What do you do when a friend comes to you and talk about his or her problems?

Do you immediately dive in to provide counselling and advice for him or her?
Or do you just listen and hear him or her out?
Or do you simply ignore your friend totally, thinking "Oh no, not again, I can't be bothered!"?

Now I'm talking to this same old friend, but she's bringing up similar situations like her past relationship, and having the same attitude at facing this second relationship. I'm already feeling slightly ignorant about wanting to continue the conversation (Option 3), yet at this rate that she continues to ramble on about her issues, I don't know what help she wants from me. Does she want Option 1 or Option 2? I realize I really don't know how to ask her this simple question. She isn't a close friend to me, though, but still, I haven't an idea of how to talk to her like this.

Communication is easy.
But, effective communication requires some skill and experiential learning along the way.