UNIT1. RELATIONSHIP IN THE FAMILY Pages
П Р Е Д И С Л О В И Е
Настоящее учебное пособие – вторая часть комплекса “Английский язык: Практикум устной и письменной речи” Оно предназначено студентам специальности “031201. Теория и методика преподавания иностранных языков и культур” (5-6 семестры).
Пособие построено на принципах современной теории обучения и ставит целью обучение нормативным знаниям системы языка и формирование у студентов коммуникативной и социо-культурной компетенций. Кроме того, в его цели входит дальнейшее развитие и совершенствование навыков аргументированной речи в ее устной и письменной разновидностях, основа которым была заложена на предыдущем этапе обучения.
Приблизительное количество часов, на которое рассчитана вторая часть комплекса – 450 (аудиторные часы и самостоятельная работа).
СТРУКТУРА УЧЕБНОГО ПОСОБИЯ
Единица организации и планирования обучающего материала – тематический комплекс. Во второй части пособия содержится пять тематических комплексов – “Relationship in the Family”, “People and Society”, “Jobs and Careers”, “Education”, “Environment”, каждый из которых состоит из двух частей.
Часть 1 (Part 1). Вводный текст (Introductory Text) представляет собой культурологический комментарий, в котором содержатся краткие сведения о реалиях современной жизни стран изучаемого языка (Великобритании и США). В нем также вводится часть лексики, подлежащей активному усвоению, и приводятся определения изучаемых явлений, некоторые социологические и исторические факты, статистические данные. Задача преподавателя на данном этапе – обратить внимание студентов на факты, содержащиеся в комментарии, и, по возможности, дать их более широкое толкование.
Блок вокабуляра (Topical Vocabulary)содержит необходимый лексический минимум в виде таблиц-схем, позволяющих воспроизвести некоторую стереотипную ситуацию реальной жизни, соотносимую с данной темой. Формально таблицы-схемы представляют собой набор слов и словосочетаний, обозначающих элементы некоторой ситуации - “действующие лица’, “объекты”, ‘действия, производимые с объектами”, т.п.
Блок вокабуляра сопровождается серией лексико-грамматических упражнений разного типа (Vocabulary Practice). Первое упражнение данного блока ставит целью семантизацию лексики, представленной в таблицах-схемах. Оно построено по принципу выбора из множества и, в большинстве случаев, требует обращения к словарю. Последующие упражнения рассчитаны на активизацию и расширение словарного запаса за счет деривации, словосложения, синонимии, антонимии. Часть из них ставит целью раскрытие особенностей семантики лексических единиц, адекватный выбор артиклей и предлогов. Каждый блок содержит переводные упражнения. Всего продуктивному усвоению подлежат более 500 слов и словосочетаний, относящихся к нейтральному, литературному и разговорному стилям речи.
Блок вокабуляра сопровождается серией диалогов, включающих приемы на расширение и реконструкцию роли одного из говорящих.
Далее следует оригинальный художественный текст, заимствованный из произведений классических и современных писателей Великобритании и США. На данном этапе предполагается углубленный лексико-грамматический анализ, пересказ и интерпретация содержания. Важно то, что сюжет текста не только связан с изучаемой тематикой, но и, зачастую, основан на описании некоторого конфликта между героями, противопоставления их жизненных позиций, линий поведения, т.п. Для достижения наибольшей концентрации тематической лексики тексты подвергались сокращению. После текста даются примечания, в которых объясняются социо-культурные факты, идиоматические выражения, а также приводится список транскрибированных имен собственных. Цель последующих упражнений – достижение максимального количества повторных обращений к тексту и контроль понимания прочитанного.
Блок Speak Up обеспечивает прочное закрепление языкового материала и его использование в процессе речевого общения. Здесь развиваются навыки и умения свободного монологического и диалогического высказывания. Творческие коммуникативные упражнения предполагают решение студентами комплексных коммуникативных задач. Каждый из блоков, в частности, содержит набор ситуаций (Cue Cards), в которых обозначены участники диалога, определены их роли, поставлены конкретные коммуникативные задачи. Завершающее задание первой части большинства тематических блоков – ролевая игра, организованная по принципу имитации общения, что соответствует коммуникативному и личностно-ориентированному характеру обучения, при котором обучаемый рассматривается как его активный участник.
Часть 2 ( Arguments in Practice).[1] На данном этапе развиваются навыки и умения, основа которым была заложена на предыдущем этапе обучения (1-4 семестры), при этом, акцент делается на использование письма и письменной аналогии в качестве средства обучения аргументированию (более подробно см. раздел Tasks for Writing). Часть 2 содержит задания, закрепляющие умение сформулировать тезис, привести аргументы “за” или “против” некоторого предложенного тезиса (Defending or Rejecting Claims), выдвинуть ряд альтернативных тезисов, убедить партнера (ов) по коммуникации в правильности или приемлемости своей позиции (Persuade your Partner). Задания под рубрикой Discussion Pointsстимулируют развернутую реплику монологического характера или диалог по некоторым дополнительным нюансам обсуждаемой темы. Задания Reasoning: Effective or Faulty?ставят своей целью научить студентов адекватно развивать тезис, избегая логических ошибок.
