ACTUAL PROBLEMS OF YOUNG PEOPLE

UNIT 1

Exercise 1.

a) Read and translate the words without a dictionary:

 

Generation,aboyfriend, a girlfriend, prestigious, a profession, international, cooperation, problem, trouble, type

 

b)Read and memorize the words to the text:

 

on the contrary	наоборот
misunderstanding	непонимание
peers, n pl	сверстники
the main character	главный герой
poorly-paid position	плохо оплачиваемая
to beg	клянчить, выпрашивать
to distract from	отвлекать
bearable, adj	сносный
to argue, v	спорить
tough, adj	грубый
self-assured, adj	самоуверенный
insensible, adj	безразличный
to become, v	зд.: подходить, годиться
tolerance, n	терпимость
dull, adj	глупый, скучный
to stand, v	зд.: подвергаться
to face, v	сталкиваться
to fall into a trap	попасть в ловушку
to concern, v	заниматься, интересоваться чем-л. (in, with)

 

Exercise 2.

a) Read and translate the text about problems of the modern youth and fill in the table:

YOUTH PROBLEMS

 

There are many problems that young people have to face when they stop being children. There are two types of problems- personal problems and the problems the whole generation has to face.

Personal problems can look silly and unimportant to the eyes of grown-ups, who have already passed this period of learning. For the young it is different. The first and terrible thing is misunderstanding from the dearest people - from the parents. They do not understand why I need to buy certain things, listen to certain music or spend most of my spare time with peers. Father says I am lazybones, mother cries sometimes. I don’t want to hurt their feelings but they should try to understand me. They don’t, they still think I’m a baby. But I’m 17 years old; I can makemy decisionsand understand everything concerning my life. That is the problem of generation gap. That’s why I spend most of the time with my friends - they understand that I’m grown-up already.

The same misunderstanding we face sometimes from the side of the teachers. They think that youth is given for studying. But a person who only studies is dull. Some teachers do not understand that youth is the time for us to learn about people and about ourselves, to play and try things. They try to keep us away from all “dangers” which make up life. Some grown-ups think that to have a boyfriend or a girlfriend at school is a deadly sin. I don’t think so. There are many films and books about love, and the main characters are usually young. I think, school is the right time to find a boyfriend or a girlfriend, because studying is difficult and they can support each other. It is important to have a person who really understands you. There can also be a problem, if your peers (classmates, for example) do not understand you.

Nowadays the problem of education is also very serious. The choice of educational institutions is wide today but the quality of training is different. Some of them are state, others are private. Some are very difficult to enter, others are easy to enter. The quality of knowledge the regional schools give is not enough for easy entrance and free studying at in Moscow or Saint-Petersburg universities so you have to pay for your education. Some educational institutions train really high-qualified specialists who can easily find a prestigious and well-paid jobs, others offer their graduates only poorly-paid positions. So the choice of the educational university depends on the school you study at, on your parents’ income, on the financial conditions of your family, on your likes and dislikes. But it is really important to find a suitable university and a profession to your taste because all your life depends on your choice.

The problem of money is rather painful as well. I think, young people need to have pocket money. When you are 17 years old you can be satisfied only with the things your parents buy for you (food, clothes). You have your hobbies and interests so you need money for buying books, CDs, going to the cinema and having a cup of coffee in a cafe with your girlfriend. But I don’t think it is a good idea to beg parents to give you some money. They would give much more if they earned enough. So the only way out is to find a part-time job, for example to work as a postman. Delivering advertisement newspapers is not so hard, it won’t distract you from studies as it will take you only 8 hours a week and give about 4000 roubles a month. It is not much but it is bearable and gives you some financial independence. Don’t get used to getting a free ride. To earn money by yourself means to be a grown-up.

Young people stand many health problems. Many of us want to look older and more independent. Everybody wants to go out of line so they do silly things. The girls make up as Red Indians on the war-path. They wear articles of clothes that do not become. They try to be fashionable-looking and lose their style and charm. The boys try to be tough, they are self-assured and insensible. Both boys and girls begin to smoke and drink beer and even stronger alcoholic drinks. Sometimes they begin to take drugs and become drug addicts. This is the point of no return as drugs ruin all their life and life of their parents. Very few of them give up taking drugs and start a new life. The main disadvantage of being young is the absence of life experience so it is easy to fall into a trap.

Still there are many advantages of being young. When you are young you are usually healthy, your brain works well, and you can study easily what you like. You are full of energy and can solve many problems the mankind has faced in the XXI century. These problems are environment, tolerance, and industrial development, maintenance of the world peace, international scientific cooperation and health.

 

b) Fill in the table using the information from the text. Think over and add the problems you consider to be important

 

Global problems	Personal problems

 

c) Find in the text synonyms for the following words:

 

1. to debate
2. to come across
3. to ask for
4. self
5. to disturb
6. senseless
7. fellows

 

 

d) Replace the words in the brackets with the corresponding English words:

 

1. The same (непонимание) we face sometimes from the side of the teachers.

2. Still there are many (преимущество) of being young.

3. There are many problems that young people have to (встречаться, сталкиваться) when they stop being children.

4. I don’t want (ранить, причинять боль) their feelings but they should try to understand me.

5. (зарабатывать) money by yourself means to be a grown-up.

6. The boys try to be tough, they are self-assured and (безразличный).

7. Drugs (разрушают) all their life and life of their parents.

 

e) Fill in the blanks with prepositions where necessary:

 

1. The chemical was poisonous so I was told to keep … … it.

2. It was rather difficult … me to find a book ... my test.

3. She has never begged … money; she has always achieved everything by hard work and patience.

4. The choice of the educational institution depends … many factors such as your financial conditions and your likes and dislikes.

5. Nothing could distract her … reading, she could read for hours.

6. Young people stand many health problems … present.

 

 

f) Make the sentences of your own with the words in black.