The generation gap. The problems of the young Активная лексика по теме

Дайте перевод активных слов, используя словарь

adolescence

adolescent

bring up (upbringing)

complexes

conformity (to reject -)

delinquent children

home background (family background)

juvenile delinquency

lack of understanding

parent(-s') authority

parent-child relationship

permissive

permissiveness (excessive -)

Основные тексты для чтения и понимания Текст 1

Boy-girl relationship. During early adolescence, boys and girls get together mainly in group activities, such as school functions, parties, and club meetings. Friendships often lead to dating, a casual courtship with some sexual involvement. Older teenagers may have serious relationships with a particular partner.

Despite sex education in schools and the availability of birth-control, many teenage girls become pregnant each year. Some are married at the time or marry soon after. A few have miscarriages, and a growing number have medical abortions. The rest have the child outside marriage. Teenagers who have sexual relations also run a high risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease. The sexually transmitted disease rate among teenagers is far greater than among adults.

Special problems of adolescence. All adolescents have problems from time to time. However, most young people pass through adolescence without serious difficulty. They make new friends, join clubs, and take part in sports and social activities. For these young people, the teenage years are generally happy and exciting.

Most of the problems that adolescents have are related to schoolwork, employment, finances, or peer group and family relationships. The majority of such problems are minor, at least from an adults’ point of view. This difference in viewpoints may itself cause problems if it leads to a breakdown in communications between parents and their teenage children.

Attitudes towards schooling. Education is increasingly important in today's complex industrial societies. Many countries now require young people to attend school until they are at least 16 years of age.

Some teenagers show a decline in motivation during the final years at school, while others are under pressure to work for examinations necessary to obtain entrance to university and college courses. Those who leave school with inadequate qualifications and without skills training are likely to have difficulty in finding good jobs. Youth unemployment is a serious problem in some industrial societies.

Many teenagers who perform poorly at schools come from homes where learning is not encouraged, but many students do not develop their abilities even though they receive encouragement at home. Even able students may rebel if they feel that too much is demanded of them. Parents should try to encourage good performance in school without unreasonable pressure.

The use of drugs. In some countries drug abuse among adolescents causes great concern. Surveys in the United States have shown that the majority of teenagers in that country have at least experimented with such drugs as alcohol, barbiturates, cocaine, LSD, or marijuana. Some have experimented, with heroin, morphine or other narcotic drugs. Many of these drugs are physically harmful if taken regularly. A single overdose of some drugs, such as heroin or a barbiturate, can result in coma or death.

The causes of teenage drug abuse are not well understood. Some teenagers may be led into it by boredom oг by a desire in escape mental or emotional pressure. Teenagers who feel useful are perhaps least likely to develop the problem of drug abuse.

Delinquency. In most societies offenders under 18 are tried as juveniles rather than as adults. Many juvenile offences are relatively minor. They include certain offences, such as running away from home, that apply only to juveniles. However, adolescents may also be arrested and charged with more serious crimes such as stealing and driving away cars, burglary, shoplifting and violent behaviour. In many cases hooliganism in cities and at sports events involves adolescent participants. Teenage boys may belong to street gangs. On average, only 20 per cent of teenagers charged with serious offences are female.

In general, the juvenile delinquency rate is highest in deprived inner-city areas with few employment and recreational opportunities for the young. Many juvenile delinquents come from low-income families. In numerous cases, juvenile delinquency results mainly from faulty parent-child relations and poor parental example, not from economic hardship. However delinquency also has other causes.

Physical growth and development. Many younger adolescents become intensely con­cerned about their physical appearance. They may com­plain that they are too tall or too short, that their hands and feet are too big or too small, and that they are unattractive and awkward. Late-maturing adolescents—especially boys have a poorer opinion of themselves than do adolescents who mature early or at an average rate. They may also have more difficulty making friends. Many teenagers are embarrassed by acne or pimples. The concern that younger teenagers have about their appearance is understandable.

Social development. Most young people mature sexually by the age of 14 or 15. They are thus physically able to have children. In some societies, girls are considered ready for marriage at this age. But generally a young person of this age lacks the experience and social maturity needed to function as an adult in most societies today.

Most adolescents become deeply involved with their peer groups – that is their circle of friends and acquaintances. These teenagers look to their peer group, rather than to their parents for approval, and they may change their behaviour to win that approval. Within the peer group adolescents also begin to define their relationships with the opposite sex. Adolescents assume they are developing normally if their peers accept and like them.

Family relationships are important to teenagers though in ways that are not always apparent. Social development is easiest for adolescents who feel that their parents love and trust them. Parental love should include discipline, and so the teenager who is truly loved will receive guidance.

Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What are the problems of sexual relations among teenagers?

2. What things are teens’ problems related to?

3. Why do young people have problems in finding good jobs?

4. Why do adolescents experiment with drugs?

5. What do juvenile offences include?

6. Name the reasons for juvenile delinquency.

7. Are teens concerned about their appearance? Why so?

8. Are peer group relations important for adolescents? Prove your opinion.