Mother-teenager situation Self-determination 1 страница
Keep on Learning
Учебное пособие по английскому языку
для студентов 3 курса факультета иностранных языков педуниверситета (на англ. яз.)
Тула 2004
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Рецензент –
кандидат филологических наук, профессор кафедры английской филологии
ТГПУ им. Л. Н. Толстого Ж. Е. Фомичева
Составители:
Е. А. Курбатова, М. Ю. Кудряшов, Л. В. Зыкова, А. А. Чусова, Л. Г. Иванова,
В. Н. Андреев, А. А. Родионова, Л. В. Постникова
| ?? | Keep on Learning:Учебное пособие по английскому языку для студентов 3 курса факультета иностранных языков педуниверситета (на англ. яз.) / Е. А. Курбатова, М. Ю. Кудряшов, Л. В. Зыкова, А. А. Чусова, Л. Г. Иванова, В. Н. Андреев, А. А. Родионова, Л. В. Постникова / Под ред. Е. А. Курбатовой. – Тула: Изд-во Тул. гос. пед. ун-та им. Л. Н. Толстого, 2004.– |
| Предлагаемая работа представляет собой практическое пособие по тематике социально-бытовой и социально-культурной направленности для студентов 3 курса факультета иностранных языков. В пособии разработан дополнительный материал для расширения лексического запаса студентов по тематике 3 курса, предусмотренной рабочей программой по практике устной и письменной речи английского языка. Подбор материала для данного пособия осуществлялся с ориентацией на современные лексические единицы, для чего использовались журнальные и газетные аналитические статьи, научно-популярные статьи, отрывки из произведений современных англоязычных писателей, а также аутентичные материалы энциклопедического, справочного и рекламного характера. Пособие нацелено на формирование коммуникативной и социально-культурной компетенции у студентов, владеющих языком на среднепродвинутом уровне (Upper Intermediate). |
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Keep on Learning
Учебное пособие по английскому языку для студентов 3 курса
факультета иностранных языков педуниверситета (на англ. яз.)
Подготовка оригинал-макета – М. Н. Лазарева
Подписано в печать __.__.2004. Формат 60х90/16. Бумага офсетная.
Гарнитура «Тimes New Roman». Печать трафаретная.
Усл. печ. л. __. Тираж __00 экз. Заказ 04/0___. «С» ____.
Издательство Тульского государственного педагогического университета им. Л. Н. Толстого.
300026 Тула, просп. Ленина, 125.
Отпечатано в Издательском центре ТГПУ им. Л. Н. Толстого.
300026 Тула, просп. Ленина, 125.
CONTENTS
Appearance and Character .............................................................................................
Raising Children ...............................................................................................................
British Schooling ...............................................................................................................
Mass Media ......................................................................................................................
Cinema ............................................................................................................................
Theatre ............................................................................................................................
References ......................................................................................................................
APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER
Task 1.Read the article which describes research into the nature of beauty. Find out whether, according to the research, the following statements are true or false. Do you agree with the statements?
а) Beauty is ‘in the eye of the beholder’.
b) Most film stars and supermodels don’t have ideal features.
c) Most women prefer men with gentle features.
d) There is more pressure on men to be perfect than there is on women.
e) There are only subtle differences in what is considered to be beautiful by people from different cultures.
IS BEAUTY IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER?
IS there such a thing as the perfect face? Is beauty something you can measure?
Recent scientific evidence suggests that the answer is ‘yes’. A new science, the science of attraction, has come to the conclusion that beauty is objective and quantifiable and not, as the romantics believe, in the eye of the beholder.
For more than a century it was thought that a beautiful face was appealing because it was a collection of average features. Using his computer system, Dr David Perrett of the University of St Andrews has challenged the theory. In a key experiment, photographs of women were ranked for their attractiveness by a number of volunteers. Two composite pictures were then created: one, the average of all the pictures; the other made from those rated most attractive. Although the faces looked very similar at first glance, a significant number said they preferred the composite of most attractive faces.
‘The conclusion I reached,’ said Dr Perrett, ’was that the most attractive shape was not average. If you look at famous film stars and supermodels, most of them have ideal features – larger than normal eyes, higher arched eyebrows, slightly smaller noses, cheekbones are a little more prominent. Even popular cartoon characters such as Betty Boop, Yasmin from Alladin and Bambi have big eyes, small turned-up noses, big mouths and small chins. And if these features are exaggerated, the attractiveness rating goes up even more. Julia Roberts is a good example of this.’
