Задание 38 ЕГЭ по английскому языку

It is often said that parents are the most significant people in a teenager's life. While friends and teachers certainly influence young people, I believe that it is mothers and fathers who shape them most profoundly.

In my opinion, parents play the leading role during adolescence. Firstly, they are the ones who pass on values, habits and attitudes that teenagers carry into adulthood. Secondly, when a young person faces serious problems, such as health issues or difficult choices about the future, it is usually the family that provides reliable support. Finally, parents know their child better than anyone else and can notice changes in mood or behaviour long before others do.

However, some people argue that friends matter more at this age. Teenagers spend most of their free time with peers, and they often imitate their classmates' tastes in music, clothes and even opinions. In addition, young people sometimes hide their worries from their family, preferring to discuss them with close friends of the same age.

Nevertheless, I cannot fully agree with this position. Friendship at fifteen is often changeable, whereas parental love is unconditional and lasting. Moreover, even when teenagers rebel, they still rely on their family for money, housing and emotional security, so the parents' influence remains the strongest.

To sum up, although friends undoubtedly affect teenagers, I am convinced that parents are the most important people in their lives, and this influence lasts far beyond adolescence.