Отличительная черта обучающих материалов данного раздела – отражение проблемного характера самого предмета обсуждения, причем специфика обсуждаемых вопросов на 3 курсе меняется – происходит сдвиг в сторону социальной проблематики. В число дискуссионных входят следующие вопросы: осознанное стремление человека не иметь детей, цензура и средства массовой информации, смертная казнь, отношение общества к больным СПИДом, целесообразность высшего образования для всех членов общества, необходимость вступительных экзаменов при поступлении в ВУЗ, место религиозного образования в системе государственных учреждений, технический прогресс и экология, т.п. Эти и другие вопросы находят отражение в двух типах текстов. Первый тип текстов – краткие высказывания конкретных личностей по некоторым актуальным проблемам, сохраняющие особенности разговорного стиля. Их источником служат журнальные и газетные статьи, а также глобальная сеть Internet. Ряд высказываний под рубрикой “Here’s one person’s opinion” составлен авторами данного учебного пособия и отражает их собственное мнение. Тексты второго типа – фрагменты дискуссионных статей, отражающих современный плюрализм взглядов на ту или иную проблему. Тексты характеризуются достаточно высоким уровнем языковой сложности, поэтому они снабжены примечаниями с переводом на русский язык наиболее трудных словосочетаний и предложений. Оба типа текстов служат материалом для анализа аргументативных высказываний с точки зрения представленных в них аргументов (систем аргументов). В процессе анализа, в ряде случаев, внимание переносится на различие ценностей, разделяемых русско- и англо-говорящими. В большинстве случаев заголовки текстов формулируются в виде вопроса, что, само по себе, является стимулом для высказывания, в котором будет выражена собственная точка зрения обучаемого по данной проблеме. При этом учитывается ценностно-ориентированная специфика аргументации с перспективой формирования или изменения ценностных ориентаций обучаемых.
Каждый тематический комплекс содержит задания Tasks for Writing,цель которых – дальнейшее развитие навыков письменной речи. Основное внимание на данном этапе обучения уделяется собственно аргументативным формам, таким как объяснение, доказательство, убеждение, определение понятия, решение проблемы. В целях адекватной реализации коммуникативного намерения, смысловой и структурной завершенности в начале раздела приводится информация справочного характера и даются образцы письма. Та или иная форма аргументативного письма выделяется в качестве главной; помимо этого студенты обучаются навыкам реферирования. В качестве материала для реферирования предлагаются отрывки из журнальных и газетных статей на русском языке.
Важно иметь в виду, что способ подачи материала предполагает заданную последовательность в работе. Авторы не рекомендуют начинать работу над следующим уроком без тщательной проработки и усвоения предыдущего.
Цель заданий Tasks for Listening – развитие умений понимания оригинальной монологической и диалогической речи с опорой на изученный языковой материал и фоновые знания. Диалоги и тексты для аудирования записаны на кассеты; в качестве дикторов привлекались носители языка (британский вариант). Значительная их часть напрямую связана с главной идеей учебного пособия – развитием навыков аргументирования, поскольку в них выражаются некоторые оценки, мнения, предпочтения. Задания данного типа предназначены как для прослушивания на аудиторных занятиях, так и для самостоятельной работы студентов.
Навыки, полученные на настоящем (5-6 семестры) и предшествующих этапах (1-4 семестры) обучения, могут служить основой для развития дискуссионных умений на старших курсах.
