About a Boy (110
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Unit 10 A Cultural Icon
Chapters 29-31
Lead-in
1. Divide the following words into groups which you find logical. Which words would you use to talk about the advantages/disadvantages of being famous?
in the public eye/in the spotlight |
role-model |
gossip |
fame |
icon |
award |
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paparazzi |
mass media |
to idolise |
fan |
advertising |
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scandal |
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celebrity status |
popularity |
addiction |
luxury |
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Who is a cultural icon? What are the most significant icons of our time? |
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Who do teenagers look up to most as role models? (parents, relatives, teachers, coaches, |
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celebrities, politicians, sports heroes, musicians, etc.) |
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4. |
Who influenced you most when you were a teenager? |
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Watching
1.Watch the episode (86:48 – 87:47) and correct mistakes in the following sentences:
1.Marcus is going to sing a song by Kurt Cobain.
1.Marcus is going to be accompanied by his classmate.
2.Marcus can’t wait to sing.
2. Watch the episode (87:47 – 88:53) and fill in the gaps:
W: I heard you were about to commit (1) _____ suicide, so I (2) _____ _____. M: My (3) _____ left! -Brilliant.
W: You don't have to do it. M: I can't do that.
W: Yeah, you can. Just tell them: (4) _____ differences. You can't work without him. He had a
(5) _____ problem.
M: My mum wants me to sing it. It'll make her happy.
W: Look, mate, (6) _____ you do can make your mum happy, all right? Not in the (7) _____
_____. She has to do that for (8) _____. -Get over here right now!
W: Just bugger off, will you!
W: What I'm saying is, the important thing is to make (9) _______ _____ happy.
M: I've tried just making myself happy. She's tried making herself happy. It (10) _____ _____. You need (11) _____ _____to make you happy.
W: But that's just it. If (12) _____ ______ can make you happy then they can also make you (13) _____.
What, you think those (14) _____ _____ _____ are going to make you happy? (15) _____ _____. Wait. Marcus, don't.
3. Watch the episode (88:54 – 90:20) and say what you think is going to happen next. Watch the episode one more time and check your guess.
Reading
Answer the questions
1.What does Fiona’s crying mean? Do you think she will try to commit suicide again? Are Marcus’s fears for her life justified?
2.Who does Marcus turn for help to? Is he feeling as helpless and desperate now as he used to before?
3.How does he cope without his father’s support now? What is Marcus’s reaction to the news about his father’s accident and “big think”?
4.Why does Kurt Cobain want to die? Do Kurt Cobain and Fiona have similar problems?
5.Was Kurt Cobain’s death expected? How is Ellie’s reaction to Kurt Cobain’s death different from Marcus’s? Why?
6.Why isn’t Will shocked by the death of a pop star? Why is he worried about Marcus and Ellie?
7.Compare Fiona and Rachel. In what ways are their lives similar or different? What is their attitude to life?
Vocabulary work
1. Work with a partner. Discuss the meaning of the following idioms. How would you express the same ideas in your own language?
As a last resort
To see eye to eye with smb
To keep your head above water To be out of one’s depth
A situation comes to a head In a row
To feel low
Complete the following sentences with a suitable idiomatic expression from the list above. You may have to change the form of the verbs. Then talk to your friend. Take turns to ask each other these questions.
a)What is the best way to lift your spirits when you ______________?
b)Can you act immediately when the situation ______________?
c)Would you steal anything _____________?
d)Do you ______________ with your siblings?
e)Have you ever felt that studying at university is _______________?
f)How much money is necessary for you to ________________?
2.Find the word or phrase which means the same as the following. Find Russian equivalents.
a)not to control smb, to let them be free from bonds or restraints
b)mad or eccentric
c)dizziness or "spinning" effects that may be a result of a balance disorder
d)a heavy or oppressive burden or responsibility; smth or smb that is inert or useless and slows something down
e)to escape the consequences or blame
f)to dissuade (someone) from doing something
g)to use up a supply of (something)
h)an impulse to do a certain thing; influence or force
3.Fill in the correct word derived from the word in bold.
a)The food is the real star here, with dishes ranging from wonderful seafood to beautifully conceived meat dishes and …desserts.RESIST
b) |
He was … today although mostly he'd been gloomy and sulky. |
BUOY |
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c) |
Hundreds of farmers are believed to have suffered … and skin irritation after exposure to |
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the chemicals. |
DIZZY |
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RAGE |
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d) |
His performances were a … success in Spain. |
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e) |
She was startled and near to …. |
SOB |
GLAZE |
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The young man was staring at her car with … eyes. |
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g)This is not a book about dieting, so I am not going to go into the subject in great ….
