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Section B
Parent Talk
After Sandy had left for school, Jane Finch sat down in peace and quiet to drink her coffee. She sipped slowly and tried to read the newspaper. Soon her husband joined her.
"Would you like some coffee, Steve?" asked Jane.
"No thanks, honey. My stomach feels upset — like it's full of knots. It's probably that awful music that wakes me up every morning. I don't think I'm old-fashioned but hearing those tuneless, offensive lyrics repeatedly makes my blood boil. There is no message to them either. I can't believe Sandy really likes that stuff."
"You know, honey, different music appeals to different generations," reasoned Jane. "Remember some of the music we listened to?"
Steve smiled. "You're right. Maybe eating breakfast will help me get rid of some of the knots in my stomach."
"I'll get you some juice," she offered, starting to get up.
"That's okay," said Steve. "I'll get it. You're reading."
"I'm not really reading. I'm distracted. I've been thinking about Sandy too."
Steve prepared his breakfast and then sat down with his wife. She gave him a section of the newspaper and they both tried to read for a few moments. Then Jane broke the silence.
"Did you notice how much makeup our fifteen-year-old daughter was wearing this morning? When I asked about it, she told me she's been wearing eyeliner for months. I can't believe I never noticed. I suppose we should feel lucky because makeup is our biggest problem with her. I've seen other teenagers walking around town with tattoos and piercings all over their bodies—in their eyebrows, their noses, everywhere. I suppose they're expressing their identity but it's so very different from what we did."
"Is it so different?" asked Steve. "I remember defying my parents when I grew my hair long. Remember? It was so long it was down below my shoulders."
"And you almost got expelled from school," added Jane.
"That's true but my hair could be cut. These tattoos are permanent. Tattoos seem radical to me."
"Actually, tattoos can be removed," said Jane. "It's painful and expensive but they can be removed. Every generation seems to need to identify itself."
"What worries me," said Steve, "is that music has a very negative message. It could have a negative influence on Sandy. I don't know what's happening to our little girl. She's changing and I'm concerned about her. Makeup, terrible music — who knows what will be next? We need to have a talk with her. The news is full of stories about teenagers in trouble whose parents hardly know anything about their problems."
"Oh, I don't think her music is so terrible. I like it." said Jane.
"You like it? "
"You know I like loud, weird music. Anyway, you're right. We need to have a talk with Sandy," agreed Jane.
Jane glanced at the clock. "Oh dear, I'm late!" she moaned. "I have to run or I'll be late for my first appointment." She kissed her husband quickly, picked up her briefcase, and started for the door.
"Bye, honey," called Jane.
"Bye, dear," answered Steve.
As Jane Finch drove to work, she thought about her children, Sandy and Bill. "Sandy is beginning to mature," she thought. "Soon she'll be dating and going out but I don't want her wasting her time talking on the phone and watching TV. I want her to do well in school and to continue her music. How can I tell her these things? I don't want her to get angry with me. If I'm too strict, she'll rebel. I often worry she may rebel and go too far. So many young girls rebel, drop out of school and get into all kinds of trouble. Sometimes they even run away from home. I wouldn't want that to happen to Sandy."
Jane knew what she wanted to say, what she had to say to Sandy. She was so glad that she and Sandy could still talk things over. She knew she had to have patience and keep the lines of communication with her daughter open. She wanted to be there as an anchor for her but at the same time she would give her her freedom to find her own identity.
Words: 700
NEW WORDS
▲sip
v. drink with very small mouthfuls 啜，呷，小口地喝，抿
honey
n. 1. (esp. AmE) darling; dear 亲爱的，宝贝
2. sweet food that bees make 蜂蜜
upset
a. worried; anxious; physically ill 不安的，担心的；不舒服的
vt. make sb. worried or ill 使心烦意乱，使苦恼，使不适；使（人）不安
knot
n. 1. a hard lump in an animal body 肿块，节疤
2. a fastening made by tying rope, etc. 结
awful
a. very bad 糟糕的，极坏的
fashion
n. way of dressing or behaving that is popular at a certain time 时尚
old-fashioned
a. out of fashion 不时髦的；陈旧的，过时的
tune
n. (pleasing) pattern of musical notes 调子；曲调；旋律
tuneless
a. without tune; not musical; not tuneful 无旋律的；不动听的
◆lyric
n. (often pl.) words to a song or poem 歌词；抒情诗
repeatedly
ad. again and again 反复地，一次又一次
appeal
vi. 1. please; attract; interest 吸引，有吸引力，有感染力
2. make a strong request for help, support 呼吁，恳求
rid
vt. make free of 从……中清除，使摆脱，解除……的负担
▲distract
vt. take one's attention away 分散注意力, 转移注意力，使分心
section
n. one of the parts 部分
lucky
a. having or bringing good luck 幸运的，侥幸的，吉利的
teenager
n. a person from 13 to 19 years old 青少年
brow
n. 1. 眉，眉毛
2. 额
◆eyebrow
n. 眼眉
identity
n. who or what a person or thing is 身份；本体
▲defy
vt. rebel against; challenge （公然）违抗，藐视；挑，激
▲expel
vt. push out; drive out; force out 把……除名，把……开除；驱逐，赶走，放逐
permanent
a. lasting forever 永久（性）的，固定的
radical
a. 1. very different 彻底不同的，完全不同的，根本不同的
2. extreme 极端的，激进的
n. a person who favors very different changes or reforms; persons with very different opinions 激进分子；激进派
painful
a. causing pain; hurting 悲伤的；痛苦的
identify
vt. 1. show the identity of; tell who or what a person or thing is 认出，鉴定出
2. (with) cause (sb.) to be connected with 使与……相关连
negative
a. 1. bad; unpleasant; harmful 不好的；负面的
2. no 否定的
influence
n. an effect 影响，影响力
vt. have an effect on （产生）影响
concern
n. 1. worry; over-anxiety 关心；担心
2. a matter of interest or importance to sb. 关切的事，有关的事
vt. be troubled or uneasy; cause to worry （使）不安；（使）担心
anyway
ad. anyhow; in spite of everything 不论怎么，不管怎么说
▲ moan
vi. 1. make a low sound of pain 呻吟
2. (about) complain 抱怨，发牢骚
appointment
n. a set time for a meeting 约会
▲briefcase
n. a flat leather case for papers 公文包
mature
v. (cause to) become an adult; become fully developed（使）成熟；（使）长成
a. grown; fully developed 长大了的；成熟的
rebel
vi. fight against sb. in control 反抗；反对，反叛
patience
n. ability to wait for sth. calmly for a long time 耐心，忍耐
anchor
n. 1. a piece of heavy metal for dropping into the water to stop a ship from moving 锚
2. sb./sth. that makes one feel safe or supported 可依靠的人或物
PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONS
in peace and quiet
calmly; in a peaceful and silent state 平静地
make one's blood boil
make one angry 使（某人）生气
get rid of
1. free oneself from (sth. unwanted or unpleasant) 清除
2. drive away；destroy 驱赶；消除
the knots in one's stomach
feeling nervous, tense, unwell 不安
go too far
do or say sth. that goes beyond accepted limits; go to extremes 走极端
drop out of
leave (school) without finishing one's studies 退出
talk over
consider (sth.) in detail (with sb.) 商量
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