Ejercicios

PREVIEWING THE VOCABULARY
Before reading, preview the vocabulary in context. Read these key sentences
based on the selection, and choose the best meanings for the underlined words.

1 Unlikemarriage or the ties that bind parents and children, friendship appears to be a unique form of bonding.
a. responsibility
b. relationship by law
c. feeling that brings people together
2 Social criticsexpect people to be dissatisfied with their friendships; the research gives cold comfort to the critics, however.
a. is ignored by the critics
b. shows the critic are correct
c. is unwelcome newsto the critics
3 Unlike other social roles we play as citizens and employees, friendship has itsown rationale: to enhance feelings of warmth, trust, love, and affection
between two people.a.improve
b. decrease
c. eliminate
4 Social critics have pointed to the dislocation and isolation that they think growsout of the high mobility rate among Americans and a loss of community supports.
a.trouble using a map
b. disregard for traditions
c. feeling that life is out of order
5 Sociologists have described the impersonality and anomie of life in modern
cities, where increasing numbers ofpeople choose to live alone.
a. feelings of hopelessness and loneliness
b. chances for more friends
c. opportunities for more to do
6 Because increasing numbers of people choose to live alone,critics have
written a good deal about a trend toward self-indulgence and lack of commitment in our society.
a. talking to oneself / people to talk to
b. feeling very lonely all the time / closefamilies
c. doing whatever one wants / willingness to give time, energy

EXERCISE 5 Logical assertions
Read each statement, and decide whether it is a logical assertion that could serve
as the thesisstatement in an essay. If a statement is a good logical assertion, write
LA in the blank. If you decide a statement is not a logical assertion, find the
reason why in the following list of...