搜索
Unit4FriendsforeverU4SectionAClickforaFriend?Howwouldyoufeelifmovingtoanewtownmeantlosingtrackofyourfriends?Whatiftheonlywayofgettingnewsfromfarawayfriendswaswritinglettersthattookagestobedelivered?Thiswashowthingsworkednotverylongago.Thankstoadvancesintechnology,howwemakefriendsandcommunicatewiththemhaschangedsignificantly.Nowadays,wecanmovearoundtheworldandstillstayintouchwiththepeoplethatwewanttoremainfriendswith.Socialmediatoolsletusseewhatourfriendsareuptoandmaintainfriendships.Allyouneedisawi-ficonnection.Thedigitalagealsoenablesustofindpeoplewhoshareourinterests,suchascollectingmodelcarsorplayinganunusualinstrument.Whateverourhobbies,theInternetcanconnectuswithotherswhoalsoenjoydoingthem,eveniftheyliveontheothersideoftheworld.Butwhenyou“friend”peopleonline,doesthismeanthattheyreallyareyourfriends?Itdepends.Ifpeoplealwaysexchangetruepersonalinformationonline,thenyes,thesefriendshipscanberealanmeaningful.Butweneedtokeepinminkthatwhatweseeonsocialmediaisoftennotthewholetruthaboutaperson.Onsocialmediasites,peopletendtopsstonlypositiveupdatesthatmakethemappearhappyandfriendly.Butsmilingphotoscanhiderealproblems.Rememberthesaying:ontheInternet,nobodyknowsyou’readog.Ayoungpersoncouldbeold;awomancouldbeaman;wecouldevenbesharingourinformationwithcriminals.Butthisdoesn’tmeanthatweshouldthrowthebabyourwiththebathwater.Althoughtechnologyhaschangedthewayweacquirefriends,themeaningoffriendshipandourlongingforfriendsremainthesame.AsAristotlesaid,noonewouldchoosetolivewithoutfriends,evenifhehadallothergoods.U4SectionCAfterTwentyYearsTheshortstory“AfterTwentyYears”issetinNewYorkonacold,darknight.Mostpeoplehaveleftworktogohome,andthispartofthecityisnowquiet.Apolicemanwhoischeckingtheareaseesamanoutsideashop.Hegoesuptothemanandfindshehasascaronhisface.Theyhaveachatandthemanstartstotellhisstory.“Twentyyearsagotonight,”saidtheman,“Idinedhereat‘BigJoe’Brady’swithJimmyWells,mybestchum,andthefinestchapintheworld.HeandIwereraisedhereinNewYork,justliketwobrothers,together.IwaseighteenandJimmywastwenty.ThenextmorningIwastostartfortheWesttomakemyfortune.Youcouldn’thavedraggedJimmyoutofNewYork;hethoughtitwastheonlyplaceonearth.Well,weagreedthatnightthatwewouldmeethereagainexactlytwentyyearsfromthatdateandtime,nomatterwhatourconditionsmightbeorfromwhatdistancewemighthavetocome.Wefiguredthatintwentyyearseachofusoughttohaveourdestinyworkedoutandourfortunesmade,whatevertheyweregoingtobe.”“Itsoundsprettyinteresting,”saidthepoliceman.“Ratheralongtimebetweenmeets,though,itseemstome.Haven’tyouheardfromyourfriendsinceyouleft?”“Well,yes,foratimewecorresponded,”saidtheother.“Butafterayearortwowelosttrackofeachother.Yousee,theWestisaprettybigproposition,andIkepthustlingaroundoveritprettylively.ButIknowJimmywillmeetmehereifhe’salive,forhealwayswasthetruest,staunchestoldchapintheworld.He’llneverforget.Icameathousandmilestostandinthisdoortonight,andit’sworthitifmyoldpartnerturnsup.”(Excerptsfrom“AfterTwentyYears”byO.Henry)