Category Life in society

this section you will conduct a short survey to find out what other people think the
most recent fads are. Then you will share your findings with a small group or the class.

CONDUCTING A SURVEY

When you are asked to talk about a topic to a group of people, it is often a good idea to collect ideas from your friends and other people that you know. Conducting our own survey may give you ideas that you had not thought of before.

1 A fad is a kind of fashion that becomes popular very suddenly and then usually goes away suddenly, too. Interview three people outside your class about recent fads. Try to find people of different ages and backgrounds. Here is a way to start the interview:

Hi. I’m doing a survey for my English class about fads. Can you tell me about a fashion item that is particularly popular these days?

And what about a food or drink item that is particularly popular at the moment?

Take notes on what the people you interview say. Write your notes in this chart. Also write down the age and sex of each person you interview.

О ACADEMIC LISTENING AND NOTE TAKING: Culture Shock – Group Pressure in Action

In this section you will hear and take notes on a two-part lecture given by Ivan Zatz, a professor of social sciences and cross-cultural studies. The title of the lecture is Culture Shock – Group Pressure in Action. Professor Zatz will explain why and how culture shock occurs.

GUESSING VOCABULARY FROM CONTEXT

1 The following items contain important vocabulary from Part Two of the lecture. Work with a partner. Using the context and your knowledge of related words, take turns trying to guess the meanings of the words in bold.

1 Girls can often concentrate on higher-level, abstract thinking.

2 Girls also enjoy collaborative learning activities and so they work well in groups.

3 Girls become more self-confident without the distraction of boys.

4 If they do not understand a concept, they will ask lor clarification.

5 When girls are in the same classrooms as boys, they often lose their self-esteem.

6 Girls typically sink back in their chairs and wait for the boys to quiet down.

7 Perhaps they can change the "real” w’orld into a place designed to accommodate both women and men.

Work with your partner. Match the vocabulary terms with their definitions bv writing the letter of each definition below in the blank next to the sentence containing the correct term in step 1. Check your answers in a dictionary if necessary.

a done with other people; joint b respect for themselves c explanations d make a place for e sit timidly f conceptual, theoretical

g something that takes away vour attention; disturbance

Q NOTE TAKING: USING YOUR NOTES TO WRITE A SUMMARY

Summarizing is an essential study skill. It means reducing a whole lecture (or part of a lecture) to a few sentences. A good summary shows that you have understood what the lecture is about and what the most important points are. It is a helpful record for you to review7 when you are studying for a test.

During the lecture, take notes in whatever w’av works best for you. After the lecture, revise your notes as soon as possible by making sure they are in a clear format and by adding any missing information. Then use your notes to help you write your summary. Reread your notes and select the most important points that the lecturer made. Write a summary in which you explain the main points in your own words.

Organize your notes in an appropriate format. Do you want to put vour notes into columns as you did for Part One? Do you think an outline form would be better?

(See “Note Taking: Organizing Your Notes in Outline Form," pages 27-28.) Or do you have another way that you would like to organize your notes?

3 I Compare your notes for steps 1 and 2 with a partner.

4 Following is a summary of Part Two of the lecture. Use your notes to complete the summary. You may need to pul more than one word in some blanks. Then compare summaries with your partner. Do you have similar answers? You don’t have to use exactly the same words because summaries are in your own words.

The Benefits of Single-Sex Education for Girls Part Two: Two Main Benefits of All Girls’ Schools Dr. Mary Frosch

Single-sex education girls’ unique qualities and also

helps girls develop________________________________________ .

The unique qualities of girls include their ability to concentrate on

____________________ thinking at an______________________ age than

boys and their ability to______________________ for longer periods of time.

They also enjoy working in groups and teams. Girls are not as competitive as

boys, but they tend to be________________________________________ .

Boys can be noisy and girls often react by becoming timid and losing

their_____________________ . When they learn without the

__ of boys, girls feel confident in themselves, they enjoy

being____________________ , they help each other, and they freely ask for

if they don’t understand something. In single-sex schools, girls can develop deep confidence in themselves. This self-confidence prepares them to become adults.

In this section you will give an oral presentation about your ow n family.

GIVING ORAL PRESENTATIONS

In academic courses you will sometimes be called on to

give oral presentations in class. Here are some

guidelines to keep in mind:

• Plan what you want to say, but do not write it out and memorize it. Instead, make notes on index cards.

