3.2. Responding to group pressure

Task 1. Read the questions about "group pressure" situations below. In small groups, discuss what you would do in these situations.

1. You have been invited to the wedding of a family member you don't like. Everyone else in your family is going. Would you go to the wedding?

2. Your friends are planning to see a popular movie this weekend and have asked you to go with them. You have read reviews that say it is a really bad movie. Would you go with your friends anyway?

3. All your friends have started to wear a new style of shoes. When you first see the shoes, you think they look ugly. Would you consider buying them anyway?

4. Your parents have been invited to their friend's house in the country for the weekend. They want you to go with them. You are in college and need to study. Would you go away with your parents for the weekend?

Task 2. Listen to two college students - Rebecca and Jim. What do they say they would do in these situations? Take notes about their answers. Discuss whether any of Rebecca's or Jim's reasons for their answers surprise you.

Situation	Rebecca's response	Jim's response
1 Going to a relative's wedding
2 Going to a movie
3 Buying new shoes
4 Going away for the weekend

 LISTENING

3.3. Family vs. Peers

In this section you will hear three Americans discuss one type of group pressure - peer pressure - among young people. You will hear Henry's perspective as the father of two boys. Then you will hear two young people, Victor and Samira, talk about the influence of their peers.

Task 1. Henry is an American father of two teenage boys. Read the behaviours in the chart. Decide which ones you think he would let his sons do.

	Would let them do it	Would not let them do it
Wear baggy pants Dye their hair Talk on the phone for a long time Smoke cigarettes Take drugs Drink alcohol Play video games	      	      

Task 2. Work in a small group. Make a chart like the one below. Fill in the chart with activities that your own parents or caregivers allowed or did not allow you to do.

Discuss the reasons you were or were not allowed to do them.

Name of group member	Activities that were allowed	Activities that were not allowed

Task 3. Interview with Henry: Living with teenagers

A. Here are some words and phrases from the interview with Henry printed in bold and given in the context in which you will hear them. They are followed by definitions.

Adolescence is the time when the pressure begins to shift: the time between childhood and adulthood / move or change

comes into full bloom at about thirteen, fourteen: becomes fully developed

Y ou can tell at a glance: with a quick look

with the hope that the fad would have passed: a new fashion that is suddenly popular

Where would you draw the line: place a limit on what is permitted

Should you be trying to monitor it: watch it carefully

My kids are into video games: have an important interest in

B. In this interview Henry gives advice about how to deal with teenage children. Listen and place a check next to the main ideas that Henry discusses. Do you agree with Henry's advice?