In choosing a friend, one should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun
together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair-weather friends. They will be with you
as long as you have money or luck, but when you are down, they will run away. How do I know when I
have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities (品质) of character, especially understanding, honesty
and reliability (可靠).
Above all else, I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person
is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead, he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person's
place, and he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.
At the same time, however, a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults (过错) in others. He notices
their good points. In short, a friend will try to understand me and accept me.
Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on (信赖) a good friend. If he tells me he will
meet me somewhere at a certain time, I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favor, he will do his best
to help me. If I am in trouble, he will not run away from me.
There is a fourth quality that makes a friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have
fun. We should enjoy our lives, and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who
are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience (经验) and learn from each
other. A good friend has a good sense of humor (幽默), too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share
in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.
When I meet someone who is reliable, honest, and understanding, I know I've found a friend!