Generation Gap
Old people are always saying that the young are not what they were. The same comment is made from generation to generation and is always true; it has never been truer than it is today.
These days, grown-ups describe children as "difficult", "rude", "wild" and "irresponsible". Only some people say that they will grow up to make our country a better place.
Sometimes teens think that having the right "stuff" is the quickest way to acceptance. To parents and teachers they can be a nightmare, aping the hairstyles, clothes and make-up of celebrities twice their age. Experts say that the rush to grow up is due to the mass media. Being raised by single-parent families as well as watching TV, which sucks up most of their free time, can also accelerate the desire of children for being independent and creates behavior problems.
But the most painful part of childhood is the period when they begin to emerge from it: adolescence or the awkward age. There is a complete lack of self-confidence during this time. Adolescents are over conscious of their appearance and the impression they make on others. They feel shy, awkward and clumsy. And besides friends are becoming more and more important these yeas. At schools there are cliques who decide what is "cool". Adolescents may rebel violently against parental authority, but this causes them great unhappiness. And they are not always helped to get through a confusion of life in a steady, productive way. But even teenagers with sympathetic and supportive parents can fall in with bad company.
Most children don't belong to any clubs and they just start roaming the street after school out of sheer boredom. A lot of them become addicted to drugs or alcohol because their life is hollow and they don't think of life-long goals. They have nothing to fill the emptiness of their souls with. They demand to have all that they see, and regard it as their right to be entertained every waking moment.
Nowadays children start using mobile phones very early. Teens and teens are so fascinated by them that they spend hours and hours at their personal computers or phones. The electronic universe replaces their contacts with friends and dominates their life completely. Obsession with gadgets brings about a mechanical, disillusioned mentality and inhibits their emotional development.
Answer the questions (питання переписати та вiдповiдати письмово)
1. Do you agree with the main ideas of this text?
2. What types of problems can you see in this text?
3. What real problems do teenagers face today?
4. What can you say about generational gaps between you and your parents?
5. Do you feel that teenagers need to show more respect to older generation?Why?
I am writing to you this letter to give you some information about the place where I live. I live near the Moscow city. The city is only 100km away from my house. I live in a big house with two floors. The color of my house is brown and I like its color. There are 12 rooms in our house, 2 bathrooms, 2 toilets, 1 winter and 1 summer kitchens. My room is on the upstairs. I asked my father to paint my room to green color. There are lots of interesting things in my room. I would be happy to show you my house and all the places near it if you pay a visit. Hopefully wait for your response.
Sincerely your, Mr. .
1. Big Ben is a bell.
2. Yes, it is. The tower of Big Ben is a symbol of London and Britain.
The Spasskaya Tower and its clock are the symbols of Russia. The clock that strikes every quarter of an hour is on the Spassky Tower. We can hear it in Moscow every quarter of an hour.
3. Yes, it is. It is famous for its long history.
4. According to legend Westminster Abbey was founded by St. Peter and was built by Edward the Confessor.
5. The English Parliament works in the Houses of Parliament (the Palace of Westminster in London).
The Russian Parliament is the Federal Assembly. It consists of the State Duma, which is the lower house, and the Federation Council, which is the upper house. The State Duma works in the State Duma Building at 1 Okhotny Ryad Street, Moscow. The Federation Council's meeting place is the Federation Council Building.