B2U1 Key &Transcript
Generation
Collective Experience
Gen 1) X (1965–1979)
both 2) parents worked; the use of 3) computers took off; crack epidemic; AIDS crisis; the invention of 4) music videos …
Gen 5) Y (1980–1995), or Millennials
sweeping technological 6) advances; the 7) arrival of the digital age …
Gen 8) Z (1996– ), or Centennials
all sorts of digital devices; the Internet; 9) Wi-Fi …
Transcript:
People are categorized into generations depending on when they were born. For today’s video, we are gonna to focus on people born in the US. As of now, there are five living generations. The Traditionalists, also known as “the silent generation”, who were born before 1945; then there is the Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964. Anyone born between 1965 and 1979 are considered Generation X, while Millennials, or Generation Y, were born between 1980 and 1995. Finally, there is Gen Z, or Centennials, who were born from 1996 to the present. These ranges are just approximations of course. You can be born within three years of the beginning or end of a generation and still belong to it. What’s more important is the collective experiences people born within these years share.
With both parents now entering the workforce, Gen X kids had less adult supervision than previous generations, which caused them to be more peer-oriented. The use of computers also took off during these years, making Gen X more entrepreneurial than their parents and grandparents. The collective experiences of Gen X include the crack epidemic and the emergence of the AIDS crisis, which made them much more cynical and disaffected as teens and young adults than Boomers or Traditionalists had ever been. Music also defined a lot of this generation: the invention of music videos and the popularization of hip-hop, rap, and grunge.
Ah, Millennials. They’ve been the topic of much debate, even over when their generation starts and ends. Some demographers have decided that Millennials were born as early as 1977 while others extend their cutoff to as late as 1999. And of course, there is ever popular Millennial bashing. Other generations complain that Millennials are selfish, entitled, narcissistic, addicted to their phones, lazy, impatient, impulsive, overly sensitive, weak-willed, and the name-calling goes on and on. While it’s true that some Millennials share these traits, the same can be said of literally anyone else in the world. There is no need to vilify an entire generation for wanting and expecting good things for themselves or for taking full advantage of the awesome technology that surrounds them. In fact, the sweeping technological advances of the digital age have made Millennials much more group-oriented than their predecessors, which accounts for their social progressiveness and tendency towards left-leaning politics.
Gen Z includes everyone born in the 21st century. They can be the children of either Gen X or Millennial parents, and this difference can affect their relationship with the technology they’ve grown with. Gen X parents who were raised without widespread access to the Internet are more likely to be restrictive with their kids’ devices. Millennial parents, on the other hand, grew up as the technology we have now was developing and gaining popularity, so they tend to be more lenient when it comes to their children using gadgets. Such digital savvy lends itself to the entrepreneurial spirit mentioned earlier with Gen X, so Gen Z also tends to value collaboration more in both school and work. Centennials were born into an environment where digital devices were widespread and readily available, so they have a very different relationship with it than previous generations. In fact, 40% of Centennials surveyed said that a reliable Wi-Fi connection is more important to them than reliable bathrooms. Of course, it’s possible they might use that Wi-Fi to find a nearby public restroom.
Comprehension
Text Organization
Scenes
Settings
Main Ideas
Scene One
A fast-food restaurant
Father embarrassed Sean by talking too proudly to the restaurant manager.
Scene Two
The Thompson family dining room
Father embarrassed Diane by persuading a colleague into pressing his son to ask her to the senior prom.
Scene Three
An office at a high school
Father embarrassed Heidi by boasting to an official at her new school about how talented she was.
Grasping the Central Idea
Father embarrasses the three children by making dumb remarks about them in front of others, and he never seems to learn from his mistakes. The generation gap exists because Father loves the children in a way that is not that acceptable to his children and their generation.
Interpreting Difficult Sentences
1. A 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. A
Language Sense Enhancement
1.
