Make a list of some of the things which have happened to you that really made you angry. Imagine they have all happened today. Tell your friend about them. Use the Topical Vocabulary.

6. You have been asked to give a talk to all the students in the school about the meaning of feelings and the propriety of their public expression. The maga­zines and brochures you wanted haven't arrived. The talk begins in ten minutes. You haven't prepared it well enough. You can't get out of it now. Tell your friend.

7. There are different degrees of anger and different ways of showing it. Read the following text and comment on it:

If we could listen in on classrooms without being seen, we would hear many kinds of anger being expressed by teachers. One teacher frequently screams and yells at her children. Another furi­ously bangs on his desk. A third teacher throws an eraser across the room. Another sarcastically insults a child. One teacher grabs a child furiously and shakes him. One teacher slaps a child; anoth­er raps children on the knucles. Many angry threats are heard: "I'll show you who 'is the boss'. Don't talk to me that way." One teacher is furiously tearing up papers, another charges back and forth across the front of the room, letting off steam.

8. The teacher can't but react emotionally to what is happening in class. Read the following text and comment on the feelings involved:

I've had to learn how free I could be. That's the hardest thing for a new teacher. At first everybody worked. I thought, man, this is neat— everybody does what they're told. Then I thought, what a bore. It's no fun. And I got a little too free. Now I know they can sense when I start setting my jaw even before I know I'm doing it. They know where to settle it down. The hardest thing for me was to learn how to balance teacher control and class freedom.

9. We cannot always be bright and happy. Sometimes we have moods of de­pression or sadness. It's been one of those days — tell your friend about these evSnts which have made you feel really depressed:

1. You've lost your purse. 2. You've got to buy a present. 3. You got very wet in the rain because you left your umbrella at home. 4. You've got an exam tomorrow and you're going to fail. 5. You've just had a row with your girlfriend (or boyfriend).

 

10. Have a close look at this cartoon by Bidstrupp. How do different people react to one and the same incident? What type of temperament does their reac­tion reveal?

 

11. Very often an expression of anger on the part of children is met by pun­ishment from parents and teachers. Enlarge on the humour of the cartoon.

'I'll teach you to hit other children.

 

12. Read the following dialogues. Observe the WAY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS:

— What's the matter? You don't look well.

— I'm rather worried.

— What about?

— My exam.

— Oh! Is that all?

— I feel very nervous.

— Don't worry about it. Try to look on the bright side of

Things.

— I just can't stand that Robbins boy.

X — Millie is having one of her days, and it's driving me crazy.

— I wonder what I can make for supper tonight.

— Today is just one of those days.

— Oh, you poor thing, I had him last year, and he is impossi-

ble.

— I've made up my mind. We're going to Estonia for the holi­days.

— How marvellous!

— I've got a whole month off this year!

— A whole month. That's terrific.

— We'll leave in early June.

— Good! Are we taking the bicycles?

— The bicycles? Oh no, we're going on a package tour.

— Oh no!

— And I thought we'd take aunt Ann with us.

— Oh heavens! Do we have to?

13. Work in pairs. Use clichés dealing with moods and feelings.

Joy and enthusiasm:

Great/That's great!

Marvellous! Terrific! Fantastic!

How wonderful! How exciting! How thrilling!

Annoyance:

How annoying! What a nuisance! What a bore! That's just what I needed! I've just about had enough of...

Distress:

I'm worried. I just don't know what to do...

 I feel terrible. I've got a lot on my mind.

I don't feel at all happy. I'm fed up.

I can't take much more of this.

Indifference:

I can't say I'm interested.

I couldn't care less.

Please yourself.

I don't mind what you do.

The whole thing bores me to death.

Reassurance:

Cheer up. Take it easy.

Don't you think you're over-reacting a bit?

There's no need to get so upset.

Don't let it get you down.

It's not as bad as all that, surely?

Oh, come on, it's actually quite interesting.

I see what you mean, but on the other hand...

1. One of your flat-mates (room-mates) is always listening to records of opera on your hi^fi. Last night it woke you up at 2 a. m. You hate opera. Also, he/she never does his/her share of the wash­ing-up and cleaning. Tell your friend how angry you are.

2. Your friend is late and in a bad temper. Find out what's the matter and try to calm him/her down.

3. You have a toothache. And a headache. It's Sunday. And it's pouring with rain. And your girlfriend/boyfriend has left you. You had an argument and she/he left the city and you can't contact her/him to make it up. Tell your friend about it.

4. This time it's your friend who's depressed. Ask what's wrong and listen sympathetically. Try to cheer your friend up. Perhaps of­fer some advice or suggest something to take your friend's mind off his/her problems. When your friend seems happier discuss what you did with the rest of the class.

5. You feel fine today. It's a sunny day and you're enjoying yourself. Your friend doesn't seem so cheerful, though. Find out what the matter is and be sympathetic.

6. Try to interest your friend in these plans: going to the cinema; spending some time studying together; reading a good book you've just read; helping you with some shopping; watching TV this evening; going to a museum.

When you have succeeded in arousing his/her interest, discuss what you did with the rest of the class.

7. Listen to your friend's ideas and pretend to be indifferent. All your partner's plans seem really boring to you. Even talking to oth­er people in the class bores you to death.

14. Read the following text. Find in it arguments for accepting anger as nor­mal and against it. Copy them out in two columns (I — "for", II — "against").

Anger is Normal. Or Is It?

