Meeting friends unexpectedly

Asking for news

1) What are you up to these days? (phr) “What are you up to these days?” – “Oh, keeping busy, you know.”

2) What have you been up (phr) “What have you been up to lately?” – “Not a lot, really.”

Saying you’re in a hurry

1) Better get back to the office. (phr) “Better get back to the office.See you.”

2) I’m afraid I can’t stop. (phr) “I’m afraid I can’t stop.Take care.”

3) Look, I must dash. (phr) “Look, I must dash”– “I’ll give you a call.”

Goodbyes

1) I’ll give you a call. (phr) “Look, I must dash.” – “I’ll give you a call.”

2) See you. (phr) “Better get back to the office. See you.”

3) Take care. (phr) “I’m afraid I can’t stop. Take care.”

Supplementary Reading

1. Think over your answers to the questions below before reading the text:

1. Who can people turn to when they have a problem?

2. Think about your friends: Have you ever looked after them when they were sick? Have you ever helped them to recover from a personal crisis? Have you ever told them a painful truth which concerned them? Have you ever given them something that was yours?

3. How can people make and be great best friends?

2. Read and translate the text:

How to Be a Great Best Friend

Want to be a great best friend but don't know how or where to start? Fallen out with your best mate and want to prove how nice you can be if they forgive you? Whatever the reason, this article will help you become a great best friend.

Step

Be your own best friend first. Learn how to respect yourself. Decide what boundaries are important to you and respect them. Understand what values are important to you, stick by them and seek others who honor those values.

Step

Be loyal. Stick up for your friend when they need it. Respect those times when they need to stick up for themselves. Trust your friend and allow yourself to be vulnerable with them. Also come to understand their limits and say "no" when you need to while still being their friend. A friend of integrity is of great value. It is the fact that through ups, downs, and disagreements you still seek to work things out and be their friend that truly demonstrates your loyalty.

Step

Listen. Nobody likes a best friend who just talks and talks, but never listens. If you're a chatterbox, it's okay if you're also a good listener. Whenever your best friend says something, listen carefully and say something. Don't just say "yeah" and move on. Don't interrupt or fidget continually while they're talking to you. If they ask for advice, listen carefully and give them the best advice you can. It'll earn you respect and of course, make them come to you more.

Step

Be trustworthy. If they tell you a secret, keep it, never ever, ever, tell someone a secret your friend wanted you to keep. Don't even leak it out to someone you know you can trust. A secret is a secret. Don't gossip about your best friend, don't say anything that might turn into a rumor, and don't do things that you know would upset them. For example, if she/he had a crush on a cute guy/girl she/he would be embarrassed if you told someone. Make sure you know your best friend is okay with it. Things like that are sometimes hard to do, but if you want a solid friendship you have to be trustworthy.

Step

Stick up for them. Sitting and watching your best friend get picked on or teased is definitely not going to earn you a brownie badge in best friends. If your best friend is getting seriously bullied and you're scared you'll get hurt if you get involved, then get help from a teacher or parents. If you can stick up for them without getting harmed yourself, make sure you do so. Sometimes you can feel totally better after being picked on when a friend tells everyone else to shut up and clear off.

Step

Spend time together. Hang out on the weekends or plan activities together every now and then, do some homework together, and chat during break at school. You don't have to live in each others' pockets, but make sure you spend some quality time together with your best friend to make the friendship grow and become stronger.

Step

Be yourself. Being yourself around someone is part of what makes you guys best friends. Be best friends with someone who you know you can be yourself around, because it isn't worth it trying to be someone you're not so you can be closer to someone. Don't hold things in either, so if you feel uncomfortable or have hard feelings against your best friend, talk about it with them. Make things comfortable between you two, and you'll both go through thick and thin together.

Step

Care for your best friend. If they're away from home, send them cards or care packages to show that you care. If they're sick, call them and ask how they are doing. Best friends care for each other. Show them you appreciate their presence in your life. Write them notes to show that you care and are thankful for them, and ask about their lives. Share your own stories, but make sure you have time for them.

Step

Avoid Expectations. If you assume what best friends' roles are, you will get disappointed and frustrated. Best friends are one of the most valuable friends you have, but they cannot help or support you in every aspect of your life. Do not expect them to always be there, or expect them to say the thing you want to hear. If there are expectations your Best friends need to reach, that will only leave you in a disappointing defeat. Be nice, do not email them saying they are a liar or you won't feel so good.

Step

Trust each other. You may find it hard in life and think that it is impossible to keep your best friend happy. To be a good best friend really doesn't take much. All you have to do really is make sure you can both trust each other with everything and you don't keep secrets. You will go through rough patches but everyone does a some stage in their lives. Just remember though, in order for them to tell you things you do have to tell them things too, even if it's nothing big. Being a best friend means you talk about everything together and you have so much in common. Some best friends do everything together, they have fun and they can be on the phone for hours just talking about their day they have had. You also need to make sure that they know you are always there for them, when ever they need you and that they feel comfortable talking to you about any problems they have. Bear in mind though that sometimes you will have to give the some space so that they can have time alone and think things through. Being a best friend you have to understand them and maybe sometimes or most of the time ask them for advice. You should never keep anything back from them either, even if you think that they will get hurt by it.

Exercises on the text

1. Find the equivalents for the Russian words and word combinations in the text:

Болтун; внимательно слушать; граница; демонстрировать преданность; друг (товарищ); ёрзать (постоянно менять место); зарабатывать положительные очки; издеваться; иметь в виде (не забывать); крепкая дружба; надежный; не расставаться (постоянно находиться вместе); обнаруживаться (стать известным); пережить неудачные моменты; постоять за кого-либо; превратности судьбы; превращаться в слухи; представлять (прикидываться); придерживаться; приставать и дразнить; пройти огонь, воду и медные трубы; расстроенный и обманутый; сплетничать; тусоваться (обитать); убраться (исчезнуть); уважать (разделять) ценности; увлечься кем-либо сильно; утаивать (скрывать); хранить тайну; честный (прямой друг); чувствительный.

2. Match the situations and the problems:

1. Tom wants to be Lucy’s best friends, but she’s already got one. He tries to show off but nothing works.	1. The first is not a good listener. On the other hand the second should learn how to talk smb’s head off. It’ll surely help her in some situations in future.
2. When Peter was in trouble, Paul was with his girlfriend. After that Peter doesn’t call him ‘best friend’ any more.	2. After some failure in their business he doesn’t trust him.
3. Jane is a superactive girl. She’s always the first in anything. No wonder even in conversation she is an awful chatterbox. But her friend Phoebe is a bit of timid person. She doesn’t step beyond the limit.	3. She doesn’t know him well. When they are together he is not himself.
4. Tim always expects something bad from George.	4. He didn’t stick up for him. That’s the real cause.