TEXT 13. Read and translate. Give a summary of the text.

Generation Gap

Do you know what a generation gap is? Even if you don't know the particular definition, you are aware of this problem, basing on your own experience. Generation gap is a popular term used to describe serious differences between people of two generations.

To realize how to deal with it, you should keep in mind that generation gap includes several aspects: children must know as much as possible about their parents and parents – about the world outlook of their children, about relations between brothers and sisters, and also about the attitude to them of close relatives on both sides – father's and mother's.

Children demand a great deal of attention, time and patience. There are many families where both parents keep working after giving birth to their baby and neglect their children's upbringing. In such cases most of the time the child has to spend on his own or with his friends. Due to the fact that he has not got any guidance from his parents he may be involved in some bad companies which commit violence or even crime and become alcohol or drug addicted. When the parents discover that, it's usually too late to change anything.

On the other hand, there is a different situation when the parents treat their children too strict and don't give them any freedom at all. In this case the children may become pariahs among their peers. Constant bans may increase the risk that the child will grow up insolent and defiant. This causes another big problem – lying. The child is forced to lie to the parents because of the fear to be punished. It can be anything from putting on make-up in the girls' room at school to stealing.

Some children rebel against discipline and family values. They listen to a loud music, wear inappropriate, to their parents' mind, clothes, dye their hair in inconceivable colours, have all their bodies pierced and tattooed trying to show their independence and establish their identity. They want to be treated as adults, but they are not ready to take all the necessary responsibilities. It doesn't mean that a child is bad and he will become a criminal. Of course, not! It only means that a child is in his transitional age and he is in need of your understanding and support.

But how to handle such behaviour? Parents and children should speak as often as possible, and have some parent-child activities like shopping or going in for sports. It is worth involving the child in discussing some family questions. Moreover, children in their teens are very vulnerable when they are criticized in public, so it should be avoided. Parents should always be honest and sincere with their child; otherwise it would be unfair to require the same from him.

Too authoritarian parents can't do any good to their children as well as parents who overindulge all the child's caprices. Overindulgence may lead to the same results as negligence. There are parents who are afraid of hurting the child by banning something when it is necessary. Such parents risk becoming powerless in the family and losing control over their children who may become spoiled and capricious.

It demands to make a great effort from both parents and children to reach mutual understanding.

TEXT 14. Read and translate the text. Be ready to discuss.

Sibling Rivalry

Have you got a brother or a sister? I have a younger brother and I think it's wonderful! I have a person who is very close to me and who will always help and support me in difficult situations.

However, when children are young, there may occur jealousy, competition and fighting between brothers and sisters. It is a concern of almost all parents having two or more kids. The problem usually starts when the second child is born.

Conflicts between brothers and sisters may be caused by the following reasons:

Children want to show that they are separate from their siblings. Fearing that a brother or a sister is better at anything, they try to find out their own talents, activities and interests. Sometimes children think that mum or dad loves their sibling more, they feel that another child gets more attention. Children can't share a room, their parents, toys, etc.

There are three main skills that parents should teach their children in order they could get along well together. They are communication, respect and negotiation.

Communication. It means that children should learn to listen attentively to each other. Use family meetings to talk about things that concern everyone. At such meetings nobody should shout and everyone should have a chance to express his or her opinion.

Respect. Try to explain to your children that if they want people to treat them nicely, they have to treat them nicely, too. People who treat each other with respect, get along together much better than those who are rude and selfish. Parents can also give examples of their own life so that children could understand better the necessity of being respectful.

Negotiation. Your child should keep in mind that whether he is younger or older, taller or shorter than other children, it does not give him any more rights than the others in the family have. It demands a lot of time and effort to teach the child the skill of negotiating, but it's a must for every parent. You should be fair with your children and try to find a solution which will satisfy each of them.

Parents should have a certain power in the family. However, this power can be reached only through trusting. If your children don't trust you, it's impossible to achieve anything but fear and contempt.

Finally, it's necessary to say that children shouldn't be compared to one another at all. They are individuals and are waiting for the appropriate attitude. Bringing up children is a huge responsibility.

To have a brother or a sister means to be never alone. From time to time children get sick of one another, but it is quite natural. The main thing is they'll have a close person throughout their life.

TEXT 15. Read and translate the text. Be ready to speak on the topic.

My Family And Me

In my opinion family is one of the most important things in our life.

There are four of us in the family: my dad, my mom, my younger sister and me.

I think it would be right if I begin with my parents. They have been married for twenty years already. My father Alexander Victorovich is forty-six. He is a businessman. He is tall, handsome, dark-haired, green-eyed and broad-shouldered. He has got many experiences in different spheres of life and it’s very interesting to talk to him. Besides, he has good sense of humour. My father is intelligent, polite and ready to come to help, friendly, very energetic and, what is more important, he is a loving farther. He is always interested in my problems, gives me advice which I try to follow. He is fond of car racing. We spend a lot of time together watching sport competitions and matches on TV.

I love my mother not less. Her name is Irina Petrovna. She is forty-five. She is a good-looking, fair-haired and slim woman. She is a lawyer. My mom is a woman of character and taste, well-educated, tactful and honest. She is strict but just. People say that she is always energetic, optimistic and full of common sense. My mother is good at cooking. At free time she visits cooking sites in the internet and spends hours googling new recipes. It’s a kind of relax for her. By the way, she has got a huge collection of recipes. Every weekend she cooks something delicious for us.

My sister’s name is Katya. She is a pretty girl with blond hair and blue eyes. Katya is four years younger than me, so she is 13. My sister is a pupil. She does well at school and gets good marks. I think my sister is purposeful, motivated and sociable, but to tell you the truth, she is a bit selfish. Katya is keen on dancing and we all think that she is good at it. When she has free time she listens to music, looks through magazines and communicates with her friends. My mom and my sister have much in common, for example they are both crazy about shopping.

And now some words about myself. My name is Kostya. I am 17. I’m in the first year of studies at university now and I enjoy every moment of my student life. I was born on the 29^th of March in 1993 in Smolensk under the zodiac sign of Aries. But frankly speaking, I don’t believe that stars influence our character much. As to my appearance, it’s quite ordinary: I am of middle height, slender, my hair is dark, my eyes are grey, so nothing special, I think.

Speaking about my character I can say that I’m even-tempered and reserved. But sometimes I can lose my temper and become angry. My mom says I’m stubborn but I disagree with her. Actually, I’m persistent and it’s different, in my opinion. In fact, I’m cheerful and friendly. There are many things that I like and dislike. I like when everything is OK and things are going my way.

I like to study because knowledge is useful sometimes. I’m fond of computer. I have got lots of computer games but use computer not only for playing, I surf the net to find useful information, chat with friends and make reports. I dislike talking over the phone. And I hate getting up early. But I’m happy I have more things I like than dislike.

UNIT 3. EDUCATION AS IT IS