Unit 4: Personal relationships

UNIT 4: PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS 
I. WARM-UP 
- Look at the pictures in your book. 
Can you guess the relationship between the two people in each picture? 
What are they doing? 
Look at the gestures they make. How close are they? 
- Are friends important in your life? Why? 
Do you have many close friends? Do you have different “circles of friends”? 
Is it difficult to keep friendship? 
II. READING 
Some main ideas: 
- The dictionary defines the word “friend” as “one attached to another by affection or 
esteem” 
- Americans use the word “friend” freely. It is difficult to formulate a precise definition of 
this word as it is used in the United States. 
Circle of Friends 
- It is common for Americans to have different “circles of friends” such as church friends, 
work friends or sports friends. 
- “Best friends” are usually two people of the same sex who have known each other for a 
long time. People usually have more casual friends than close or best friends. 
Mobility and Friendship 
- Americans are geographically mobile and learn to develop friendships easily and 
quickly. 
- Relationships based on a common activity may fade or end when the activity ends. In 
these friendships, shared daily experiences form the foundation for the relationship. 
Enduring friendships develop when individuals have similar interests and a common 
outlook on life. The high rate of mobility in the United States can explain a great deal 
about transient (short) friendships. 
Instant Friendships 
- Instant friendships may appear to be deep and personal but are really superficial. 
Friendship and friendliness are not synonymous. Friendliness characterizes much of 
American daily interaction but is not always an indication of friendship. Strangers may 
share life histories without any intention of pursuing a relationship. Characterizing instant 
friendships is the appearance of two people becoming close but, in reality, there is no 
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strong bond between them. Brief encounters do not always imply desire for further 
contact. 
Male- Female Relationships 
- In the United States men and women socialize relatively freely and develop a variety of 
relationships. 
Single people of opposite sexes may be close friends and share personal problems with 
each other without being romantically involved. There are no fixed rules for romantic or 
intimate relationships but there are restraints. 
Men and women interact in varying degrees of intensity. Dating may be serious or casual. 
The commitment and obligations of people who are dating depend principally on the 
couple’s attitude. 
- Married men and women sometimes consider each other best friends as well as spouses. 
They also associate with members of the opposite sex either as couples or independently. 
This does not mean that there are no constraints on the married men and women. The 
limitations of these relationships are not always visible but they do exist. Most, but not 
all, married American couples practice monogamous relationships. 
Intercultural Friendships 
- With foreign visitors, Americans may not always be the first ones to begin friendships. 
However, it is important to know that Americans are receptive to developing friendships 
with international visitors. It is advisable to approach Americans first to initiate 
friendships. 
- A characteristic of American personal relationship is the absence of fixed rules 
governing them. Therefore, a variety of friendships are possible in the United States. 
III. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS 
Answers: 
1. a 2. a 3. c 4. b 5. a 
6. c 7. a 8. b 9. b 10. c 
IV. VOCABULARY 
Some new words: 
- Esteem (n): respect 
- Formulate (v): to express or reduce to a formula; to express in a systematic way 
- Precise (a): clearly expressed; definite; exact 
- Console (v): comfort 
- Segregation (n): separation; isolation from a group 
- Mobile (a): moving, able to be moved, easily and quickly from place to place; easily and 
often changing 
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- Relocate (v): establish, become established, in a new place or area 
