Проблемы молодежи

HARD TIMES

BY THE TEACHER

BY THE STUDENT

OBJECTIVES

Vocabulary: words related to problem people face

Reading : matching texts

Listening: listening for specific information

Speaking: giving advice, making recommendations

Writing: letter giving advice (friendly)

Words of Wisdom

A trouble shared is a trouble halved.

It’s no use crying over spilt milk.

PROBLEMS WITH MUM

SPOTS

What do you think some teenagers are worried about?

BULLYING

NO BOYFRIEND

THREE’S A CROWD

Write to Kate for advice on your problems

My girlfriend and I love each other very much, but her mother doesn’t like me at all. A couple of weeks ago, I took her home after midnight. There was a big argument and now I’m not allowed to go to her house any more. We have to meet in secret.

Robert, Bedford

I’m 16 and I’ve never had a boyfriend. But I’m not surprised. I’m fat, my hair’s a mess and I haven’t got any good clothes. My friends have all got boyfriends, but I’m so unattractive, I can’t see how anyone could love me. It’s not fair.

Jasmine, Liverpool

I’ve got a terrible problem. I’ve got a lot of spots on my face… My mum doesn’t understand the problem. She says it’s just acne and she says it’s normal. But I don’t want to go out because everyone laughs at me. What can I do?

Tim, Birmingham

My boyfriend, Steve, and I never go out on our own. He always brings his friend with him, when we have a date. He says that he feels guilty if he doesn’t invite his friend. But what about me?

Liz, Carlisle

There’s a gang of kids at our school who are making my life hell. A few weeks ago they asked me for money. I said No, but they pushed me and hit me. Like a fool, I gave them my bus fair and so I had to walk home. But that was only the start of it. Every day after that they asked for more. I started taking money from my mum’s purse to pay them. Now I can’t face them any more. I haven’t been to school for over a week. I’m so frightened. Please help me. I can’t talk to

anyone else about my problem.

• Dave, Edinburgh

Does he know how you feel about the problem? You must

talk to him and explain that you want to be alone with him. Friends often feel jealous when their best friend starts

going out with a boy or a girl. But Steve will have to choose

between you and his friend. If he won’t, then you have two

choices: you can give him up and find another boyfriend, or you can bring your own best friend on dates, too.

Your mother is right. Teenage acne is normal. It’s a part of growing up. Have a look at your schoolfriends. They’ve probably got spots, too. Use medicated products on your face and eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. If this doesn’t help, go and see your doctor. He or she can prescribe a course of pills. But most of all, don’t worry. Worrying only makes it worse.

First of all, you must face the problem. Meeting in secret will only make the problem worse. Go and ask her mum why she doesn’t like you. Perhaps she thinks that her daughter is too young to have a boyfriend. Most of all, you must show that you are sensible. If your girlfriend isn't allowed after midnight, bring her home before 12.

Fill in the names.

Tim

• …… has got acne.
• ……’ s girlfriend’s mother doesn’t like him.
• …… is afraid to go to school.
• ……’ s boyfriend always brings his best friend on a date.
• …… had an argument with his girlfriend’s mother.
• …… thinks that she’s unattractive.
• …… has stolen money from his mother.
• …… has never had a boyfriend.

Robert

Dave

Liz

Robert

Jasmine

Dave

Jasmine

Liz

i. ……wants to be alone with her boyfriend.

• …… feels jealous of her friends.
• …… brought his girlfriend home late.
• …… thinks that people laugh at him
• …… meets his girlfriend in secret
• …… has got a boyfriend called Steve.

Jasmine

Robert

Tim

Robert

Liz

• Find all the words in the letters associated with ‘relationships’.
• What do you think?

Are these typical problems?

What kind of problems do young people in your country write about?

• Stop eating

fatty foods

• Cut out milk

and bread

• Go on a diet

Choose what Frank suggests

Betty should do.

I’ve put on weight.

• Ride your bike
• Go jogging
• Take diet pills
• Join

a gym

GIVING ADVICE

MAKING RECOMENDATIONS

You (really) ought to/should…

Why don’t you..?

If I were you, I’d…

You could…

The best thing

you can do is to…

How about/

What about+noun/-ing form?

I strongly advise

you to…

Write a letter to answer the other letter.

• First express sympathy to the person who has got the problem.
• Then give him/her your advice.
• Finish the letter by wishing the person good luck.

DAVE

JASMINE

Start with:

I’ve just got your letter and think I can help you./

I was sorry to hear about your problem.

