(1)For most people, their friendships are a valuable and important part of who they are. Psychologists have pointed out that well-established friendships lead us to a better understanding of ourselves. They have also noted that we might face conflicts not only with acquaintances but even with our good friends, which could result in ends to some of our friendships. Fortunately, even when such conflicts occur, it is possible to find ways to maintain or save the friendships.
(2)One way to help save a friendship in trouble is to keep in touch. When we think a friend has done something that hurt our feelings, our first response may be to cut off contact. However, it may be better to swallow our pride and avoid doing that. For example, Mary watched her friend Susan's children every week until Susan finished night school and graduated. But after that, Mary did not hear from Susan for several months. So, she felt that Susan had been just using her. She decided not to talk to her any more. In the end, however, Mary forced herself to ignore her own feelings and told Susan about her disappointment. Susan immediately apologized and told her that she had been just trying to catch up with things after completing her studies. Susan would never have known there was a problem if Mary had not mentioned it. Not cutting off contact, even when we may be angry, is very important for maintaining good relationships.
(3)Another way to help a friendship is to see things from our friend's point of view. For example, Mark was very upset at his good friend, Kate, because she had not visited him in the hospital. Later, he learned from Kate's friend that she had been afraid of hospitals ever since she had been hospitalized as a little girl for a serious illness. Mark then understood why Kate hadn't come and, instead of being angry, he felt sympathy for her.
(4)An important part of dealing with friendships is to recognize and accept that they can change as our needs and lifestyles evolve. For example, we may have a good friend in high school, but once we graduate, move to a different city for work or study, or get married, we may see that friend less frequently and our feelings may change. In other words, sometimes a close friendship may alter in nature. We should keep in mind that we may still be friends but not in the same way as before.
(5)How do people keep friendships for a long time? In one study, researchers interviewed many people who had been friends for a long time in order to find out the secret. They found that those people kept small misunderstandings from growing into large disputes which might cause their friendships to end. By taking their friends' viewpoints and not being afraid to express their honest feelings, those who were interviewed were able to keep something minor from growing into a major argument.
(6)We all know that friendships are precious, but we also understand that friendships are not always stable. The challenge in maintaining friendships is keeping the connections strong during the ups and downs that happen in all relationships. When things are going well, we enjoy our friendships. If things go bad, we should remember the points above. Sometimes we can get the relationship back on track, but at other times we should accept and appreciate that relationships can change. However, regardless of the states of our friendships, they will continue to be an important part of our lives. 【問題19】次の表は，本文のパラグラフ(段落)ごとの内容をまとめたものである。