What Makes Young People Do This?

Today it is fashionable to speak about teenagers problems. A few years ago alcohol, fights, killings and other kinds of violencewere more problems for adults than for young people.

But now, as official reports admit, violence, AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), drugs and alcohol are more and more associated with youngsters. For many children from poor families violence, drinking problems and all that is associated with povertybecomes more real than reality.

The Government surveys show that every fifth teenager who was arrested for criminal actions, was younger than 14 and could not be sent to prison.Almost half of teenagers have an experience with drugs, alcohol and sex under age of 16. A lot of teenagers who have drug or alcohol addictionalmost never believe that they are dependent. These things are often combined with family and school problems.

What has gone wrong? Some specialists explain that the changes of our society, the system of our life force young people to choose their own lifestyle. On the one hand, our society agrees that 15-17-year-old people are old enough to be responsible for what they do and give them quite a lot of freedom and rights. On the other hand, most adults think that teenagers are too young to be taken seriously. This misunderstanding produces many problems. Actually, a lot of teenagers say that their parents let them do anything they want and are quite indifferent to their problems. Many teenagers get upset or depressed when they can't solve their problems. As a result, it makes them believe that there is only one way out — to stop living and commit suicide.

No doubt, the teens' problems will increase. And young people should feel that they are cared for.

Вопросы

1. What teens' problems are discussed in this magazine article?

2. What makes young people do these things? How do different people explain the reasons for teenagers' behaviour?

3. How many teenagers have drinking problems?

4. How many American children run away from home every day?

5. How do they explain the reasons?

6. How many children die in America every day?

7. Which problems discussed in the article can be applied to your country?

 

The Government The specialists Adults Teenagers	say(s) think(s) explain(s) admit(s)	that …
It's awful to learn that/about... I was surprised to know that/about … I was shocked to read that/about...

Задание 2. Во многих журналах и газетах пишут о жизни подростков. Ознакомьтесь с информацией и обсудите ее. Используйте выражения

ОБУЧАЮЩИЙ МОДУЛЬ 7. 2

Friendship. Receiving visitors

УРОВЕНЬ

Задание 1. Прочитайте и переведите текст

My Best Friends

Friendship plays a very important role in our life. People usually make friends when they go to the same school, work together or live nearby. It's difficult to explain how two quite different persons make friends. You can have a lot of acquaintances but only a few true friends. It depends on many things. Among them are age, social status, mutual interests and sometimes personal qualities. It is easier to make friends with persons who are much alike you, though sometimes these factors are of no importance.

Now I want to tell you about people whom I consider to be my friends. One of them is Nick. He is an old friend of mine. We went to the first form together because he lived next door to me. Now he is a tall young man with dark hair, blue eyes and oval face. He is rather strong and well-built because he is a sportsman. He played volleyball well in our school team.

He is going to enter the Mathematical faculty of theUniversity this year. He was always strong in mathematics and he helped me very often with my home tasks. I think he will be able to pass his entrance examinations and become a student.

Marina is my best friend too. She is a very pretty girl. She has big blue eyes, fair hair and a nice smile. She is a schoolgirl now. She studies well and she wants to become a doctor. She will try to enter the Medical Institute next year and I hope her first attempt will be successful. I'm sure she will make a good doctor.

I often meet my friends. We talk about different things. I like to spend my free time with my friends.

Задание 2. Прочитайте и переведите мини диалоги

1. -Good evening! Pleased to see you. Come on in.

- Good evening! Pleased to see you too.

- Please, take off your coat and let me show you around.

- This way, please.

- Oh, what a nice flat you have!

- Thank you. Take a seat, please.

- Would you like a cup of tea?

- I’d love to.

2. - Are you free this evening? I'd like to invite you to dinner.

- Oh, it’s great!

- Dinner is ready. Enjoy yourself.

- What is this dish called? It is delicious.

- It’s Chinese dish and I don’t know its proper name. Can I get you something to drink?

- Thank you. I'm afraid I'm full. It's getting late I must be going home now. Thank you very much for dinner.

- Not at all. Drop in when you come this way.

- OK. It was a lovely evening. Next time you must come to our place.

