3. Reading Skills

Finding Main Ideas

1. Which statement is the main idea in Reading 1?

1. John Duns was a stupid man.

2. Many famous people are stupid.

3. Success in school doesn’t necessarily mean success in life.

2. Where is the main idea started?

3. What is the main idea of Reading 3?

a. Being a child prodigy can cause social problems.

b. Child prodigies are more intelligent than other children.

c. Many people don’t like child prodigies.

5 . Discussion

1. Do you know anyone who is very intelligent? Do they have the kinds of problems described in Reading 3?

2. Do you know anyone who doesn’t do well in school but is very successful outside of school?

Lesson 50.

1. Discussion

Do you give money to beggars? Explain why, or why not.

2 . Reading

Read through the comments on an Internet discussion site and decide which opinion is closest to your own.

What’s your opinion of beggars?

We invited people from around the world to let their voices be heard on the subject:

Edison Gomes Taixeire, Brazil

In my city, Sao Paulo, we have lots of children who ask for money on the streets. Of course, I feel terrible for them, but I think that giving them money does them no good. Usually they are really begging for an adult – even their mother or father – just so that they can buy drugs or something like that. I don’t know .. it’s complicated.

Ana Martin Fong Schmidt, USA

I come from San Francisco, California, where you can’t walk two blocks any more without running into a homeless person asking you for money. They’re filthy people who sleep and urinate in my doorway. I used to give money, but not any more. I suppose I’ve become sort of numb to it all. I mean, what is my 50 cents going to do to help someone? It’s the Government’s problem, not mine.

Atsuko Fujimori, Japan

We have a place in my city, Tokyo, called “Shinjuko Station.” I think this place is an embarrassment to Japanese society. There are hundreds of homeless people living in cardboard boxes. The Government doesn’t care about them and neither do many people in japan. But I do. I take them food and clothes and sometimes give money. Many of my friends think I am crazy. I think I’m normal and they are crazy. I cannot sleep well at night if I know there is someone else who has no place to sleep.

James Foster, UK

I’m fed up with beggars and fed up with do-gooders who want to help them. I dint give money and nobody should. It only encourages them to beg even more. And these people all seem to have dogs and smoke. Why should I give my hard-earned cash to feed their pets and smoking habit? People living on the streets are there because they want to be!

3. Discussion

Read through the comments again and answer these questions:

1. Who says that living on the streets and begging is basically a choice?

2. Who blames begging on drugs?

3. Who says that the problem is one that cannot be solved by individuals?

4. Who feels ashamed of the problem?

4. P OEM

Read this poem about being homeless, then discus the questions below: