2 . Reading Skills.

Are you an emo, a skater or a jock? It seems that these days most teenagers can define themselves based on what they like and how they dress. Walk into any American high school, and you will see teenagers separated into cliques. Members of these groups don’t only share the same taste in music; they also tend to dress alike. But can we really judge them based on their looks?

Jocks are boys who excel at sport. In most schools, they are very popular because they win trophies and awards for their schools. Jocks are often seen wearing athletic jerseys and caps. People tend to stereotype them as being bullies and stupid. Yet most athletes do very well in school because they must maintain certain grades to be involved in sports.

Emos, which stands for “emotional” are always seen wearing dark and sombre clothes. Their look is characterised by dishevelled hair that covers their eyes. People would be forgiven for believing that emos are depressed, when in truth they are regular teenagers who simply like dressing in a particular way.

Skaters are teenagers who can often be found in parks jumping off ramps with their skateboards. You can recognise them by their baggy jeans and tops. They also wear caps either backwards or really low. Whereas most people will quickly label them as being trouble-makers, most skaters are just free-spirited individuals who are very passionate about their hobby.

You cannot judge a book by its cover. People often jump to conclusions based on a person’s looks. Yet they don’t realise that by misjudging someone they miss out on a person’s great personality. Labelling people from the clothes they wear is a form of discrimination. An emo might be just as good at sport as a jock, and a skater can be just as sensitive as an emo. The next time you see someone dressed in a manner you believe makes them look tough, or depressed or rebellious, don’t be so quick to judge. Clothes are just a way for teenagers to express and differentiate themselves from others.

1. Label the pictures:

2. Read the text and mark the statements as T (true) or F (false):

   1. Jocks never do well in school.	………
   2. Emo is an abbreviation.	………
   3. Skaters wear casual clothes.	………
   4. People will sometimes single-out teenagers because of their attire.	………
   5. You never find all three groups in one school.	……….

3. Choose the best summary for the text:

1. There are different groups of individuals.

2. Clothes make the person.

3. Judging people by appearance is a mistake.

4. Labelling is very popular.

4. Explain the meaning of the words in bold.

5. Answer the questions.

1. Why shouldn’t we judge someone by his clothes?

2. Why do people stereotype others?

3. Speaking.

Read the following statement.

“Come on! All of us are cutting Math. Who wants to go take that quiz? We’re going to take a walk and get lunch instead. Let’s go!” says the coolest kid in your class.

W hat would you do in a situation like this? Would you go to the Math class? Or would you give in and go with them?

1. Do you think teens are easily influenced by their peers?

2. It is easy to resist the pressure?

3. In what way can a group influence a teenager?