Sixty Атеrican teens have put together an honest list of what, as they think, their parents should or shouldn't do. Here are just a few of their tips.

• Let us have our privacy unless we give you the right to invade it.

• Respect our feelings. Of course, sometimes we will disagree with each other, so show us your point of view and let us show you ours. If our opinion is absolutely wrong in your eyes, tell us why in a polite way. If you respect us, we will respect you.

• Give us freedom to make some mistakes. Of course, you don't want us to make the same stu­pid mistakes that you made, but sometimes we need to. We learn well from our mistakes, believe us.

• We love to please you, and your opinion is important to us. When you see us doing some-thing good, please praise us,

• Don't take out bad moods on us. We all have bad days, but try not to take yours out on us. When you have a bad day, tell us, and we will leave you alone but we can't read your mind!

• Don't bribe us. We really hate to tell you this secret, but bribing us doesn't work. We love getting money and other things from you, but this portrays you as a softy.

• We hate it when you tell our secrets to other people. When we tell you a secret and then hear you repeating it to your best friend, we lose our trust in you. If tell you something for your ears only, then keep it there!

• Don't compare us to our brothers and sisters. You make us feel stupid and - which is more important - you make us feel left out,

• Never, but never give us the silent treatment!

• Have fun with us. Don't be afraid to take us places and have good times with us We will all remember our childhood days forever, so help us make them unforgettable.

• Most of all, remember that we love you and want to be your friend.

tip совет

privacy [΄privәsi] личная, частная жизнь

to invide [in ΄veid] вмешательство

to respect [ri ΄spect] уважать

point of view [vju:] точка зрения

in a polite way вежливо

opinion [ә ΄pinjen] мнение

to praise [preiz] хвалить

to take out bad moods on вымещать свое плохое настроение

to leave alone оставить в покое

to bribe [braib] давать взятку, подкупать

softy [ ΄sәfti] слабый, бесхарактерный, человек-тряпка

trust [trast] доверие

to feel left out чувствовать себя изолированным, никому не нужным

never, but never никогда-никогда

to give the silent treatmen [tri:tmәnt] не разговаривать с кем-либо

I. Answer the questions:

1. Do you agree with all these tips?

2. Does bribing exist in your family?

3. Do you want to have freedom to make your own mistakes?

4. Are you in friendly terms with your parents?

5. Do your parents always listen to you?

6. Do you take out your bad mood on your brothers or sisters?

7. What other tips for parents would you like to add?

8. Do you have any differences with American teens according to this problem matter?

II. Make a little speech starting with:

— teens of all countries have got problems with their parents…

— they want their parents …

ORAL SPEECH

Read the dialogue and do the assignments following it:

Clean Up Your Room

(After Art Buchwald)

(You don't really feel the generation gap in this country until a son or daughter comes home from college for Christmas. This dialogue is probably taking place all over America this week.)

— Nancy, you've been home from college for three days now. Why don't you clean up your room?

— We don't have to clean up our room at college Mother.

— That's very nice and I'm happy you're going to such a freewilling institution.. But while you are in the house I would like you to clean up your room.

— What difference does it make? It's my room.

— I know, dear. And it really doesn't mean so much to me. But your father is much afraid of the plague. He said this morning if it's going to start anywhere in this country, it's going to start in your room.

— Mother, you people aren't interested in anything really important. Do you realize how big corporations are polluting our environment?

— Your father and I are very much worried about it. But now we are more concerned with the pollution in your bed room. You haven't made your bed since you came home.

— I never make it at the college.

— Of course you don't and I'm sure the time you save goes toward your education. But we still have that old- fashioned ideas about making beds in the morning and we can't give them up. And since you are at home for such a short time, why don't you do it to please us?

— Oh, Mother, I'm quite grown-up! Why do you have to" treat me like a child?

— We are not treating you like a child. But it's difficult for us to realize you're an adult when you throw all your clothes on the floor.

— I haven't thrown all my clothes on the floor. Only those I wore yesterday.

— I'm sorry I exaggerated. Well, how about the dirty dishes on your desk? Are you collecting them for a science project?

— Mother, you don't understand us. You people were brought up to have clean rooms. But our generation doesn't care about things like that.

— No one respects education more than you; father and I do, particularly at the prices they are charging. But we can't see how living in dirt can improve you mind.

— All right, all right. I'll clean up my room if it means that much to you. But I want you to know you've ruined my vacation.

— It was a risk I had to take. Oh, by the way, I know it's terrible thing to ask you, but would you mind helping me to wash the dinner dishes?

— Wash dishes? Nobody washes dishes at college.

— Your father and I were afraid of that.

a free-willing institution — заведение, где можно делать все, что хочется.

plague — чума

to pollute the environment — загрязнять окружающую среду.

exaggerate — npeyвеличивать

* * *

a) Say in what way the girl thinks her generation differs from that of her parents. Is she right?

b) Say how you understand the phrase "generation gap". Use the following words and expressions if necessary:

lack of mutual understanding; common interests; disres­pect of children for their parents; modern; old-fashioned; to feel superior (superiority); estrangement (отчуждение) between the younger and older generations; misunderstan­ding and tension in the family; to feel embarrassed; to be out of question; to spoil relationships.

Read the joke and say what it adds to the "generation gap" problem:

A Talk in the Tram

— Who's that long-haired young man?

— It's not a young man. It's my daughter.

— Indeed? You’re such a young father?

— I’m not the father. I’m the mother.

MORALITY: WHAT IS IT?