If that sort of thing happened only 1) once in a while, it wouldn’t be so bad. Overall, I wouldn’t want to 2) trade my dad for anyone else’s. He loves us kids and Mom too. But I think that’s sometimes 3) the problem. He wants to do things for us, things 4) he thinks are good. But he needs to give them more thought …
Can you imagine how 5) humiliated I was? An honor student, 6) class president. And Father was out asking people to 7) have their sons call and ask me to the prom! But that’s dear old dad. 8) Actually, he is a dear. He just doesn’t 9) stop to think. And it’s not just one of us who’ve felt the heavy hand of 10) interference. Oh, no, all three of us live in constant dread knowing that at any time disaster can strike …
Language Focus
Vocabulary
I. Basic Practice
1.
1) The view that you should never spend more than you earn is fairly typical of people of their generation.
2) In 1963, after his junior year in high school, Clinton was elected into a government study program for young people in Washington, D.C.
3) William Byrd composed many pieces of music, but his church music is considered his most glorious work.
4) Governments establish welfare systems to provide a safety net to prevent people from suffering the effects of poverty.
5) You quit that respectable, well-paid job for this unpromising one? What has come over you?
6) Many animals face extinction as the result of human interference.
7) Her hope of her husband’s return is fading/fades as the years go by.
8) Having worked for three years, Roger decided to study for an MBA degree and narrowed down his choice to three specific business schools.
9) A(n) frank reply is much more appreciated than beating about the bush.
10) Harold always comes up with dumb schemes for making money that just get us into trouble.
11) Call me, write to me, email me; at any rate, let’s keep in touch.
12) These days we feel less of a need to hide the fact that we are distracted. We even look at someone in the eye and type on the phone at the same time.
13) The basketball star addressed reporters with a friendly “What’s up, guys. Questions for me?”
14) In our company employees are given an annual paid leave of 15 days.
15) The old man must have misunderstood our intention; he clenched his fist and waved it angrily at us.
2.
1) The state security committee consists of five generals and four police officers.
2) The new hotel is to be built in a location overlooking the lake.
3) I was humiliated by her comments about my family background in front of so many people.
4) Do you have any proof that it was Henry who stole the computer?
5) The company put Mr. Baker in charge of Sales yesterday.
6) In fact, most children find it enjoyable to recite in unison, in sing-song fashion.
7) Did you get the job? Don’t keep me in suspense.
8) You look exhausted. I bet the baby kept you awake most of the night.
9) Daylight was fading when we sat down to dinner.
10) What’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done for absolutely no reason?
3.
1) Father grew almost hysterical, “That stamp was handed down by/from your grandfather, and is worth a fortune at the moment. You should have known better than to trade it for a few drinks!”
2) John begged the doctor not to keep him in suspense and tell him frankly how serious his illness was, but the doctor assured him repeatedly that he was not seriously ill and the best cure was a couple of weeks away from his work.
3) Theresa May’s term as Prime Minister came to a somewhat expected but humiliating end, because the British people were not in unison over Brexit, and because there had been a scheme inside her own party to remove her from the position.
II. Usage
1) The doctor insisted that the patient be admitted to hospital immediately.
2) During the National Day celebrations, people shouted repeatedly: “Long live the People’s Republic of China!”
3) Some of the students requested that the trip be postponed.
4) The English teacher strongly advises that every student buy an all-English dictionary.
5) A great many scientists proposed that human cloning be banned.
6) I’ll come as promised, be it rain or shine.
III. Collocation
1) His wages are adequate to support his family.
2) Joan is anxious/eager to meet Mr. Keller and his family.
3) After all his hard work, he is certain/sure to pass the exam.
4) Einstein was content to live a simple life.
5) Emma is crazy to go out in such stormy weather.
6) Do remind me because I’m likely to forget.
7) You’re very fortunate/lucky to have a good teacher.
8) She’s out of hospital and keen/eager to go back to work.
Comprehensive Exercises
I. Cloze
American psychologist Bella DePaulo believes that the generation gap in the US has been narrowed down. As 2) proof she cites a 2013 survey of parents of 18–29-year-olds, of which about three-quarters said their relationship with their children was mostly positive.
