Unit 13
Friendship
Word Bank
account：n. a written or spoken description of an event(书面或口头)报告
acquaintance: a person that you have met but do not know well相识，熟人
affection: a feeling of liking for a person or place友爱，爱情
commitment: a promise to do sth. or to behave in a particular way承诺；责任；
compatible: able to exist, live together, or work successfully with sth. or sb. else能共处的；能共存的；能相容的
conservative: tending not to like or trust change, especially sudden change保守的，守旧的divorce: legal ending of a marriage离婚
esteem: respect for or a good opinion of sb. 尊敬，尊重
excessive: too much过度的，过多的
generality: when what sb. says contains no details, and often very little meaning普遍性，通性intimate: having, or being likely to cause, a very close friendship亲密的
mobile: able to move freely or be easily moved可移动的，易变的，机动的
pursue: to follow sb. or sth., usually to try to catch or kill them追随；跟随
rarity: sth. that is very unusual, or the quality of being very unusual稀有
relocate: to (cause a person or company to) move to a new place换一个地方；重新安置
reveal: to make known or show sth. that is surprising or that was previously secret展现，显示，揭示，暴露
spouse: a person's husband or wife配偶
stigma: a strong feeling in society that a type of behavior is shameful耻辱；瑕疵
superficial: only on the surface of sth. 表面的；肤浅的
transient: lasting for only a short time; temporary短暂的
widowed: having become a widow or a widower守寡的；成为鳏夫的
Phrases and Expressions
attach to: to connect one thing with another系，连接
break up: to stop a relationship(突然)结束
encounter with: to meet sb., especially when you do not expect it偶遇
end up: to finally be in a particular place, state, or situation, especially without having planned it以...结束，结果为...
strike up: to start a conversation or relationship with sb. 交谈起来，结交起来
Reading Comprehension
Choose the best for each of the following.
1. The authors say that Americans use the word "friend" differently than the way the dictionary defines the word. What do the authors mean by saying so? ( C )
A. Americans use the word "friend" in a narrower sense than it is defined in the dictionary.
B. Americans use the word "friend" to refer to close friends.
C. Americans use the word "friend" in a larger sense than it is defined in the dictionary.
D. The dictionary defines the word "friend" in a wrong way.
2. Americans have a few close friends because __B___.
A. they are lazy
B. they do not have time
C. they have many commitments to friendship
D. both B and C
3. According to the authors, how do many Americans behave with others even if they are strangers? ( D )
A. They tend to be shy.
B. They tend to smile.
C. They tend to talk easily.
D. Both B and C.
4. In the United States, marriage relationships are __B___.
A. all the same
B. different from couple to couple
C. arranged
D. mature
5. The authors say that in the United States remarriage is considered normal, and they point out that grown sons and daughters often encourage their widowed or divorced parents to __C___.
A. stay home alone
B. buy gold
C. continue to socialize
D. travel
II. Complete the following summary of the text by filling in the blanks with words. The initial letter of each word has been given to you.
Americans use the word "friend" more extensively than what a dictionary defines. A friend might be an (1) acquaintance or an intimate companion. They might call anyone that they know about a friend. They, however, have (2) casual and friendly relationships with many people but develop deeper and closer (3) relationships with only a few. Americans are friendly who easily start conversations with (4) strangers and sometimes share their life stories with them. Due to different cultural backgrounds, American men and women have a (5) variety of relationships. Some might be lifelong friends but without sex contact. Some might live together as sex companions without getting married in the end. Some American (6) couples take themselves as best friends. More (7) divorced or widowed Americans remarried in their old ages.
Americans make new friends easily and quickly because of (8) mobility. In general they do not (9) settle down in one place for good. They move from place to place for changing jobs, getting married, (10) attending universities or having children. Many of them do not have everlasting friendship.
Vocabulary
I. Choose the answer that best completes each sentence.
1. He had a deep ___D__ for his aunt.
A. effect
B. kindness
C. heart
D. affection
2. There has been a drop in public ___A__ for teachers.
A. esteem
B. affection
C. love
D. interest