Exercises

Vocabulary а

1. Paraphrase or explain the following paying special attention to the underlined parts of the sentences.

1. It’s good for them to know you have your limits. …They need to realize you are human.

2. I know plenty of families that go in for tight-lipped silences and sulking instead.

3. I actively make room for them to be angry.

4. We’re quite confrontational with each other, but we deal with things there and then.

5. I want them to know that I don’t always get it right.

6. …we shouldn’t be surprised if shouting is next to go.

7. Often the trick is helping parents to channel their stress and frustration instead of directing it at their children.

8) This is excellent advice, and definitely worth a go. But what worries me about this parenting style that we’re all meant to aspire to, is how anodyne it is. … Not a flicker of emotion anywhere in sight. The high-octane, argumentative style of one household may make another household blanch but that doesn’t make it dangerous.

9) Is this world of Stepford Mums and Dads really the way forward?

10) Surely there is room for a bit of diversity in family life.

11) But what they absolutely can’t abide is any kind of “lively discussions” between their own parents.

2. Translate the following words and word-combinations into Russian and use them in situations based on the text.

- to cause anxiety and distress/ life-long damage

- to be sensitive to smth (angry, raised voices)

- to make (little, no) distinction between smth (verbal and physical violence)

- to scold smb

- to keep up a close relationship with one’s children/ parents

- to raise one’s voice/ yell at smb

- to sulk

- to make room for smth

- to deal with tense situations/ stressful moments/ common trouble-spots

- to channel smth (into smth)

- to direct smth (stress, frustration etc) at smb

- to be the predominant/ sole form of communication between

- verbal/ physical abuse; child abuse

- to be akin to smth

3. Look up the following phrasal verbs and bring out their contextual meaning. Complete the sentences below using the appropriate verbs.

- to pick smth up

- to keep smth up

- to go in for smth

- to shout back

- to work smth out

- to bottle smth up

1) And next day June had ___ ___ her feelings and gone there.

2) His family ___ ___ the pretence that he had been ill.

3) The main reason is the private resentments she has ___ ___ for years.

4) We can’t ___ ___ what to do about this problem.

5) I’ve never ___ ___ spiritualism. Where did you ___ ___ such crazy ideas?

6) I was so furious that I wanted to ___ ___ but she was already gone.

7) The mother couldn’t understand where Jimmy had ___ ___ that awful word.

8) It’s all over now. I don’t care to ___ ___ appearances.

9) I have never ___ ___ dancing much.

10) The police could not ___ ___ how the robbers had entered the building.

4. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate prepositions.

1. There’s never a good reason ___ shouting ___ your kids.

2. One boy, interviewed ___ the research, said being shouted ___ was “like somebody beating you ___ their voice.”

3. His advice ___ parents who want to keep ___ a close relationship ___ their children is not to shout ___ them, but to state their opinions ___ a normal voice.

4. Most ___ the parents I know not only admit ___ yelling ___ their kids, but defend their right to do so.

5. I don’t want them to feel guilty ___ it. If Harriet shouts ___ me, I shout ___.

We’re quite confrontational ___ each other, but we deal ___ things there and then.

6. Should shouting be put ___ the agenda too?

7. What you can do is educate ___ that direction.

8. But what worries me ___ this parenting style that we’re all meant to aspire ___, is how anodyne it is. Not a flicker ___ emotion anywhere ___ sight.

9. Surely there is room ___ a bit of diversity ___ family life.

10. ___ any case, most parents feel bad enough ___ shouting ___ their children ___ being made to feel they are causing them life-long damage ___ the process.

11. Parents and teachers need to be aware ___ the impact ___ raised voices ___

children’s confidence and self-esteem.

12. Whatever the Government decides to do ___ smacking, following the UN’s criticism, I can’t help hoping that shouting remains ___ the agenda.