Additional reading

LOOKING AT THE ISSUE

What are some of the advantages of an international marriage?

What are some of the problems with an international marriage?

Keiko and Akira have been friends for a long time. But something has happened, and they might not be friends anу longer. Read the story and find out: what has happened to hurt, and maybe even end, their friendship?

Friends or Lovers?

Akira and Keiko leave the university library after several hours of studying together, something they do often. Suddenly,Akira tries to kiss Keiko.Keiko is shocked.

"What are you doing, Akira?" Keiko asks, hardly able to speak. "You're my best friend.We've been friends for five years. You're closer to me than my brother. And now you want to kiss me?"

Akira explains, "I want our friendship to be even closer."

"No, no, no! I don't think of you in that way. You're my friend. Best friends don't act thatway."

Akira looks confused. "I don't understand. Don't you see me as a man?"

"Of course I do," replies Keiko. "You're a handsome man. But you're a special man...my best friend. So we can't do this. Now do you understand?"

"No, not at all. Here is how I see it. You're a woman andI'm a man. We like each other very much. We're very close. So let's do what is natural in any male-female relationship."

"Natural? I think our friendship is natural. I thought I understood you. Maybe I was wrong," cries Keiko.

Akira's face is red. "So you really don't like me at all. You just want someone to talk to." He turns and walks quickly away.

Keiko's anger turns to sadness. In her heart, she thinks Akira is wrong—men and women can be friends without being lovers.But now she's not sure. What if all men think like Akira?

I. Answer the questions:

1. For how long had Keiko and Akira been friends?

2. In what way did Akira confuse Keiko? What did He want to show?

3. How did Keiko explain her reaction?

4. What was Akira`s argument for his action?

5. What thoughts was Keiko full of after that event?

II. What do you think? Can a man and a woman be close friends without being lovers? Check the opinions you agree with.

v Sometimes they can be friends, but usually friendship between a man and a woman is difficult.

v Maybe not. If a man and a woman are close friends, they will naturally become lovers.

v Yes, they can. I know a lot of cases like that among my friends.

v It's impossible, because men always want to have sex with women they like.

v Of course they can. I have some good men friends and we're just friends.

III. What is your best friend like? Use three adjectives.

For example, tall, kind, talkative.

She (He) is _______, _______and____

Why is that person your best friend?

For example, She helps me when I'm in trouble.

We have a great time talking together.

Is your best friend a man or a woman?

LET’S THINK

Everybody knows that health is the most valuable thing of all. You can have everything: a brilliant career, a lot of money, a loving family, but if you haven’t got health – you have nothing. Only one moment may change the whole life. Today you are a healthy man, tomorrow – a deadly ill person. You realise that every month, week, day, even a second makes you incapable to move your legs or arms, just breathe. Your friends and relatives will take care of you but it is so difficult to see their sufferings... And you’ve decided. What if I help myself and my close people? Just take some more drugs? Man should be strong enough to make such a decision. Or is it man’s weakness? Can man decide himself whether to live or to die? Perhaps, illness is a sore trial sent by God for sins?

What is your opinion?