How many friends can one person really have?

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

1. Who is your closest friend?
2. How did you meet your best friend?
3. How many close friends do you have?
4. What is the most important quality in a friend?
5. Do you keep in touch with friends from school?
6. Who do you call when you have good news?

Read each word and the example. Then say a sentence about your friends.

Choose the word that fits.

1. He is not a friend, only an .
2. I her with all my secrets.
3. We a flat with my friend.
4. Good friends you in difficult times.
5. My brother and I often about football.
6. We live far away, but we .
7. A friend never leaves you.
8. Please be with me.

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

1. to argue ↔ to
   sharemake uptrust
2. honest ↔
   loyalreliabledishonest
3. A person you know a little is an
   circleacquaintancerelationship
4. to have a good relationship with = to
   argue withtrustget on with
5. A person you can always depend on is
   tensefunnyreliable
6. Something you both like is something in
   commontouchcircle

Use these phrases to talk about friends.

• How did you meet?Як ви познайомилися?How did you meet your best friend?
• We have a lot in common.У нас багато спільного.We have a lot in common: we both love music.
• We get on well.Ми добре ладнаємо.We get on well.
• She's the kindest person I know.Вона наймиліша людина, яку я знаю.She's the kindest person I know.
• He's more reliable than...Він надійніший за...He's more reliable than my brother.
• We keep in touch.Ми підтримуємо зв'язок.We live far away, but we keep in touch.
• You can trust me.Ти можеш мені довіряти.I won't tell anyone. You can trust me.
• A friend in need is a friend indeed.Друг пізнається в біді.He helped me when I was sad. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

1. Robin Dunbar is a British anthropologist.
   TrueFalse
2. He said a person can keep about 1,000 stable relationships.
   TrueFalse
3. The smallest circle has about five very close people.
   TrueFalse
4. Dunbar's idea says our brain can keep many close relationships.
   TrueFalse
5. The text says many people prefer a few true friends.
   TrueFalse

1. How many close friends do you have?
2. Do you agree with Dunbar's circles?
3. Can you be close friends with someone you meet only online?
4. What is more important: many friends or a few good friends?

Common mistakes: -er than, the -est, and good – better – the best. ✗ more kind than → kinder than. ✗ the most good friend → the best friend.

1. She is
   kindermore kind
   than me.
2. He is
   more reliablereliabler
   than his brother.
3. She is
   the most kindthe kindest
   person I know.
4. This is
   the bestthe most good
   day.
5. My sister is
   oldermore old
   than me.
6. He is
   the most funnythe funniest
   friend.
7. She's
   gooderbetter
   at cooking than me.
8. It's
   the baddestthe worst
   film.

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

1. She is more kind than me. →
2. He is the most good friend. →
3. My brother is more old than me. →
4. He is reliabler than me. →
5. This is the baddest day. →
6. She is the most funny person. →

Answer in detail. Use comparatives and superlatives.

1. Who is your closest friend? Describe them.
2. How did you meet your best friend?
3. What is the most important quality in a friend?
4. Who is the kindest person you know?
5. Are you more like your mother or your father?
6. How do you keep in touch with friends who live far away?

Three people describe their friends. Compare the friendships. Who has the closest friend? Whose friendship is the oldest? Which friendship would you like to have?

This is the final speaking task of Block 9. Your teacher will time you.

1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
2. Part 1: how you feel today and a time when you were ill (feelings, have a..., should).
3. Part 2: your healthy habits and how you relax (much / many, imperatives).
4. Part 3: your best friend (comparatives and superlatives).

1. How many close friends do you have?
2. How did you meet your best friend?
3. Do you keep in touch with friends from school?
4. Do you prefer a few close friends or a big group?
5. What do you do with your friends at the weekend?
6. Who is the funniest person you know?
7. Do you argue with your friends?
8. What do you have in common with your best friend?

1. Who is your oldest friend?
2. Who is the kindest person in your family?
3. Who gives you the best advice?
4. Who do you trust the most?
5. Is your sister or brother more honest than you?
6. Who do you call when you have good news?

1. Is it better to have a few close friends or many friends?
2. Can online friends be real friends?
3. Is it possible to be friends with your boss?
4. Should we forgive friends who make mistakes?
5. Do friends change as we grow older?