USA Education Reader. High School and college culture. Книга для чтения

Arrange in groups of two or three and get ready with a Power Point presentationonWaltDisneyStudiosandCharlesSchultzandhis“Peanuts” comic strips.

STORY 2.

CHANGES IN LIFE

PRE-READING TALK

Read the title and say how it helps predict its content? It doesn’t help much, does it?

Look through the first paragraph. Is it clear now what changes the author implies? Have you ever experienced moving to another city or town and hence starting in a new school? Was it a positive or a somewhat negative experience?

INTERACTIVE READING

Read the story and say why Sheila didn’t like the idea of moving to a new home inArizona.After reading the story, do a test and some other exercises to enhance your comprehension and build your vocabulary.

While reading, you will come across a number of culturally marked words. Most of them can be found in the Glossary at the end of the book.As for the culturally marked words in italics, they are not included into the Glossary, so be sure to consult the Internet sources, dictionaries or encyclopedias to find out what they mean.

CHANGES IN LIFE

I was 16 years old and a junior in high school, and the worst possible thing that could happen to me did. My parents decided to move our family from our Texas home to Arizona. I had two weeks to wrap up all of my “business” and move before school began. I had to leave my first job, my boyfriend and my best friend behind, and try to start a new life. I despised my parents for ruining my life.

I told everyone that I did not want to live inArizona and would be returning to Texas the first chance I had. When I arrived in Arizona, I

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made sure everyone knew that I had a boyfriend and best friend waiting for me in Texas. I was determined to keep my distance from everyone; I would just be leaving soon anyway.

The first day of school came, and I was miserable. I could only think of my friends in Texas and how I wished I could be with them. For a while, I felt that my life was over. Eventually though, things got a little better.

It was in my second period accounting class where I first saw him. He was tall, trim and really good looking. He had the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen. He was sitting just three seats away from me in the same front row of class. Feeling I had nothing to lose, I decided to talk to him.

“Hi, my name is Sheila; what’s yours?” I asked with a Texas drawl.

The guy next to him thought that I was asking him. “Mike.” “Oh, hi, Mike,” I humored him. “What’s your name?” I asked

again, focusing my attention on this blue-eyed boy.

He looked behind him, not believing that I could be asking him for his name. “Chris,” he responded quietly.

“Hi, Chris!” I smiled. Then I went about my work.

Chris and I became friends. We enjoyed talking to each other in class. Chris was a jock, and I was in the school band in high school; peer pressure demanded that the two groups did not mix socially. Our paths crossed occasionally at school functions; but for the most part, our friendship remained within the four classroom walls of accounting class.

Chris graduated that year, and we went our separate ways for a while. Then one day, he came to see me while I was working in a store in the mall. I was very happy to see him. He went on my breaks with me, and we started talking again.The pressure from his jock friends had subsided, and we became very close friends. My relationship with my boyfriendinTexashadbecomelessimportanttome.Ifeltmybondwith Chris growing stronger, taking the place of my relationship in Texas.

It had been a year since I moved from Texas, and Arizona was starting to feel like home. Chris escorted me to my senior prom; we tri-

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ple-dated with two of his jock friends and their dates. The night of my prom changed our relationship forever; I was accepted by his friends, and that made Chris feel more comfortable. Finally, our relationship was in the open.

Chris was a very special person to me during such a difficult time in my life. Our relationship eventually blossomed into a very powerful love. I now understand that my parents did not move the family to Arizona to hurt me, although at the time, it seemed to be the reason; for, had I not moved to Arizona, I never would have met the man of my dreams.

Sheila K. Reyman

[From Chicken soup for the teenage soul: 101 stories of life, love, learning / Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Rimderly Kirberger (1997). – p. 25–27].

WHILE-READINGACTIVITIES

Decide if the statements are true (T) or false (F).

1.The girl had to move from Texas to Arizona because of her parents. ___

2.Sheila returned to Texas the first chance she had. ___

3.Things got fine when she met a new friend at high school. ___

4.Shelia’s firstArizona friend’s name was Mike. ___

4.Sheila began dating Chris at high school. ___

5.Sheila met the man of her dream inArizona. ___

Choose the correct variant:

1.When Sheila’s parents decided to move toArizona, she …

a.was willing to go, but a bit worried.

b.disagreed to go with them and stayed in Texas.

c.went with them, but returned the first chance she had.

d.was very angry and unhappy, but eventually managed to start a new life inArizona.

2.Sheila was so sorry to leave Texas because …

a.she was afraid to start school inArizona.

b.she had a boyfriend in Texas.

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c.she dislikedArizona.

d.she was happy in Arizona and it felt like her life was de-

stroyed.

3.At school inArizona, Sheila met …

a.her new love.

b.Mike, a very good friend, who eventually became her love.

c.new friends.

d.a new best friend.

4.Sheila and Chris did not spend much time together at school because …

a.Sheila still missed her boyfriend.

b.they belonged to different social groups and had little in com-

mon.

c.Chris was too shy.

d.tey belonged to different social groups which did not communicate.

5.Sheila and Chris’s relationships got in the open …

a.when Sheila fell out of love with her boyfriend fromArizona.

b.when they became older and the peer pressure from the friends subsided.

c.when Sheila became a jock.

d.When Chris introduced himself to Sheila’s parents.

While discussing the story, you will want to use a number of words from the story. Can you identify them by their Russian equivalents? Write down the words and phrases in your vocabulary book.

wrap up, eventually, trim, Texas drawl,

to humor smbd.

Match the columns to define the cultural lacunas on the left after you have done some search in the Internet.

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ENHANCING COMPREHENSION

Look through the story, find and translate the paragraphs explaining

–why Sheila didn’t want to leave her home in Texas;

–why Sheila didn’t spend much time with Chris and his friends while he was still in school.

