Step I

b) Sum up the text in three sentences.

c) Scan the text for details.

d) Answer the teacher’s questions.
3. a) Open the brackets using the correct forms of the verbs.

blustery – windy, stormy
Anna, Marleen and Sarah __________ (1 – to come) from a small town in the east of Germany. In many ways, their lives are quite similar to those of middle-class young people from the United States. They ____________ (2 – to watch) American television shows like “Friends”, “Sex in the City” and “The Simpsons,” dubbed in German. They have cellphones, they Google, they _____________ (3 – to travel) – Anna as far as China, and Sarah several times to America.

They talk of their ambitions and expectations. For them coming of age means, above all, ___________ ( 4 – to come) to terms with economic reality.

Asked about the things most important to her once she _________ (5 – to finish) school, Anna had a ready reply: “A job which seems complicated ___________ (6 – to get).” She said she ____________ (7 – to want) ____________ (8 – to be) a journalist; her father ________ (9 – to be) a regional editor for the local daily newspaper, Volksstimme. “__________ (10 – not/to be) alone,” Anna continued her list. “To have friends.”

What would she like her life __________ (11 – to look) like when she ________ (12 – to be) 25? “I hope I _____________________ (13 – to graduate) from university,” Anna said. “I don’t want to be a lazy student,” one who spends years, as some German students do, hanging around the university, where tuition _______________ (14 – to cover) by the state.

That _________ (15 – to be) nearly a year ago, when Anna, Marleen and Sarah ______________________ (16 – first/to interview). They ________________ (17 – just/to have) a ceremony marking transition to adulthood. The ceremony came on a blustery Saturday in the auditorium of the Town Hall. While their parents and grandparents _______________ (18 – to watch), the girls _____________ (19 – to call) to the stage, __________ (20 – to give) a yellow rose and a handshake, and a book. “I _________ ________ (21 – to move),” Anna said, “when they said that childhood ____________ (22 – to be over), and I ____________________ (23 – modal/to take) more responsibility for my life.”

A year later, Anna said she _____________ (24 – to give) more shape to her interest in becoming a journalist, writing for the youth supplement of Volksstimme. Marleen, asked a year ago what _______ (25 – to be) important to her, said she really ____________ (26 – not/ to know) . Now she ______________ (27 – to decide) to look for a job as a clerk or secretary. Why _________ (28 – not/to go) to college and get a better job? “You go to university and you still __________________ (29 – modal/to find) a job,” she replied. “I know people who just _________ (30 – to finish) school and __________ (31 – to get) jobs, and others who got university diplomas and didn’t. There’s still a lot to learn,” Marleen said. “It’s quite exhausting.”
b) Answer the teacher’s questions.

VOCABULARY EXTENSION

4. a) Read the text filling in the gaps with the proper words.

a peer [pIR] – someone who is of the same age as another person or belongs to the

same social or professional group as another person

an adolescent [LWdR'lesnt] – young teenager of about 13-16

One of the ______________ (1 – strongest/hardest) influences on teenagers today is that of their peers. What their friends think, how they dress and how they act in class and out of it ____________ (2 – affect/ effect) the behaviour of nearly every teenager. In their _____________ (3 – actions/efforts) not to be different, some children go so _________ (4 – far/farther) as to hide their intelligence and ability in case they are made ___________ of (5 – laugh/fun). Generally, teenagers do not want to stand out from the ___________ (6 – group/crowd). They want to ____________ in (7 – fit/fall), to be accepted. In psychological _____________ (8 – terms/expressions) the importance of peer pressure can not be overemphasized. There is a lot of evidence that it has great ______________ (9 – meaning/bearing) on all aspects of their lives, from the clothes they wear, the music they listen to and their (10 – attitude/relation) to studies, to their ambitions in life, their relationships and their (11 – sense/impression) of self-worth. However, as adolescents grow up into young adults, individuality becomes more acceptable and in their _____________ (12 – look/search) for their personal style, the teenager and young adult will begin to experiment and be more willing to _____________ (13 – face/carry) the risk of rejection by the group. Concern about intellectual ability and _______________ (14 – reaching/achieving) good exam results can dominate as the atmosphere of competition develops and worries about the future _____________ (15 – override/overthrow) any fears of appearing too brainy.
b) Answer the teacher’s questions.

HOME ACTIVITIES (1)
5. a) Go through the texts in exercises 2– 4 and find the English for

придавать слишком большое значение чему-либо; предметы роскоши; жадный, склонный к стяжательству; все больше и больше; чересчур озабоченный чем-то; корыстный; приоритет; самовыражение; духовная сторона жизни; служение людям; во многом; быть похожим на...; дублировать; совершеннолетие; более всего; примириться с чем-либо; “болтаться” по университету; ратуша; молодежное приложение к журналу “Фольксштимме”; почему бы не сделать что-то?; это очень изматывает; сверстники; в попытке не выделяться (не отличаться); выделяться из толпы; с точки зрения (психологии); вписываться (в какую-либо среду, круг); иметь сильное влияние на / иметь отношение к; чувство собственной значимости (достоинства); подростки; неприятие группы; беспокойство об интеллектуальных способностях; перевешивать страх чего-либо.
b) Illustrate the word combinations with sentences from the texts.
6. Retell any of the three texts (see exercises 2-4).

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES (2)
7. Paraphrase and add a sentence logically connected.

1. Some teenagers give too much attention to clothes. 2. Today people are becoming more and more money-oriented. 3. As a rule, young adults are much preoccupied with their social status. 4. All over the world school leavers and university graduates have to learn to accept the economic realities. 5. Becoming legally an adult implies more responsibility. 6. University graduates in Russia have the same problems as young people of the same age in other countries. 7. It’s quite tiring to search for a job. 8. For younger teenagers it is very important to look and act the same way as their peers. 9. Most young adults prefer to be different from others. 10. Isn’t it better to find satisfaction in the spiritual aspect of life? 11. More than anything some people like to own status-symbols like fast cars and fashionable clothes. 12. Being fashionable was low on her list of important things. 13. The girl is said to have married the old man’s money. No doubt it was a marriage of convenience.
8. a) Read the article and say in one sentence what it deals with.

Новое поколение выбирает прагматизм

(По материалам журнала Итоги, 2002 г.)
b) Choose the most appropriate English words/phrases corresponding to the highlighted Russian ones. (More than one word/phrase may be right.)

(1) миллиард (billion / milliard); опрашивать (to ask / to interview / to poll);

(2) открытие (opening / discovery / revelation); зрелость (maturity / ripeness);

(4) проблема отцов и детей (the problem of fathers and children / generation gap problem / generation problem); беспокоиться (to worry / to trouble / to be concerned about);

(5) потребители (consumers / users / buyers);

(6) опыт (experiment / test / experience); времяпрепровождение (pastime / spending time);

(8) чувства (feelings / senses)

Key – 8: b) (1) – billion; to interview / to poll; (2) – discovery / revelation; maturity; (4) – generation gap problem; to be concerned about; (5) – consumers; (6) – experience; pastime; (8) – feelings.

c) Paraphrase using a large / small / significant number (of); a large proportion; the majority of; a (slim) minority; a substantial number / proportion / majority / minority.
1. Today, most teenagers are more intelligent and well-informed than young adults were twenty years ago. 2. Research shows that 81% of young people hope for a successful career. 3. According to the poll, 69 % of teenagers value a happy marriage. 4. The article points out that 66% of adolescents stress the importance of peace for a happy future. 5. Strange as it may seem, only 38% of young adults intend to live in their mother country. 6. On average 19% of teenagers leave school at 16 to get a job. 7. No wonder that 73% of young men and women are greatly concerned about their career prospects. 8. Figures suggest that 3 out of 4 people interviewed don’t enjoy their job. 9. Psychologists claim that 64% of teenagers are afraid of losing what is dear to them. 10. The recent survey proves that despite the eternal generation gap problem 63% of adolescents worry about their parents’ health. 11. Despite their young age, 55% of teenagers are afraid that they will not be able to earn enough money. 12. Watching television rates as the most popular form of entertainment with 93% of adolescents.
d) Answer the teacher’s questions.

HOME ACTIVITIES (2)
9. Render the article (see exercise 8) in English using the suggested key words and phrases:

1. Introduction:

• 
  The article deals with... / the article covers the subject (the problems) of...
  

to carry out research; to poll / to interview
2. Main body of the report:

The research suggests / indicates / implies that...

unexpected results, mature; intelligent and well-informed; to be over-concerned about; to come to terms with economic reality;

The article goes on to say that...

to hope for sth; mother country; acne ['WknI]; unwanted pregnancy; generation gap problem;

The writer points out that... / stresses (sth)

consumers; to have access to sth; mass media; source of experience; exciting activities; entertainment industry; priorities;
3. Conclusion:

In conclusion / Finally, the writer says that...

maturity; feelings.
10. Write a paragraph (200-220 words) discussing Transition to Adulthood: Problems and Values. Use the material of exercises 2-7 and the following words and phrases: 
although; first of all; as far as I am concerned / as far as sth is concerned; this is particularly important for/to...; for this reason; nevertheless; moreover; in my opinion; I believe; finally; I absolutely agree (I totally disagree) with the viewpoint that; in other words...; summing it up, I ...

Step II

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES (3)

GRAMMAR EXERCISES