Friendship (reading and speaking)

Talk about a friendship

​You have to answer the questions based on the following text.

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INSTRUCTIONS

Philippe Pozzo di Borgo and Abdel Sellou first met in Paris in 1993 when Philippe was looking for a nurse. Philippe was from a very wealthy family. At one time he had been a successful businessman, living a life of great luxury. Then he had a terrible paragliding accident and lost the use of his arms and legs. Life in wheelchair was lonely and boring.

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Philippe interviewed more than 80 people for the job of nurse, but none of them seemed right. Then he met Abdel, who had quit a life of crime in Algeria and moved to France to look for work. He was lively, intelligent and quick-thinking, with a crazy sense of humour. Philippe got on with Abdel immediately, and he offered him the job.​

The two men didn't have much in common. Abdel loved pop music, but Philippe preferred classical music. Philippe loved modern art, but Abdel hated it. Philippe's family were sure that he had made a bad choice. They believed that Philippe needed someone much more sensible. Meanwhile, Abdel wasn't planning on staying in the job for long.

However, their working relationship quickly developed into a closed friendship. Abdel gave Philippe the support he needed. More importantly his energy and sense of humour brought fun and excitement back into Philippe´s life. Abdel helped Philippe make trips to other countries. Back home in Paris their adventures included travelling around the streets of Paris with Abdel on the back of Philippe´s wheelchair or driving Philippe´s Rolls-Royce -often much too fast!

In the end, Abdel worked for Philippe for ten years. Philippe believes it was Abdel´s energy and sense of fun that kept him alive. '​I suddenly found I was enjoying life again,' he says. 'I felt like I didn´t know what was coming next.' As for Abdel, get to know Philippe had kept him out of prision and introduced him to a new way of life.

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Philippe and Abdel now live in different countries, each with a wife and family. They keep in touch regularly. Over the years they have learnt, among other things, to enjoy each other´s favourite music. All that really matters to their friendship, though, is their shared love og laughter and adventure.​

Open Ended

How did Philippe and Abdel meet?

Open Ended

In what ways did Abdel help Philippe?

Open Ended

Why did Philippe´s family feel that he was making a bad decision by hiring Abdel?

Open Ended

What is their relationship like now?

Open Ended

Have you had a frienship as valuable as the one in the story?

In a 3-minute audio talk about how you met your best friend.