- Fade (v): go slowly out of view, hearing or the memory; disappear slowly 
- Enduring (a): lasting 
- Transient (a): lasting for a short time only; brief 
- Superficial (a): of or on the surface only; not thorough or profound 
- Pursue (v): follow 
- Encounter (n): meeting 
- Terminate (v): end, cease 
- Spouse (n): wife or husband 
- Monogamous (a): having one wife or husband or lover at a time 
- Isolation (n): the state of being apart or alone 
Vocabulary Exercises 
A. Definitions 
1. partner 2. precision 3. acquaintances 4. companion 
5. formulate 6. consoled 7. segregate 8. esteem 
B. Multiple Choice 
1. d 2. c 3.d 4.a 5. c 
6. d 7. a 8. b 9. d 10. c 
11. d 12. a 13. a 
C. Words in Sentences 
1. Being faithful to one’s spouse is one precious characteristic needed to be preserved. 
2. Monogamous relationships are always important in the society. 
3. It is so terrible to live in isolation from other people. 
4. To be a successful language learner, you should not be passive in the classroom. 
5. This city has a great tourism potential. 
6. Overcoming one’ own bad habits is the greatest challenge to each person. 
D. Word Forms 
1. a. references b. reference c. refer 
2. a. mobility b. mobile 
3. a. superficial b. superficiality c. superficially 
4. a. desirable b. desire c. desire d. desirous 
5. a. socially b. sociable c. socialize d. social 
6. a. intensity b. intense c. intensely d. intensified 
7. a. alternate b. alternates c. Alternatively d. alternatives 
V. CONVERSATIONAL ACTIVITIES 
Some guide for understanding the quotations and proverbs: 
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- “Friendship is the inexpressible ... nor measure words” : When you have a real friend 
beside you, you feel very comfortable and safe, you can say many things without 
worrying about choosing the words you use. 
- “Don’t walk in front of me... And just be my friend.” : ...  to the dentist? 
 e. what you were wearing last Tuesday? 
 f. what color shoes the person next to you is wearing (don’t look!)? 
 g. who was the last person to come into the classroom? 
2. Tell about the best or worst experience you have had in your life. 
3. Do you like playing dangerous sports? Think of the dangers the player might suffer 
from when climbing up high mountains, discovering deep holes/ caves, diving, hang-
gliding, etc. What joys do they have when doing them? 
ASSIGNMENT 7 
1. There is going to be a Festival in your hometown. Many visitors will come for 
sightseeing and learning about the culture of your hometown. Plan three exciting and 
informative days for the visitors. Try to keep everyone happy by planning for them to go 
to the famous landscapes as well as giving them chances to experience the typical culture 
features of your hometown. 
2. What kind of food will you recommend foreign visitors, e.g. English, American, etc. to 
eat? Why? 
3. What do you think are the differences in the way people in your country and in a 
foreign country you know spend their free time? 
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ASSIGNMENT 8 
1. What are typical houses like in your country? How are they generally designed? Talk 
about the rooms, the ways of decoration, furniture, the garden, etc. 
2. Compare houses in your country with houses in another country that you know. 
3. Is privacy considered important in designing a house? How? 
ASSIGNMENT 9 
1. It is the 23rd century. Global warming has resulted in dangerously high sea levels, 
covering an extra ten per cent of the world’s land mass. The world’s governments are 
encouraging mass migration to space, where a man-made space station, Cerinia 1000, is 
waiting to host 200,000,000 new space inhabitants. You and your partner have applied for 
space emigration and you are looking at spaceships available on the market. For financial 
reasons you have decided to buy a spaceship together. 
Read the government regulations and find out how many passengers you must have on 
your spaceship. 
SPACE POOLS REGULATIONS 
The following regulations must be followed by all space 
immigrants traveling in private spaceships. 
1. All spaceships must carry a minimum of four passengers for 
maximum energy efficiency. 
2.All spaceships must carry at least two women aged between 
20 and 40. 
3. All spaceships must carry at least one man aged between 20 
and 50. 
4. All spaceships must carry at least two members of the 
following list of professions. 
DOCTOR NURSE CIVIL ENGINEER 
ELECTRONIC ENGINEER ELECTRICIAN 
PLUMBER FARMER VET 
BOTANIST 
If the passenger list does not include the above-mentioned 
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passengers, the private spaceship will be forced to accept 
guests chosen by the government, or lift-off will not be 
permitted. 
2. Discuss with your partner who you would like to take with you, and why. 
ASSIGNMENT 10 
1. You have to choose a team of four people for a sailing race. Which of the following 
people would you definitely not choose? Why? 
 A skipper a navigator a radio operator a runner 
 A cyclist a physiotherapist a sailor a cook 
 A weight-lifter a sports trainer 
2. Discuss with your partner: 
 - What is your favourite time of the day? Why? 
 - Which is the favourite day of the week? Why? 
 - Which is the favourite season of the year? Why? 
3. Look at the adjectives below. Choose the two that you think best describe your partner. 
 Artistic sociable hard-working adventurous 
 Laid-back noisy creative quiet 
 Intellectual physically active physically less active 
Tell your partner which adjectives you chose and why. Do you agree with your partner’s 
choice? 
ASSIGNMENT 11 
1. How concerned are you about the environment? What actions have you taken as a 
result of your concern? 
