In-Class Reading Social Problems Pre- Reading Global Reading Detailed Reading Post Reading Part Two: In-Class Reading >>

In-Class Reading

Social ProblemsPre- Reading

Global Reading

Detailed Reading

Post Reading

Part Two: In-Class Reading >>

Part Two: In-Class Reading >> Pre-Reading

Pre-ReadingDiscuss

ionSocial Problems


Pre-Reading

1) Do you know anything about “Latchkey children”?

1. Discussion

2) Did you ever have such experience as “Latchkey children”, and how did you feel?

3) Suppose you are young parents with a six-year-

old boy. You have been offered challenging, well-

paid jobs in a city where you have no relatives.

Will you accept the jobs? What arrangements will

you make for your son? And explain your decision. SampleSample

2. Social Problems

As societies change and develop, many problems emerge. Change itself can be a social problem if it occurs too quickly. This is sometimes called the problem of "future shock".

Pre-Reading


One of the greatest problems of developing societies is the problem of overpopulation. The world's current population of about six billion people is likely to double in the next 20 to 30 years.

Pre-Reading

To be continued



In the developed countries, One of the greatest problems is pollution. Factory wastes and emissions ( 排放物 ) from factories or vehicles add to the problem.

To be continued


Some problems are very new. The AIDS virus was identified in the early 1980s and the disease itself emerged only in the 1970s. But its rapid spread around the world can be related, in many countries, to older social problems such as prostitution and drug abuse.

To be continued


Social problems exist both in developed countries and developing countries. Unemployment, poverty and crime exist in the most advanced industrial societies as well as in developing societies, but they may take very different forms.

Part Two: In-Class Reading >> Global Reading

Global ReadingOrganization AnalysisQuestions for DiscussionGeneral IdeaUnderstanding Specific Information Comparing Experiences


Organization Analysis

Part 1 Because of financial need and career choices, more mothers are working outside.

Part 2 Mothers working outside affect the family, especially children.

Part 3 How to solve the problem in an advisable way?

(Para. 2-6)

(Para. 7-8)

(Para.1)


Organization Analysis

Part 2 (Para. 2-6)

Different reaction of latchkey children to the situation

Mothers working outside affect the family, especially children.

Para. 2 Some obvious consequences on the family, especially children: later dinnertime, emotional impact, etc.

Para. 3 Emotional impact on the children

Para.4-6


Questions for Discussion

1. Why have more and more mothers in the U.S. nowadays taken salaried jobs outside instead of staying home as full-time homemakers? (Para. 1)

Partly because of financial need, and partly because of career choices for personal fulfillment, mothers have been leaving the traditional role of full-time homemaker and taken salaried jobs outside the home.

To be continued

2. Does this role change affect the family? If so, in what way? (Para. 2)


Yes, it affects the entire family, especially the children. For example, dinnertime is at a later hour, and there are more subtle emotional impacts.

3. What is the common emotional impact of the situation on the children? (Para. 3)

It is quite common for children to feel hurt and resentful.

To be continued

4. Do all the latchkey children react to the

situation negatively? If not, how do the

different groups react differently according

to the interview reported? (Para. 4-6)


No. For some youngsters, it is a productive period of private time, while for others it is a frightening, lonely void.

To be continued

5. To deal with the situation, do you think it realistic for mothers to quit working outside the home? (Para. 7)


No, I don’t think so. The question to ask is not whether or not mothers should work full-time, but how an optimum plan can be worked out to deal effectively with the situation.

To be continued

6. Then what is the advisable way to cope with the problem according to the author? (Para. 8)


Members of family should express their love to and concerns about one another, for feeling loved provides invaluable emotional strength to cope successfully with almost any difficulty that arise in life.


