Who do you count as your friends? From our BFF to a workmate, it’s good to have someone to chat with or offer comfort and support. But when it comes to friendship, is it more important to have quantity or quality?
The recent isolation(隔离) we have endured due to the coronavirus pandemic has made some of us question our friendships. We’ve fallen out of touch with friends and acquaintances, and it may feel awkward, but do we actually have to rekindle (再续) every relationship we once had? It might be time to think about who you kept in touch with, who you missed talking to, and who you didn’t. In short, maybe it’s time to renew your list of real mates.
“There’s no need to stay friends,” a writer for BBC Worklife, Bryan Lufkin says, “While people have known for years that friendships are certainly good for your health, experts say it’s only natural for acquaintances and even friends to fall by the wayside (半途而度) as time goes on. It’s nothing to feel guilty about.”
Of course, it can be hard to choose who’s in your friendship circle. This is what Suzanne Degges-White, professor of counselling at Northern Illinois University, calls our ‘friendscape’. She says, “in life, as we go through certain stages and ages, our attention changes, and we want to be around people who are like us.”
So, changing friends is normal, but we still need those special pals who’ve known us long term. These are friendships we invest time in. According to Robin Dunbar, a professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Oxford, these are your inner circle of friends—your “shoulders to cry on”— and you have to see them at least once a week to keep them in that circle. He adds that the friends that do drift (渐渐疏远) are mostly “friendships of convenience”. But the advice for keeping a good friendship is to share how you feel with someone you trust— this can help strengthen your friendship as well as giving you both a chance to support each other.
8. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?
A.People should rethink the friendship they had |
B.The isolation is harmful to friendship. |
C.We should keep in touch with every friend |
D.Covid-19 has made friends feel awkward. |
9. What can we learn from Bryan Lufkin’s words?
A.It is necessary to stay friends. | B.It is good to write for BBC. |
C.Changing friendship is quite normal. | D.Changing friendship is bad for health. |
10. Why did the author use the words from Suzanne?
A.Suzanne was a friend of the author. |
B.Suzanne shared different points of view. |
C.The author invented “friendseape” with her. |
D.The author aimed to stress the viewpoint |
11. What is the last paragraph mainly about?
A.How to invest time in friendship. | B.How to support your friends. |
C.How to trust your friends. | D.How to keep your friendship. |