2. For which of the following offences do you think people should pay a fine: 
 Smoking in public Dropping litter 
 Begging Taking animals to restaurants 
 Splashing pedestrians Queue-jumping 
And why? 
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3. “Don’t tell me your troubles. I’ve got troubles of my own.” Is this a common attitude in 
today’s world? Discuss. 
ASSIGNMENT 12 
Discuss the situation with your partner and decide on the proper level of formality. You 
can use the suggested expressions if you want to. Then practice. 
Roleplay 1: 
Professor A and student B meet in the corridor. B has a class in another building and is 
already late, but doesn’t want to be rude to Professor A, who is very friendly and talkative 
this morning. 
Useful expressions: 
A: article on communication has just been published 
 Get your comments 
B: copy it later 
 (chemistry) class 
Role-play 2: 
A is in a new class at school and want to make new friends. A introduces himself or 
herself to B, who seems to know the way around. 
Useful expressions: 
A: English, too? 
 Have an apartment? 
B: courses are great? 
 Live on campus? 
Role-play 3: 
A and B work in the same department. A has just started this week. They meet C, presient 
of the company, at the water fountain. 
Useful expressions: 
A : newest___________ 
B: like you to meet 
C: increased productivity 
ASSIGNMENT 13 
Discuss the situation with your partner and decide on the proper level of formality. You 
can use the suggested expressions if you want to. Then practice. 
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Roleplay 1: 
A, B’s boss, wants to invite B to a formal dinner party. B wants to go but isn’t sure how to 
get there or what to wear. 
Useful expressions: 
A: dinner party at my house 
 Just a few business associates 
 Wear a dark suit and tie 
 I’ll draw you a map 
B: I would be delighted to 
 Rather formal 
 I’ve never been to your house... 
 Thank you 
 Looking forward to (meeting your wife) 
Role-play 2: 
A and B share an office in a publishing firm. A has a very nice set of pencils for making 
illustrations. One day when A is on a coffee break, B breaks a pencil. B finds one in A’s 
set and is using it when A returns. A sees the pencil and the open set, and is very angry. 
Useful expressions: 
A: no privacy around here 
 can’t leave anything unlocked 
B: broke my own pencil 
 Only borrowing it 
Role-play 3: 
A has just eaten dinner at B’s apartment. A really liked the meal, except for the dessert, 
which A couldn’t finish. They are leaving the dinner table, and A feels obliged to say 
something about the meal to B. 
Useful expressions: 
A: dessert - very rich in nutrition 
 Chicken - delicious 
 Must have taken hours 
B: typical meal 
 Love to cook 
 Not hard at all 
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ASSIGNMENT 14 
1. Imagine that it is now the year 2001 and that there are no longer lots of different 
governments in the world. Instead there is a world government consisting of two people 
elected from each country. 
In groups discuss the policies that you would like the world government to follow. Use 
the following headings to help you: 
 Taxes Equal rights 
 Development Pensions 
 Unemployment Education 
Health 
2. Write down ten principles for the world government to adopt, e.g. The government 
should create jobs. Which do you think are the most important? 
ASSIGNMENT 15 
1. Look at the list below and tick those things which make you laugh. 
* Comedy programs on television which make fun of famous people. 
* Very clever jokes 
* People with funny faces 
* Jokes about sex 
* Cartoons on television 
* Puppet shows 
* Films in which everything goes wrong 
* Comedians imitating famous singers 
* Plays in which the characters do ridiculous things 
* Ridiculous things happening in real life 
Compare your list in groups. Tell each other why some of the things on the list make you 
laugh and why some of them do not. 
Tell each other about other things that make you laugh. 
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2. In groups, tell each other about films, books, plays, people, television programs and 
real-life events which have made you laugh. 
Tell each other jokes and stories which have made you laugh. 
ASSIGNMENT 16 
1. In pairs, match each job to its correct description. 
Job Description 
Undertaker 
Conductor 
Lollipop lady 
Stunt man 
Plastic surgeon 
Anaesthetist 
Helps children to cross the road 
Improves people’s appearances 
Performs dangerous acts in films 
Puts people to sleep 
Arranges funerals 
Collects bus fares 
 Choose two jobs from the table - the job you would most like to have and the job you 
would least like to have. Then fill in a table like the one below, listing the advantages and 
disadvantages of the two jobs you have chosen. Talk with your partner. 