General Idea

In the United States, more mothers are

taking Jobs. For the reasons of 1)_________

need and 2)_______ choices For personal

fulfillment. Children are especially affected by

this. The obvious consequences may include a

3)_______ dinner. There are more subtle

consequences. For instance, mothers may feel

4)________ and children feel 5)______ and

6)_________.

financial

To be continued

career

later

guiltyhurt resentf

ul

Returning from school and coming home with the

key hanging around their necks, children react

differently. Some believe it is a 7) _________

period when they can develop a sense of 8)

____________ and 9) ____________. They felt

loved and10)______ . For others, it is a 11)

_________, lonely void.


To be continued

productive

independence

responsibilitytruste

dfrightening

They expressed bitterness, 12) _________, and

anger for this. They also said they felt 13)

_________ by their mothers. When the problem

of latchkey children is dealt with, of the many

14) ________ that should be taken into

consideration, the most important thing is that

15) ______ of the relationship between parents

and children.


resentment

abandoned

factors

quality

1) _____ Many women work full-time because of financial necessity.

2) _____ When mothers begin to work full-time, life goes on as usual at home.


To be continued

T

F

Understanding Specific Information

Tell whether each of the following statements is true or false. Write “T” for “true” and “F” for “false” in the space provided.

3) _____ Full-time working mothers do not give up their household responsibilities.

4) _____ Mothers don’t feel a sense of guilt because they earn money.

5) _____ Not all the effects of this arrangement are obvious or clear.

6) _____ Latchkey children are not allowed to go out because they have a lot of homework to do.


To be continued

T

T

F

F

7) _____ Latchkey girls are better in coping with this arrangement than latchkey boy.

8) _____ Being left along at home can help build up self-confidence in all children.

9) _____ “Normal” families are those whose father and mother are at home when the children need them.

10) _____ The author doesn’t think mothers should abandon the traditional role of full-time homemaker.


To be continued

F

F

F

F

1) How many members of your group were

latchkey children?

2) How many were taken care of by their

grandparents?

3) What other experiences of childcare did

the members of your group have?


Comparing Experiences

In groups discuss the following questions.Step One

SampleSample

1) Compare your experiences

2) Summarize the results of your

comparison and share with the class.


Now continue your group work to

Step Two

Part Two: In-Class Reading >> Detailed Reading

Detailed Reading

Understanding SentencesWords and

Expressions

Passage Reading


Latchkey Children—Knock, Knock, Is Anybody Home?

Partly because of financial need, and partly because of career choices for personal fulfillment, mothers have been leaving the traditional role of full-time homemaker. Increasingly they have been taking salaried jobs outside the home.

To be continued

In the United States the cost of living has been steadily rising for the past few decades. Food prices, clothing costs, housing expenses, and tuition fees are constantly getting higher and higher.


Making such a significant role change affects the entire family, especially the children. Some consequences are obvious. For example, dinnertime is at a later hour. The emotional impact, on the other hand, can be more subtle. Mothers leave home in the morning, feeling guilty because they will not be home when their children return from school. They suppress their guilt since they believe that their work will benefit everyone in the long run. The income will enable the family to save for college tuition, take an extended vacation, buy a new car, and so on.

To be continued

The emotional impact on the children can be significant. It is quite common for children to feel hurt and resentful. 1

After all, they are alone several hours, and they feel that their mothers should "be th

ere" for them.

They might need assistance with their homework or want to share the day's activities. 2All too often

, however, the mothers arrive home exhausted and face the immediate task of preparing di

nner.

Their priority is making the evening meal for the family, not engaging in relaxed conversation.


To be continued


Latchkey children range in age from six to thirteen. On a daily basis they return from school and unlock the door to their home with the key hanging around their necks. They are now on their own, alone, in quiet, empty rooms.

3

For some youngsters, it is a productive period of private time, while for others it is a fright

ening, lonely

void. For reasons of safety, many parents forbid their children to go out to play or to have visitors at home. The youngsters, therefore, feel isolated.