But what do scientists make of men’s faces? Do men with large eyes, high cheekbones and a small chin have the same irresistible appeal? Researchers were a bit shocked at the top-ranking male face. They expected it to have the classic square jaw and strong cheekbones, but instead, women seem to prefer men with gentle faces. Although there is more pressure on females to be perfect, research suggests that men and women look for many of the same things: for example, expressive features such as arched eyebrows and a big smile were associated with attractiveness in men.
Dr David Perrett puts forward an evolutionary reason to explain why so many women now swoon over baby-faced stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruise. Women like a man with a feminine face because he is more likely to have higher levels of the female hormone oestrogen and therefore to make a kinder and more trustworthy husband and father.
But do these ideals of beauty manage to cross cultural boundaries? The male Kayapo Indians from the Amazon have their lower lips stretched. They have a round plate fitted inside. This may seem horrible to you, but to the Kayapo it is a sign of beauty. In some parts of Myanmar, where long necks are desirable, women have necklets – decorated metal rings – fixed round their necks to make them longer.
Some fashions develop from religious beliefs. Rastafarians have their long hair twisted into thick strands. These are called dreadlocks. The lion is an important symbol in their religion and the dreadlocks symbolise a lion’s mane. Many other people, black and white, have adopted this hairstyle simply because they find it attractive.
The search for beauty is not a modern phenomenon. In ancient Egypt people had their nails, palms and soles of their feet stained with henna, a red vegetable dye. They also highlighted the veins on their temples with blue paint. Women had their skin lightened with ochre, a reddish-yellow colouring; men had theirs darkened with orange paint. Both men and women used to line their eyes heavily with a black powder called kohl.
Professor Cunnigham of the University of Louisville, Kentucky, found that there were only very subtle differences between ethnic groups. For example, Asians tended to prefer faces that were slightly less mature and slightly less expressive, whereas blacks preferred faces that were a little more plump. In other words, although there might be a little truth in the old adage that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, by and large, we all seem to be attracted to the same things.
We may disagree on what is beautiful but that makes the world a more interesting place. Imagine how boring it would be if we all looked the same or had the same opinions! Variety, after all, is the spice of life.
Task 2 [A].Before you read, say what different things people do to improve/change their appearance.
[B].The sentences below (1-5) are the first sentences from paragraphs A-E in the article. Match these sentences to the paragraphs. Fill in the gaps after the letters with the sentence number (1-5).
a) At the beginning of the last millennium, baths were not considered healthy, because of the cold and often dirty water.
b) There was a revolution when we realised we could use underwear to change the shape of the body.
c) In Tudor days, black rotting teeth were a big problem.
d) Suntans first became popular in the twentieth century.
e) Hairstyles have had their ups and downs through the ages.
The History of Beauty
What would you do to have “Marilyn Monroe” looks? Just how far would you go? Well you would be amazed at some of the weird (not to mention deadly!) things people have done throughout history in the name of beauty.
A____ Until then, only peasants who worked the land had tanned skins – not the kind of image aristocrats wanted! In the sixteenth century the idea was to look as pale as possible. Women, including Elizabeth I (1533–1603), covered their faces in chalky powders to make them look very pale – almost white. Unfortunately, these powders contained lead and if it got into your mouth you would be pale … and dead. In eighteenth-century Italy more than 600 men died from getting too close to wives wearing arsenic make-up.
B____ Toothbrushes didn’t exist until the seventeenth century so a piece of cloth was used with a bit of pumice stone. It eventually removed the tooth enamel completely! It was customary (if you could afford it) to rinse your mouth with wine to make the breath smell sweeter, but that only made the decay worse.
C ____However, nothing has ever compared to the two-metre high wigs of the 1770s that were held up with a wire frame and smoothed in place with pig fat. This attracted mice, which the servants had to deal with on a weekly basis. In Britain in those days, women didn’t shave their legs – but they did shave their eyebrows. They then stuck on new ones cut from the skins of mice.
D____ In the sixteenth century Elizabeth I only took four baths a year. Mary Queen of Scots chose to bath in wine. Milk was recommended for a pale skin. In the next century water was still considered unhealthy and the wife of Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) preferred to wash her face in puppy’s urine.
E____ It was the Georgians who developed the corset to make the waist smaller, push out the chest and straighten the back – completely ignoring the damage to their health. And how did women stop their dresses dragging in the mud of medieval Britain when they weren’t even allowed to show their ankles? By wearing platform shoes, of course. They were uncomfortable and completely impractical, as any modern wearer of platform shoes knows. Because of the terrible condition of the roads they were also very dangerous.
