Assignments

1. Answer the following questions on the text you have read.

1. At what age do young people in the United States take most of the rights and the responsibilities of adulthood?

2. How do millions of young people in the US prepare for the future?

3. What do many teenagers do after school or on the weekends?

4. What community activities do young Americans volunteer for?

5. What school-related activities do most students participate in?

6. What sports do American young people like?

7. How do students spend their leisure time?

8. What kind of music is the favourite of teenagers in the US?

9. Where do many American youths work part-time?

10. What are students’ relations with church and religious groups?

11. What youth organisations are most popular in the USA?

12. How many boys do the Boy Scouts groups serve?

13. How many girls belong to the Girl Scouts in the US? What is their age?

14. What do scouts learn? What are they trained?

15. Who guides the groups of scouts and other youth groups?

16. What is scouts’ favourite activity?

17. How do scouts contribute to the public welfare? What is a Scouting for Food drive?

18. What activities are boys and girls in farm area engaged in?

19. What activities are offered by summer camps? What do children learn there? Who work as counsellors at these camps?

20. What kinds of summer camps exist in the USA?

21. What is the role of student government? How is it formed?

22. What factors turn young Americans to alcohol and drugs?

23. In what ways do special programs help troubled youths?

24. What do most young Americans think of their future?

25. What problems are American youths concerned about?

2. Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Most American students enjoy their leisure after school and on weekends.

2. Schools provide American students only with academic education. It is difficult for American schoolchildren to find clubs according to their interests in school.

3. Students learn about the world through reading books.

4. During their leisure time American students like reading books and newspapers.

5. 50% teenagers either have a job or would like one.

6. When teenagers go to college they quit working part-time.

7. About two million boys are members of the Boy Scouts organization.

8. Young Pioneers and Boy Scouts have the same motto.

9. Boy Scout organizations accept only boys.

10. Scouts’ favourite activity is practising leadership skills.

11. Regularly Scouts hold a Scouting for Food drive where they collect canned food necessary for their camping.

12. Grown-ups often work with youth organizations on a voluntary basis.

13. Youth clubs and organizations can be found only in the urban areas.

14. Summer camps in the USA teach children many skills necessary in the adult life.

15. College students aren't allowed to go to children's summer camps.

16. Schoolchildren and students can be elected to the USA government.

17. Teens today are really spoiled (undisciplined and egocentric) compared to those of earlier times.

18. Drug use and alcohol abuse have increased within the last years.

3. Complete the following sentences.

1. Before taking on most of the rights and the responsibilities of adulthood, however, the American teenager …

2. Thousands of young people are volunteering at …, helping …, exhibiting … or …

3. More than 80 percent of all students participate in student activities, such as …

4. Without a doubt, … music is the favourite of teenagers in the US.

5. Nine out of 10 teenagers …

6. Many youths work … on weekends or after school at …, … for neighbors, hold … or work …

7. Later, when they go to college …

8. The Boy Scouts organization is for training boys in various useful skills such as …

9. Scouts … and see different animals and birds, plants and trees.

10. Scouts also … in parks and school grounds in their neighborhood.

11. … also sponsor special programs for young people.

12. College students often … at summer camps.

13. Among the summer camps are …

14. Most schools and colleges have some form of … with … to choose class representatives.

15. … has decreased among young people in the United States, though … has increased.

16. Most American students … with hope and optimism.

17. Young people admit that … lies ahead and claim they are willing … needed…

4. Fill in prepositions where necessary.

1. Many teenagers are studying … college entrance exams or working … part-time jobs after school and on the weekends.

2. Students learn about the world … various school-related activities developing their talents and skills.

3. The average American teenager listens to music … the radio about three hours every day.

4. Child labor laws set restrictions … the types of work that youths under 16 years old can do.

5. These elected officers speak … their fellow students at student council meetings with teachers and school officials.

6. Teenagers place a high priority … education and careers.

7. While filled with high hopes … the years before them; today's students are not laboring … any misconceptions about what they must do to realize their aspirations.

5. Make up and act out dialogues between:

1. Two students one of whom is working part-time at a fast-food restaurant and the other babysitting, about advantages and disadvantages of their work.

2. A boy-scout and a girl-scout, about their favourite activities and the future plans of their groups.

3. Two teenagers going to a summer camp, expecting an enjoyable vacation.