READING


Reading Comprehension | What is Friendship?


Develop your reading skills. Read the following text about meditation and do the comprehension questions


What is friendship in simple words?

What is meditation?

Friendship is defined as a bond of affection between two people. People are referred to as best friends if the friendship is really strong. this relationship is characterized by positive interpersonal qualities such as kindness, generosity, loyalty, and honesty. True friends choose to be with one another, enjoy time spent together, and can engage in a positive and supportive role to one another.

What are the different types of friends?

As reciprocity, mutual respect, and affection rise, so does the depth of friendship. Consequently, different levels of friendship emerge according to the depth of the relationship.

Aquaintances

It's easy to classify acquaintances. They're the people you meet frequently at casual places but don't truly know each other. These are people we know well enough to strike up a conversation with from time to time, but not people we'd ask to a dinner party or contact for help.

Close friends

You're more inclined to seek help or support from a close buddy. There is not only a high level of trust amongst close friends but also a great deal of genuine love and affection. Even if you disagree with a close friend's decisions, you would protect his or her freedom to make them.

Best friends

Although best friends are quite rare, they are people whom we need in our lives. Your best friend understands you without much explanation and is always there for you. Your relationship with your best friend is not dependent on the time you spend together. You may not meet your best friends for a long time. But once you get in touch with them, you feel as if nothing has changed in your friendship. These connections are distinct in their ability to adapt to the environment and endure despite the vagaries of life.

Virtual friends

Virtual friendship is a relatively new type of friendship. It refers to friendship that takes place on the internet and is unlikely to be connected to real-life interaction. It is contrasted with the traditional friendships that we have listed above. The latter is a form of relationship that requires a lot of face-to-face connection.

This type of friendship developed as a result of advances in technology. The internet, especially social media, played an undeniable role in connecting people worldwide.

Characteristics of good friends

According to Doctor Suzanne Degges-White, there are 13 essential traits of good friends:

  1. Trustworthy:
    This is the most important characteristic of true friendship. It englobes all the other traits. It is the ability to be relied on as honest or truthful.
  2. Honest:
    Honest friends are free of deceit. They are truthful, sincere, and morally correct or virtuous.
  3. Dependable:
    You can count on dependable friends.
  4. Loyal:
    A loyal friend shows firm and constant support to you.
  5. Trust:
    Friends trust each other because they are comfortable with vulnerability.
  6. Empathetic:
    If you are empathetic, you show an ability to understand and share the feelings of your friend.
  7. Non-judgemental:
    Good friends are non-judgmental. They are tolerant and refrain from judgment based on personal ethical standards and accept their friends' choices.
  8. Good listener:
    To be a good friend you have to listen carefully, attentively, and sympathetically to your friend.
  9. Supportive in good times:
    You have to be supportive of your friends in their good times, for example by assisting them in developing their potential and celebrating their success.
  10. Supportive in bad times:
    You have to be supportive of your friends in their bad times. Real friends make your problems their problems.
  11. Self-confident:
    Self-confidence is a feeling of trust in one's abilities, qualities, and judgment. If you are self-confident, you impart this quality to your friends.
  12. Funny:
    If you are a person who is fun to be around, you are in a better position to be a good company to your friends.
  13. Able to see the humor in life:
    The responsibility and seriousness of life can weigh people down, but being a friend who sees the humor in life can make a world of difference in a friendship.

As Doctor Suzanne Degges-White says, it is probably difficult to find friends endowed with all these thirteen qualities. But as a friend, you have to try to examine your personal habits to discover if you need to improve your friendship.

Comprehension:

  1. There are different levels of friendship.
    a. True
    b. False
  2. Best friends are necessarily people we always meet.
    a. True
    b. False
  3. Virtual friendship is an old type of relationships.
    a. True
    b. False

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