect and enjoy each other’s personality and share interests. I think we shall get together
every now and then even when we have our own families.

There is nothing to compare to

the special friendship that grows
stronger through years.

Key vocabulary:
hit it off phr v ëàäèòü ñ êåì-ëèáî, íàõîäèòü îáùèé
ÿçûê
be in the highlight áûòü â öåíòðå âíèìàíèÿ
spontaneous  adj íåïîñðåäñòâåííûé
charge v çàðÿæàòü
communicate (to) v ãîâîðèòü, ñîîáùàòü
challenge v ñòàâèòü ïîä ñîìíåíèå, îñïàðèâàòü
shrewdness  n ïðîíèöàòåëüíîñòü, òîíêîñòü,
ïðàêòè÷íîñòü
outgoing adj äðóæåëþáíûé, îáùèòåëüíûé
unconditional adj áåçóñëîâíûé, àáñîëþòíûé
cheer up phr v âåñåëèòü, îáîäðÿòü, óòåøàòü
encourage  v ïîîùðÿòü, ïîääåðæèâàòü (â ÷åì-ëèáî)
Taurus  n Òåëåö (çíàê çîäèàêà)
Gemini  n Áëèçíåöû (çíàê çîäèàêà)
tidy  adj àêêóðàòíûé, îïðÿòíûé
mess n áåñïîðÿäîê
put up (with) phr v òåðïåòü, ìèðèòüñÿ (ñ)
easygoing adj ïîêëàäèñòûé, ñ ëåãêèì õàðàêòåðîì
stubborn adj óïðÿìûé
straightforward  adj ïðÿìîé, îòêðîâåííûé
offend v îáèæàòü, îñêîðáëÿòü
put up with phr v òåðïåòü, ìèðèòüñÿ (ñ ÷åì-ëèáî)
appearance n âíåøíîñòü, âíåøíèé âèä
plump adj îêðóãëûé, ïóõëûé
slim adj ñòðîéíûé
concern  v êàñàòüñÿ, èìåòü îòíîøåíèå
let down phr v ïîäâîäèòü, ïîêèäàòü â áåäå
have a sweet tooth áûòü ñëàñòåíîé
pursue  v ïðåñëåäîâàòü (öåëü), äîáèâàòüñÿ
drift apart phr v ðàñõîäèòüñÿ, îòäàëÿòüñÿ äðóã îò äðóãà
path n ïóòü, äîðîãà
entire  adj öåëûé, âåñü

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 My friend

Talking points:
1. How did you first meet your friend?
2. What was your first impression of him/her?
3. What do/don’t you like about him/her?
4. What do you have in common?
5. How is your friend similar to or different from you?
6. Why did you become such close friends?
7. What does he/she look like?
8. What is he/she like as a person?
9. What special talents and abilities does he/she have?
10. What kind of clothes does he/she wear?
11. What are his/her hobbies and interests?
12. What is his/her family like?
13. What do you do and what do you talk about when you are together?

Issues on Friendship
The only way to have a friend is to be one.
There are certain established opinions that friends should be alike, which I don’t quite
accept. For instance, I disagree that people who have different characters, or belong to
different age groups can’t make good friends. I think in a friend we sometimes seek qualities
that we lack ourselves. Some older people are young-spirited, so they often don’t find
joviality and light-heartedness in people of their age and seek these qualities in the younger
generation. On the contrary, some young people tend to get on well with older companions,
because they love to learn from them. In such kinds of friendship, people complement each
other.
I do accept that people who have different values can get along. I think we mustn’t force
our ideas on others. Only in that case is friendship possible.
Another issue is the friendship between humans and animals. Some people have pets,
some use animals as work-partners, others train them to perform tricks. In any case, humans
and animals get attached to each other. Dogs are considered man’s best friends. They are also
excellent companions in travelling. Your dog will always be there to listen to you when you
are alone, and in his silent presence you’ll find so much warmth and compassion. This is a
friend that will never be tired of your long monologues, constant complaints, but will accept
and love you as you are. The only thing he wants in return is your kindness.

Key vocabulary:
joviality  n âåñåëîñòü, ðàäîñòü
light-heartedness n áåççàáîòíîñòü
generation n ïîêîëåíèå
tend (to) v èìåòü ñêëîííîñòü, áûòü ñêëîííûì (ê)
complement v äîïîëíÿòü
force an opinion íàâÿçûâàòü ìíåíèå
get attached (to) ëþáèòü, èñïûòûâàòü ïðèâÿçàííîñòü (ê)
compassion n ñîñòðàäàíèå

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My friend

Talking points:
1. What does friendship mean to you?
2. Should friends be alike or different? Why?
3. Should friends be of the same age? Why or why not?
4. Should you choose a friend from the same social/racial/religious background?
5. How do you choose a friend?
6. Should you share secrets with your friends?
7. Does envy sometimes accompany friendship?
8. How do time and distance affect friendship?
9. Can friendship grow into a romantic feeling?
10. What is friendship between people and pets like?

Complete the sentences below using the list of different kinds of friends:

We carried on a friendship through letters. He was a ________________.

He seems a good friend when things are going well, but when I’m in trouble,
he’s nowhere to be seen. I am afraid he’s a ________________________.
I don’t really know him very well. He’s just an ______________________.
He and I own this business together. He’s my ______________________.
She used to be John’s girl-friend. She’s an________________________.
I’ve known George for ages. We are really good old friends who spend a lot
of time together. He’s my ____________________________________.
He’s the person whom I tell my most personal thoughts, problems and fears.
He’s my __________________________________________________.
She teaches in the same school as I do. She’s a_____________________.
She didn’t know what the homework was so she asked a_______________.
I’d rather not make the journey alone. I need a travelling _____________.

partner pen-pal
bosom pal acquaintance
fair-weather friend companion
classmate colleague
confidant old flame

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 My friend

Supplementary reading

A Story about Friends

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. At some point of the
journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.
The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, he wrote in the sand:
“Today my best friend slapped me in the face”.
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The
one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved
him.
After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
“Today my best friend saved my life”.
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him,
“After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”
The other friend replied,
“When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness
can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it on
stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

Learn to write your

hurts in the sand and
to carve your benefits
in stone.

Key vocabulary:
slap v øëåïàòü
mire  n áîëîòî
drown v òîïèòü(-ñÿ), òîíóòü

Talking points:
1. What is the moral of the story?
2. Should offences be forgiven by friends?

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