English for Communication: Учебное пособие по развитию навыков устной речи на английском языке (Topics 1-4. Beauty. Green Issues)

Clothes are becoming more and more aggressive in style.

c)   Fashion has been greatly influenced by sportswear.

d)   Young people look as though they are wearing a uniform, they are all so similarly dressed.

XII. Think and say which of these factors are most important when you choose your clothes:

·  comfort

·  what your friends are wearing

·  colour

·  cost

·  what’s available in shops

·  material

·  originality

·  if the clothes suit you

·  what pop/TV stars are wearing

·  fashion magazines

XIII. Describe:

a)  the most outrageous thing you’ve ever worn, what occasion was it and how people reacted;

b)  your favourite item of clothing and say why you like it so much.

Beauty around us

XIV. Think and answer the questions. Explain your point of view.

1.   What makes a person beautiful? A perfect face? A good body? A healthy attitude to life? A good character?

2.  There is a famous children’s story about the Ugly Duckling. Do you know what happens in this story?

XV. Read the article below. It has the same title. Can you guess what it is going to be about?

The Ugly Duckling

I realized how cruel life can be for an unattractive child when everybody in my class was invited to a tenth birthday barbecue on the beach. Everybody, that is, except for me. At first I thought there had been a mistake and that my invitation had been lost. But when I made inquiries to the hostess, she didn’t beat about the bush: “ Sorry, Susie. You are too fat to wear a swimsuit on the beach and you can’t see without those horrible glasses anyway.”

I went home and cried for hours. My mother was ready with comforting cuddles, yet even she couldn’t bring herself to reassure me I was lovely. I used to spend a long time staring at my brother and twin sisters and feeling extremely hard done by.

The chip that was developing on my shoulder became obvious in my aggressive manner. This, of course, only made things worse. Tea invitations stopped, I walked home from school alone and often found drawings that looked like me in the classroom wastepaper bin. I hated everyone because everyone seemed to hate me.

When I was 14, my mother decided that I should go to the church youth club. I stood alone watching the dancing, feeling embarrassed, ugly and awkward. Then a miracle happened.

A skinny boy called Peter, with glasses and spots, asked me to dance. He also had a brace on his teeth. We didn’t talk much but he asked if I would be there the following weak. I have to credit Peter with changing my life. He stopped me feeling hideous.

Encouraged, I put myself on a diet, begged my mother for contact lenses and grew my hair. Then another miracle occurred. I grew taller and, as that happened, I started looking slimmer. The brace was finally removed and my teeth were even. I was never going to be a beautiful swan, but I was going to try.

THE SUNDAY TIMES

Word list

·  beat about the bush ........... waste time before saying something important

·  cuddles ............................. embraces

·  bring herself ..................... force herself

·  hard done by ..................... unfairly treated, unlucky

·  chip on the  shoulder ........ inferiority complex

·  brace ................................. metal frame (for straightening teeth)

·  credit……with .................. be grateful to…for

·  awkward ........................... uncomfortable

·  skinny ............................... extremely thin

·  hideous ............................. very ugly

·  even .................................. straight

XVI. Look through the text again and answer the questions.

a)  Why wasn’t Susie invited to the party?

b)   Why do you think Susie felt “hard done by” when she looked at her brothers and sisters?

c)   How did the other children react when Susie became aggressive?

d)   What was the first “miracle” which increased Susie’s self-confidence?

e)   What were the three ways in which Susie tried to improve her appearance?

XVII. Get ready to retell Susie’s story in your own words. In group tell the story, each person saying a sentence.

XVIII. Express your viewpoint on the following problems. Explain your opinion. and answer the questions.

1.  Susie wasn’t invited to the party. Do you think the girl was right to exclude her from the birthday party? Why?/ Why not?

2.  Teenagers often worry about their appearance. Which aspects of her appearance did Susie worry about most of all?

3.  When you choose your friends which of the following ideas influence you in your choice?

XIX. Remember your childhood and say if you have changed. Speak about your appearance, sports and exercise. Make statements with used to / didn’t use to. Here are some examples:

I used to wear glasses but I wear contact lenses now.

I didn’t use to worry about my appearance when I was younger.

(to wear a brace,  to have long hair, to do much exercise, etc.)

XX. Before reading the article about Cindy Crawford revealing her top tips, answer these questions.

1.  What do people do to improve their appearance?

2.  Is it worth spending a lot of money on clothes and cosmetics