Авторы
CONTENTS
Part 1
Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 13-20
Text: Mother versus Daughter (from ‘Act of Will' by B.T.Bradford) 21-27
Speak Up 27-30
Part 2
Is it Selfish to Stay Childless? 30-31
Does the Younger Generation Know Best? 31-32
Text: The No-Child Family: Going Against 100.000
Years of Biology 32-33
Defending or Rejecting Claims 34-35
Discussion Points 32-33
Tasks for Writing. Main Writing Form: Explaining
Opinion or Decision: Why I Decided Not to Get Married 37-39
Tasks for Listening39-41
UNIT2. PEOPLE AND SOCIETY
Introductory Text 42-43
Part 1
Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 43-50
Text: A Lawyer and a Judge (from ‘The Client’
by J.Grisham) 51-56
Speak Up 56-60
Part 2
Reasoning: Effective or Faulty? 60-61
The Philosophy of a Criminal 62-63
Text: A Cynical Brand of American Materialism 63-66
Discussion Points 66-68
Persuade Your Partner 68-69
Tasks for Writing. Main Writing Form: Supporting
With Reasons 69-72
Tasks for Listening 72-73
UNIT3. JOBS AND CAREERS
Introductory Text 74-76
Part 1
Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 76-84
Text: Help Wanted, Help Needed (from ‘19 Purchase
Street’ by G.A.Browne) 84-90
Speak Up 90-93
Part 2
Defending or Rejecting Claims. Discussion Points 93-95
Are Men Superior to Women? 95-96 Should Mothers with Small Children
Have Careers? 96
Who Should Be a Wage-Earner – a Wife or a Husband? 97
Text: Facial Discrimination 97-99
Tasks for Writing. Main Writing Form: Persuasion 100-103
Tasks for Listening 103-104
UNIT4. EDUCATION
Introductory Text 105-108
Part 1
Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 108-115
Text: Early Days in Oxford (from ‘Special Relation-
Ship’ by R.Sisman) 115-121
Speak Up 122-125
Part 2
Defending or Rejecting Claims. Discussion Points 125-126
Should Students be Admitted by Academic Merit? 128
Should Grading Be Replaced by Testing? 128-129
Do Co-Educational Schools Encourage Healthy
Attitude to Life? 129-130
Text: So That Nobody Has to Go to School if
They Don’t Want to 130-132
Tasks for Writing. Main Writing Form: Extended
Definition 132-135
Tasks for Listening135-136
UNIT5. ENVIRONMENT
Introductory Text 137-139
Part 1
Topical Vocabulary. Vocabulary Practice 139-146
Text: The Sea on Our Left (from ‘The Sea on Our
Left’ by M. Bough) 146-152
Speak Up 152-154
Part 2
It Makes Us Sick to See How Mountains Are
Destroyed 155-156
Are City-Dwellers Obliged to Adopt a Wholly
Unnatural Way of Life? 156-157
Humans Destroy Environment Because They
Are Greedy 157
Text: Our Energy Predicament 158-160
Text: Lake Baikal: An Earthly Wonder 160-162
Defending or Rejecting Claims. Discussion Points 162-164
Tasks for Writing. Main Writing Form:
Problem Solution 164-168 Tasks for Listening168-170
UNIT 1
RELATIONSHIP IN THE FAMILY
Introductory Text
British and American society is based on family life and a family is a self-contained economic and social unit living together in their own house. It is one of the major cultural values all over the world.
In Great Britain no child can marry below the age of sixteen whether or without the parents’ consent. Between sixteen and eighteen the parents’ consent is necessary. Actually most girls and nearly all young men are well over eighteen when they get married. Marriage marks the beginning of a new and independent family, which means leaving one’s parents and starting one’s own life both for the man and the woman. They are loyal to each other, which is their duty. The man is supposed to be entirely responsible for the financial support and the woman for the management of the new home.
In comparison with most other places in the world, family identity is thought to be rather weak in Britain, especially in England. Of course, the family is still the basic living arrangement for most people, but in Britain this definitely means the nuclear family. There is little sense of extended family identity, which is reflected in the size and composition of households. It is unusual for adults of different generations within the family to live together. The average number of people living in each household in Britain is lower than in most other European countries (about 2.5 persons). The stereotyped nuclear family of father, mother and children is becoming less common. Britain has a higher rate of divorce than anywhere else in Europe except Denmark.
Significant family events such as weddings, births and funerals in Britain are not accompanied by large gatherings of people. In fact, family gatherings of any kind beyond the household unit are rare. For most people they are confined to the Christmas period.
· Marriage in the United States is regarded a matter of individual decision. Americans say that marriages are based on romance rather than on social, financial or ethnic factor.
Marriage is preceded by dating. One of the peculiarities of dating in the USA is a ‘blind date’, that is a date between two people who haven’t met before. It’s usually arranged by a common friend.
A lot of young people think it’s definitely a good idea for a couple to live together before marriage. It’s a way for two people to get to know each other. Afterwards, they can really make a wiser decision about getting married than they could before. The experience of living together may prevent an unfortunate mistake. A lot more prefer to live together without a big wedding. ‘A wedding is just an expensive, meaningless affair. Two people can live together without a legal wedding’ they say. Those who decide to be legally married can choose among different kinds of weddings reflecting the different religious and ethnic backgrounds. An overwhelming majority of today’s couples choose to marry in a traditional religious ceremony.
· A lot of changes are taking place in the roles of husbands and wives in Great Britain and the USA. The wife is not satisfied with the idea that she will be staying home the rest of her life. Even if she enjoys housework and taking care of children, she sees herself as more than a housekeeper and mother. She is looking for ways to establish her own identity. The husband’s role is changing too. He is beginning to realize that work shouldn’t be the main thing in his life. He understands that he must share family responsibilities if he wants to be an equal partner. Very often a woman gets a job (traditionally for a wife to work was a sign her husband wasn’t able to support a family), while her husband stays home to look after children and work about the house. Generally speaking, women have been trying to settle their autonomy within a family.