In the past, adult children 3) dreaded dependence on their parents. They moved away from their parents’ home as soon as they reached adulthood to seek 4) glorious independence, but now some adult children don’t feel 5) embarrassed/humiliated, or 6) humiliated/embarrassed, to admit that they are still living with their parents. This may have something to do with the current tight job market and high housing costs, but also the closer relationship between generations.
In the past, the 7) typical parent did not speak frequently with their grown children living in separate 8) communities/locations or 9) locations/communities, let alone give them advice, because this might be seen as 10) interference. But according to the same poll, more than half of the 18–29-year-olds, and more than half of the mothers and even fathers of grown kids, have contact with each other every other day or almost every day. Cellphones, the Internet, and social media in general are 11) somewhat behind-the-scene “heroes”, bridging the gap between two generations, keeping them informed of and interested in each other’s 12) welfare.
II. Translation
George, the son of Mr. Johnson, fell in love with drumming and practiced over and over every night. The neighbors in the community were somewhat tolerant at first, shutting doors and windows as soon as he started drumming. However, by and by the drum beats drove dread into their hearts. They decided on direct interference. They called Mr. Johnson to tell him in a frank manner how they felt and what they were thinking. Mr. Johnson assured them that he would address the matter immediately. He scolded his son, “How dumb of you to disturb our neighbors every night and embarrass your father for a hobby! Can’t you find anything more worthwhile to do?” In the end George downloaded some drumming software and practiced on his computer wearing headphones.
Comprehension Check
1. B 2. A 3. B 4. C 5. D 6. A
Language Practice
1. Workers complained that they had been kept in the dark about the company’s decision to close down the plant.
2. The speaker made some comments on the recent trends in film research.
3. Apart from an apple, I haven’t eaten anything all day.
4. I used to hate texting but then I met these girls from my class who sent me funny texts every half an hour. Now I can type on my phone without looking at it.
5. Young guys, could you put away your books and sit on the carpet?
6. As China experienced remarkable economic growth in the 1980s, it also faced a widening income gap.
7. The runway lights flashed on, and the first models emerged from behind the curtain.
8. Her career as a writer played out against a background of rising feminism.
9. Phone apps are convenient but they tend to consume too much battery power.
10. Sophia’s unfriendly attitude keeps/kept most students in her class at arm’s length.
11. To the astonishment of the audience, the magician made the tower disappear in plain sight.
12. The world was/is alerted to the deadly superbug.
13. In this article we will explain how to enforce a child support order on behalf of the parent raising the child.
14. Learning new communication tools is a powerful way of changing the dynamic in your relationship.
15. If a user runs a finger down a street on the virtual map, the names of shops along that street will emerge immediately.
Viewing & Comprehension Practice
1.
Mrs. Huang caught Evan sharing a drink with his 1) classmate Sicily in her 2) kitchen. She warned Evan against dating at such a young age because he would be 3) distracted and 4) stop being a straight A student. Evan kept seeing Sicily at school. Mrs. Huang went to the school to 5) demand that the two should be separated but 6) failed, so she changed Evan’s essay 7) grade from A to A– when nobody was watching. 8) Shocked at this less-than-perfect grade, Evan dumped Sicily and 9) focused on his education. Mrs. Huang felt at once 10) glad and guilty.
2.
Mrs. Huang: Oh, Evan, I’m so sorry. I 1) had no idea you would be so upset. I think it’s hard for me to accept that you’re 2) growing up. You’re my youngest, and I want to 3) shield you from all the pain that comes from being 4) an adult. But there’s a lot of 5) joy that comes with it too, and I never want to shield you from that.
Evan: It kind of seems like maybe you 6) weren’t ready for me to date.
Mrs. Huang: You’re so mature.
Evan: Aren’t you coming?
Mrs. Huang: No, I’m not. I’ll come get you in a couple hours. Sicily is waiting for you.
Evan: Thank you, Mommy. And … I 7) forgive you.
Mrs. Huang: You do?
Evan: You’re my mom, and you should know that no matter 8) how old I get, I’ll always be your little boy.
