Topic 3 Interpersonal Relationships

narutoandsakura.jpg best friends image by JABB_AWOC_KEEZ

Read the text. Don’t worry about new words. Number the questions in the right order.

__  How long have they known each other?

__  How often do they see each other?

__  Why is she his best friend?

__  How did they meet?

__  Why do they get on well?


Just Good Friends?


I’ll never forget our first meeting because it was quite romantic. I had two tickets for a concert
in London, but at the last moment the girl who was going to go with me couldn’t come. So I went to
the concert hall early to get my money back for one of the tickets. Paulina was standing in the
queue. We started talking, and I found out that she was there for the same reason. My tickets were
better than hers so I suggested that we sat in my seats and we gave her tickets back. After the
concert we went for a drink and we’ve been friends ever since then.


We’ve known each other for two years. After that first meeting we started going out together and we
fell in love. Everything went well at first but after six months we started to argue a lot and
finally we broke up, but we stayed close friends, which isn’t always easy.


I think we get on very well mainly because we’ve got the same sense of humour. We’ve got a lot in
common – we like and dislike the same people and things, and we’ve got the same tastes in music.
Our personalities are quite similar too. Paulina seems quite shy when you first meet her but when
you get to know her she’s really extrovert and funny. I think I call her my ‘best friend’ because
she’s a person I can talk to about anything and I know I can trust her. Our friendship is very
important to me.


Nowadays, we only see each other about once a month because she’s studying at university and I’m
working in London, but we keep in touch by e-mail all the time. Some people are surprised when I
say that my best friend is a woman, especially an ex-girlfriend. But I think it’s perfectly
possible for us to be ‘just good friends’, although maybe when one of us finds a new partner it’ll
be more difficult. I hope not.


Vocabulary

Look at the words in bold in the text. Match them with the meanings below.


1  We began to speak angrily to each other.

    ________________________________

2  A lot of things about us are the same.

    ________________________________

3  When you know her better.

    ________________________________

4  We like the same kinds of things.

     ___________________________

5  We laugh at the same things.

    ____________________________

6  We have a good relationship.

    ____________________________

7  I can depend on her.

    ____________________________

8  We contact each other regularly.

    ____________________________

9  We stopped going out together.

    ____________________________





Key

1  We started to argue.  2  We’ve got a lot in common.  3  When you get to know her.  4  We’ve got
the same tastes.  5  We’ve got the same sense of humour.  6  We get on very well.  7  I can trust
her.  8  We keep in touch.  9  We broke up.