Владимир Аракин - Практический курс английского языка 3 курс [calibre 2.43.0]

1. "To the average child his parents are kill-joys. They are always saying "No". No getting dirty, no jumping on the sofa, no

running around naked, no hitting the little sister."

2. "Much more than a direct rebuke, sarcasm infuriates children. It makes them completely irrational and they direct all their

energies to planning counter-attacks. They will be completely preoccupied with revenge fantasies. Sarcasm not only serves to deflate

a child's standing in his own eyes but in the eyes of his friends as well."

3. "I don't like James to play with Paul next door. Paul uses very bad language, and James will pick it up. But Paul is James's best

friend and he sneaks out and sees him very often. So I lock him up in the bathroom as a punishment. Sometimes I deliberately don't

speak to him for hours on end."

7.Read the following dialogue between Mrs. Brent and Mr. Alden, a teacher. The expressions in bold type show the WAYS ENGLISH PEOPLE

COMPLAIN. Note them down. Be ready to act out the dialogue in class.

A: Would you like another cup of tea or something?

B: Well, no...........Thanks just the same.

A: I am sorry to have to say this,but what would our youngsters do without the youth centre? They'd be pretty lost, wouldn't

they?

B: It's all right I suppose.

A: Er ... would you care to dance, Mrs. Brent?

B: Thank you ... but no. The music isn't of my generation. You know ... the generation gap. When I was young I'd never dared

speak as our children do. Especially with a teacher present.

A: We've got a bit of a problem here, you see.It's part of my job to know people ... and especially young people ... as they are.

And really the so-called generation gap is a myth you know. Teenagers aren't really so different. As a teacher I find them quite

traditional in their attitudes.

B: I'm sorry to disagree with you,but look at the way they dress ... and their hair!

A: I don't think you get the point. Those things are quite superficial. But basically their attitudes are very similar to those of our

generation.

B: There is no excusefor their language and you seem to approve of the kind of language we hear from our children.

A: Now, I didn't say that. Anyway the concepts of "approval" and "disapproval" tend to over-simplify matters. Every generation

creates its own special language just as it creates its own styles in clothes and music.

B: I'd like to point outthat the styles and habits of today's teenagers are so ... Well basically ... unacceptable.

A: You mean unacceptable to you. In fact their clothes are very practical and very simple.

B: I do wish you had a teenage son or daughter of your own, Mr. Alden.

A: But I have more contact with them. You see, we have regular discussions. You could come and sit in sometime if you like. And

you'll realize I think how traditional their attitudes are. «

8.Answer the following questions:

1. What do you think of the problem of the generation gap? 2. Do you agree with all that is said in the dialogue? With which

statements do you disagree? (In answering this you may use the formulas of agreement and disagreement. See Appendix.) 3. What is

Mrs. Brent complaining about? Are her complaints justified?

9.Work in pairs. Take turns to make complaints about the following and to respond appropriately. Use the expressions and clichés of complaint and

apology:

Expressions of complaint and apology:A direct complaint in English sounds very rude indeed. To be polite one usually "breaks

it gently" and uses expressions like these before one actually comes to the point:

I wonder if you could help me...

Look, I'm sorry to trouble you, but...

I've got a bit of a problem here, you see ...

I'm sorry to have to say this, but...

It is usually better to break it gently like this than to say, for example: "Look here! I wish you'd arrive on time or I've just about

had enough of your unpunctuality (of your coming late)."

The following expressions can also be used:

I have a complaint to make.

It's just not good enough. You must try to ...

There's no excuse for doing it.

It's completely unjustified (unfair).

I'd like to point out that...

Next — and this is very serious — I feel that...

It gives us real cause for grievance.

Note: It is often not enough to just say "Sorry" and promise it won't happen again. You may need to apologize more profusely, like this:

Oh dear, I'm most awfully sorry.

I can't tell you how sorry I am.

I'm so sorry, I didn't realize.

I just don't know what to say.

I'm ever so sorry.

1. You find some pages torn out of a book. Complain to the librarian. 2. You have ordered the TV Times but you have been

brought the Radio Times. Complain to the newsagent. 3. You have bought a colour TV set which is not correctly adjusted. Complain

to the mechanic. 4. You can't sleep because of the noise made by people in the next door flat. Complain to the neighbour. 5. You

booked a hotel room with a bath and have not been given it. Complain to the receptionist. 6. You don't know what to do about your

pupils' discipline during your classes. Complain to the head teacher. 7. You can't make your child follow the doctor's orders and stay

in bed. Complain to your mother. 8. You can't manage your children during bed-time. Complain to your husband. 9. Your child can't

overcome his fear of animals. Complain to the doctor. 10. You think your 15-month-old child is backward (he's so very quiet, he

hardly moves, he can barely walk). Complain to the psychologist.