In 1770, the British government passed a law which said that a woman who tricked her husband with make up was as bad as a witch. If he married her and found that she was ugly underneath all the powder and paint, he could be “unmarried” any time he wanted. Only time will tell what future generations will think of our techniques for achieving physical perfection and keeping our youthful looks. In the meantime, keep taking vitamins and stay young and beautiful!
(The Sunday Mirror)
[C].Answer the following questions
1) What historical periods are mentioned in the article?
2) What two dangerous ingredients were used in make-up?
3) Find the word that means protective tooth covering. What happened to this protective covering when people cleaned their teeth with pumice stone?
4) Why are mice mentioned twice?
5) Apart from water, what liquids were used for washing?
6) What do you think were the bad effects of the platform shoes and corsets?
7) Which of the methods described in the article do you find
• the strangest?
• the funniest?
• the most disgusting?
8) What’s your opinion of the law that was passed in Britain in 1770?
Task 3.Render the following text in English.
Воспоминания о Белинском
Это был человек среднего роста, на первый взгляд довольно некрасивый и даже нескладный, худощавый, с впалой грудью. Всякого, даже не медика, немедленно поражали в нем все главные признаки чахотки. Притом же, он почти постоянно кашлял. Лицо он имел небольшое, бледно-красноватое, нос неправильный, как бы приплюснутый, рот слегка искривленный, особенно когда раскрывался, маленькие частые зубы; густые белокурые волосы падали клоком на белый, прекрасный, хоть и низкий лоб. Я не видел глаз более прелестных, чем у Белинского. Голубые, с золотистыми искорками в глубине зрачков, эти глаза, в обычное время полузакрытые ресницами, расширялись и сверкали в минуты воодушевления; в минуты веселости взгляд их принимал пленительное выражение приветливой доброты и беспечного счастья. Голос у Белинского был слаб, с хрипотой, но приятен. Смеялся он от души, как ребенок. Он любил расхаживать по комнате, постукивая пальцами красивых и маленьких рук по табакерке с русским табаком…
(И.С. Тургенев)
Task 4[A]. There is a famous children’s story called “The Ugly Duckling”. The article below has the same title. Can you guess what it is going to be about? Read about it.
The Ugly Duckling
I realized how cruel life can be for an unattractive child when everybody in my class was invited to a tenth birthday barbecue on the beach. Everybody, that is, except for me. At first I thought there had been a mistake and that my invitation had been lost But when I made the inquiries to the hostess, She didn’t beet about the bush: “Sorry, Susie. You are too fat to wear a swimsuit on the beach and you can’t see without those horrible glasses anyway.”
I went home and cried for hours. My mother was ready with comforting cuddles, yet even she couldn’t bring herself to reassure me I was lonely. I used to spend a long time staring at my brother and twin sisters and feeling extremely hard done by.
The chip that was developing on my shoulder became obvious in my aggressive manner. This, of course, only made things worse. Tea invitations stopped. I walked home from school alone and often found drawings that looked like me in the classroom wastepaper bin. I hated everyone because everyone seemed to hate me.
When I was fourteen, my mother decided that I should go to the church youth club. I stood alone watching the dancing, feeling embarrassed, ugly and awkward. Then a miracle happened.
A skinny boy called Peter, with glasses and spots, asked me to dance. He also had a brace on his teeth. We didn’t talk much but he asked if I would be there the following week. I have to credit Peter with changing my life. He stopped me feeling hideous.
Encouraged, I put myself on a diet, begged my mother for contact lenses and grew my hair. Then another miracle occurred. I grew taller and, as that happened, I started looking slimmer. The brace was finally removed and my teeth were even. I was never going to be a beautiful swan, but I was going to try.
(The Sunday Times)
[B]. Find the answers in the text to these questions.
a) Why wasn’t the writer invited to the party?
b) Why do you think Susie felt “hard done by” when she looked at her brother and sisters?
c) How did the other children react when Susie became aggressive?
d) Which aspects of her appearance did Susie worry about most of all?
e) What was the first “miracle” which increased Susie’s self-confidence?
f) What were the three ways in which Susie tried to improve her appearance?
[C]. Talk about the following
1) Do you think the girl was right to exclude Susie from her birthday party? Why/Why not?
2) What makes a person beautiful? A perfect face? A good body? A healthy attitude to life?
