Average Age

Ten is the year of the closest friendships – though not with the opposite gender. It is also a year when relationships with particular people or groups are strongest. The ten-year-old usually gels on well with parents but needs more time alone. Personal talents begin to show.

In the United States twenty is the average age for the first marriage for women, although probably only a third marry at this age because they want to; the others marry because of social pressure. The human brain is at its finest at twenty. It is the age when people can vole in Denmark, Japan, Norway and Switzerland. And in Japan it is the minimum age for buying alcohol.

For optimists thirty is one of the happiest ages, for pessimists it marks the end of feeling young. At this age you need to take a little more care with your body than when you were younger. Young people who enjoyed an all-night party at twenty will feel much worse the next day at thirty. In Britain it is the youngest you can become a bishop.

Forty is the age of the -middle-aged,' although nobody who is forty wants lo admit the fact. Bob Hope said that you are middle-aged when your age starts to show around your middle. In fact, the body starts lo gel smaller at forty and continues to do so until you die.

Fifty is the age when old friendships get closer and relationships with colleagues and relatives warmer. According to old proverbs, fifty is the age when you should be rich. George Orwell said, At fifty everyone has the face he deserves.' People need to wear glasses and some food loses its strong taste.

Appearance and character

1. How does your friend look like? Give a description of your group-male with a help of the following words:

Face: oval, round, square, long, hard, broad, thin, wrinkled, freckled, sensual, blazing with love, worriedclean shaven, sunburned (tanned, browned);

Features: regular, irregular, delicate, forceful, clean-cut, large (massive), small;

Nose: straight, snub (turned-up), strong (large), Roman, Grecian, small, crooked, flat, fleshy, hooked;

Mouth: small, soft, large (wide), firm, strong; Lips: thick, full, thin, sensual, painted rosy, parched, parted;

Eyes: clear, anxious, slanted, wide-apart, clever, sunken, near-(short) sighted, long-sighted, hazel, striking-blue, dark, green, kind, warm, clever;

E yebrows: thick (bushy), arched, pencilled, shaggy; Eyelashes: thick, straight, curving;

Forehead: high (tall), large (open), narrow, low, broad, doomed, retreating

Cheeks: plump (chubby), rosy (ruddy), sunken (hollow), pale, unshaven, wrinkled;

Complexion: fair, swarthy (dark), sallow (pale), blooming; Ears: huge, small;

Hair: even (straight), curly, plaited, wavy, thin, silky, dyed, golden, gray, grizzling, blonde, black, dark, fair, red, reddish; hair-cut, hair-do, pate, beard, moustache, wig;

Jaw: heavy, square, strong; Chin: massive, pointed, round, protruding, double;

Teeth: even, uneven, small (tiny), close-set;

Figure: lean (men), slender, slight, neat, slim (women), graceful, fat, plump, well-fed; posture;

Height (Stature): average (medium, middle-sized), tall, short;

Hand: shapely, delicate, tender, callous, hairy, puffy, soft;

Legs: strong (sturdy), slender, shapely, long, short, plump;

Shoulder: broad-shouldered, narrow-shouldered, round-shouldered;

Skin: delicate, rough, cream-white, weather-beaten, sun-burnt (tanned), sluggish;

Smile: artificial (insincere), hearty, forced, charming, happy, pleasant, pleased, sweet, broad, sad, faint;

Appearance: beautiful (women), handsome (men), pretty (women), agreeable, good-looking, pleasant-looking, plain-looking, ugly, extravagant, stylish, elegant.

2. Match the words in the first column to the best available answer in the second column.  

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

1.easy going 2. independent 3. modest 4. moody 5. sociable 6. stingy 7. unreliable 8. ambitious 9. opinionated 10. trustworthy

a. a person who doesn’t usually ask other people for help b. someone who doesn’t like giving things to other people c. someone who expresses very strong beliefs about things d. people who don’t do what they say they will e. a person who enjoys being with other people f. someone who is often in a bad mood or depressed g . a person who doesn’t worry much or get angry easily h. people who don’t make a big deal about their accomplishments i. people you can trust. j. a person who wants to do many things in the future

3a. Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the bank at the bottom of the page.

Funny, caring, lazy, boring, moody, Emotional, crazy, daring, kind, helpful, Easy-going, positive, friendly, reliable, shy

1. I’d really like to find a friend who is __________; he doesn’t worry much or get angry easily.

2. A ___________friend is a friend indeed. He is always ready to help others.

3. My friend Ana is very ____________. She believes marriage should be based on love.

4. Our English teacher is kind and __________. She treats students fairly.

5. I hope I never have a ________friend. I mean someone who is in a bad mood or depressed.

3b. Choose the correct answer from a, b, c or d.

6. My friend is very ________; he thinks of carrying on his studies in London.

(a) lazy (b) ambitious (c) shy (d) unreliable

7. My friend Amna is very _______; she cries quickly whenever she watches a romance movie.

(a) sensitive (b) friendly (c) easy going (d) daring

8. He likes playing bad tricks and teasing people. He is a _______ boy.

(a) positive (b) mischievous (c) flexible (d) caring

9. For me the ideal friend is someone who doesn’t mind paying a drink for me. I hate___people.

(a) shy (b) generous (c) stingy (d) negative

10. I don’t want to be friends with anyone who is not ________. A good friend shouldn’t talk about my problems openly with others. (a) trustworthy (b) crazy (c) helpful (d) funny

4. Read about Ann, describe the teacher/coach you like most of all.