Read and translate the text. Think of its title.

More than a million American teenagers run away from home every year. Their parents are often puzzled and hurt: why do they do it?

There is usually lack of understanding on both sides - parents and a child - problems in communication.

More than half of these runaways are girls. Their average age is fifteen. For one reason or another, they refuse to stay at home. Of course, the great majority of young people never run away from home. Nevertheless, the problem is a serious one. There is no typical runaway. Many come from homes broken by divorce or homes where there is an alcoholic parent. Some run away from parents who beat them. But there are also many runaways who come from healthy families where no such problems exist.

Steve, aged 15, ran away when he was 13. His father drank and everyone in the family suffered when he got drank. One night his father grabbed a gun and with his finger on the trigger threatened to kill everybody in the family. Steve ran away and stayed away. His main concern was to find enough food and a safe place to sleep.

"It's frightening to be homeless because you don't know about tomorrow", Steve says. Everything you've got is what is on your back. You wonder where you are going to eat or live. You don't know if you'll be all right.

Sharon's parents are divorced, but she says she had no real problems at home. She lived in a small town in Vermont. One evening a friend rang her up. "We are going to New York. Want to come along?" Sharon, 14 years old, hesitated a little and agreed. When the police finally found her, she became a drug addict.

Unfortunately, these young people often get into trouble. Only few runaways have any idea of how to survive when they are alone and very often they find dangerous world after leaving home. Most take off only with few dollars. When the money is spend, they find it is not easy to make new when you are only fifteen or sixteen. It's useless for them to look for a proper job because legally they are too young to work.

The police says the most runaways return home within a few days. Often a phone call home is enough to put things right. But the longer the runaway is away from home the more likely he or she is to get into trouble. One set of problems is often replaced by another. Runaways often think that they will find friendly people wishing to help them. But the fact is that cities are full of people who only want to take advantage of the runaways.

On the street there are three main means to survive: stealing, begging and drug dealing. It's like a quicksand: the deeper in you go, the deeper down you sink. Sometimes it leads to a suicide.

There are a lot of charity organizations which try to protect children. But unfortunately, the number of teen runaways is rising and the kids are getting younger.

Notes: puzzle - озадачивать; lack - нехватка, отсутствие; average - средний; reason -причина; refuse - отказываться; the great majority - подавляющее большинство; nevertheless - тем не менее; suffer - страдать; grab - схватить; threaten - угрожать; concern - забота; frightening - страшно; hesitate - колебаться, сомневаться; survive - выживать.

Exercise 1. Paraphrase the given sentences, using words and phrases from the text.

1. More than a million American teenagers escape from home every year.

2. Of course, most of young people never run away from home.

3. His main problem was to find to find enough food and a safe place to sleep.

4. You are interested where you are going to eat or live.

5. Unfortunately, these young people often find many problems.

6. Most leave home only with few dollars.

7. It's useless for them to look for a suitable work.

8. Often a phone call home is enough to correct things.

9. The police says the most runaways return home during a few days.

10) But the fact is that cities are full of people who only want to make use of the runaways.

10. Sometimes it leads to killing oneself.

11. There are a lot of charity organizations which try to save children

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences with your own words.

1. Their parents are often puzzled and hurt...

2. There is usually lack of understanding on both sides...

3. For one reason or another...

4. Many come from homes...

5. But there are also many runaways...

6. Everything you' ve got is...

7. When the police finally found her...

8. Only few runaways have any idea of...

9. When the money is spend, they find it is ...

10. Often a phone call...

11. One set of problems is often ...

12. But unfortunately, the number of teen runaways...

Exercise 3. Answer the questions.

1. Why do you think children escape from homes?

2. Why is it frightening to be homeless?

3. How can runaways survive in the street?

4. How often do runaways return home?

5. What can adults do to help these children?

Exercise 4. Think of the main idea of the text. Discuss it in group. Exercise 5. Give the summary of the text (in 8-10 sentences).

Speech exercises

Exercise 1. Answer the questions.

1. What is the best way to punish a child?

2. Do you think it's easier to be a father or a mother?

3. What problems face single-parent families?

4. What are the main reasons for conflicts between different generations?

5. Do you think married children and their parents should live together?

6. How many children do you think should be in the family?

7. Who has more responsibilities and duties in the family, a father or a mother?

8. What do you think is the best age for a person to get married?

9. Would you feel happier in an extended or a nuclear family?

Exercise 2. Explain the following proverbs. Give their Russian equivalents if possible.

1. Every mother thinks her own gosling a swan.

2. As the tree, as the fruit.

3. Life is not all cakes and ale.

4. Too many cooks spoil the broth.

5. A good example is the best teacher.

6. A good husband should be deaf and a good wife should be blind.

Exercise 3. What do you think on the points?

1. People should not marry outside their religion, nation, class, education.

2. Loneliness can be beneficial.

3. No herb will cure love.

4. Happiness takes no account of love.

5. Adopted children should know who their natural parents are.

6. Divorce is on the increase in Russia.

7. Interracial marriages should be discouraged.

8. Children should be seen and not heard.

9. Putting children first or parents matter too.