To be continued

Latchkey children who were interviewed reported diverse reactions. Some latchkey children said that being on their own for a few hours each day fostered, or stimulated, a sense of independence and responsibility. They felt loved and trusted, and this feeling encouraged them to be self-confident. Latchkey girls, by observing how their mothers coped with the demands of a family and a job, learned the role model of a working mother. Some children stated that they used their unsupervised free time to perfect their athletic skills, such as playing basketball. Others read books or practiced a musical instrument. These children looked upon their free time after school as an opportunity for personal development. It led to positive, productive, and valuable experiences.


To be continued

4Conversely

, many latchkey children expressed much bitterness, resentment, and anger for being m

ade to live in this fashion.

Many claimed that too much responsibility was placed on them at an early age; it was an overwhelming burden. They were little people who really wanted to be protected, encouraged, and cared for through attention from their mothers. Coming home to an empty house was disappointing, lonely, and often frightening.


To be continued

They felt abandoned by their mothers. After all, it

seemed to them that most other children had

"normal" families whose mothers were "around,"

whereas their own mothers were never home.

Many children turned on the television for the

whole afternoon day after day, in order to diminish

feelings of isolation; furthermore, the voices were

comforting. Frequently, they would doze off.


To be continued


The question to ask is not whether or not mothers should work full-time. 6

Given the reality of the situation, the question to ask

is: how can an optimum plan be

worked out to deal effectively with the situation.

To be continued

Because of either economic necessity or strong determination for personal fulfillment, or both, the phenomenon of latchkey children is widespread in our society. 5Whatever the reason, it is a compelling situation with which families must cope

.

It is advisable for all members of the family to express their feelings and concerns about the inevitable change candidly. These remarks should be discussed fully. Many factors must be taken into consideration: the children's personality and maturity, the amount of time the children will be alone, the safety of the neighborhood, accessibility of help in case of an emergency.

7Of supreme importance is the quality of the relationship between parents and children. It is most important that the children be secure in the knowledge that they are loved. Feeling loved provides invaluable emotional strength to cope successfully with almost any difficulty that arises in life.

— From The Independent Reader



1. After all, they are alone several hours, and they feel that their mothers should "be there" for them.

毕竟有好几个小时他们要独自呆在家里，而他们觉得母亲应该“在那儿”等着他们。

“Be there” here means “be at home”. Traditionally the mother’s role is to be the homemaker, raising children and taking care of other household affairs.

Translation

Comment

Back to the text

Understanding Sentences

1) He came home very much depressed.2) She sat at the window sewing.3) He is lying at home sick.


2. All too often, however, the mothers arrive home exhausted and face the immediate task of preparing dinner.

然而十分常见的情况是：母亲们回到家里时已经疲惫不堪 , 又面临着一个紧迫的任务——做饭。

Example

本句中 “ exhausted” 是过去分词做形容词用，表示伴随状况。

Translation

Comment

Back to the text


1) The first two services are free, while the third costs $35.00.

2) In 1961 just over 2 persons divorced per 1,000, while in 1981it was 12.


Back to the text


3. For some youngsters, it is a productive period of private time, while for others it is a frightening, lonely void.

对于某些孩子来说，这是一段属于他们自己的有所作为的时间，而对于另一些孩子来说则是令人恐惧的、孤独的空虚。The word “while” is used here to emphasize the difference between two situations, activities, etc.

Translation

Comment

Example

“make” 在用作“ force someone to do something” 这一意思时，主动语态为“ make someone do something” ，但是被动语态中则应该为“ be made to do something” 。同样的用法也适合其他动词，如在“ see ＋宾语＋不定式做宾语补足语”结构中：主动语态： We saw him go into the pub with two other guys the other night.


Back to the text


4. Conversely, many latchkey children expressed much bitterness, resentment, and anger for being made to live in this fashion.

与此相反，也有许多挂钥匙的孩子对于被迫以这种方式生活表现出不快、怨恨以及愤怒。Transl

ation

Comment

“Whatever” here means “no matter what”. The whole sentence means:


Back to the text


5. Whatever the reason, it is a compelling situation with which families must cope.

然而无论出于什么样的原因，这已经成为一个紧迫的、所有的家庭都必须应付的局面。

No matter what the reason is, it is a situation all families must cope with.