10. Work in pairs.

One of the students is supposed to be an eminent educationist and child-psychologist. The other is to play the role of an affection -

ate mother having a difficult teenage son who is always in a state of rebellion and resentment and regards his parents' anxiety over

him as sheer interference. The psychologist should convince his visitor not to worry about her child and understand that his peculiar

behaviour is due to adolescence. Advise her also not to give sympathy and advice but to show an interest in the child.

11. Read the following text. You can find in it some ways of teaching children responsibility. In fact the main problem is whether to leave final

decisions to children, without criticizing them. You can find some arguments for this view in the text. Note them down.

Teaching Responsibility

Naturally, every parent is anxious to teach responsibility to their children. But responsibility cannot be imposed on children. It

must grow from within. Children who are always told what to do may do their tasks very well, but they get little opportunity to use

their own judgement and to develop a sense of responsibility. This only comes if they are given opportunities for choosing and decid -

ing things for themselves.

A child is learning all the time. But if he is constantly criticized about his actions, he certainly doesn't learn responsibility. So the

first lesson in inculcating a sense of responsibility is not to criticize.

Even if the answer to a child's request is a certain "Yes", it's so much better to leave the decision to the child. These are some of

the ways in which you can build up their sense of responsibility and also heighten their self-confidence. Wherever and whenever you

can, let them make the decisions themselves.

A child should be given the responsibility of choosing his own friends. But this is a delicate matter and needs careful handling.

Obviously, it would be preferable for a shy child to have a friend who is an extrovert. And friends can also help to exert a beneficial

and corrective influence on each other. In spite of all this, a child should always feel that he is free to choose the friends he wishes.

Let the child spend his allowance his way. If he wants to spend the whole lot on chewing gum or toffee, it's his decision. Don't in-

terfere. These are just some of many ways in which responsibility is ta'ught.

10.

Discuss the text in pairs. One of the pair will take the author's point of view and insist that children should be given

opportunities to choose and decide things for themselves without any criticism on their parents' part. The other will defend

the opposite point of view. Be sure to provide sound arguments for whatever you say. Consider the following and expand if

possible:

For:

(This column is to be filled by the students on the basis of Ex.

9. Consider also taking children into confidence.)

3.The problem can be confusing and complicated for the

child and even a simple one can be solved in the wrong way.

Who will bear the consequences?

4.Children are too young to decide whose influence is

good for them. They can't distinguish petty features in

other children. So parents should guide their children's

friendship.

5.Money is not to be wasted. Children don't realize its

value and cannot use their own discretion in spending it.

6.Children can gain experience and responsibility taking after

their parents, following other good examples.

A g a i n s t :

1.Children have no experience. Parents' judgement and

advice are necessary.

2.Children will make mistakes (some of them dangerous) and

at least sometimes they are sure to be in the wrong. Parents

should explain such things to them, criticizing their actions.

13. The extracts given below present rather controversial subjects. Team up with another student, work out arguments "for" and "against" and

discuss the extracts in pairs. Use conversational formulas (see Appendix).

A.Should a child be allowed to do anythinghe likes when he is ill?

"One of the worst tortures for a child is to stay in bed, especially when he is not terribly ill. So anythingdone to keep his mind

occupied in some way will pay wonderful dividends. It will enable you to get on with your work and prevent your child being

peevish and crotchety while he's in bed."

B. Should parents help their children with their homework?

"John must be a complete dud. He keeps on pestering me for

help with his homework. But I can't be bothered: I have a lot of housework. Besides I know nothing about teaching. How can I help

John with his homework?"

C. Is play work for children?

" — I don't know what to do about my George. He just plays the whole time. He wants to touch and grab everything. As for being

inquisitive — my, he wants to know everything in the world.

— Play may be recreation for an adult, but for a child it is work. Through play George gains experience; he learns by playing. He

may play doctor, soldier, policeman, lawyer. But through play, he exercises not only his body but also his mind."

14. Role-Playing.

The Sitting of the Teachers' Council

S i t u a t i o n : Teachers and other members of school personnel have gathered to discuss Oleg Ratnikov's behaviour. Oleg Ratnik-

ov, a 14-year-old youth is a pupil of the 7th form. He is not only notorious in his school, but his name is also known to many people