Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. loneliness
    • ex. Moving to a new city can sometimes cause a feeling of loneliness.
  2. take part
    • ex. Thousands of people are taking part in the city’s cleaning project.
  3. maintain
    • ex. They always say hello to their neighbors to maintain a good relationship with them.
  4. a chain
    • ex. He wants his restaurant to become a famous chain around the world.
  5. recognize
    • ex. It is important to recognize the signs of stress and ask for help when needed.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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In Sweden, a pharmacy company has started a project to help reduce loneliness. The project gives workers paid time to spend with family and friends. The year-long “friend care” project began in April, and 11 employees are taking part. Each worker receives 15 minutes of paid time each week, or one hour a month. They also get 1,000 Swedish kronor (about ¥16,500) for activities that help build and maintain friendships.

Per Bergman, the head of PR at the pharmacy company, said the workers can use the extra time and money for simple social activities. This includes having coffee or going to the movies. He said the project encourages people to think about ways to connect with others.

In addition, all 4,000 employees at the pharmacy chain received training on how to recognize loneliness. A 2022 European Union survey found that 14 percent of people in Sweden felt lonely during a four-week period. This was slightly above the EU average of 13 percent.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

The "Friend Care" Project to Reduce Loneliness

  • A Swedish pharmacy started a "friend care" project to help lonely workers. What do you think about this project? Discuss.
  • Would you want a similar project in companies in your country? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • What do you do to reduce loneliness (ex. talking to a friend)? Discuss.

Building and Maintaining Friendships

  • The pharmacy company gives workers 1,000 Swedish kronor (about ¥16,500) to spend on activities with friends. What do you think of this? Discuss.
  • Is it easy or difficult for you to build and maintain friendships? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • In your country, what are the ways people build and maintain friendships? Discuss.