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

SUMMARIZING

Tell the story from the viewpoint one of the students who witnessed the incident. Tell your mother/friend about what happened at school that day.

LEADS TO DISCUSSION

1.Why was Lisa’s walk to the quad that day ‘the longest walk in her life’?

2.What did Lisa sense while she was walking across the quad? Describe the students’attitude. Give reasons to explain their behavior.

3.How do the boy’s actions characterize him? Why was he the only one who came to the girl’s rescue? What would you do?

4.Comment on the cliques in your school. Are there any similar cliques to those in USA high schools? What group do you belong to? Is there any tension among the groups?

CULTURALWEB

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

DO YOU KNOW THAT

–being late is frowned upon in USAschools?

–the school office staff will have immediate information about all absentees in each class?

–classes are over with the ringing of the bell. So no teacher ever keeps students in class after the bell, which is considered ‘violation of human rights’.Actually, teachers finish classes 2-3 minutes before the bell. During this time students and teachers will have some friendly talk discussing some school functions, and as soon as the bell rings students take their leave to hurry to their lockers to change books and be on time for another class. If a teacher doesn’t finish the class with the bell, students will get up and leave on their own accord. That was what one of the authors of the book experienced in her first class while working as an exchange teacher in a USAhigh school.

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STORY 7.

DEAR JOHN

PRE-READING TALK

How long away is your graduation ceremony? What are your expectations?

Are you going to miss your school and friendships you made? Do you think you will keep in touch with your schoolmates?

The story below features one of the traditions associated with graduation in USAhigh schools. It also shows how school experiences shape a person’s attitude to life.

INTERACTIVE READING

Read the story and say whether we have similar graduation traditions in our schools? What is in common and how are they different? After reading the story, do a test and some other exercises to enhance your comprehension and build your vocabulary.

Whilereading,youwillcomeacrossanumberofculturallymarked 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, other dictionaries and encyclopedias to find out their cultural background.

DEAR JOHN

It was the last day of school, the last day I would ever walk down those halls as a student. I had a few things to take care of before the rehearsal for our graduation ceremony­. I had to return my school library books and pay a “shop-class” fine from my sophomore year when I had broken­ Seth’s project and was supposed to pay to replace his kit.

I was always clumsy around him, and that time I had knocked over the birdhouse he had made. It had tumbled and shattered at our feet.

We were on our knees picking up the pieces when our hands brushed against each other. I felt the same electricity I had first felt in fourth grade when he grabbed my hand for a Red Rover game.

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Ilookedintohiseyes,andhelookedintomine.Ithoughtthatmaybe this time he would notice me. My heart fluttered. I flushed with embarrassment and anticipation­. Just an inch closer and he could kiss me.

Seth parted his lips and said, “Hey, why are you all red? It’s not that hot in here.” I guess it wasn’t.

Seth and I had a different circle of friends. His were the outgoing, athletic, school council, homecoming court, merit scholar type. Mine weren’t.

As our class assembled in the gym for graduation rehearsal, I couldn’thelpbutfeelsentimental.MymoodliftedwhenSethsatdown in front of me, until I remembered­ that this would be the last day he would be part of my daily life.

The announcements droned on and on.Yearbooks started circulating for last minute signings. When Seth’s was handed to me, I autographed my senior picture and was about to pass it to the next person when the thought hit me. What did I have to lose by telling him now?

I tapped my pen on my teeth while I composed the note in my head. It had to be perfect. My hand shook when I began to write.

Dear Seth,

I have been in the background of your life since elementary school. You have meant more to me than I have to you. I wished that we could have known each other better and spent some time together. I will always remember you and wish you a great life.

Forever, Cindy

I closed his book and passed it on before I could change my mind. As I scribbled my name in other books, I began to imagine and then to hope that maybe, just maybe, my yearbook would come back to me with a similar message from Seth.

It wasn’t until the bus ride home that afternoon that I finally had the nerve to open my book and look for Seth’s picture. In its corner he had written, “To Cindy, whoever you are, Seth.”