• Organize your notes carefully so that you present your ideas in a logical order.

• Using your notes, practice giving your presentation in front of a mirror or with a friend.

• When you give your presentation in class, speak slowly and clearly, and look at your audience.

• Consider using a visual aid, such as a chart, a map, photographs, or drawings, to help bring your presentation alive.

1 Choose one of the following topics about your family that you think will be of interest to your classmates.

1 A family member who is – or was – an important influence on you

2 An important lesson that you learned from someone in your family

3 An object that has special meaning for your family (for example: a house, a photograph, or a piece of jewelry)

4 A topic of your own

Plan your presentation carefully and prepare to speak for three to four minutes. Include the following information in your talk:

• the name(s) of the family member(s) you arc speaking about

• one or two specific examples that illustrate the topic (such as an event in which something a family member did influenced you or the reason an object is important to your family)

3 Try to include a visual aid in your presentation. You might want to show an object, a photograph, or a map. If you do not have any of these items, consider making a poster that shows vour family tree. Or you could make a drawing to illustrate vour topic.

4 First, practice your presentation with a partner. Then give your presentation in front of the class. Be prepared to answer questions from your partner and your classmates.

Q ACADEMIC LISTENING AND NOTE TAKING: Family Lessons

In this section you will hear and take notes on a two-part lecture given by Ms. Beth Handman, an educational consultant. The title of the lecture is Family Lessons. Ms. Handman will explain how children leam lessons within a family, no matter what type of family they come from.

BEFORE THE LECTURE

PERSONALIZING THE TOPIC

1 Work with a partner. Read the following eight examples of bad behavior in children listed below. Discuss the best and worst ways for parents to react to each of these behaviors. The "best way" means a way that is likely to teach good behavior to the child. The “worst way” is a way that will probably not be successful in teaching good behavior. Make brief notes about your ideas.

1 Sarah, a 2-year old, keeps throwing her food on the floor and cries until her parents pick it up.

Best way to react:___________________________________________________

Worst way to react:__________________________________________________

2 David, a 5-year old, is angry and frustrated. He hits his baby sister.

Best way to react:___________________________________________________

Worst way to react:__________________________________________________

3 Ronnie, a 6-year old, runs up and down the aisles when his parents take him to the supermarket and screams when they tell him to stop.

Best way to react:___________________________________________________

Worst way to react:__________________________________________________

4 Sheila, an 11-year old, is caught copying a classmate’s test.

Best way to react:_____________

Worst way to react:__________________________________________________ –

5 Stephen, a 12-vear old, takes money from his father’s wallet.

Best way to react:___________________________________________________

Worst way to react:__________________________________________________

6 Tim, a 13-year-old, begins to smoke cigarettes.

Best way to react:___________________________________________________

Worst way to react:__________________________________________________

7 Erica, a 15-year old, refuses to go to bed until 2 a. m.

Best way to react:___________________________________________________

Worst way to react:__________________________________________________

8 Freddie, a 17-year old, comes home really late and won’t explain to his parents where he has been.

Best way to react:________________________________________________

Worst way to react:_______________________________________________

2 Using your notes, compare your answers with other classmates.

GUESSING VOCABULARY FROM CONTEXT

The following items contain important vocabulary from Part One of the lecture.

Work with a partner. Using the context and your knowledge of related words, take turns trying to guess the meanings of the words in bold.

1 So many new stories appear every day that it’s impossible to keep up with them.

2 She should keep in contact with civic organizations in the neighborhood. 3 The reporter can anticipate many of the details.

4 The reporter will probably see a few lines about the crime in the police log.

5 She can begin to interview witnesses.

___ 6 These details will make the story more credible.

7 It’s important not to report anything that is scandalous.

8 Sire will go back to the newsroom to write the story.

9 She might talk to her editor to decide whether she has a good story.

Work with your partner. Match the vocabulary’ terms with their definitions by writing the letter of each definition below’ in the blank next to the sentence containing the correct term in step 1. Check your answers in a dictionary if necessary.

a supervisor of reporters

b groups of citizens who organize activities to help and improve the neighborhood c read all of, stay informed about d know’ in advance e people who see a crime happen f shocking, related to scandals g easy to believe

h office at a newspaper where new’s is prepared for publication і record of crimes

Q NOTE TAKING: CHOOSING A FORMAT FOR ORGANIZING YOUR NOTES

Remember that you do not always have time to choose the best format for organizing your notes clearly w’hen you are listening to a lecture. If the notes you took during a lecture are disorganized, choose an appropriate format and put your notes into that format as soon after the lecture as possible. It is important to have clear notes so that they are useful tools with w’hich you can study. The more you practice taking notes, the easier it will be to choose an appropriate format for them while you listen.