· The relationship between adolescents and their parents is sometimes stressful. Psychologists have made some interesting discoveries about the nature of these conflicts. They have identified three major approaches used by parents in dealing with their adolescent children.
The authoritarian style of parenting decrees that “You should do so, because I say so!” The adolescent is not even allowed to express his or her beliefs. Not surprisingly this style of parenting behavior often leads to rebellion and more conflict. On the other hand, a strict upbringing by over-caring parents can make a child timid and submissive. The style of parenting called permissive is in many ways at the other extreme from the authoritarian style. Here, children lack control or supervision. They say it enables children’s personalities to develop naturally and that they will learn to beresponsible by mistakes they make. Unfortunately, when parents set few limits, adolescents may end up in juvenile courts.
Most teenagers say they prefer a democratic parenting style in which parents give advice, set limits but allow some independence. 
PART 1
TOPICAL VOCABULARY
| Getting Married |
| People | What They Do | |
| Before getting married | boyfriend / girlfriend fiancé/fiancée | date with smb fall in love withsmb propose to smb get engaged |
| Getting married | bride/bridegroom married couple | marry smb |
| (After) getting divorced | divorcee ex-wife/ex-husband | divorce smb leave smb split up/ break up remarry smb |
| A Family |
| Type of Family | average-sized extended single-parent |
| People | What They Do | Temper and Qualities |
| Children | ||
| newborn baby toddler adolescent | grow up get mature come of age separate from parents | difficult obedient naughty rebellious spoiled submissive well-behaved |
| Adults | ||
| adults /grown-ups the elders single mother single father stepmother stepfather | give birth to a child bring up a child / raise a child look after a child neglect a child punish a child support a child take care ofachild reprimand a child set limits to a child | demanding firm indifferent patient permissive ruthless selfless strict |
| Relationships between Parents and Children | ||||
|
Additional Vocabulary: to adopt a child; to be an equal partner; to educate one’s children; to respect parents’ (children’s) privacy; to share family responsibilities; to start a family; to start one’s own life;
an ancestor; a family background; an illegitimate child; parents’ consent; a descendent; a generation gap; a household; a younger generation; domestic violence; a juvenile delinquent; an orphan.
Mind the preposition: to be dependent onone’s parents; to be faithful (loyal) to each other; to be (legally) married to smb; to complain about smth or smb; to get out ofhand; to go out with smb; to rebel against smb; to shout (scream, yell) at smb; to take after one’s mother / father.
VOCABULARY PRACTICE
DIALOGUES
Notes
1. versusprep - used to show that two people or teams are against each other.
2. penthouse n – a very expensive and comfortable set of rooms built on top of a tall building.
3.fly off the handleinformal-lose one's temper. E.g. She's always flying off the handle with the children.
4. heir, heiressn-the one who has the lawful right to receive the title or property of an older member of the family. E.g. My two brothers and I are heirs to our parents' property.
Proper Names
Audra/'O:drq/Christina/krIs΄tI:nq/
Crowther /΄kraUDq/ Kyle/kail/
Role-play the situation.
You are a psychotherapist. You are receiving people, both parents and children, who have various family problems. They ask you different questions.
You are expected to analyse the possible conflicts, work out some ways of solving the problem or give some professional advice.
Speaker 1. My parents are always saying that I cannot do anything right, I’m stupid, lazy, ugly and no good. They never listen to what I have to say. As a result I’m very shy and insecure.
Speaker 2. I dropped out of the university because it was too hard for me to study there. Now I feel guilty as if I’d let my family down. I have not told my family yet. I’m afraid they won’t approve of it.
Speaker 3. My mother never really cared about us, she was so cold and indifferent. Our father always let us do what we wanted. Then they broke up. They had endless rows over money almost every day. I hated to hear them yell at each other.
Speaker 4. Both my parents disapprove of my fiancé, because he’s 10 years older than I. We are going to get married but my mother threatens she will break up with it.
Speaker 5. 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. How can I prevent James from seeing Paul every day?
Speaker 6. My 30-year-old brother lives at home with our mother, who doesn’t seem to see how being a mother’s boy is ruining his life. I dread to think what will happen to him. I've encouraged him to make a life for himself but I know he’ll just stay where he is while she makes his life so comfortable.
PART 2
ARGUMENTS IN PRACTICE
Notes
1. The Bureau of the Census –комитет по переписи населения.
DISCUSSION POINTS
1. Most women nowadays are more career-minded than ever and they want to enjoy their success and their own lifestyle. Statistics show that in Great Britain most women aren't tying a marital knot until they are 26. This new generation of women wants to travel, to further their careers and to seek self-fulfillment, though getting married is something they plan to do eventually. Do you think we can speak of the same trend in Russia? Is marriage ever likely to disappear as an institution? Think of your own arguments for or against having a family and children.