Answer the questions

1.What changed in their relationship after Chris graduated?

2.Was Sheila sorry eventually that her parents changed her life taking her to their new home inArizona? Why?

CULTURE PERSPECTIVE

1.Comment on the culturally-marked word first job. Is it important for American high school students? Think of an approximate figure of USA high school students who have a part time job. Consult the Internet resources. Comment on the following sentence from the story: Then one day, he came to see me while I was working in a store in the mall. And what about the opportunities for Russian students to have a part time job at least in summer?

2.Using the information from the Glossary, explain what accounting class is. What do students learn to do in this class? Do we have a similar subject in secondary schools in Russia? Where is this kind of knowledge taught, if at all?

3.Is school band a class or an extracurricular activity in USAhigh schools? What about Russia?

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4.Find the information about the structure of the high school curriculum in the Internet and comment on compulsory and elective subjects high school students learn. How many classes do high school students typically have every day? How is it different from the educational pattern in Russia?

5.Can you find a generaltimetable somewhere on the ground floor of a school in the USAlike we have in every school here in Russia?

6.Comment on the following sentence from the story: Our paths crossedoccasionallyatschoolfunctions;butforthemostpart,ourfriendship remained within the four classroom walls of accounting class.

7.Explain why Chris graduated that year and Sheila didn’t though they were in the accounting class together.

8.Study the timetable of a Russian senior student in a USA high school whose one-year-long stay was sponsored by Freedom Support Act. Comment on the common features and differences of a typical time-table in schools in Russia and the one you have just analyzed.

9.What is peer pressure in USA schools? Is there such a cultural phenomenon in schools in Russia? How are they different?

10.A high school prom is an event that every high school graduate remembers and cherishes all through his/her life.Why? Comment on its cultural peculiarities. Is there anything similar in schools in Russia?

11Translate the sentence: Chris escorted me to my senior prom; we triple-dated with two of his jock friends and their dates.

12Share the information you have found about the italicized cul- turally-marked words with your group mates: jock, boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend.

SUMMARIZING

Give a short account of the story from Sheila’s parents’ point of view/Sheila’s best friend’s point of view. Make it clear whether it was a good idea to move toArizona, after all. Give your reasoning.

LEADS TO DISCUSSION

1. Look through the timetable of a Russian girl who was a Freedom Support Act exchange student in Winterset Community High

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School in the USA. Comment on the subjects she learned. Which of them do you think are compulsory and which are electives. Consult the Glosssary.

ID: 98418 Day 1Term 1

Homeroom: Cafet Locker: 28 Teacher: Dietz, Mr. R. Counselor:

N/A

ID: 98418 Day 2 Term 1

Homeroom: Cafet Locker: 28 Teacher: Dietz, Mr. R. Counselor:

N/A

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2.Which high school curriculum do you prefer – the one in the USAor Russia? Give reasons.

3.How would you react if your family decided to move to a new town or a new district in your city and you had to change school? Express your point of view on the problem.

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CULTURALWEB

Having read and discussed the story, you can add some new culturally marked words to the Web concerning school organization and management, learning, social activities and relationships.

PROJECT WORK

Google the Home page of any USA high school, study the list of compulsory and elective courses and make up your own timetable for the fall/spring semester as if you were a senior student in this high school.While choosing electives take into consideration the university you are planning to enter and the field of study in which you are going to specialize.

STORY 3.

APERFECT SCORE

PRE-READING TALK

What is your attitude toward school grades? Has it changed since elementary school? How did you feel when you weren’t given any grades in the first year at school?

Are you very much upset when you flunk some test getting a grade of zero?

What is your major motive for getting good grades? Is it a challenge, or do you just want to prove yourself to your friends, or are you trying hard to please your parents?

Read the title of the story. Do you think the story might help answer some of these questions?

INTERACTIVE READING

Read the story at home and say what important lesson of life Lara learned. After reading the story, do a test and some other exercises to enhance your comprehension and build your vocabulary.

While reading, you will come across a number of culturally marked words. Most of them can be found in the Glossary at the end of the book.As for the culturally marked words in italics, they are not

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included into the Glossary, so be sure to consult Internet resources, dictionaries or encyclopedias to find out what they mean.

APERFECT SCORE

Failure is success if we learn from it.

Malcolm S. Fones

«Hey Lara,» Susan called. «How about lunch? We haven’t talked in so long.»

«Can’t. I’ve got a bio test next period,» I yelled, rushing off to the library. I opened up my book and frantically crammed any extra information. I need an A, my mind kept repeating. That would make another perfect quarter and a definite place on the honor roll. I studied till the last minute of lunch and rushed to class.

Good, I thought, glancing over the first page. I quickly filled in the answers, smiling with confidence. When I reached the last page, my mind went blank. I read the question over, but the words started to jumble, and although I could picture the pages of the book, I could not read the text. I stared at a diagram of the plant cell. My mind wouldn’t function. I started chewing the pen. Concentrate, Lara, you studied this last night. I tried to remember what was written in the book.After studying until midnight the night before, I felt I had a good enough grasp on the material. I had fallen asleep with a mental picture of a plant cell.

So why can’t you remember it now? I asked myself. I glanced up at the clock. I had fifteen more minutes. Okay, the round circle has to be the nucleus and the lines... my mind wavered. The pen cap fell to the ground. I reached over and grabbed it clumsily. The fifteen minutes evaporated into three. Soon everyone left, and I was still staring at the paper.

“Lara, class ended seven minutes ago. I need you to pass in your test,” Mrs. Phloem said, stretching out her hand. I quickly placed random names in the blank spaces and reluctantly handed her the test. Slowly gathering my belongings, I left the room.

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