Do you want a friend whom you could tell everything to,
like your deepest feelings and thoughts?
Or are you afraid that your friend would laugh at you,
or would not understand what you are going through?
Anne Frank wanted the first kind, so she made her diary her best friend.
Anne lived in Amsterdam in the Netherlands during World War II.
Her family was Jewish so she had to hide or they would be caught by the German Nazis.
She and her family hidden away for two years before they were discovered.
During that time the only true friend was her diary.
She said, "I don't want to set down a series of facts in a diary as most people do,
but I want this diary itself to be my friend, and I shall call my friend Kitty."
Now read how she felt after being in the hiding place since July 1942.
Thursday 15, June, 1944
Dear kitty,
I wonder if it's because I haven't been able to be outdoors for so long that I've grown so
crazy about everything to do with nature. I can well remember that there was a time
when a deep blue sky, the song of the birds, moonlight and flowers could never
have kept me spellbound. That's changed since I was here.
For example, when it was so warm, I stayed awake on purpose until half past eleven
one evening in order to have a good look at the moon for once by myself.
But as the moon gave far too much light, I didn't dare open a window.
Another time some months ago, I happened to be upstairs one evening when the
window was open. I didn't go downstairs until the window had to be shut.
The dark, rainy evening, the wind, the thundering clouds held me entirely in their power;
it was the first time in a year and a half that I'd seen the night face to face...
Sadly... I am only able to look at nature through dirty curtains hanging before very dusty
windows. It's no pleasure looking through these any longer because nature is one thing
that really must be experienced.
Yours,
Anne
Reading and listening
Read the letter that Lisa wrote to Miss Wang of Radio for Teenagers and predict
what Miss Wang will say. After listening, check and discuss her advice.
Dear Miss Wang,
I am having some trouble with my classmates at the moment. I'm getting along well with a
boy in my class. We often do homework together and we enjoy helping each other.
We have become really good friends. But other students have started gossiping.
They say that this boy and I have fallen in love. This has made me angry.
I don't want to end the friendship, but I hate others gossiping. What should I do?
Yours,
Lisa