2. Find in the text its leading ideas and present them in the form of clear-cut statements.

3. Find in the text statements with which you agree; with which you disagree. Explain your attitude.

4. Study the counter-arguments to the text you have read and discuss the problems raised in class using both the arguments of the text and the counter-argu­ments that follow.

(The group should be as usual divided into two parts, one part supporting the cause of the young and the\other that of the older generation.)

The young do not seek responsibility: they evade it.

They are not interested in important questions; avoid involve­ment: e.g. major political issues, etc.; they lack noble ideals.

They want expensive clothes, cars, etc. without working for them.

The young should be grateful to the older generation.

The older generation bequeathed peace and freedom which the young enjoy.

The older generation provides the young with good education, money to spend.

The older generation fought World War II, faced difficult, some­times tragic problems. The young have had everything easy.

The young cling to passing fashions: clothes, pop music, rock music. The modern phenomenon is mass hysteria.

Too much permissiveness leads to immorality when normal mor­al standards are labelled as "inhibitions".

Appearance of many young people is unpleasant: too long un­kempt hair, dirty clothes, unwashed bodies.

5. Tell the class what you think about the parent-child relationship. What should it be like? What is the way to achieve a perfect mutual understanding?

II. 1. Read the following dialogue dealing with the same problems of the generation gap. An After-School Youth-Centre Dance

Darley: I was thinking... What would you youngsters do without the youth centre? You'd be pretty lost, wouldn't you?

Paul: Huh! It's all right. I suppose. But I'm telling you, we don't need no bloody youth club to find something to do. Me ...well, I only come when there's a dance on. Them berks what come all the time ... well, they need their heads examined. If I want to drink, ... well, there's the pub, isn't there.

Mrs. Brent: But how old are you, Paul? Sixteen? You can't drink in pubs, it's illegal.

Paul: No barman's ever turned me out yet. What about a dance, Denise?

Denise: I don't mind.

Paul: Come on, then.

Finchley: Would you care to dance, Mrs. Brent?

Mrs. Brent: Thank you, but no. The music isn't of my generation. You know, the generation gap. When I was young, I'd never have dared to speak as Paul just did.

James: What sort of world do you think we live in, Mrs. Brent? It's part of my job to know people, and especially young people, as they are.

Mrs. Brent: Please don't misunderstand me. I only thought it of­fensive. If my own son...

James: Oh, I'm used to it. In a sense I feel it's a kind of compliment that...

Darley: Compliment?

James: Don't get me wrong. Paul feels free to express himself with me just as he would with his friends. He accepts me as a kind of friend.

Finchley: And really, the so-called generation gap is a myth, you know. Teenagers aren't really so different. As a teacher I find them quite traditional in their attitudes.

Darley: But look at the way they dress... and their hair!

James: You haven't got the point, I think. Those things are quite superficial. I agree with Mr. Finchley. Basically, their attitudes are very similar to those of my generation.

Darley: So you approve of the kind of language we heard from Paul just now.

James: Now, I didn't say that. Anyway, the concepts of "approv­al" and "disapproval" tend to over-simplify matters. Every genera­tion creates its own special language, just as it creates its own styles in clothes and music.

Mrs. Brent: It's just that the styles and habits of today's teenagers are so... well, basically... so unacceptable.

Darley: When you come to think of it... I mean, I'm always on at my boy about his clothes.

James: So you find them unacceptable too.

Darley: No, just let me finish. I was about to say that in fact his clothes are very practical, very simple.

Finchley: Anyway, the generation gap is nonexistent. I mean, the idea of a teenage generation which has rejected the values of its par­ents for a sort of mixture of violence and lethargy... well, it's totally unrealistic. My contact with them as a teacher of English is close. You see, we have regular discussions. You'd find them interesting. And you'd realize, I think, how traditional their attitudes are.

James: For example?

Finchley: For example, you probably wouldn't think so, but the majority have a firm belief in marriage and in the family.

Darley: Those are things I've never talked about with my boy.

Finchley: And one very clear, very notable thing is that they're always looking for opportunities to help others.

Mrs. Brent: Well, Tony doesn't help much in the house.

Finchley: To help others, that is who really need help. Not just helping with the washing-up, Mrs. Brent. Another point that's come out of the discussion is that nearly all of them — about 90 per cent I should say — get on well with their parents. Most disagreements seem to be over hair and general appearance.

James: And we've called those superficial. . Finchley: Exactly!

(From: "Over to You" by R. Boardman. Abridged.)