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unit4UnderstandingideasClickForAFriend?1.Howwouldyoufeelifmovingtoanewtownmeantlosingtrackofyourfriends?Whatiftheonlywayofgettingnewsfromfarawayfriendswaswritinglettersthattookagestobedelivered?Thiswashowthingsworkednotverylongago.Thankstoadvancesintechnology,howwemakefriendsandcommunicatewiththemhaschangedsignificantly.2.Nowadayswecanmovearoundtheworldandstillstayintouchwiththepeoplethatwewanttoremainfriendswith.Socialmediatoolsletusseewhatourfriendsareuptoandmaintainfriendships.AllyouneedisaWi-Ficonnection.3.Thedigitalagealsoenablesustofindpeoplewhoshareourinterests,suchascollectingmodelcarsorplayinganunusualinstrument.Whateverourhobbies,theInternetcanconnectuswithotherswhoalsoenjoydoingthem,eveniftheyliveontheothersideoftheworld.4.Butwhenyoufriendpeopleonline,doesthismeanthattheyreallyareyourfriends?5.Itdepends.6.Ifpeoplealwaysexchangetruepersonalinformationonline,thenyes,thesefriendshipscanberealandmeaningful.Butweneedtokeepinmindthatwhatweseeonsocialmediaisoftennotthewholetruthaboutaperson.7.Onsocialmediasites,peopletendtopostonlypositiveupdatesthatmakethemappearhappyandfriendly.Butsmilingphotoscanhadrealproblems.Rememberthesaying:ontheInternet,nobodyknowsyouareadog.Ayoungpersoncouldbeold;awomancouldbeaman;WecouldevenbesharingourInformationwithcriminals.8.Butthisdoesn'tmeanthatweshouldthrowthebabyoutwiththebathwater.Althoughtechnologyhaschangedthewayweacquirefriends,themeaningoffriendshipandourlongingforfriendsremainthesame.AsAristotlesaid,noonewouldchoosetolivewithoutfriends,evenifhehadallothergoods.DevelopingideasAfterTwentyYearsTheshortstoryAfterTwentyYearsissetinNewYorkonacold,darknight.Mostpeoplehaveleftworktogohome,andthispartofthecityisnowquiet.Apolicemanwhoischeckingtheareaseesamanoutsideashop.Hegoesuptothemanandfindshehasascaronhisface.Theyhaveachatandthemanstartstotellhisstory.1.Twentyyearsagotonight,saidtheman,Idinedhereat'BigJoe'Brady'swithJimmyWells,mybestchum,andthefinestchapintheworld.HeandIwereraisedhereinNewYork,justliketwobrothers,together.IwaseighteenandJimmywastwenty.ThenextmorningIwastostartfortheWesttomakemyfortune.Youcouldn'thavedraggedJimmyoutofNewYork;hethoughtitwastheonlyplaceonearth.Well,weagreedthatnightthatwewouldmeethereagainexactlytwentyyearsfromthatdateandtime,nomatterwhatourconditionsmightbeorfromwhatdistancewemighthavetocome.Wefiguredthatintwentyyearseachofusoughttohaveourdestinyworkedoutandourfortunesmade,whatevertheyweregoingtobe.2.Itsoundsprettyinteresting,saidthepoliceman.Ratheralongtimebetweenmeets,though,itseemstome.Haven'tyouheardfromyourfriendssinceyouleft?3.Well,yes,foratimewecorresponded,saidtheother.Butafterayearortwo,welosttrackofeachother.Yousee,theWestisaprettybigproposition,andIkepthustlingaroundoveritprettylively.ButIknowJimmywillmeetmehereifhe'salive,forhealwayswasthetourist,staunchestoldchapintheworld.He'llneverforget.Icameathousandmilestostandinthisdoortonight,andit'sworthitifmyoldpartnerturnsup.(ExcerptsfromAfterTwentyYearsbyO.Henry)WritinganendingtoastorySteppingoutofjailintothecoldwind,Bob,now58,feltlostandhelpless.Twentyyearsisalongtime,hesmiledbitterly,notknowingwheretogo.Hehadnofamily,andhadneverheardawordfromJimmyagainsincethatcold,darknight.Washeashamedofhavingafriendlikeme?Boblongedforananswer.Excuseme,sir,areyouBob?Bobheardthevoiceofayoungman.Yes.Heturnedaroundandwassurprisedtofindafamiliar-lookingmaninhisthirties.Havewemetbefore?No,sir,repliedtheman.Myfathertoldmetomeetyoutoday.Ihaveanoteforyoufromhim.Doubtfully,Bobunfoldedthenote.Hishandswereshakingbythetimehehadfinishedreading.Bob,thedoctorsaysI'veonlygotthreemonths.I'mafraidIwon'tbeabletomeetyouthistime,butyoualwaysbemydearfriend.JimmyYou'reJimmy'sson?!Bobshoutedinsurprise.Yes,sir,theyoungmansmiled.AndmynameisBob.