"Nurturing friendships is very important..." The word 'nurturing' has the closest meaning to A nursing. A B supporting. C neglecting. D discouraging. fostering.

The answer is **E. fostering**. Here's why:* **Nurturing** means to care for and help something grow or develop.* **Fostering** also means to encourage the growth or development of something.The other options don't fit:* **Nursing** implies caring for someone who is sick or injured.* **Supporting** means providing assistance, but doesn't necessarily imply growth.* **Neglecting** means ignoring or failing to care for something.* **Discouraging** means trying to prevent something from happening. Therefore, **fostering** is the closest synonym for nurturing in the context of friendships.