Transcript:
Evan: Here are my grade tests for you to sign, Mommy. Though you and I both know this is merely a formality.
Jessica: Ah, yes. My straight A student. Tell me, are the other students jealous? What do they say? What do their faces say? … Mmm, yes, that’s the same jealous face I get when I tell people my age. OK. “A”. Another “A”. Another “A”. Well, you fail this one.
E: What? How did that get in there?
J: The correct answer is “No”. Even “A” students make mistakes every now and then. Good thing I caught this one.
J: In my own kitchen? Sicily, is it?
Sicily: Yes. It’s nice to …
J: Go wait outside. I’ll call you a cab. I need to speak with my son. I told you you weren’t allowed to date.
E: No you didn’t.
J: Well then I’m telling you now. You are not allowed to date.
E: But you don’t even know Sicily.
J: I don’t need to. You are not ready to date anyone. You need to focus on your education. Girls will only distract you from that, and then you can kiss those As goodbye.
E: But that’s not fair. Eddie and Emery were allowed to date when they were my age.
J: Oh I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you wanted to be a rapper-tennis-player-flight-attendant. And where are those girls now? Riddle me that.
E: Well, I don’t care what you say. I’m gonna keep seeing her.
J: Then you leave me no choice. You’re grounded.
E: Sicily and I are in the same class, and you can’t ground me from school.
J: Hey, there’s inappropriate touching happening on school grounds and you need to stop it.
Principal: Oh God. Okay. Did you see her face? Could you describe it to a sketch artist?
J: I’m referring to my son Evan. I saw him holding hands with a girl student on the playground.
P: I see, Ms. Huang.
J: Mrs. I’m married.
P: Mrs. Huang, children are allowed to hold hands. They’re middle schoolers. It’s perfectly innocent.
J: Oh they’re too young for that. They need to be focused on their education.
P: I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you. Evan’s grades certainly aren’t suffering because of it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I witnessed a brutal fight in the cafeteria today, and I have to go give a statement.
P: OK, students, great job on your To Kill a Mocking Bird essays. Another stellar essay, Evan. The way you contrasted the snowman Jem built with the fire at Miss Maudie’s house was so thought-provoking. Excellent.
E: A-minus?!
J: Hi, Evan.
E: You were right. Sicily distracted me. I dumped her. If you need me, I’ll be studying.
J: Ciao, Sicily. This. This is what I like to see. What are you studying, Evan?
E: Pre-algebra. I have a quiz on Friday, and I’ve already lost 78 minutes of study time to Sicily.
J: Oh, shh shh. She is gone now. Let’s not even say her name. I’m so pleased you have come to your senses about dating, Evan. In fact, I’ve decided to reward you by un-grounding you.
E: No, thank you. I’d like to serve out the remainder of my sentence to minimize distractions from my education.
J: A self-grounding. He’s come back even stronger than before.
J: Evan, I want to apologize to you for being so strict about dating.
E: You have nothing to apologize for, Mommy. You tried to warn me that dating would affect my grades, and you were right.
J: Well, that’s the thing. You didn’t actually get an A-minus on your English essay. You got an “A”. I went into the school, and I changed the grade so you would think Sicily distracted you and break up with her.
E: Say that again? Now?
J: I went into your school and …
E: I heard you the first time! How could you do that to me? I loved her.
J: Oh, Evan, I’m so sorry. I had no idea you would be so upset. I think it’s hard for me to accept that you’re growing up. You’re my youngest, and I want to shield you from all the pain that comes from being an adult. But there’s a lot of joy that comes with it too, and I never want to shield you from that.
E: It kind of seems like maybe you weren’t ready for me to date.
J: You’re so mature.
E: Aren’t you coming?
J: No, I’m not. I’ll come get you in a couple hours. Sicily is waiting for you.
E: Thank you, Mommy. And … I forgive you.
J: You do?
E: You’re my mom, and you should know that no matter how old I get, I’ll always be your little boy.
J: I’m watching you.