I can’t say that I was crushed. I didn’t expect anything more, really. I could’ve worried about what I wrote in his book, but I guessed he wouldn’t know or care who I was, anyway. Still, his terse message did hurt. He didn’t have to prove that I was invisible to him.

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I was one step away from a “what a jerk” conclusion, but I just couldn’t go that far after years of holding his perfect image in my mind.

I was putting my book into my backpack when the guy behind me tapped me on the shoulder. “Sign my book?”

“Sure,” I said and handed him mine. I found my picture again and scribbled, “Good luck, from Cindy.”

Withthewhirlofgraduationandtheactivityofearlysummerdays, it was a week before I thought to open my backpack. My yearbook was on top, and I sat down on the edge of my bed to thumb through it. I cringed when I reread Seth’s message to me.

What a sorry thing that a guy could just overlook someone,­ no matter how nice she might be or how much she cared about him, just because she wasn’t part of his circle.

It was then that I noticed another inscription.The friendly smile in the picture looked vaguely familiar.

Dear Cindy,

I was new this year. You are the first person I noticed. I’ve been sitting behind you in English Lit and I looked for you to come in every day. I wished we could’ve gotten to know each other and spent time together. I will always think of you and remember you.

Forever, John

My heart sank as I realized the truth. I had done to John what Seth had done to me. I hadn’t taken the time to know him, because, well, I didn’t already know him. I had dismissed him without really seeing him.

I still feel a pinch of remorse when I remember that moment. Ever since that day, I have tried to notice and acknowledge the people in my daily life.

I had barely taken a thought to scribbling my name in John’s book, but his message to me has been written across my life.

Cynthia M. Hamond

[From Chicken soup for the teenage soul IV: stories of life, love, learning [compiled by] Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (2004). – p. 125–128].

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WHILE-READINGACTIVITIES

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

1.Cynthia, the I-of-the-story, was in love with John. ___

2.Cynthia fell in love with Seth when she broke his project in her sophomore year.

3.Seth never paid attention to Cynthia. ___

4.Cynthia gave her photo with a declaration of love to Seth as her graduation present. ___

5.Seth’s message in Cynthia’s book showed she was wrong about his attitude to her. ___

6.Seth overlooked Cynthia because she was not very nice or intelligent. ___

7.Cynthia did to John the same as Seth to her. ___

Choose the correct variant.

1.Cynthia did not have much of a chance to be noticed by Seth because …

a.she was not nice or intelligent.

b.they belonged to different social circles.

c.her friends weren’t the right type.

d.he was too busy with studies and sports and social activities.

2.Seth’s message in Cynthia’s graduation book showed that …

a.he never liked her.

b.he was very angry at her about the home class project.

c.he strongly disliked her.

d.he didn’t even know her.

3.When Cynthia wrote about her love in Seth’s yearbook, he …

a.realized that a great love passed by him.

b.felt sorry he was so inattentive.

c.most possibly thought she was stupid.

d.most possibly did not understand who she was.

4.When Cynthia read Seth’s message, she …

a.was surprised.

b.was angry and disappointed.

c.was not surprised, but hurt.

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d.realized that he wasn’t her type.

5.Cynthia did not pay attention to John because …

a.he was new at the school.

b.she thought about Seth too much to pay attention to things around her.

c.he was not very interesting.

d.he was the wrong type for her.

6.The most important lesson Cynthia learned was that …

a.one should not make friends with people from a different social circle.

b.if you are not attentive, you can overlook your real love.

c.one should pay attention to people.

d.one should not judge by appearance, but try to get to know a

person.

While discussing the story, you will want to use a number of words fromthestory. Canyou identifythembytheir Russian equivalents? Write down the words and phrases in your vocabulary book.

Дружелюбный, отзывчивый; нацарапать, кое-как написать; иметь мужество сделать что-то; съежиться (от боли, от стыда); не обратить внимание; отделываться от кого-то/чего-то; укол раскаяния.

Translate the underlined phrases in the following sentences from the story:

1.I had broken­ Seth’s project and was supposed to pay to replace his kit.

