ACTIVITY 261: Not all close
friendships last for ever. Can you think of some reasons why not? Quickly
read the following extracts from a magazine
article
below and choose the most appropriate title for each extract. Then check the correct
answers.
JULIA AND MARIA live three doors apart
from each other. Their mothers are best friends too, so they've known
each other all their lives. Lately Julia has been finding Maria a pain.
She used to think she was funny and
outrageous, but now she seems just childish and stupid. She used to
admire her way-out clothes and hairstyles, but now she's embarrassed to
be seen on the streets with her. Julia is definitely becoming too mature
for Maria, who's upset by this, but she hates herself for it. She feels
guilty because they meant so much to each other in the past. But then
she tells herself things might have been different if Maria had changed
as well.
MARIO AND CHRISTIAN have been friends
for years. They met on their first day at primary school and have shared
everything since. Now Mario has gone away to college and they don't see
so much of each other. Mario still writes to Christian and makes a point
of seeing him when he's home during the holidays, but Christian feels
not included in his friend's life. Recently he's been spreading rumours
about Mario behind his back. He won't talk about it to Mario. He just
says, 'What do you care what I say?'.
Psychology (II)
Now read what a psychologist said about the
situations mentioned above. You will have to do an activity after
reading her opinions.
JULIA AND MARIA
MARIO AND CHRISTIAN
It's not
just the friend who is being outgrown who feels bad. Julia has been
developing and changing faster and along different paths to Maria, but
she feels tied to the past. She should change her relationship with
Maria – they can no longer be friends. And
it's no good thinking that things might have been different if... No,
Julia has to face facts as they are. But she needn't cut Maria off
completely: she can perhaps find another place for her in her life.
However, some friendships which have been very close can't survive this
kind of adjustment.
This is a
sad case of one boy growing up and the other remaining childish. It
can't have been easy for Christian: he is obviously jealous of Mario's
new friends and feels left out, so he attacks Mario because he is hurt.
But he is ruining what could have remained a good
– if different – friendship. It's no one's fault that
Mario has gone to college and made new friends. With a different
attitude on Christian's part – and Mario has shown he wants to keep
Christian as his friend – this needn't have happened.
ACTIVITY 262:
Finally, for questions 1-to-4, choose the answer (A,
B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the psychologist's
opinion.
Then
check your answers.
1.
The psychologist comments that ...
A.
Julia feels worse than Maria. B. Maria feels worse than Julia. C.
both friends feel bad.
D.
neither friend feels bad.
2.
What does the psychologist recommend Julia to do?
A.
Drop Maria as a friend. B. Wait for Maria to change. C.
Try to keep things as they were.
D.
Accept that things must change.
3.
According to the psychologist, why has Mario and Christian's friendship
ended?
A.
Mario had got tired of Christian. B.
Christian was upset when Mario went away. C.
Mario grew up too fast.
D.
Christian decided he didn't like Mario.
4.
The
psychologist thinks that if Christian had behaved differently ...
A.
he wouldn't have stayed friends with Mario. B. he might have made a new group of
friends. C.
Mario would have found it easier to be his friend.
D.
Mario would have been more to blame for the situation.
Interesantes las opiniones de esta
psicóloga !!!
En la próxima página Mr. Grammar explicará la 2° parte de
MODAL VERBS. Recuerda que en la Unidad 7 - Lección 27 ya has estudiado la primera parte ...