DEEP
Speaking
Discussionquestions
1.Youth subcultures can be defined as meaning systems, modes of expression or even lifestyles. Do you think their influence on teenagers is negative or positive? Why?
2.Do you think celebrities have a positive impact on teenagers? Why do so many teens identify with and idolize them?
3.Can cultural idols inspire negative attitudes and ideas among young people?
4.What influence does grunge musichave on teenagers? What feelings does this music evoke in you?
Role play
Choose one of the situations above. Tell the group what your life would be if...
a.you were a celebrity
b.you were a role model/a mentor for somebody.
Song
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" was Nirvana's first and biggest hit, reaching number six on the BillboardHot 100 and placing high on music industry charts all around the world in 1991 and 1992.
1.Read the lyrics of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" below and try to work out the missing words from the context and the sound of the lines. Compare with a partner.
2.Listen to the song and check your answers.
"Smells Like Teen Spirit"
(Kurt Cobain)
Load up on guns and bring your ______
It's ______ to lose and to pretend She's over bored and self ______
Oh no, I know a ______ word
Hello, hello, hello, how ______?
Hello, hello, hello, how ______?
Hello, hello, hello, how ______?
Hello, hello, hello
With the lights out it's less ______
Here we are now, ______ us
I feel stupid and ______
Here we are now, ______ us
A mulato
An ______
A mosquito
My Libido
Yeah
I'm worse at what I do ______
And for this gift I ______ blessed
Our little ______ has always been
And always will until the ______
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And I forget just why I taste
Oh yeah, I guess it makes me ______
I found it hard, it's hard to ______
Oh well, whatever, ______
………………
A mulato
An ______
A mosquito
My Libido
A ______
a. What frame of mind do you think Kurt Cobain was in when he wrote this song?
grateful reflective unhappy broken-hearted in love philosophical angry spiritualthoughtfuldepressed excited
4. How did you feel when you listened to the song?
Unit 11Young rebels
Chapters32-36
Lead-in
1.Little children, headache; big children, heartache (Italian proverb). Do you agree?
2.Here is a list of some issues that cause conflicts in families with teenage children. Rank them in order of importance.
-staying out late
-cleaning bedrooms
-friends
-music
-truancy
-drugs
-other
Share your ideas with the group.
Watching
Guess who the author of each utterance in the table is.
“All I meant was I don't think couples are the future. You need more than that. You need backup. It's like that thing Jon Bon Jovi said: “No man is an island.”
_______________ said this.
“Every man is an island. And I stand by that. But clearly, some men are part of island chains. Below the surface of the ocean they're actually connected.”
_________________ said this.
Watch the episodes (93:57 – 94:20) and (95:45 – 96:20) and check your guess. Do you agree with the utterances?
Reading
Answer the questions:
1.How has Marcus’s attitude to Ellie changed during their journey to Cambridge? What does Marcus mean by “Ellieness”?
2.What is Ellie’s attitude to life? Why does she think that Kurt Cobain “understood her”? Follow the role of fashion and music in their lives. Does change in style help Marcus to find out what he really wants?
3.Why is Marcus so rude at the police station? Do you agree with Clive that he has gone off the rails? How does Marcus feel about his father now?
4.“Will couldn’t recall ever having been caught up in this sort of messy, sprawling, chaotic web before...” Marcus is the centre of this ‘web’, isn’t he? How does Will consider Marcus’s role in this situation and in his life?
5.“... it was almost as if he had been given a glimpse of what it was like to be human. It wasn’t too bad, really; he wouldn’t even mind being human on a full-time basis”. What does ‘being human’ mean for Will now?
6.What “patterns” does Marcus create? What is the value of “extra people” for him?
7.Less than a year after their first meeting, both Marcus and Will have matured, each in their own particular way. In what way? Speak on their development following the table ‘Marcus – Will’.
Vocabulary work
1. Read the chapters attentively.
Work with a partner. Discuss the meaning of the following idioms. How would you express the same ideas in your own language?
To be on the verge of |
To catch one’s eye |
Shoot one’s mouth off (about smth) |
To be lost for words |
To go off the rails |
The last straw |
To take your time |
All grist to the mill |
Complete the following sentences with a suitable idiomatic expression from the list above. You may have to change the form of the verbs.
a)Terry is always _________ about how many languages he speaks.
b)He said he couldn’t cope with the success that came his way and ________.
c)Serious songs, sentimental songs, funny songs - _________ for the pub singer and all ready to be pulled out of the hat when the occasion demands.
d)The management has given me nothing but trouble since I took this job, and now they've cut my benefits! Well, that's _______: I quit!
e)We were ________ going bankrupt when, unexpectedly, my wife won the lottery and our business was saved.
f)The dress in the window ________ when she passed the store.
g)It is better to ________ at this job than to hurry and make mistakes.
h)She nodded, unexpectedly ________, and they both sat in silence.
