How to Make friends

Just in case you were wondering, below is a short intermediate essay on How to Make Friends.
Intermediate Chinese Reading Practice Passages - Intermediate Chinese EssaysThis article was both written and translated into English by a Chinese student on her own blog. I wish I could remember wher I found it now, as I’d like to give the credit wher credit is due, but it’s been sitting in my “drafts” folder forever. The Chinese title is 如何交朋友.
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共事 – gòng shì – Work together
交 – jiāo – to “make” (in this case, to “make” friends)
呢 – bào yǐ – To give in return
报以 – huāng fèi – Abandoned
陌生人 – mò shēng rén – A stranger
为重 – wéi zhòng – Attach the most importance to
分歧 – fēn qí – Difference of opinion
危急关头 – wēi jí guān tóu – Desperate situation, critical juncture
患难 – huàn nàn – trials and tribulations
相待 – xiāng dài – to treat [someone a certain way]
利益 – lì yì – Benefit
人人都需要朋友。朋友可以给我们以帮助，与我们共事困难和快乐。但是，怎样交朋友呢?
交朋友首先要对别人友善。你对别人微笑；肯定别人也会报以微笑。要使陌生人感到亲切，关心别人要比,关心自己为重，决不以貌取人。
其次，朋友之间应该商量而不是争吵。当与别人有分歧时，要和他一起讨论。
最后，不要相信那些在危急关头背离你的人，也不要在朋友危难时离开他。记住: 患难之中见真情。
朋友应该以诚相待。只要你把朋友的利益置于你的利益之上，你就会拥有好多好朋友
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Everyone needs friends. A friend can give us help and share our difficulties and happiness. But how can we make friends?
First, to make friends, you must be friendly to others. Smile at others and you are sure to get a smile in return. You should try to make a stranger feel at home wherver he happens to be. Think more of others than of yourself and never judge a person by their appearance and clothes.
Second, friends should negotiate instead of quarrel. When you don’t agree with someone, discuss the issue with them.
Finally, never trust in those who leave you when you are in trouble. And never leave your friends when they are in trouble. Remember, a friend in need is a friend indeed. [Literally: During difficult situations, you will see the truth]
Friends should be faithful to each other. So long as you can put your friend’s interests in front of yours, you will have a lot of good friends.