Translation

Comment



6. Given the reality of the situation, the question to ask is: how can an optimum plan be worked out to deal effectively with the situation.

考虑到这种现象的现实情况，要提出的应是这样一个问题：如何才能制定一个最佳方案来有效地应对这种局面？

“Given” here is used as a preposition meaning “taking something into account” ( 考虑到，鉴于 )

Translation

Comment

To be continued

1) Given that there was so little time, I think they’ve done a good job.2) Given that the patients have some

disabilities, we try to enable them to be as independent as possible.


“Given” can also be used as an adjective meaning “specified, fixed” ( 规定的，特定的 )

1) The work must be done within the given time.

2) The rules are to be followed in any given situation.

Comment

Example

Example

Back to the text

“be of + 抽象名词”结构。常与“ of” 连用的其他名词还有： value, use, significa

nce, help 等。如 of great /much/little/n

o value/use/significance/help.


Back to the text


7. Of supreme importance is the quality of the relationship between parents and children.

首要的是亲子关系的融洽度。

Comment

Translation

steadily adv. in a state of continuing or developing gradually

or without stopping 持续地，不断地 e.g. The company's exports have grown steadily.

Words and Expressions

in the long run later in the future, not immediately, eventually 从长远来看 The less you rely on pain killers now, the better it will be for your health in the long run.


Back to the text

Back to the text

fulfillment n.

1. a feeling of satisfaction that you get from doing or

achieving something 满足感

He gets a great sense of fulfillment from his work.



Back to the text

2. the event or act of something happening or being m

ade to happen ( 愿望等的 ) 实现，履行 ( 职责、诺言等 )

The money is crucial to the fulfillment of the govern

ment's economic policies.

suppress v.

1. stop oneself from showing one's feeling

抑制 ( 感情、思想等 )

She suppressed a strong desire to scream.

2. stop people from opposing the government, es

pecially by using force 压制，镇压 The king's army tried to suppress the uprising.



Back to the text

resentful adj. feeling angry and upset about something that seems unf

air 充满忿恨的，怨恨的 At first I felt very resentful and angry about losing my job.


all too oftenmuch more often than one would have liked, than one considers desirable or suitable 屡次三番，过于频繁地All too often doctors are too busy to explain the treatment to their patients.


Back to the text

priority n. 1. the thing that is considered the most important and

needs attention before anything else 优先考虑的事 Earning enough money to keep his family is a high

priority.

2. the right to be given attention first and before other

people or things 优先 ( 权 ) ，重点 Banks normally give priority to large businesses wh

en deciding on loans.



Back to the text

on a daily (weekly, yearly...) basis every day (week, year) 以每天 ( 周，年…… ) 计算All rooms are cleaned on a daily basis.


look upon…as…think of... as... 看待，看作1) A lot of people looked (up) on him as an authority. 2) I look on him as a good friend.


Back to the text

Back to the text

void n. 1. a feeling of emptiness or hollowness, lacking

something definite 空虚感，孤寂感 It will be difficult to fill the void left by his departure.

2. an empty area or space where nothing exists

真空，空白 1) Before Einstein, space was regarded as a

formless void.

2) We call the sky the blue void.



Back to the text

foster v. 1. encourage the development or growth of 培养 , 促进 1) These sessions are designed to foster better

working relationships.

2) This approach will foster an understanding of

environmental issues.

2. take care of and bring up (a child that is not legally

one’s own) 收养，养育 People who cannot have a baby of their own

sometimes foster a child.



Back to the text

cope with v.succeed in dealing with a difficult problem or situation 对付，处理好 ( 棘手之事 ) 1) Young as she was, she could cope with the difficultie

s wonderfully well. 2) It was amazing how my mother coped with bringing

up three kids on less than three pounds a week.


advisable adj. sensible 明智的，可取的 1) It's advisable to reserve a seat in this train. 2) Regular medical check-ups are advisable.