If I were you I’d…; Why don’t you..? The best thing you can do is to…;

I strongly advise you to…;

You (really) ought to/should…;

You shouldn’t…;

It would be a good idea to…

I hope this helps you./

Let me know what happens./

Hope this advice is of some help to you./

Things will get better soon.

Introduction

Dear………….. (the person’s first name),

Para 1: express sympathy

Main body

Para 2: give your advice

(tell parents/star revising/stop worrying/etc.)

Para 3: end the letter, offering some

encouragement

Conclusion

Good luck, Kate

PROBLEMS

HAVE YOU GOT ANY?

BY THE TEACHER

A trouble shared is a trouble halved.

ASK FOR ADVICE

SMOKING

Dear Doctor Ann® – My friend is slightly plump and has started smoking cigarettes. She’ll go through a pack of 20 every night when she with her friends except when she is with me. I think she is doing it because she wants to look ‘ard and get popular, or try to get thin, which isn’t working very well.

Lots of girls start smoking because they think it will make them look hard, and help them to get thin. Smoking doesn’t make you thin – it just costs a lot of money, makes your breath smell bad, and means that hooked onto something which is very, very hard to give up. What is more now days, with all the health problems that we know smoking causes, it makes people look stupid rather than hard. I’ve got some tips which might help your friend - see the Smoking section.

ALCOHOL

Dear Doctor Ann®. I have been having a slight problem recently each time i go out with friends i drink too much and become out of control my boyfriend is great and takes care of me when this happens. When it does happen i do things i regret and i want this to stop but i will feel unhappy with out alcohol and will not enjoy myself as much if i did taken alcohol please help me.

Dear Out of control with alcohol

person – it sounds as though you are

using alcohol as prop when you

feel nervous – which many of us do.

But instead of being a prop it is

actually seems to be giving you more

problems. Some practical tips – eat

before you go out, and drink lots of

non alcohol drinks

before you go out.

This will make sure that you don’t

just drink alcohol because you are

thirsty, and the food will help dilute

out the alcohol you do take in. Pace

yourself when you out drinking, and

make sure that for every alcohol

drink that you have, you also have a

non-alcoholic drink.

Get your friends that you go out with

to help you, by asking them to buy you

non alcoholic. Alert your friends to

how anxious you feel when you are

out with them – because discussing it

with them will make you feel less

anxious – or they will tell you just how

anxious they feel!

DRUGS

Dear Doctor Ann® – I

have been smoking marijuana for a week now and feel constantly stoned, is there something terribly wrong with me?

Dear ‘Marijuana Smoker’ what is wrong with you is that the fact you could possibly imagine that if you smoke marijuana for a week, you won’t feel stoned for a week! Stop smoking the marijuana and you won’t feel stoned! The marijuana seems to be making loose your common sense!

Dear Dr.Ann, I’m 175 cm and weigh 54 kilos. My figure is 34-22-34. Do you think I need to lose weight? From Robin

WOW!

No, Robin, you need to join a modelling agency. Go away and stop making the rest of us feel bad.

Hi Doctor Ann®.

Why

do people

bully?

Dear ‘Concerned about Bullying’ – a bully is a person who uses their strength or power in order to frighten or oppress people.

Unfortunately we probably all behave in ways that those around us think of as bullying at some time or other. People who persistently bully however, are often people who have been bullied themselves, or lack self confidence.

It makes these people feel good to exert power over other people. For more information about it you can go to bullying in the site

Dear Doctor Ann®, I am feeling rather lonely at the moment what can i do to entertain myself?

Dear ‘feeling lonely

at the moment’,everyone

feels lonely sometimes,

so you are normal,

though it is

Try making a list of things you

like doing, some on your own

and some with other people.

Things which you might want to

do on your own might be

reading a magazine or

book,going for a walk or a run,

cooking something, going shopping,

watching TV, playing on the

computer, sending a email

to a friend or writing a

letter.

not always a

nice

feeling.

A breeding ground for all sorts of destructive thoughts and actions, this uncertainty of oneself, which lies deep at the core of the ego, brings with it over sensitivity, longing for acceptance, macho fronts, rapidly changing hair colors, ridicule of others, and extreme susceptibility to peer pressure.

Most of the teenage years are spent in intense, internal dramas, desperate pilgrimages of the soul on their way to find Self, something very few ever find. This "identity crisis", as many call it, is responsible for many of the political and social dramas in high school.

After all, if teenagers are confident in themselves, what need do they have to prove themselves to anyone?

What need do they have to conform or to care about the opinions of others?

JANE JACKSON

HAZEL GROVE HIGH SCHOOL

BY THE TEACHER