2. According to official statistics, Britain now is a country of easy sexual relationships, easy marriage and easy divorce. During the past twenty years the number of marriages has fallen by a fifth, while divorce rate has more than doubled. Why do you think divorce rates are constantly increasing in the world? Should couples be allowed to get divorced? What could be done to hold back this process?
3. Home life in Asian countries is stable, and divorce rate is very low, though many spouses have never seen each other before getting married. Their families arrange their marriages. What is your attitude to arranged marriages? Can parents decide who their children should marry?
4. Psychologists claim that adolescents and their parents seldom argue about such major topics as sex, drugs, religion or politics. This is surprising because great differences often exist between attitudes of adolescents and parents to such issues. Experts think that these differences do not affect many day-to-day interactions among family members. ‘What is not relevant to family life is not discussed,’ they say. Instead, parents and their teenage children tend to fall out over everyday family matters like working about the house and disagreements about friends. Do you think this is really what causes arguments between children and parents nowadays? Do you think your parents argued over similar things when they were young?
5. Some parents believe in the old English saying ‘Spare the rod, spoil the child’, meaning that children need to be punished by being hit in order to make well-behaved, disciplined adults. Do you agree that parents can use corporal punishment (like slapping, smacking, belting)? Which of the following do you think parents should/ shouldn't do while bringing up their children:tell a child off, discipline, be critical of, label a child, praise, encourage, humiliate, force their will on a child, be consistent in their actions, scream at a child, teach manners, exert control, leave decision to a child, neglect, give a strict upbringing, set limits?
6. The following are all positive qualities which parents may wish their children to have: beauty, strong will and determination, good health, physical strength,talent, intelligence, calm and friendly personality. What other qualities would you add to this list? Do you think these qualities arethe matter of genes; influenced by social environment; developed through a good upbringing and education; encouraged by difficult circumstances? Defend your reasons.
7. The generation gap is widened by differences in manners. Point out a few of the significant differences between the manners of your generation and those of your parents. Then explain why the etiquette concerning these forms of behaviour has changed. Can you also evaluate these changes as good or bad?
TASKS FOR WRITING
In each paragraph one sentence states an opinion about George. This statement is then supported by examples and explanations. Read the explanation carefully and find the general statement in each paragraph. Find the supporting detail(s).
E x a m p l e:
General statement: “I am aware of how dull he really was”
Details: They concern his reading habits and conversational abilities.
Reasoning: Most people would agree that if a woman is married to a dull man, she will become unhappy.
Новый вид семьи?
Современные социологи высказывают мнение, что когда-нибудь человечество будет называть семьей совсем не то, что сейчас. В частности, британский социолог Энтони Гидденс уже определяет семью как малую группу, члены которой оказывают друг другу поддержку, при этом признак кровного родства или наличие общих детей оказываются вторичными.
Хорошее этому подтверждение – “новый вид семьи”, который уже давно появился во многих странах Европы и США. “Новый вид семьи – это совместное проживание не связанных родством взрослых людей , другими словами – компания. Как формируется “новая семья”? – Очень просто! Несколько молодых людей, как однополых, так и разнополых, снимают квартиру и живут некоторое время все вместе. Подобных “коммунальных” молодых семей в мегаполисах и просто крупных городах уже немало. При этом, речь идет не о студентах, а о тех вполне уже взрослых, кто, в принципе, мог бы жить отдельно, но предпочитает вместе, причем не с сексуальным партнером, а “семьей”, то есть дружеской компанией, обычно от трех до семи человек. Подобные компании могут формироваться с целью переезда в другой город, поиска новой работы и, вообще, начала “новой жизни”.
Время жизни в компании рассматривается как некоторая “игра”, период экспериментов и поисков. По данным статистики, в 2000 году 5% населения CША, т.е. 13 миллионов человек, жили вместе в подобных “international communities”, не состоя при этом в браке или родстве. Сюда входят пары, а также компании, характеризующиеся различной степенью спаянности. Последние составляют из этого числа немного менее трети, хотя статистически отделить случайную компанию (“так жилье дешевле”) от осознанного коммунального проекта невозможно. Ясно только, что по отношению к 60-м, когда подобное “коммунальное” проживание только начиналось, частотность проживания компанией увеличилась в несколько раз. В те времена это было более всего связано с контркультурой хиппи. Нынешние молодые люди никаких социальных или политических целей своим образом жизни не преследуют и живут своей компанией просто для того, чтобы жить.
В чем же привлекательность подобного рода семей? Возможно, одним из преимуществ является то, что компании обеспечивают своим членам некоторую бытовую и эмоциональную поддержку. Важна и финансовая составляющая – так дешевле платить за жилье. Еще один аргумент в пользу свободной семьи состоит в том, что они (семьи) дают гораздо больше свободы и не налагают тех обязательств, которых требует брак. В отличие от семьи, здесь нет материальных причин (детей или общей собственности и финансов) быть вместе, а это совсем другая степень солидарности.