In terms of frequency of expression, anger is normal. It exists everywhere and is in all of us. But most teachers and parents find it difficult to accept anger as normal and inevitable. The real issue for the teacher and parent becomes the question of how to deal with anger in oneself.

The pressures on us to control or hide our anger are very power­ful. Teachers ask, "Will this be held against me as a sign of incom­petence or immaturity?" Other concerns are: "What will the kids tell their parents?" and "Will this get back to the principal?" Teachers, in addition, have real concern for their children: "Will a child become frightened? Will it damage him in some way?" or, even more upsetting, "Will the child get angry at me, become re­bellious, and no longer like me as a teacher?"

These concerns are so real that most teachers try to hide their anger. The results of this are quite predictable: at best the teacher who is straining to keep in anger is tense, irritable, and impatient; at worst the anger slips out in sarcasm or explodes in a rage of ac­cumulated fury.

Some teachers report that they never get angry in the class­room. In further discussions with teachers regarding situations or behaviour which typically arouses anger some teachers recog­nize all the signs of anger, but actually did not feel anger in the classroom. But usually an observer or the children in the classroom recognize the signs of anger. Certain teachers are more successful at hiding anger, but unless anger is in a mild form, it will be out one way or another,

How do children react to anger? All of us, as we recall our own childhood experiences in school, can remember instances of teachers expressing anger in the classroom. Though children frequently face anger from adults, they do not always adjust to it in ways that foster their own growth and learning. Teachers report that children often react with confusion; they're bothered, or their faces appear troubled. Some children are especially sensitive and hurt at the teacher's anger, and a few children are even frightened. Sarcasm or biting remarks that touch areas of special concern for children can be remembered with special misery for many years.

15. Discuss the text in pairs. One partner will take the view that anger is nor­mal on the part of a teacher. The other will defend the opposite point of view:

 

 

For:

1. The teacher faces numerous occasions when anger is normal and inevitable. Anger often occurs as the result of accumulated irritation, annoyance and stress.

2.Feelings should be considered honestly and realistically. It is superhuman never to feel anger, shakiness or helplessness.

3.Children or other outsiders are rarely fooled by the efforts of teachers to hide the emotions that are bursting underneath.

4.A teacher who denies his own feelings is wrapped in stress and struggle. Excitement, interest, and enthusiasm are blunted, if not completely obliterated.

5.The first important criterion of acceptable anger release is that the child not be blamed, attacked, or insulted.

 

 

Against:

1. The teacher is expected to behave calmly and coolly at all times. No matter how excited or tired, the teacher should be emotionally stable and consistent.

2. Anger in a teacher is a sign of weakness. A person who expresses anger often feels childish, immature, guilty.

3.No matter how joyous or angry the feelings must be controlled, hidden, disguised.

4. Children's feelings are more important than teacher's feelings.

5. Teachers who make fun of children or pick out certain weaknesses or deficiencies can leave lasting scars on a child's attitude toward school.

 

Role-Playing.

The class is divided into four groups. Each group is in a differ­ent mood.

Group A. You are all in a bad temper.

Group B, You are all depressed

Group C. You are all in a good mood.

Group D. You are all bored and indifferent.

When each group has established its mood by talking together, everyone goes round the class talking to different people. Try to make the people you meet share your mood! At the end tell every­one what you did and how successful you were. Did anyone man­age to change your mood?

Group Discussion.

Topic 1. Negative feelings seem to change character with intensity

Talking points:

1. A certain amount of fear can almost be fun.

2. Pregame anxiety for a competitive athlete, while still anxiety is an excitement he often relishes.

3. Shame and guilt are essential for the development of some noble qualities such as generosity, unselfishness, duty.

4. Many teachers recognize that the excitement of anxiety and challenge is the very zest of teaching.

Topic 2. Emotions are perfectly permissible signs of the healthy body's response to distress

Talking points:

1. When we feel anger, physical tension develops spontaneous­ly, automatically. We need to release this tension through action of some kind — to run, bang, even to hit.

2. Anger that is expressed spontaneously clears the air, can both remove the tension and the disturbing cause.

3. Accumulation of irritation, annoyance and stress leads to headaches, sickness of various kinds and proverbial ulcers.

4. People's inner feelings have no claim to public recognition. We have a responsibility— not only to the social unit, but also to our personal dignity — to keep "it" in.

Topic 3. Who has never tasted bitter, knows not what is sweet

Talking points:

1. The fact of succeeding despite difficulties excites us, contrib­utes to our self-confidence and self-esteem.

2. A removal of pain or revival of hope makes us feel good.

3. Most things that involve great pleasure also involve sweat, toil, perseverance and agony.

4. Satiation and easy gratification ultimately destroy pleasure.

Unit Seven

SPEECH PATTERNS

1. I have always hesitated to give advice.

I hesitated to ask him for help.

He didn't hesitate to take such a big risk.

Don't hesitate to refuse the offer if you don't like it.

2. How can one advise another unless one knows that other as well as one knows himself?

They won't accept your plan unless you alter it.

You'll fail unless you work hard.

Unless I'm mistaken, he's an artist.

Unless he's done the work properly, I shan't accept it.

3. He had some difficulty in lighting it.

I have some difficulty in understanding spoken German.

She had some difficulty in finding the house.

We had some difficulty in selecting a present for her.

 I had some difficulty in writing an essay.

4. He gave an apologetic laugh. I had not given him more than a cursory glance.

The girl gave a deep sigh. Jim gave a loud cry (groan).

She gave me a critical look.