3) How do you choose your friends? What influences you in your choice? Put these ideas in order of importance (1 = most important, 9 = least important) and discuss your decision with a partner.
| sense of humour dress sense similar education | physical appearance interests family background | money personality good character | taste in music/TV/ films intelligence |
Task 5. Prepare an argument to support the following ideas or to disagree with them.
• It’s much more important for women to be attractive than for men.
• You don’t have to be physically perfect to be attractive. You just have to be self-confident.
• Beauty contests are an insult for women.
• There are a lot of disadvantages in being good-looking.
• To be beautiful you have to suffer.
• Gerard Depardieu refused to change his nose. You think plastic surgery is a good idea, don’t you?
Task 6 [A].Do the personality quiz to discover what type of person you are. Write Y for ‘Yes’, N for
No’, and S for ‘Sometimes’
What Sort of Person Are You?
1. Are you usually smiling and happy? – …
2. Do you enjoy the company of other people? – …
3. Do you find it difficult to meet other people? – …
4. Is it important to you to succeed in your career? – …
5. Does your mood change very often suddenly for no reason? – …
6. Do you not ice other people’s feelings? – …
7. Do you think the future will change for the better? – …
8. Can your friends depend on you? – …
9. Is your room often in a mess? – …
10.Do you get annoyed if you have to wait for anything or anybody? – …
11.Do you put off until tomorrow what you could do today? – …
12.Do you work hard? – …
13.Do you keep your feelings and ideas to yourself? – …
14.Do you often give presents? – …
15.Do you talk a lot? – …
16.Are you usually calm and not worried by things? – …
[B].Match these adjectives with the questions in the quiz. The first is done for you.
a. untidy– 9 e. reserved i. lazy m. easy-going
b. optimistic f. shy j. generous n. reliable
c. sociable g. impatient k. moody o. cheerful
d. talkative h. ambitious l. hard-working p. sensitive
Task 7.Answer the following questions:
1. Are you an efficient person? When do you act as efficiently as possible?
2. Are you a tactful person? When don’t you behave tactfully?
3. Suppose you are asked if you are a kind person. What might you answer?
4. When should people behave as patiently as possible?
5. Are you wise enough not to make foolish mistakes?
6. What people are considered to be generous?
7. In what situations do you usually feel embarrassed?
8. What behaviour do you find annoying? Explain why we find annoying the behaviour of a person who:
a) pretends his computer mouse is alive and talks to it;
b) asks the waitress for an extra seat for his imaginary friend;
c) writes the surprise ending to a story on its first page;
d) continues sipping his cocktail for some minutes after it has been drunk;
e) mixes the names of his friends and relatives;
f) stands over someone’s shoulder, mumbling, as they read;
g) repeats everything someone says, as a question;
h) staples papers in the middle of the page.
Task 8. Decide what words most probably describe these people
Model: A person who is artistic loves acting.
1. ___ likes looking after and protecting people.
2. ___ enjoys discussing things with people.
3. ___ doesn’t mind taking risks.
4. ___ has difficulty in accepting other people’s opinions.
5. ___ hates quarrelling.
6. ___ sometimes has difficulty in controlling his temper.
7. ___ doesn’t mind in accepting routines and rules.
8. ___ doesn’t take the lead.
9. ___ likes being free.
10. ___ tries to avoid taking responsibility.
Task 9. What do you call the man
1) full of verbal wit?
2) who doesn’t keep to his principles?
3) who relies too much on his abilities?
4) who behaves like a slave?
5) who is setting too high a value on himself?
6) who is self respecting?
7) who is doing good to his fellow men?
8) who can’t be relied on?
9) who is haughty and insolent?
10) who is obstinately or willfully in the wrong?
11) who is avaricious, hoarding money?
12) who can’t bear people to have opinions and views other than his own?
13) who is just to everyone?
14) who is not given to pretence?
15) who is anxious not to hurt other people’s feelings?
16) who likes to poke his nose into other people’s affairs?
Task 10 [A].What people do we call
| – selfish? | – self-determined? | ||
| – selfless? | – self-willed? | ||
| – self-conceited? | – self-important? | ||
| – self-conscious? | – self-contained? | ||
| – self-centered? | – self-controlled? | ||
| – self-confident? | – self-esteemed? |
[B].Fill in the correct word from the list of qualities above.
