Dung tried her best to win the first prize. (effort)

Dung…………………………………………………………………………………….………………

I _____ for her two hours, but she _____ yet.

Nga tried hard to persuade her parents to allow her to join the trip but she failed.

Read the article and answer the questions that follow.

Is There Really a Generation Gap?

According to the results of a survey in USA WEEKEND Magazine, there isn’t really a generation gap. The

magazine’s “Teens & Parents” survey shows that today’s generation of young people generally get along well with their parents and appreciate the way they’re being raised. Most feel that their parents understand them, and they believe their parents consider family as the No. 1 priority in their lives. Although more than a third of teens have something in their rooms they would like to keep secret from their parents, it is usually nothing more harmful than a diary or a CD.

Such results may seem surprising in the context of the violent events that people hear about in the media. Maybe because of the things they hear, parents worry that their own kids might get out of control once they reach the teenage years. However, the facts in the survey should make us feel better. The survey shows us that today’s teens are loving and sensible. They are certainly happier than the angry people in the teenage stereotypes we all know about. True, some teenagers are very angry, and we need to recognize their needs, but the great majority of teens are not like that at all.

In contrast to some stereotypes, most teens believe they must be understanding about differences among individuals. Many of them volunteer for community service with disadvantaged people. When they talk about themselves, their friends and their families, they sound positive and proud. Generally, these are very nice kids.

Is this spirit of harmony a change from the past? Only a generation ago, parent-child relations were described as the “generation gap”. Yet even then, things were not so bad. Most kids in the 1960s and 1970s shared their parents’ basic values.

Perhaps, however, it is true that American families are growing closer at the beginning of this new millennium. Perhaps there is less to fight about, and the dangers of drug abuse and other unacceptable behavior are now well known. Perhaps, compared to the impersonal world outside the home, a young person’s family is like a friendly shelter, not a prison. And perhaps parents are acting more like parents than they did 20 or 30 years ago.

1. According the first paragraph, what did the survey find out about teenagers?

Rewrite the following sentences using the words given.

 When did you last see “Gone with the wind”?

Read the following passage and fill in the blanks with the words below (there is one extra word)

satisfaction                   freedom                         pressure

choices                          stress                             self-esteem

Becoming Independent

The step into adult life can be incredibly exciting, but it also brings with it a whole range of challenges. The (31) ________ and independence from family can feel great, but it can also be really hard. There are lots of decisions to make as you figure out what you want to do with your life.

Study… work… money… relationships… partying. There are lots of (32) ________ and decisions to be made. You may be thinking about leaving home, your career or independent life. Maybe you feel pressure to ‘make something of yourself’ or to be a success. This pressure might be from other people or from within yourself. Most people will feel some (33) ________ or worry about these things; for others, these added challenges can make life quite hard and contribute to depression or anxiety. If you can’t find work or have lost your job or left education early, it brings all sorts of challenges. The most obvious challenge is having no money. You may feel a sense of failure that can knock your (34) ________.These changes may also mean you’re not in regular contact with other people any more.

It’s not just unemployment which can contribute to depression. Lack of job (35) ________ can also play a part. As you’re figuring out what you want to do work wise, or struggling with your work and social life, you might find that you’re not actually enjoying the job you chose.

3. What is the stereotype referred to in paragraph 2?