TASKS FOR LISTENING
PEOPLE AND SOCIETY
Introductory Text
The definition of the notion ‘society’ is quite broad. It is a definition that could include relatively small groups of people (tribal societies) or millions of people (modern societies such as Britain, China and America).
The main area of interest for sociologists is not what society is (in the sense of itsphysical definition,for example, the territory occupiedby a number of people), but rather what the effects of living in a social group might be on individual human behaviour. So this second dimension involves defining society in terms of its possible effects. This dimension is more complex than the first one, but it is also more useful because it starts to explore the way our behaviour is affected by the people around us. Thus, society is a form of organization that involves co-operation between individuals in order to produce the things they need for their survival (at its most basic, these things are food, water, shelter, clothing, heat, light and so forth). Society is also a way ofregulatingthe behaviour of its members in order to meet certain social needs and prevent conflicts.
Human behaviour is regulated by rules, laws and norms. Rulescan be unwritten, or formal and written. The rules of dress or table manners are unwritten guides. On the contrast, the rules of a factory, for example, safety regulations are usually put down and serve as strict regulators of behaviour.
Laws are perhaps the best example of written, formal rules and are decided upon by powerful and influential groups in society. In order to ensure that everyone adheres to the laws, there are specific penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for those who are guilty of breaking them. Unlike other rules, such as rules of dress, for example, laws can be enforced by agencies including the police and courts.
A norm is very much a general term; it is an expected way of behavior shared by members of a community. Norms can be thought
of as unwritten rules. Some of these are that parents should play with their children, or that people should respond in the appropriate way to a “good morning” greeting. Norms depend on the culture of society and are passed on from one generation to the next one.
Answer the following questions.
1. What are the examples of modern societies which include millions of people?
2. What is a “physical” definition of society? What are the definitions of society in terms of its possible effects?
3. What are the basic things people need for their survival?
4. Why is it necessary to regulate the behaviour of the people in a society? What is the difference between “a rule”, “a law” and “a norm”? Who decides upon laws in a society?
5. What agencies are responsible for enforcing laws?
6. What do norms depend on?
PART 1
TOPICAL VOCABULARY
| PEOPLE AND SOCIETY |
| Social Classes and Groups of People | Areas of Social Concern | Moral Principles | Person’s Attitude to Other People |
| the aristocracy the upper class the middle class the working class community organization party union | corruption drug abuse juvenile delinquency inflation illiteracy pollution poverty religious fundamentalism terrorism unemployment | altruism conformism fanaticism humanism hypocrisy patriotism skepticism | Positive compassion generosity faithfulness nobleness politeness tolerance trust Negativearrogance bigotry conceit cynicism roughness selfishness |
| PEOPLE AND MONEY | ||||
| People | What People Do | Person’s Attitude to Money | ||
| People who have money a millionaire the rich a well-to-do person | come intoa fortune donate give money for charity invest insmth make a fortune sponsor subsidize | economical / thrifty extravagant / wasteful generous greedy / mean | ||
| People who don’t have money: the poor the needy the unemployed | get broke be pressed for money go / live on the dole live from hand to mouth / starve live in want | |||
| CRIME AND PUNISHMENT |
| Types of Crime | People Who Commit a Crime | What They Do | Types of Punishment |
| assassination bribery burglary drug circulation kidnapping murder robbery theft | assassin bribe-taker burglar drug-dealer kidnapper murderer robber thief | assassinate get a bribe commit a burglary traffic drugs kidnap murder rob steal | capital punishment / death penalty community service fine imprisonment life sentence penalty |
Additional Vocabulary: to alter one’s habits, points of view, etc; to betray/compromise one’s principles; to benefit society; to defend one’s country; to give evidence; to lead a life; to raise money; to sue smb; to terminate parental rights; to win a case.
Mind the preposition:to be accused of smth; to be charged witha crime; to be concerned (worried) aboutsmth; to be (get) involved withcriminal activities; to be motivated by; to live by one’s own labour;to live inthe honest way; to put great emphasis onsmth; to put smb to prison; to release smb ona bail; to sentence smb to life imprisonment, death, etc.
VOCABULARY PRACTICE
1. Underline the correct word (word-combination) after checking with the dictionary:
1. Money paid by the government to people who are unemployed is – the dismissal pay- a disability pension - the dole.
2. The principle of considering the well-being and happiness of others first is – ascetism – humanism - hypocrisy.
3. A person who gives money for charity as a gift is - a donator– an investor – a sponsor.
4. A group of people living in the same area and under the same government is – a community – a company - a team.
5. A person who thinks he or she is better than people from a lower social class is – an individualist - a nationalist – a snob.
6. Money that someone gives to a person in an official position, to persuade them to do something they should not do is – a benefit - a – a bribe - a subsidy.