Back to the text

Back to the text

conversely adv. used when one situation is the opposite of another

相反地 1) Running can strengthen your heart and muscles,

but conversely, it can also damage your knee

joints and the bones in your feet.

2) Some wrong answers were marked right and,

conversely, some right answers had been rejected.



Back to the text

overwhelming adj.overpowering in effect or strength

势不可挡的，压倒性的

1) She felt an overwhelming urge to tell someone

about what had happened.

2) The task won't appear so overwhelming if you

break it down into small, easy-to-accomplish steps.



Back to the text

compelling adj. urgently requiring attention 使人非注意不可的 1) My second and more compelling reason for

going to Dearborn was to see the Henry Ford

Museum.

2) The court was presented with compelling

evidence that she'd murdered her husband.



Back to the text

work out1. think carefully about how you are going to do so

mething and plan a good way of doing it

想出，制定出 The general worked out a new plan of attack.

2. calculate an answer, amount, price, etc. 算出 I was born in 1947: you work out my age.



Back to the text

take… into considerationremember to think about something important whe

n you are making a decision or judgment

考虑某事物 1) Taking everything into consideration, they

ought to be given another chance.

2) The candidate's experience must be taken

into consideration.



Back to the text

accessibility n.the condition of being easy to obtain or use

可以得到，容易得到 1) There are other difficulties to be overcome in

terms of the accessibility of certain products.

2) There's growing public concern about the

cost, quality and accessibility of health care.



Back to the text

in case ofin a particular situation 在……情况下 1) In case of fire, break the glass. 2) In case of bad weather, the wedding will be held indoors.


invaluable adj.extremely useful 极有价值的，极宝贵的 1) Such data will prove invaluable to researchers studying fish population. 2) The Internet is an invaluable source of information.


Back to the text

Back to the text

Part Two: In-Class Reading >> Post Reading

Post Reading1.

Vocabulary2. Filling in the Blanks3. Word Building4. Sentence- Making Game5.

Translation


1. Vocabulary

Column A is a list of words from the passage. Find a word or phrase in Column B which is similar in meaning to each of the words in Column A.


Column A Column B

1) suppress A. anger

2) fulfillment B. weight

3) salaried C. hold back

4) resentment D. effect

5) unsupervised E. unwatched

6) perfect (v.) F. help

7) constantly G. paid

8) impact H. satisfaction

9) candidly I. continually

10) burden J. chance

11) opportunity K. improve

12) assistance L. frankly

CH

GAEKIDLBJ

F


2. Filling in the Blanks

1) We are __________ reminded of success.

2) The change in leadership will have a huge

__________on government policy.

3) The financial _________will be more evenly shared.

Fill in each of blanks with an appropriate word from Column A above. Change the form if necessary.

constantly

impact burde

nTo be continued

suppress fulfillment salaried resentment unsupervised perfect (v.) constantly impact

candidly burden opportunity assistance




4) _________ David, I think you’re being

unreasonable.

5) Seeing my work completed successfully gives me

a strong sense of ___________.

6) The company had 143 _________staff, most of

whom it could no longer afford to keep.

fulfillment salarie

d

Candidly

To be continued






7) She expressed __________ at being

interviewed by a social worker.

8) He’s been running the company with the

__________ of his son.

9) She needs to ________ her Arabic before

going to work in Cairo.

10) Harry could scarcely _________ a smile.

assistance

suppress

perfect

resentment





1) They have ____________found the gene

responsible for the condition. (success)

2) He feels a deep ___________ towards his parents

for his miserable childhood. (resent)

3) I have been unemployed for two years and have

absolutely no financial _________. (secure)

3. Word Building


Fill each of the following blanks with the appropriate form of the word in brackets.

successfully

resentment

security

To be continued

4) The report stresses the _________ of eating plenty

of fresh fruit and vegetables. (necessary)

5) It is __________ to reserve a seat on this train.