 

УРОВЕНЬ

Задание 1. Прочитайте текст и выполните задания А и Б

Everybody grows up in a certain cultural environment and adopts certain values and beliefs as well as patterns of behavior from their parents, friends, teachers, mass media, movies and books. That is why those who are growing up in the USA accumulate a particular culture which shapes them into Americans.

We should also keep in mind that American’s population is characterized by ethnic, religious, racial, social, educational, and political diversity. In some ways, those belonging to one group share the values and assumptions of that group. But everybody is a member of several different groups and resembles somehow each of them. Therefore, it is difficult to generalize about Americans.

On the other hand, the modern world has turned into a global village where nations and groups quickly pick up somebody else’s fashions, style, gadgets, cuisine, words, music and other things. Common problems, natural disasters, or acts of terror also make people forget about their differences and unite.

А) закончите предложения

1. The cultural environment consists of …

2. A value is …

3. Some common patterns of behavior in Russia/the U.S. are …

4. In the U.S. we can find the following ethnic groups …/ racial groups …/ religious groups …/ social groups …/ educational groups …/ political groups …

5. The expression “the world is a global village” implies …

6. Some examples of what the Russians have borrowed from Americans are …

7. Some signs that will tell you see an American are …

8. Some things that will tell others that you are from Russia are …

9. Some common problems that all the nations face nowadays are …

10. Recently the people from many countries have joined their efforts in order to.…

11. Cooperation between Russia and the U.S. is developing in …

Б) ответьте на вопросы, используя информацию из текста

1. Do you think they are different from younger kids in America?

2. Are they more similar than different compared to the teens growing up in other countries?

3. Do racial, social, educational, economic, ethnic, or religious characteristics make any distinctions? Why?

Задание 2. Ответьте на вопросы

1. What ought to true friends to be like?

2. What kind of people helps others, take care of others?

3. What kind of boys and girls are good classmates?

4. What ought you to be and do if you want to be a good son (daughter)?

5. What ought you to be and do if you want to be a good pupil (to become good at sports and games).

Задание 3. Составьте диалог из следующих выражений:

- Great! I'd love to!

- What time shall I come?

- Would you like to go dan­cing?

- May I bring a friend?

- After you.

- What would you like to drink?

- It’s been nice talking to you.

- I'm sorry but I’m pressed for time.

- I'm afraid I've taken up too much of your time.

- It was great.

- Best regards to your mother.

- I'm on my way to your place.

- I'd like to talk to you right now.

УРОВЕНЬ

Задание 1. Переведите предложения с русского языка на английский

1. Мои родители запрещают мне курить.

2. Мама не разрешает Павлу заводить домашнее животное.

3. Закон разрешает продавать алкоголь только лицам старше 16 лет.

4. Его родители не хотят, чтобы он служил в армии.

5. Твои родители разрешают тебе работать полдня после школы?

6. Закон разрешает подросткам получить водительские права в 16 лет.

7. В школе учителя заставляют школьников выполнять много заданий и упражнений

Задание 2. Опираясь на вопросы, составьте рассказ на тему «Дружба»

1. What traits of character in man do you value most of all?

2. What traits do you consider negative and why?

3. Which is more important for a person — his character or intellect?

4. Is a pupil's progress in studies connected with his character?

5. Can a person live without having friends?

6. Is it difficult to find a good friend?

7. What is the hardest thing in friendship?

8. What is more important in life: friendship or love?

Задание 3. Ролевая игра «I’m receiving guests at my birthday party»

ОБУЧАЮЩИЙ МОДУЛЬ 7. 3

Dating. Summer Job. Business meeting

УРОВЕНЬ

Задание 1. Прочитайте и переведите текст

In the United States dating starts early. In some families thirteen- and fourteen-year-old boys and girls go out on dates. When young teenagers go on dates they often go with a group, and usually the group has a chaperone. But older teenagers usually do not have a chaperone on their dates.

When a third person arranges a date between two strangers, it is a blind date. Some people send information about themselves to a computer dating bureau, which matches them with blind dates.

In the past it was customary for a boy to pay for a date. Sometimes today a girl pays for herself. This is called going dutch. Frequently a boy asks a girl for a date, but more and more often girls are asking boys for dates.

