My Family and Friends

Match the words or phrases with their definitions.

1. to succeed

2. to lose touch

3. a goal

4. to argue

5. to stay friends

6. to get on well

7. to keep in touch

8. to have in common

a) to disagree with someone in words

b) something that you hope to achieve in the future

c) to have a friendly relationship with each other

d) to have the same interests, attitudes as someone else

e) to have good results, to do what you have tried

f) to speak or write to someone when you can no longer see them as often as you used to

d) to continue being friends

h) no longer speak or write to someone because they do not live near you, work with you

Complete the sentences below with the best answer:

1. Good friends try to …

a) lose touch.

b) get on well.

c) argue.

2. To be honest, my father can’t stand coworkers who are __ and won’t consider new ideas or ways of doing things.

a) close-minded

b) dishonest

c) inconsiderate

3. Monica is very __ and always gives her time and resources to help those who are in need.

a) ambitious

b) generous

c) reliable

4.  I really like people who are __ because they always believe that things will work out in spite of difficult challenges.

a) dependent

b) humble

c) optimistic

5. Kate’s parents are very ___ . They don’t really mind what Kate and her brother do.

a) strict

b) easy-going

c) reliable

6. Jane is the most ___ person I know. She really understands how other people feel.

a) sensitive

b) generous

c) patient

Match two parts of the sentences.

1. The family is …                               a) nothing is more important than family. 

2. Nothing is better than …                 b) treasures, seek them and enjoy their riches.

3. Family and friends are two …              c) the roots to stand tall and strong.

4. Family and friends are hidden …                d) your family that supports you.

5. Treat your family like your friends and …   e) one of nature's masterpieces.

6. We may have our differences but …       f) of the greatest facilitators of happiness.

7. Family gives you …                                     g) your friends like family.

8. When trouble comes it's …          h) going home to family and relaxing.

Answer the following questions.

1. What qualities do you think are important in a friend? 

2. What qualities do you appreciate in your friends?

3. What makes someone special or best friend?

4. Are you good friends with your family members?

5. What things can parents do to strengthen the relationship with their children?

6. What things can damage or hurt the parent-child relationship?

Read the text and answer the questions.

A HIKING FAMILY

My name is Kevin Finer, and I am originally from the state of Indiana in the United States. When I was 19 years old, I moved to Venezuela in South America, and later returned to the United States, where I attended Brigham Young University in the 1980s. I majored in Spanish education and TESOL, or teaching English as a second language. After graduating from college, my wife and I moved to Japan where we lived for eight years. Now, I work back in the States in Utah.

However, my greatest interests are my family. Years ago, I wanted to make something of myself in my profession… you know… get ahead in life. However, I realized that the most important things in life lived within the walls of my own home, and today, I try to put them first. My kids wouldn’t remember me for the work I did outside of the home; they would only recall the moments we spent together.

Therefore, I enjoy spending time with my family. I have four children, and we go hiking and camping together, usually in Utah. On our hikes, we often talk about life, and I tell stories or share personal experiences. When I do this, I can focus on the kids without the distractions of video games or the Internet. Telling stories sounds easy, but when you have to think of a new story on a hot, 12-kilometer hike through the desert, you have come up with ideas off the top of your head.

Now, this doesn’t mean we don’t have problems; all families face challenges in their lives, and our family is no exception. However, we try to talk openly about our problems, and we try to solve our problems together. Building a strong family takes time, but it is worth the effort.

1) Where did Kevin probably grow up?

a) in Indiana                b) in Venezuela

c) in Utah

2) What was his undergraduate major?

a) English                    b) Spanish c) Japanese

3) How many children does he have?

a) two                            b) three c) four

4) What does Kevin do on his hikes with his children?

a) He points out the wildlife and plants along the way.

b) He enjoys telling them stories about his life.

c) He teaches them how to survive in emergency situations.

5) What point does Kevin make about raising children?

a) Enroll kids into schools early to help them learn better.

b) Be consistent in the way you administer discipline in the home.

c) Talk with your kids about problems so they learn how to solve them.

Read the text below. Fill in the blanks with the words: pressure, respect, standing up, disagree, teenage, friends

Friendships can be complicated at 1) _ years. You may be making new friends while you are trying to keep old ones. One thing that can make any relationship complicated is peer 2) _ . Peer pressure is when you choose to do something you usually wouldn’t do, or you stop doing something that you normally would do because you are worried about what your 3)__ will think. Some friends may pressure you to do something because «everyone else does it», such as making fun of someone. One of the biggest challenges that you may have to face is 4) ___ to a friend.

Here are tips to help you handle a disagreement with a friend:

You always have the right to say «no» to your friend whenever you want to. Good friends should 5) ___ your right to say «no» about anything and not give you a hard time. It is important that you show your friend the same respect when they say «no» to you.

If you and your friend 6) ___ about something, it doesn’t mean your friendship is over. Real friendships involve trust and the ability to respect each other’s differences.

Listen to the dialogue “Meeting an Old Friend” and do the tasks below.

Decide if the sentences are true or false.

1. Patrick and Selina have never met each other before.

2. Selina still lives in London.

3. Selina didn't like her job in London.

4. Selina is living with her parents.

5. Patrick also went to London.

6. Selina is surprised that Patrick is married.

7. Patrick has a daughter named Marigold.

8. Patrick invites Selina to his house.

Choose the correct answer.

1.They have not seen each other for over ... years.

а) 15             b) 10        c) 5         d) 50

2. Selina has been back for ...

а) 5 years       b) 5 months       c) 5 weeks          d) 15 years

3. Patrick has been married for ...

а) 20 years        b) 10 months    c) 10 years       d) 2 months

4. Patrick's children are ...

а) 3 and 9 years old    b) 5 and 9 years old     c) 3 and 8 years old     d) 5 and 8 years old