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A Tradition in Decline

- A recent study in the USA found that 25% of Americans do not have any close friends, suggesting that quality friendships have been declining since 1985. - While Americans seem friendly to strangers, the French distinguish more clearly between casual acquaintances and true friends, reserving intimacy for their closest relationships. - Many cultures place great importance on the depth of friendships, something the author argues has been lost in Western societies in modern times.

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245 views2 pages

A Tradition in Decline

- A recent study in the USA found that 25% of Americans do not have any close friends, suggesting that quality friendships have been declining since 1985. - While Americans seem friendly to strangers, the French distinguish more clearly between casual acquaintances and true friends, reserving intimacy for their closest relationships. - Many cultures place great importance on the depth of friendships, something the author argues has been lost in Western societies in modern times.

Uploaded by

Phạm Nguyên
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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A Tradition in Decline

Is intimate friendship a relationship that is dying out in modern society? In our busy lives, we
have many acquaintances and friends - the people we work with, our neighbours, the people we
chat to at the local shop and so on. But how many really close friendships can we count? The
truth for most of us is probably not many. Some psychologists say that while we still value
strong family bonds, in recent times, friendships have lost the strength and importance that they
had in the past.
According to a study published recently in the USA, friendships in America have been
declining in quality and quantity since at least 1985. The study claims that 25% of Americans
don’t have anyone they could call a close friend. Yet, on the surface, Americans seem extremely
friendly people. If you have ever visited the USA, you will be familiar with the warmth and
hospitality that they show to complete strangers. Everyone can be treated as a ‘buddy’, even if
they are just a casual acquaintance.
But in other cultures, acquaintances and friendships have different qualities. In France, for
example, when you are trying to get to know a person, they may seem rather unfriendly and the
length of time it takes to form a strong friendship seems greater than in other countries. This is
because for the French there is still a clear distinction between a casual acquaintance and a true
friend. Although France is changing and perhaps becoming more like America, there is no doubt
that French people are still more private in their friendships and that they reserve real intimacy
for their closest friends. This intimacy can be found in many other non-western cultures too,
where great importance is attached to the quality and depth of friendships. It is something that
many of us in the West have forgotten and need to rediscover.
(Adapted from Life Upper Intermediate by Paul Dummet)
Question 1. Which best serves as the title for the passage?
A. Friendships: No End in Sight
B. A Tradition in Decline
C. Get to Know Your Acquaintances
D. A Story of a Buddy
Question 2. The word they in paragraph 1 refers to _______.
A. times B. bonds C. friendships D. psychologists
Question 3. According to paragraph 2, a study in the USA suggested that _______.
A. people are now reluctant to make friends
B. it doesn’t take much time to form a strong friendship
C. having an opposite-sex friend has been gaining in popularity
D. there has been a decrease in friendships
Question 4. The word hospitality in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _______.
A. friendliness B. disloyalty C. carelessness D. politeness
Question 5. Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage?
A. Americans appear to be very friendly.
B. It takes much time to forge a strong friendship with someone in France.
D. The French tend to develop intimacy with their closest friends.
D. Strong family relationships have gradually been neglected in society.

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