(advise)

6) Two new roads are being built to increase

__________________ to the town center. (access)

7) They have been given college scholarships

purely on _________ ability. (athlete)

3. Word Building


necessity

advisable

access/accessibility

athletic

To be continued

8) Lacking self-confidence and _________, many

teenagers are left feeling vulnerable (脆弱的 ).

(mature)

9) My doctor said the problem was more _________

than physical. (emotion)

10) Services need to be more ___________

organized than they are at present. (effect)


3. Word building

maturity

emotional

effectively


4. Sentence-Making Game

Make sentences with the words written by

your teacher on the blackboard. You may use

more than one word at a time. The sentence you

make must be meaningful and grammatically

correct. Speed and accuracy are both part of the

game.


4. Sentence-Making Game

rise decade expense financial

affect priority engage range

forbid isolate provide demand

claim express stimulate

widespread given work out arise

in case of cope with secure

on the other hand

take into consideration

rise decade expense financial

affect priority engage range

forbid isolate provide demand

claim express stimulate

widespread given work out arise

in case of cope with secure

on the other hand

take into consideration

A Possible List:

5. Translation

1) 由于紧急情况，这位医生几小时内都没有空。 (because of) Because of an emergency, the doctor

will not be available for several hours. 2) 税收将会如何影响低收入的人群？ (affect)

How will taxes affect people with low incomes?

3) 我母亲总是告诉我，从长远来看我会很高兴我没有放弃练钢琴。 (in the long run)

My mother always told me that in the long run I would be glad I didn’t give up practicing the piano.


To be continued

5. Translation

4) 这些书的价格从 10美元到 20美元不等。 (rang…from…to) These books range in price from $10 to $20.5) 在我看来你没有什么选择。 (It seems to me that …)

It seems to me that you don’t have done quite a good job.

6) 考虑到他们缺乏经验，这工作他们已经做得相当不错。 (given)

Given their inexperience, they have done quite a good job.


To be continued

Can we begin with discussing questions/ problems arising from the last meeting?

5. Translation

7) 对这么一幢大房子来说这价格相当便宜，但你得考虑维修所需要的钱。 (take into consideration)

8) 我们能否从讨论上次会议产生的问题开始？ (arise from)

For such a big house the price is fairly cheap/ low, but you’ve tot to take into consideration the money you will spend on repairs.


Go to After-class ReadingEnd of In-class Reading

It depends. If I were the wife, I would

persuade my husband to accept the job. As for

me, before making a final decision, I would

take into consideration such factors as child-

care facilities, location of the school, location

of the apartment, etc.


To be continued

Sample 1 Sample 1

Both of us will accept the jobs. On the

one hand, the jobs are challenging, which is

good for our personal fulfillment. On the

other, with the money we get, we could find

a babysitter for our child or send him to a

private school, where he may get better

education.

Sample 2Sample 2


To be continued

Neither of us will take the job. I think

parents should spend more time with their

children. A challenging, high-salary job means

less time with your child. If we move to a city

where we don’t have any relatives, it would be

even worse. A child who grows up with little car

from parents or family is very likely to become

a problem kid.

Sample 3Sample 3


Back to the topic

In our group, two of us were latchkey children, two were

taken care of by their grandparents, and one was taken

care of by his mother because his mother did not work.

The two who were once latchkey children had felt very

much the same as the children mentioned in the passage.

They felt lonely and watched TV a lot. But compared with

the other students in our group, they are more

independent. So in a way, it is good to leave children

alone for some time every day.


Sample1Sample1

To be continued

In our group, only one person was once a latchkey

child. Both her parents were working faraway from

home and she had to be on her own for most of the

time on weekdays. The rest of us were taken care of

either by our grandparents or by our parents. We

could also go out and play with other children after we

finished our homework. But sometimes we did wish

we were alone so that we could spend the time as we

wished.


Sample2Sample2

Back to the topic

Documents

In-Class Reading Social Problems Pre- Reading Global Reading Detailed Reading Post Reading Part Two: In-Class Reading >>