Read the text quickly, ignoring the gaps. Choose the best summary of the text: a, b or c.
a. Parents may find it difficult to understand their adolescent children, but it is a parent's duty to communicate properly with them and avoid arguments.
b. Although teenagers develop new ideas, values and beliefs during adolescence, that is no excuse for bad behaviour. They should listen to their parents.
c. Teenagers experience big physical and emotional changes during adolescence. It's important to communicate with your parents and try to understand their point of view.
HOW TO HANDLE YOUR PARENTS
Adolescence is a difficult time for both parents and teenagers as it is a period of physical, social and emotional changes. Physically, as a dependent pre-teen child, you are being transformed into an independent young adult. 1____________
First, you want more freedom to choose who to see and when. You used to be most happy in the company of your parents. Now you want to spend some more time on your own. Second, your parents made most decisions before adolescence. But now you want to decide things for yourselves. 2____________. Above all, adolescents have strong opinions and are idealistic. 3____________. You feel you have all the answers while adults don't.
All these perfectly normal changes will affect teenagers' relationship with parents. So what can you, as adolescents, do to stay on good terms with your parents? 4____________. Secondly, try to agree rules and boundaries and prove to be dependable. Keep your words and stick to rules.
Thirdly, try to understand why they might be irritated by your behaviour. Show your parents that you are capable of an independent life by taking care of your own school work and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Finally, it's all about communication! 5____________. The more disconnected they feel, the more critical, distrustful and controlling they tend to become.
Read the Reading Strategy. Then read the sentences below and the highlighted words in the text. Say which sentence links to which highlighted word and underline the part of the sentence which helped you to decide.
A. You see the world differently, develop your own views and your own sense of right and wrong.
B. They may not say so, but they are probably feeling a sense of loss and may even feel rejected by you.
C. Firstly, let your parents know that you still love and value them.
D. Keep talking to your parents.
E. In general, emotionally and socially, the adolescents like you are experiencing profound changes in terms of freedom, privacy, interests, decisions and opinions.
F. You hate being told what to do all the time.
G. Despite this, you should always listen carefully.
VOCABULARY Complete the stems to make a noun and an adjective. Use a dictionary to help you. Either the noun or the adjective is in the text. (Sometimes you do not need to add anything.)
1. adolescence, adolescent
Noun and adjective endings
1 adolesc____
2 depend____
3 priv____
4 emot____
5 critic____
6 distrust____
SPEAKING KEY PHRASES Work in pairs or small groups. Discuss points 1 and 2, using the phrases below to help you. Share your ideas and opinions with the class.
1. Look at the five social and emotional changes that the writer describes in the text (freedom, privacy, interests, decisions and opinions). Discuss them one by one. Which ones affect teenagers most, do you think? Give examples.
2. Look at the advice offered by the writer. Is it good advice on the whole, do you think? Which is the best piece of advice? Give reasons.
PEAKING Do you sometimes argue with your parents? What do you argue about, and why? Use the ideas below to help you.
- bedtime
- clothes
- going out with friends
- homework
- housework
- staying up late
- using computers or tablets
