Vocabulary
keen awareness – проникливе усвідомлення
congeniality – конгеніальність, спорідненість, схожість, близькість
to deal with – справлятися з
bonds – зв’язки
tentative – спробний, експериментальний
arrangement – домовленість, угода
alteration – зміна, чергування
intensity – напруженість, інтенсивність
willingness – готовність
to be jealous – бути ревнивим, ревнувати
envious – заздрісний
mutual affection – взаємна прихильність
selfishness – егоїзм
understanding – розуміння
trust – довіра
promise – обіцянка
oath – клятва
You and your friends
Friends are important in your life because you spend a lot of time with them. You learn from them, and they learn from you. It is natural to listen to and learn from other people in your age group. Friends can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe one of tour friends teaches you to play the guitar or helps you to enter the university. You might admire a friend who is good at sports and try to be more like him or her. Maybe you tell other people about your new favourite book and now everyone’s reading it. These are examples of how friends positively influence each other every day.
The pressure to imitate your friends’ behaviour and earn their approval may be quite strong. Sometimes friends influence each other in negative ways. Everyone knows what negative peer pressure is. It can often be impossible to resist.
In fact, experiments have shown that most people will answer a question incorrectly, even though they know the correct answer, if everyone else is answering incorrectly. Now you know why your parents advise you to choose your friends wisely; because your friends influence your life and the decisions you make.
No friends are perfect, and some may pick up bad habits that, through peer pressure, spread it throughout your social group. You may even find that you are the only one in your social group not taking part in a negative behaviour.
Vocabulary
natural – природній
age group – вікова група
influence – вплив
to admire – обожнювати
good at sports – бути хорошим спортсменом
pressure – тиск
to earn approval – заслужити схвалення
peer pressure – тиск однолітків
impossible to resist – неможливо відмовитися
in fact – дійсно, фактично, насправді
incorrectly – неправильно
wisely – мудро
to pick up – переманити, підхопити
habits – звички
to spread – поширювати (-ся)
Family problems
Family problems are unique, but problems that make people look for psychological help are common. Some family problems are temporary and easily managed, while others are more chronic and difficult. Some of them can cause illness and injury, changing jobs, changing schools, moving and financial difficulties.
Most common are parent-child problems. Sometimes there are constant battles between children, and the parents resolve the conflicts. Divorce is a typical source of problems for all members of the family. Sometimes the couple relationship is the problem, with poor communication and constant conflicts. Problems can develop in a couple relationships because of a medical or psychological problem in one person, or in one of their children.
Each family develops its own way of resolving the problems some of which work better than others. Poor communication occurs when family members avoid talking to each other and do not know how to listen to what others are trying to say. Inability to resolve conflicts occurs because family members avoid discussing problems or even avoid admitting that problems exist. Some families just have not learned the skills of negotiating. Children are likely to pattern their behaviour after their parents’ behaviour and may learn to refuse to talk about feelings and problems.
There is no perfect family. Each family has its own strengths and weaknesses. If your family has serious problems in relationships, it is probably time for outside help. Psychological help from a professional may be necessary in these circumstances, depending on the nature of the problems and the willingness of family members to participate in therapy.