Задание 2. Переведите текст со словарем

How Much Is the Job Worth?

One of the most difficult questions to answer is how much a job is worth. We naturally expect that a doctor's salary will be higher than a bus conductor's salary. But the question becomes much more difficult to answer when we compare, for example, a miner with an engineer, or an unskilled man working in an oil field with a teacher in a high school. What the doctor, the engineer and the teacher have in common is that they have spent several years of their lives studying in order to get the necessary training for their professions. We feel that this training and these years, when they were studying instead of earning money, should be rewarded. At the same time we recognize that the work of the miner and the worker in an oil field is both hard and dangerous, and that they must be highly paid for the risks that they take.

Another factor we must take into consideration is how socially useful a man's work is, regardless of the talents he may bring to it. Most people would agree that looking after the sick or teaching children is more important than selling used cars or improving the taste of toothpaste. Yet it is almost certain that the used-car salesman earns more than the nurse, and the research chemist earns more than the schoolteacher.

Задание 3. Прочитайте и переведите советы о поведении при собеседовании

How to make a good impression:

1. Be on time for the interview. 2. Speak plainly and clearly. 3. Always be polite. 4. Look at the interviewer. 5. Sit comfortably, don't slouch.

6. Answer the questions. 7. Be sincere and honest. 8. Dress neatly. 9. Do not chew gum. 10. Thank the interviewer for his time and consideration.

Задание 4. Прочитайте и переведите диалог

- Good morning! Sorry, I have kept you waiting.

- Never mind.

- Remind me your name, please.

- I’m Gore Brown. Here's my card.

- Nice to meet you. Have you ever been to our town?

- It's my first visit.

- I hope you'll enjoy your visit. Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, mineral water?

- A cup of coffee, please.

- What coffee do you prefer Mr. Brown? Black or white?

- Black and no sugar, please.

- Could you make coffee for us, Ann? Let's get down to business.What’s the purpose of your visit?

- We are going to discuss some questions with your managers. When and where can we see them?

- I see. You can find them in the Sales Departure, next door.

- Thank you very much.

- You are welcome. Good luck. See you later.

- Good bye.

 

УРОВЕНЬ

Задание 1. Ответьте на вопросы, используя информацию из текста 1-го задания 1-го уровня.

1. Do young people go on dates in your native country?

2. How young are they when they begin dating?

3. Have you ever had a blind date? What do you think of this custom?

Задание 2. Прочитайте текст и ответьте на вопросы

Summer Job

The summer job is a tradition among students of American schools and universities. Long before the end of the school year, students begin their search for jobs during vacation (June, July and August). Students send letters to businesses, and talk to employers about job opportunities during the summer.

Reasons for wanting a summer job vary from student to student. Some work to help pay their school expenses; others work to gain experience in their chosen professions; still others work just for the fun of it.

Paperboy, typist, construction worker, salesclerk, baby-sitter, factory-worker, waiter or waitress — these are some of the more common jobs that students seek during the summer months.

Вопросы

1) How do American schoolchildren and students look for summer jobs?

2) Why do they want summer jobs?

3) What are some common jobs students take?

4) Do you think that it is a good idea for students to work during summer vaca­tion? Explain your answer.

5) Which of the vacation jobs described here would you like to have? Why?

6) What kind of work can students do in your country to make some money?

Задание 3. Составьте диалог, используя фразы

- Remind me your name, please.

- I'm (we are) in your town for the first time.

- What are you by profession? Let me see.

- You have an appointment with our lawyer at 9 p.m.

- I'm not very good at English.

- Would you mind speaking a bit slower? Our driver is at your disposal during your visit.

УРОВЕНЬ

Задание 1. Опишите человека, которого вы хотели бы пригласить на свидание. Используйте следующие слова

beauty, athletic, intelligence, intellectual, honesty, romantic, humour, protective, seriousness, artistic, success, peaceful, generosity, ambitious, kindness, successful, energy.

Задание 2. Ролевая игра.

Варианты тем:

1. Going on a date.

2. The job interview.

3. Business meeting in the office.

ГРАММАТИКА

ОБУЧАЮЩИЙ МОДУЛЬ 7.1