7. Someone who thinks that money and possessions are more important than anything else is - an addict – a conformist - a materialist.
8. Someone who thinks that all people are motivated by selfishness and who shows it by making unkind remarks about other people is called – a cynic - a hypocrite - a racist.
9. A person who gets support from others without doing anything in return is called - an altruist - a parasite - a victim.
10. Someone who steals from banks, offices, houses, especially by using threats or violence is – a burglar - a con man - a shop-lifter.
11. Money or help given to aid the needy is - benefit - charity –support.
12. Organized work sometimes given instead of punishment as a sentence to minor criminals is - community service - physical activity – team work.
13. A legal punishment in which a criminal is sent to prison for the rest of his or her life is – life expectancy - a fine - a life sentence.
14. A person in court who has been charged with a crime is a defendant - an offender - a victim.
15. A person in charge of a court is – a judge - a lawyer - a prosecutor.
DIALOGUES
Notes
1. Mob n– organized crime (Mafia).
2. at smb’s beck and call – always ready and required to do exactly what smb asks. E.g. She says that working as a lawyer means being at your client’s beck and call all the time.
3. Juvenile Court – a court that deals with crimes committed by young people. E.g. He’s been a Juvenile Court judge since he came here.
4. track downv – find, discover by following evidence that has been left behind. E.g. The police have tracked him down in Memphis.
Proper Names
Barry the Blade Mundano /'bxrI Dq 'bleId mAn'deInqU/
Harry Roosevelt /'hxrI 'rqUzqvelt/
Upchurch/'ApCE:C/
Chicago/SI'ka:gqU/
New Orleans /'nju: 'O:lIqnz/
Washington /'wPSINtqn/
Noun verb adjective
hatchet man trot boisterous
mouthpiece hook thunderous
crook yank loony
assassin drool repulsive
decade skip vigorous
mob brass whistle indigent
notoriety enforce deadbeat
delinquent account for
caseload terminate
SPEAK UP
Discussing the topic “SOCIETY” you cannot do without the notion of morality. It is related to the ancient categories of Good and Evil. Read the text below and say which of the human sins are most characteristic of people nowadays.
Some of the people in any society have always been immoral. A Greek theologian (богослов) Evagrius of Pontus first made up a list of eight offenses and wicked human passions. They were, in order of increasing seriousness, Gluttony (чревоугодие, обжорство), Lust (похоть), Avarice (алчность), Sadness (уныние), Anger (гнев), Acedia (праздность), Vainglory (тщеславие), and Pride (гордыня). In the late 6th century, Pope Gregory the Great reduced the list to seven items, folding Vainglory into Pride, Acedia into Sadness, and adding Envy.
Pride is excessive belief in one’s own abilities. Pride is also known as Vanity (тщеславие). Virtue against which it sins is Humility (смирение). Greed is the desire for material wealth ignoring the spiritual values. Its opposite is Generosity which means giving without having expectations of the other person. Envy is the desire for other’s abilities or status. Its opposite is Love which actively seeks the good of others for their sake. Anger is often our first reaction to the problems. Impatience with the faults of others is related to this. Its opposite is Kindness. Kindness means patience and compassion. Lust is the self-destructive drive for pleasure. It sins against self control. Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than one requires. Sloth is avoidance of physical or spiritual work. Its opposite is Zeal (усердие).
MAJOR TOPICS OF CONCERN
In Western Europe, unemployment is by far the most important issue. When presented with a choice of 15 different areas of concern, every west European nation put unemployment either first or in the top three.
There were some national variations: Germany, Belgium and Britain put crime slightly higher than unemployment. France gave AIDS a very high priority, placing it second after unemployment. Italians were worried about corruption, Scandinavians about pollution, and the Dutch about religious fundamentalism. For Russians, however, crime is by far the most important topic of concern, followed by inflation and personal lack of money.
In addition, Europeans felt that unemployment was the main cause of poverty. Elsewhere in the world, people were more likely to select lack of education as the main reason. Europeans also put great emphasis on insufficient welfare, unlike the rest of the world.
People from the former eastern bloc put slightly less emphasis on unemployment and more on alcohol abuse. These countries also tend to be more concerned about the environment than they are about economic growth as is Austria, Britain, France, Hungary, Belgium and Holland and more concerned about the economy.
Mass media is known to make a great impact on public opinion. This opinion can be either positive or negative. Very often some of the mass communication media seem too offensive to society. Using the word-combinations below prove or reject the claim “There should be some kind of censorship in our country to control mass media”.
to affect moral attitudes of the young; to be critical of the cultural wealth; to be (get) involved with immoral activities; to be undesirable for people; to be unfair to the elder; to be unfit for children; to destroy a human psyche; to develop a doubting state of mind; to place an emphasis on human vices; to prohibit a book, film, an exhibition, work of art, etc; to propagandize immoral values, religious fanaticism or violence; to restrict (to place restrictions on) the availability of some TV programmes, periodicals, plays, etc; to underline the negative aspects of life.
