UNIT I: LISTEN & SPEAK

 

Listen and speak:


Script of the audio: “Voices of Youth” p.10
Panel Discussion
In this panel discussion, four teenagers from different countries are talking about topics important to them. Let’s listen to their different points of view:



a-     Well, it seems to me many teens, including myself, are much less interested in politics than they should be. They assume politics is an adult issue. We should recognize that in the near future this issue will become ours. Why not get involved in important matters that have a direct link to our present and future? I believe we have to be active citizens, take initiatives and make our voices heard; we should be fully responsible for shaping our own future. Let’s not have others decide for us!
Ruth, England


b-     Er..um.. As far as I am concerned, family should matter to adolescents more than any other thing. Family helps adolescents adopt positive values and develop healthy, emotional, and physical behaviours. I mean teens who don’t have good communication with their families or don’t feel supported by their parents, are more likely to have problems in school, use drugs and alcohol, and have trouble with the law. Unfortunately, family is losing the weight it once had!
Mamdouh, Egypt


c-      Of course my own looks are important to me. That’s why I’m concerned with fashion, new styles and so on. To my mind, adolescents should take care of their appearances because I think a person’s outward appearance reflects the sort of person he or she is. Believe it or not, I spend about thirty minutes on myself, my makeup, my clothes, and my hair before I leave home. You may think I’m sort of obsessed with looking glamorous; but, I can’t imagine how you can impress others if your appearance isn’t more than super.
Samantha, USA


d-     What matters to me most is study. My point of view is that adolescents should concentrate more on their studies. This way, they would determine for themselves their own future status. It’s through studying hard and being alert to distractors, such as too much leisure or careless friends, that you can achieve all that you dream of. Remember: Success in life depends on how much you are focused on your school work.
Jawad, Morocco

 Vocabulary:

 panel:  countable + singular or plural verb] a group of specialists who give their advice or opinion about something; a group of people who discuss topics of interest on television or radio. (مائدة مستديرة)

 an advisory panel

 a panel of experts

 We have two politicians on tonightʼs panel

 a panel discussion: (نقاش)
 
  assumeto think or accept that something is true but without having proof of it. (افترض)

  issue: an important topic that people are discussing or arguing about. (موضوع  مهم للنقاش)

 involve to make somebody take part in something. (شارك)

 initiative: a new plan for dealing with a particular problem or for achieving a particular purpose. (مبادرة)

 shaping: having an important influence on the way that somebody/something develops. (تشكيل) (verb: to shape)

 matter: to be important or have an important effect on somebody/something. (يهم)

 likely: probably. (محتمل)

  outwardconnected with the way people or things seem to be rather than with what is actually true. (خارجي)

 To all outward appearances (= as far as it was possible to judge from the outside) they were perfectly happy.

 sort: kind: type. (نوع)

 obsess: to completely fill your mind so that you cannot think of anything else, in a way that is not normal. (obsessed: adj مهووس)

 glamorous: especially attractive and exciting, and different from ordinary things or people. (noun: glamour) (براقة/فاتن)

 alert: aware of something, especially a problem or danger. (يقظ)

 distractor(s): a person or thing that takes your attention away from what you should be doing. (ملهي عن الانتباه)


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