2.Work with a partner. Replace the words underlined in the sentences below with the multi-word verbs in the box. You may have to change the form of the verbs.
brusque |
to have the knack of doing smth |
mundane |
empathy |
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to be cut out for smth |
feisty |
circumspect |
to abhor |
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Tell your partner about someone you know who …
a)has the qualities and abilities needed for teaching.
b)isreally cautious and tries to avoid all risks involved.
c)has been doing an uninteresting job for many years.
d)has the unfortunate habit of saying the wrong thing.
e)hates being idle.
f)has a rough and abrupt manner of speaking.
g)is really strong and determined and never gives up.
h)is a good listener and shows the ability to understand other people’s feelings.
3. Find the English equivalents of the following.
бордюр/обочина, родственныедуши/близкиеподухулюди, «плавали-знаем», уходить/удирать, флюиды/энергия, разделиться на пары, сообщник, выкрашенные хной волосы, поморщиться, спасти/выручить, отомстить, нетвердо держаться на ногах
4. Fill in the correct word derived from the word in bold. Then talk to your friend. Take turns to ask each other these questions.
a)How can we help … species? VANISH
b)Would you consider yourself …? As a child or teenager?REBEL
c)Are the Olympic Games … ?RATE
d)Which … behaviour of yours do you hate most?HABIT
e)Do you know anyone who has a … fashion sense? FLAW
f)How do you respond to being called …? MOUSE
g)Is there anything that gives you …?SHIVER
Speaking
Discussion questions
1.What is a generation gap? Is it possible to overcome it?
2.Why do teenagers rebel? Who is to blame for it?
3.Are there many things that parents can teach the young or are they hopelessly out of touch by the time they reach a certain age?
4.Should adults try to teach young people lessons (such as the dangers of drinking too much, taking drugs or committing crimes), or should they leave them alone to find out about these things themselves?
5.What makes people mature and grown-up: their age or life experience? Can you think of any other factors?
Conclusion
Role play
Sociologist and gender studies expert Michael Kimmel found a trend of “guy” culture that is marked by career aimlessness and the desire not to grow up. In his opinion, many young men are trapped between adolescence and adulthood. They are not willing to take their place in the adult world, get married and settle down.
Imagine you are Dr Kimmel. Develop your theory and justify your arguments. Give reasons and consequences of “guy” culture. How does it affect women?
Final project
Writing: Reviews
Reviews are usually written for newspapers, magazines or newsletters to give readers your opinion about a book/film/play/etc.
a. Look at the following list and tick the facts about a film/book that you consider relevant and worth mentioning in the review.
title |
name of writer/director |
all characters |
stunt performers |
costumes |
illustrations |
plot |
special effects |
main stars |
writing/script |
costume designer |
awards |
acting |
setting |
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b. Paragraph Planning. Study the model and put the items of the plan into the correct order.
It could be said that “Forrest Gump” is the definitive American movie. It's historical, patriotic and captures imagination with its mix of comedy and drama while managing to maintain a love story at its core.
Nominated for 13 Oscars and winning six, including Best Picture, Best Director for Robert Zemeckis and Best Actor for Tom Hanks, it shows the life of Forrest, a simpleminded man who constantly finds himself in the middle of nearly every major event of the 1960s and '70s. Along the way, he makes friends, changes lives and searches for a soul mate. Forrest does everything for his one true love, the experimental, sad, and ultimately broken Jenny.
Hanks’ extraordinary performance makes Forrest a sympathetic and believable character instead of a stereotyped simpleton. Superb acting by the entire cast, especially Wright Penn as Jenny and Gary Sinise as Forrest's army lieutenant, add substance to this sentimental film.
Robert Zemeckis masterfully uses special effects to place Gump in historic situations with actual people. Through the use of Oscar-winning computerized visual effects, Forrest interacts with U.S. presidents, teaches Elvis Presley how to do his famous "pelvis dance," and inspires John Lennon to write the song "Imagine”.
Unfortunately, the film’s strong language, violence and drug abuse make it questionable for children.
So “Forrest Gump” is an American classic in every way, and is a perfect addition to any collection. I would thoroughly recommend this film to anyone.
__ bad/good features (style, photography, acting, etc.) __overall recommendation
__ main details (e.g. names of film/book, writer/director, main stars/characters, etc.) __ plot
_1_ introduction
c. Write a review of the book or film “About a Boy”. Write about 200-250 words. For useful language see Functional Bank.