The crime rate is increasing in Russia as well as in many European countries. What factors contribute to this process? Which of the following do you think can cause a considerable decline in crime rates? Explain your answer.
better economic conditions
better rehabilitation programmes for young offenders
improved leisure activities
more visible militia (police) presence in the streets
more serious punishment
Role-play the situation.
Setting: a courtroom.
Participants: the jury (a group of twelve people who listen to all evidence about the crimes and then decide whether or not a person is guilty).
Goal: You are a member of the jury whose task is to consider the four cases before they pass the verdict.
Cases under consideration:
a) The teenager called the secondary school to say that the school had been mined and was going to blow up in an hour.
b) The man shot in the knee the unarmed man who had broken into his house. The “victim” spent six months in hospital as a result of his injury and is still unable to walk.
c) The small business is caught selling unlicensed videos and CDs.
d) The teenager hacked into a bank’s computer system and introduced a virus.
Now decide on the variants of punishments:long prison sentence; short prison sentence; community service; fine; a formal warning. Explain your decision.
PART 2
ARGUMENTS IN PRACTICE
Notes
1. adolescent hopefuls – молодежь, подающая большие надежды;
2. the taint had spread to even the most gentle of noncontact sports – грязь (коррупция) распространилась даже в самом изящном из неконтактных видов спорта (зд. фигурное катание).
DISCUSSION POINTS
1. Capital punishment has been abolished in many European countries. In our country it was suspended in early 90s, but there is still much disagreement about this issue in the society. The opponents of the death penalty claim that this act is immoral and inhuman for a civilized society. The supporters argue that only reintroduction of the death penalty can make the situation in our country more stable and stop violence. Do you agree that courts should impose stricter punishments on offenders including the death penalty? What is your view of punishment?
2. Should the legal justice system aim at rehabilitating offenders or taking revenge on them? Do you agree or disagree with the statement “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”? Why or why not?
3. A lot of teenagers get involved with criminal activities at a very young age. Psychologists point out a number of reasons why young people choose to become criminals such as boredom, desire for respect and status among friends, poor family background, and finally, children’s easy access to violence on TV. Do you find these reasons convincing? Which one is the most important? What can you add to this list?
4. According to British statistics, tens of thousands of schoolchildren are drinking the equivalent of at least a pint and a half of beer a day, above the recommended adult limit. Nearly 90, 000 children in Britain are regarded as excessive drinkers. Drinking is done mainly at home or at friends’ or relatives’ home. What measures should be taken to prevent children from drinking so heavily? If this problem is vital in Russia, find some statistics to support your answer.
5. It is natural to sympathise with people who have cancer, but do we sympathise with people who suffer from AIDS or drug addiction or alcohol addiction? Why is the attitude towards these people so negative? Can we justify them? Why or why not?
PERSUADE YOUR PARTNER
Continue the conversation trying to persuade your partner (Speaker 1) that his or her point is not sound. To make your arguments more convincing refer to some examples – concrete people and their experience.
Speaker 1.Nobody does anything for free! I’ve never met a truly altruistic person.
Speaker 2.Do you really mean it? ……………………………..
Speaker 1.There are very few honest people. Given the opportunity, most people would steal something if there is no way of being caught.
Speaker 2. I can’t accept that……………………………………...
Speaker 1.I would never give my money for charity. For example, there is no point in giving money to beggars in the streets, they only spend it on alcohol.
Speaker 2. On the one hand, ……………………………………..
Speaker 1. Why do we talk about drug addicts as if they were sick people? They are not sick people but criminals. We don’t have to build more drug rehabilitation centres, we should have stricter laws against drug abuse.
Speaker 2.Well, I’m not really sure you’re right………………..
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TASKS FOR WRITING
Медицина и мораль
О моральном состоянии общества и людей, формирующих это общество, судят по разным признакам. Один из них – отношение государства и медицинских учреждений к самому дорогому – жизни и здоровью граждан.
Отношение врачей к пациентам имеет прямое отношение к морали. Все студенты-медики с незапамятных времен дают клятву Гиппократа, обещая помогать больным независимо от состояния их кошелька. Однако, что мы имеем на самом деле? Методы диагностики и лечения совершенствуются на глазах, но мы почему-то не стали болеть меньше. Скорее, наоборот. Возникла парадоксальная ситуация: чем прогрессивнее медицина, тем длиннее список болезней. Многие честные врачи открыто заявляют о том, что новые болезни не возникают из ниоткуда, просто раньше человек до них недоживал. При этом, ситуация осложняется тем, что активно стали лечить болезни… несуществующие. Корень этой проблемы лежит в экономической сфере. С одной стороны, врачуплатят очень маленькую зарплату, с другой – условий для законного заработка в государственных медицинских учреждениях не существует. В рез<