Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
When two of your friends break up, it can be hard to remain close with both of them. Instead of hanging out with them as a couple, you have to find time to be with each of them separately. And if the break up was a painful one, you might have to listen to both sides complain about the other person.
Two of Amy’s good friends recently broke up. Will she be able to avoid choosing sides? Maybe Ella has some helpful advice.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
![]() Amy |
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Amy: These two friends of mine who’ve been in a relationship for like four years just broke up, and now we feel…My husband and I, who’s also their friend, we kind of feel like we have to choose. And if we’re having a party or something, it’s sort of awkward to invite both, so, you know, which one do you invite? It’s really kinda tough.
Ella: That is a difficult decision. Because you kinda want to be there for both if you’re equally close to them, and keep in touch. But, I don’t know, I always try to stay like Switzerland. I always want to be neutral in every situation. But sometimes that’s not possible, like at all.
Amy: Definitely. And it’s hard not to sympathize the most with the one who got dumped, you know? The person who…Especially if it was, you know, over anything bad, like if one person behaved badly, it’s really hard not to take sides.
Ella: Yeah, I always have to pick the side, even if I don’t agree, with the one that’s closer to me. Like if it’s a girlfriend, even though she cheated on her boyfriend, I’ll still have to side with her.
Amy: Really?
Ella: Yeah.
Amy: I have to say, though, I’ve been on the other side, too, where I lost friends after breaking up with somebody. And it really sucks. It really hurt my feelings.
Ella: Choosing sides. It’s never easy.
Grammar Point
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Discussion
Two of Amy’s friends recently broke up. Now she is having a hard time remaining close with both of them. She doesn’t want to choose sides, but trying to stay friends with both of them has created some awkward situations.
Ella says that when two of her friends break up, she tries to stay neutral and not choose sides. But if she was already closer to one member of the couple, she has to remain loyal to that person, even if they caused the break up by acting badly.
Amy says that it’s hard for her not to side with the person who got dumped, because she always feels bad for them. But she once lost friends after breaking up with someone, so she knows how hurtful that can be.
Have you ever had to choose sides because two of your friends broke up?
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