1 Look at the three examples of notes on Pan One of the lecture below. Example 1 is an example of a student’s disorganized notes on Part One of the lecture. They were taken while the lecturer was speaking. Examples 2a and 2b show two different ways that the same information can be organized into clear formats. Example 2a is in column form and Example 2b is in outline form.

Example 1: Disorganized notes of Part One of the lecture, “The Work of a Journalist,” that were taken by a student during the lecture

M?. Sarah Coleman: from Pvent to StDry — Making. It to the – New?
Pt. 1: The Work – of a Journalist

New? — everywhere (radio, TV, newspaper?, Internet) journalist? (= reporters)

entertainment і’?

? port? ‘ erime

r’ship w/orgl?. £>/: poliee, fire dept, politieianS, religious/evie orgi?

£>х: fight, knife

Example 2a: The first part of notes clearly organized in column format based on the information in Example 1

Ms. Sarah <Joleman: from £vent to Story — Making. It to the New?
Part One: The Work, of a Journalist

Petail?

radio, TV, newspapers, Internet

diff’ types of journalist? (reporter?), entertainment, sports, erime

poliee/fire dept?., politieianS, relig/ei’/ieorgis

Example 2b: The first part of notes clearly organized in outline format based on the information in Example 1

M?. Sarah Coleman. "From Cvent to Story — Mating, It to the – News
Fart Onto: The – Wodc of a Journalist

I News everywhere: radio, TV, newspapers, Internet

II Journalists report news

A Jiff’ tijpeS of journalists (reporters}

1 entertainment

2 Sports J erlme

6 J’s establish r’ship w/or^.’S

1 poliee/fre Jepts.

2 politicians

^ reli^/ciu’ic ok^Is

Now listen to Part One of the lecture and take notes on your own paper. Pay attention to the signal words to help you follow the lecture.

Decide whether you want to organize your notes for Pail One of the lecture in column format or outline format. Then, complete the notes in Example 2a (column format) or 2b (outline format) by adding information from the notes you took in step 2.

BUILDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC

When you attend a lecture, you almost always know what the topic will be. It is a good idea to do some background reading on the topic first so that you can become familiar with some of the terms and ideas that are likely to be discussed by the lecturer.

Before you hear the lecture on culture shock, it will be helpful to think about the concept of culture. Read the following passage about culture.

Culture has been defined as "everything humans are socialized to do, think, use, and make.” In 1966, Edward Hall compared the nature of culture to an iceberg. You can see part of an iceberg, but most of the iceberg is below the water and cannot be seen. Similarly, most aspects of culture are not visible. These invisible aspects are things that we are familiar with but don’t usually think about or question.

An example of an aspect of culture that is visible – one that is above the water level – would be the types of jobs that people have. In other words, the types of jobs may differ from culture to culture, and this is a subject that people commonly discuss. An example of an invisible cultural aspect – one that is below the water level – would be ways of being polite or impolite. Everyone in a society’ knows what behavior is polite or impolite, but they don’t often think about it consciously or question it.

Read the list of aspects of culture. For each aspect, decide if you think it would be above or below the water level of the cultural iceberg and write it on an appropriate line in the illustration on page 25.

ABOVE the water level: cultural aspects that are easy to identify and discuss

BELOW the water level: cultural aspects that are commonly understood but

are not usually questioned

3 Compare your ideas in a small group. Then, with your group, add other items that you think should go above and below the water level.

STUDYING A SYLLABUS

Many professors hand out a syllabus that includes a brief description of each of the lectures for the course. If you study the syllabus before a lecture and think about the possible content of the lecture you are going to hear, it will make the lecture easier to follow’.

1 Read the following description from Professor Zatz’s syllabus.

Week 6: Culture Shock – Group Pressure in Action

– Definition of culture shock

– Reasons for culture shock

– Stages of culture shock

– Practical applications of research

Work with a partner. Look up the definition of culture shock in a dictionary.

Discuss the following questions wdth your partner.

1 Why do you think people experience culture shock?

2 How do you think people who have culture shock feel?

3 Do you think that culture shock can be avoided? How?

4 Compare your answers with the class.