Germany

A German typically has very few friendships, which however normally last for a lifetime as loyalty is held in high regard. Friends in Germany are expected to help each other in every possible sense. Germans may appear aloof to people from other countries, as they tend to be cautious and keep their distance when it comes to meeting new people, which explains ongoing intercultural differences with people from English-speaking countries. Additionally, friends use the informal personal pronoun "du", which is otherwise only used for family members, as well as their respective first names. The development from becoming an acquaintance to a friend can take several months.

Russia

In Russia, one typically accords very few people the status of "friend". These friendships, however, make up in intensity what they lack in number. Friends are entitled to call each other by their first names alone, and to use diminutives. A norm of polite behavior is addressing "acquaintances" by full first name plus patronymic. These could include relationships which elsewhere would be qualified as real friendships, such as workplace relationships of long standing, or neighbors with whom one shares an occasional meal or a customary drink.

Asia

In the Middle East and Central Asia, male friendships, while less restricted than in Russia, tend also to be reserved and respectable in nature. They may use nicknames and diminutive forms of their first names. In countries like Middle East, it is believed in some parts that friendship is a form of respect, not born out of fear or superiority. Friends are people who are equal in most standards, but still respect each other irrespective of their attributes or shortcomings.

Decline of friendship in the USA

According to a study documented in the June 2006 issue of the journal American Sociological Review, Americans are thought to be suffering a loss in the quality and quantity of close friendships since at least 1985. The study states 25% of Americans have no close confidants, and the average total number of confidants per citizen has dropped from four to two.

According to the study:

• Americans' dependence on family as a safety net went up from 57% to 80%

• Americans' dependence on a partner or spouse went up from 5% to 9%

• Research has found a link between fewer friendships (especially in quality) and psychological regression

In recent times, it is postulated modern American friendships have lost the force and importance they had in antiquity. C.S. Lewis for example, in his The Four Loves, writes:

To the Ancients, Friendship seemed the happiest and most fully human of all loves; the crown of life and the school of virtue. The modern world, in comparison, ignores it. We admit of course that besides a wife and family a man needs a few 'friends'. But the very tone of the admission, and the sort of acquaintanceships which those who make it would describe as 'friendships', show clearly that what they are talking about has very little to do with that Philía which Aristotle classified among the virtues or that Amicitia on which Cicero wrote a book.

Comprehension questions:

1. What did Aristotle write about real friendship?

2. Why do Germans have few friendships?

3. How do Russians define the friends?

4. Who are friends for Asian people?

5. Who has lost the quality and quantity of friendships?

6. Which views from the text do you have?

Exercise 6. Make up dialogues discussing the following situations:

1. Maria, Tatiana and Anna were best friends. Anna quarreled with Tatiana. How would Maria act in this situation?

2. Friends SpongeBob and Patrick go out with the same girl Sandy. They tell each other about this “amazing” girl but don’t know that they share one girl. Finally they have learnt about it. What would they do?

3. You were best friends. But one has suddenly fallen in love with another, but is afraid to tell about it and to destroy friendship. How to solve this problem?

Exercise 7. Write a composition on one of the following topics.

1. Women’s friendship: pros and cons.

2. Do you think people look for different things in friends as they get older? If so why and how?

3. Have you ever fallen out with a good friend? What happened?

ПРИЧАСТИЕ

Причастие – одна из неличных форм глагола, имеет только оду форму. От правильных глаголов образуется прибавлением суффикса –ed к основе глагола (closed, discussed, painted, played). От неправильных глаголов причастие образуется индивидуально (written, begun, shut).

Причастия образуются главным образом от переходных глаголов и имеют пассивное значение.

He wore suits made to order. Он носил костюмы, сшитые на заказ.

When she came up the steps she found the Когда она поднялась по ступенькам, она

door locked. обнаружила, что дверь заперта.

Left alone, he stood motionless for а few Оставшись один, он несколько минут стоял

minutes. не двигаясь.

The man came out of the house Мужчина вышел из дома в сопровождении

accompanied by two dogs. двух собак.

Особенностью причастия является то, что оно часто адъективируется, то есть переходит в класс прилагательных. При этом, оно в какой-то мере меняет свое значение и приобретает грамматические характеристики прилагательных (образует степени сравнения и сочетается с такими наречиями степени, как very, so, too, as, rather, really и другими).

The road was as deserted as ever. Дорога была такой же пустынной, как всегда

Is your brother very alarmed? Твой брат очень встревожен?

По сравнению с инфинитивом и инговой формой у причастия намного меньше синтаксических функций в предложении. В некоторых функциях оно адъективируется. Это, например, всегда происходит в функции предикатива составного именного сказуемого.

I am naturally very disappointed. Естественно, что я очень разочарован.

We felt more disposed to one another. Мы почувствовали большее расположение

друг к другу

№№ п/п	Функция	Примеры	Примечание
1.	Часть составного глагольного сказуемого	He stood surprised in front of his house. Ye was lying back relaxed in the arm-chair.	После глаголов to sit, to stand и to lie.
2.	Субъектный предикатив	He was seen engaged in a conversation with a girl. The children were found locked in a shed.	После пассивных форм глаголов to find, to hear, to see и to make.
3.	Объектный предикатив	I must get the book published. I consider the work finished.	После глаголов to believe, to consider, to get, to feel, to find, to have, to hear, to keep, to see, to leave, to like, to make, to think, to want, to watch и других.
4.	Обстоятельственный член предложения	1. He may be very rude when roushed. She didn’t usually say a word unless spoken to. 2. I lay idly in a big chair with my eyes closed. She got up, the clothes folded over her arm.	1. Обозначает второе действие при глаголе-сказуемом и вводится каким-либо союзом (when, till, until, once, as, if, though, as though, even if, while), который уточняет характер обстоятельства. 2. В составе «абсолютной конструкции» у причастия есть свое подлежащее, с которым оно образует эту конструкцию, существующую как бы отдельно от предложения, но связанную с ним предлогом или беспредложно.
5.	Определение	1. I went toward the lighted window. 2. He carried the crate to the car parked behind the house. 3. Shocked by his words I sank into the chair.	1. Перед поясняемым существительным без пояснительных слов 2. После существительного с пояснитель- ными словами (причастный оборот) 3. При подлежащем, выраженном место- имением, причастие может быть в начале или после глагола-сказуемого

Exercise 8. Open the brackets, using the necessary type of the Participle

1. (To have) dinner he went out. 2. (To examine) by the doctor, the patient couldn’t stop talking. 3. (To write) her first textbook, she thought about the next book. 4. All the children looked at me (to listen) with a great attention. 5. (To prescribe) the medicine, the doctor left our house. 6. (To see) that nobody was coming, Tom rose. 7. I looked up and saw the sky (to light up with) the setting sun. 8. While (to translate) the text you may use a dictionary. 9. She felt tired (to run) such a long distance. 10. (To hear) his voice, we stepped. 11. The approached the boys (to water) the flowers. 12. The wind blew (to bring) the smell of coffee. 13. We are going to London (to have) relatives there. 14. (To hear) the man’s steps, the wolf disappeared. 15. (To run) in anger, he gave me money with trembling hands.

Exercise 9. Translate the sentences into English observing the rules of Participle

1. Получив телеграмму, я немедленно поехал в Тагил. 2. Услышав голос отца, он вышел из комнаты, чтобы открыть ему дверь. 3. Взяв бумагу и ручку, ребенок начал писать письмо. 4. Переходя дорогу, будьте осторожны. 5. Принеся новые DVD диски, Спандж Боб пригласил Патрика и Сквидварда посмотреть кино. 6. Сэнди стояла посреди комнаты, глядя на разбитые тарелки. 7. Не читай, лежа в кровати. 8. Добравшись до берега, пловец немного отдохнул. 9. Книга, которую сейчас обсуждают - последнее сочинение этого писателя. 10. Дети бежали по улице, подпрыгивая от радости. 11. Вот новые журналы, присланные для нашего офиса. 12. Я не хотел смотреть на женщину, сидящую напротив. 13. Нищий был одет в разорванную одежду. 14. Оставленная одна в комнате маленькая девочка заплакала. 15. Песня, которую поют, была написана несколько лет назад.