1. Bianca is very …… . When she’s on a diet, she doesn’t let herself eat any chocolate or biscuits!
2. Mike’s …… has been very low ever since he was fired from his job.
3. Tommy is rather ……; he refuses to let other children play with his toys.
4. My brother is extremely …… ; he believes he is the best in everything he does.
5. Jackie is the most …… person I know; she cares about one’s problems but her own.
Task 11.Match the words to the people described in the texts.
arrogant conventional dependable
hypocritical stand-offish superstitious
talkative
a) He just sits at his desk all day, never joins in the conversation, and looks superior. He’s not rude – if anything, he’s too polite, if you see what I mean. He wouldn’t even come out with us after work when it was my birthday.
b) Yack, yack, yack, he rambles on and on. His friends, his family, his goldfish, last night’s football, how the country’s going to the dogs, how the bus is always late, more about his goldfish. He never stops!
c) Never, never trust him! You wouldn’t believe the number of people he’s stabbed in the back. He’ll say anything to make you think he’s one of your friends. He’s utter poison!
d) She’s a treasure! You don’t even have to ask and you know she’ll be there. And anything you do ask, she’ll get on with it and do it just how you wanted it. I’d trust her with my life!
e) Oh, I don’t think we want to change, my dear. What would the neighbours think? No, that’s the way your father and I have always done it, and we’re not going to start going all modern now.
f) I’ve never known anyone like him. Black cats, walking under ladders, the thirteenth day of the month, touching wood, crossing your fingers – he believes in the lot of it!
g) and there we were sitting in the meeting, and she didn’t even ask anybody else their opinion. She just told us what her plans were and how well they would work. When I tried to say something, she cut me off before I’d even finished!
Task 12.Make adjectives by combining a word from column A with a word from column B. Then complete the sentences below.
A B
absent faced
big fingered
level fisted
light headed
narrow headed
quick minded
tight minded
two witted
1. Don’t believe a word that that _____ little rat tells you: he couldn’t care less about anyone else.
2. He’s so _____: he just thinks he’s the best at everything.
3. I’m getting so _____: I keep losing things everywhere I go.
4. I’ve never known anyone so _____: not once in twelve years has he ever bought anyone a drink.
5. She was so _____ that she thought the world stopped at the end of her street.
6. Some of the children are a bit _____ so don’t leave anything valuable lying around.
7. They were too _____ for us to be able to catch them out.
8. We really need somebody who will be totally _____ and not get upset by all the pressure.
Task 13. How would you describe the person in the suggested situations? Give several variants if possible.
1. He never bought me a drink all the time we were together.
2. I have to tell her what to do every minute of the working day. She wouldn’t even open the window without someone’s permission.
3. He often promises to do things but half the time he forgets.
4. She is always here on time.
5. I don’t think he’s done any work since he has been here.
6. She finds it difficult to meet people and talk to strangers.
7. He could work in any of the departments and it doesn’t matter to him if he’s on his own or part of a team.
8. One of the great things about her is that she is so aware of what other people think or feel.
9. Bob, on the other hand is a complete opposite. He is always making people angry or upset because he doesn’t consider their feelings.
10. The other thing about Bob is that he really wants to get the supervisor’s job and then become boss of the whole department.
Task 14.Reword the following sentences to give the opposite impression.
1) Di’s very thrifty.
2) Molly’s usually frank.
3) Liz is quite broad-minded.
4) Sam can be aggressive.
5) Dick’s very original.
6) Don’t you think Jim’s behaviour is very bossy?
7) Jill is fairly naive.
8) I find Dave self-important.
9) His attitude to you is rather courteous.
10) I find her gregarious.
Task 15 [A].What do you know about Madonna? What did she look like the last time you saw a picture or a video of her? Read the article and do the tasks that follow it.
IMAGE QUEEN
The look is pure subservience. The white-painted face, with lips like a red gash, is framed by a dead straight curtain of dark glossy hair. It is the stark image of a geisha that stares into the camera. So it is difficult to believe that this is Madonna … the woman who sums up feisty independence in the post-feminist era … posing as a silent, submissive geisha girl.
But to take Madonna at face value is to misunderstand one of the most complex and intensely clever female stars of the past two decades.
She is the mistress of reinvention. And behind every change of image – always total, always perfect down to the last detail – is a carefully thought-out strategy to get the attention that she wants.
From the moment the Detroit convent girl hitch-hiked to New York twenty years ago with a burning ambition to be the world’s most famous woman, she has shown an amazing talent for transformation.
She was named the new face of max factor make-up – quite an achievement at the age of forty. But the singer almost certainly has her eye on her next film role. It is no coincidence that Steven Spielberg is looking for a woman for his film adaptation of Arthur Golden’s best-selling novel, Memoirs of a Geisha. And if her new geisha look is part of Madonna’s campaign to secure the part, who can blame her? It has paid off before.