2.My heart fluttered.

3.The announcements droned on and on.

4.To Cindy, whoever you are, Seth.

5.Still, his terse message did hurt.

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6.I was one step away from a “what a jerk” conclusion, but I just couldn’t go that far after years of holding his perfect image in my mind.

7.My heart sank…

8.I have tried to notice and acknowledge the people in my daily life.

9.I had barely taken a thought to scribbling my name in John’s book, but his message to me has been written across my life.

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

ENHANCING COMPREHENSION

Look through the story and find the paragraphs describing

–Cynthia’s feelings after getting Seth’s message;

–Cynthia’s feelings when she realized what she had done to John. Translate them.

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Answer the following questions:

1.Do you think Seth’s attitude towards Cynthia was as romantic as hers?

2.How did Cynthia account for his lack of sympathy toward he-

rself?

3.What did Seth’s message in the yearbook tell Cynthia?

4.Why did not Cynthia notice John?

5.How did this situation influence Cynthia’s further life?

CULTURE PERSPECTIVE

1.Comment on the cultural background of the word school council. State what is in common and what is different from its Russian counterpart.

2.Is there a similar realia in Russian school culture for homecoming court? But before you have to clearly understand what homecoming is in US high schools. Comment on both, the glossary will be quite helpful. Try to find additional cultural clues in the Internet.

3.How did you understand merit scholar type students?

4.HowisgraduationceremonyinUShighschoolsdifferentfrom the similar ceremony in Russia? Do we have graduation rehearsals like they do in the USA? Can you name any reasons why?

5.Is there a class in Russian schools similar to a shop-class in USAhigh schools? How would you translate it for a non-English-spe- aking person from Russia?

6.Share the information you have found about the Red Rover Game. Will you explain the rules of the game? Is there a similar Russian game? How are they different?

SUMMARIZING

Give a short account of the story from John’s/Seth’s viewpoint.

LEADS TO DISCUSSION

1. Cynthia and Seth belonged to different social groups. Do you think people from different social groups can be good friends or more?

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What is it that attracts people first about the people who become our friends?

2.There is a famous saying ‘Do unto others like you want to be done unto’. Does it apply to the story? Explain in what way.

3.Do you remember any situation from your life when a person you first disliked or did not pay attention to became an important part of your life? Do first impressions matter so much?

4.The story features a tradition connected with graduation from high school in the USA. Do we have a similar tradition here in Russia? What are other graduation traditions in Russia?

6.Do you know all your classmates? Seth did not know Cynthia well enough and Cynthia did not know John. How was it possible if they were in the same class? Explain the phenomenon to a Russian student who is unaware of the peculiarities of the USA high school curriculum.

CULTURALWEB

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

PROJECT WORK

Now that you have finished reading and discussing USA high school culture, do a final project in the form of a school curriculum of a real high school in the USA, or an advertizing booklet of any USA high school, or a presentation of sport activities in a school, or any other school event like Homecoming, a prom, mock elections, graduation ceremony etc. Make a colorful slide presentation, using the Internet resources, encyclopedias.

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2. COLLEGE

STORY 8.

THE WONDER YEARS

PRE-READING TALK

As you probably know the admissions offices in most USA colleges and universities require that applicants should submit a college admission essay as part of the application package.

Read the essay and say if it made an impression on the admissions officer? Why?

THE WONDER YEARS

[EDITORS’ NOTE: This is an NYU (New York University) college admission application essay question and the actual answer.]

Question:

In order for the admissions staff of our college to get to know you, the applicant, better, we ask that you answer the following question: “Are there any significant experiences you have had, or accomplishments you have realized, that have helped to define you as a person?”

Answer:

I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice withmybarehands.Ihavebeenknowntoremodeltrainstationsonmy lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees. I write award-winning operas. I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row. I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing. I can pilot bicycles up several inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook thirty-minute brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love and an outlaw in Peru. Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon basin from a horde of ferocious army ants. I play blue-

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