Job Advantages Disadvantages 
1 
2 
3. Here are some questions from an interview for the job of store detective in the new 
hypermarket. Put them in the order you would ask them if you were the interviewer. Then 
add two questions of your own. 
* What do you like doing in your spare time? 
* Why have you applied for this job? 
* What things about the job do you think you would find difficult? 
* Why do you think you are suited to the job? 
* Tell me about your family. 
* What would you say if you saw someone stealing something in the store? 
* What would you like to be doing in five years ‘ time? 
In pairs take it in turns to be the interviewer and interviewee for this job. 
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ASSIGNMENT 17 
1. Work with your partner to explain each of these types of programs: 
 Quiz show Play 
 Current affairs Film 
 Documentary Sport 
 Soap opera Educational 
 Comedy Variety show 
 Chat show 
Have you watched television this week? Write down the names of some of the programs 
you watched. 
Work in pairs or groups. Take it in turn to describe one of the programs you saw. 
2. Here are some statements about children watching television. Which do you agree 
with? Why? Work in groups of three to four students and try to reach agreement. 
YES NO Children watch too much television 
   Parents should make sure their children do not watch too much television. 
   Children like programs with a lot of violence in them. 
   Children who like violent programs are the ones who break the law a lot. 
   Cartoons are popular because they have a lot of violence in them. 
   Boys watch television more than girls. 
   Children watch a lot of television because they are bored. 
   Children from poor families watch more television than children from rich 
families. 
   Children are more likely to watch television by themselves than with their 
parents. 
   In general watching television is bad for children. 
ASSIGNMENT 18 
1. Do magazines in your country have Agony Column? 
Discuss the following questions with your partner. 
 - What kinds of problems do people write about in an Agony Column? 
 - What kind of people send in letters to an Agony Column? 
 - Where can you find an Agony Column? 
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 - Do you think advice from an Agony Column helpful? 
 - Why do people like to read Agony Column? 
2. Work with your partner. Talk together and think of a problem you could write about in 
a letter to an Agony Column. Then plan and write the letter. 
Exchange your letter with another pair. Talk about he problem in their letter and work out 
a response. 
3. People from different countries deal with marriage problems in different ways. Talk 
about some of the ways in which marriage problems are dealt with in your country. 
ASSIGNMENT 19 
1. What is/was your school like? Work with a partner and prepare a description. Talk 
about some of the following in your description: 
 - the size of the school 
 - whether the school is co-educational or single sex 
 - whether there are separate classes for clever and less able students 
 - whether there are school fees 
 - what the minimum school-leaving age is 
 - whether there is a school uniform 
 - what happens to less able students 
 - the school rules. 
2. Imagine that you could choose your own English language program. What kind of 
program would you choose? 
Here is a questionnaire to help you describe the program you would like. Work through 
the questions by yourself. Then compare your answers with a partner’s. 
a. How many students would you like in your class? 
b. Would you prefer the class to be mixed ( i.e. male and female students)? 
c. Would you prefer to learn with students of the same age as yourself? 
d. How many hours per week would you like to learn English? 
e. Do you want to learn all the language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing)? 
Are some more important than others? 
f. Would you prefer to follow a single textbook or to use several? 
g. Would you like the chance to work in a language laboratory? 
h. Would you like to do plenty of language drills? 
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i. Would you like plenty of opportunity to work in groups with other students? 
j. Would you like to work with students of the same level of English as yourself or with 
students of mixed ability? 
k. What else would you like in your program? 
3. Prepare a short talk describing the kind of English language program you would like. 
You can make use of these expressions: 
If I could choose my own language program, I would... 
I would prefer ....... to.... 
I would like the opportunity to... 
My program would include... 
It would be better to... than to... 
Give your talk to the rest of the class and be ready to answer questions when you have 
finished. 
ASSIGNMENT 20 
1. Is it important to you to live in a clean place? Why? 
How often do you clean your room/ apartment/ house? 
Do you think it’s different when you don’t live alone? Would having a roommate affect 
your feelings about a clean place? Why? 
2. Do you think children should help out at home? Will you (or do you) give your 
children their own household duties? Why? 
3. Do you have a roommate now, or have you ever had one? How do you (or did you) get 
along? What are the good and bad things about having a roommate? 
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