Family fortunes Are you a first child, a middle child, 5 lite youngest, or art only child?

First-born children. If you are a first-born child, you are probably self-confident and a good leader - you came first, after all. You may also be bossy and even aggressive if you don't get what you want. You are ambitious, and good at communicating, because you learned to speak from your parents, not from brothers and sisters. On the other hand, you are the oldest and so you have to be the most responsible, and this can make you the kind of person who worries a lot.

Middle children are usually independent and competitive. You had to fight with your brothers and sisters to get what you wanted. You are also co-operative as you always had to negotiate with either your older or your younger brothers and sisters. You are 25 sociable, as you always had someone to play with. On the other hand, you may be jealous and insecure or moody if you felt that your parents preferred your older brother or sister.

Youngest children are often very charming. You learned very quickly that you could get exactly what you want by being charming - and this can make you manipulative. You are usually affectionate and relaxed because when you arrived your parents were more relaxed themselves. But you are often not very independent, as you always had so many people to help you. This makes it hard for you to take decisions. And you may be lazy, because your parents probably pushed you less and were less strict with you than with your older brothers and sisters.

Only children are often quite selfish. You had the wonderful luxury of not having to share your parents' attention with anybody else. In fact, you received so much attention as a child that you find it difficult to be interested in other people. On the other hand, you are usually organized and responsible, and often imaginative. But you may find it difficult to communicate with others, and are very sensitive to criticism.

Exercise 5. Underline the adjectives of personality. Write them in the chart.

	First-born children	Middle children	Youngest children	Only children
Positive adjectives	self-confident
Negative adjectives
Positive or negative adjectives

Exercise 6. Read and practice saying the rhyme: “My personality”.

Trousers and tights I was just being me

Tights and baggy blouses Acting to be myself

Buff boots and converse And that is my nature

Heelys without wheels I do But what people also say

Is what I wear What I also noticed about myself

Is what I am I intend to succeed in having

Is what I be Two personalities

Under that dress and flats Tough? Soft?

Behind that hair style and makeup Wild, sensitive?

Is what I pretend to be Adventurous, poetic?

Is what people want me to be Athletic, lazy

Is what they want from me Singer, screamer

It’s a switch in personality Dancer, deep?

From boy to girl Fighter, surrender?

Or that is what they say? Strong, weak…

I act boyish? Is that what they say?

I am being me Or is it just mixed up?

But they just won’t accept me I’m glad I do…

It’s not like I committed a crime against nature

GRAMMAR COMMENT [1. p. ]

the…the… + comparatives The more illegible your signature is, the less assertive you are as a person. Use the + comparative adjective or adverb to show that one thing depends on another, e.g. The sooner you do it, the easier it'll be — how easy it with be depends on when you do it. The colder it is, the more clothes you need to wear.

Rewrite the sentences using the... the... + a comparative adjective or adverb.

1 If you study more, you learn more.

The , the .

2 If we leave soon, we'll get there earlier.

The , the .

3. If you are sociable, you have more friends.

The , the .

3. If you are happy, you are nicer to other people.

4. The , the _______________.

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in brackets.

1 The ____more you worry___ about it, , the ____worse____ you’ll feel. (worry, bad)

2 The ________________ we leave , the ________________ we’ll get there. (early, soon)

3 The _________________ you are, the ___________________ he’ll be, (late, angry)

4 The ________________ my English, the __________________ I’ll speak. (practice, good)

5 The ________________ it gets, the _________________ it is to sleep. (hot, difficult)

3. The ________________ you do, the ________________ you’ll get. (exercise, fit)

Exercise 7. You're going to listen to Jane describing her visit to the psychic (fortune-teller), Sally Morgan. After each part, discuss the questions with a partner [1.6, 1.7, 1.8; 1] .

Part 1 Answer the questions.

1. What was Jane's first impression of the room and of Sally?

1. What are the first questions Sally asked her?

2. Why is Jane surprised by two things Sally mentions?

Part 2 True or false?

1. Jane lived in Ireland when she was a child.

2. The psychic (fortune-teller) says Jane will meet someone new.

3. Jane is above average height.

4. She thinks Jane will be attracted to him by his looks.

5. Jane thinks she knows who the man is.

P art 3 Choose a, b, or с

1 Sally says that, in the future, Jane __________.

a) will have the same health problems as her mother

b) will live longer than her mother

с) should have plastic surgery

2 According to Sally, ___________ is good at reading and writing.

a) neither Jane's son nor her daughter

b) neither Jane's ex-husband nor her daughter

с) neither Jane's ex-husband nor her son

3 What Sally says about Jane's children makes Jane feel?

a) convinced that Sally is a genuine psychic

b) less sceptical about Sally being a psychic

с) sure that Sally is not a genuine psychic

Exercise 8. Now listen to Jane talking a few weeks later. [1.9; 1, p.12] What was her final opinion about Sally's psychic (fortune-teller) abilities? What has happened since she went to see Sally?

Exercise 9. Do you know anyone who has been to a psychic (fortune-teller)? What happened?

Exercise 10. ‘Motto” is a short expression of a guarding principle. Match two parts to make well-known sayings. Try to explain what each saying means and which one suits your personal way of life most of all. What saying could be your motto in future?

1) Better late 2) A bird in the hand is 3) Life is not always 4) make hay while 5) Since we cannot get what we like, 6) either I will find a way, 7) More haste 8) First come 9) An early bird

a) the sun shines. b) or I will make one. c) catches the worm. d) let us like what we can get. e) less speed. f) worth two in the bush. g) first served. h) than never. i) a bed of roses.

Exercise 11. Write an essay on theme: “A person, who applies for job” using adjectives of personality.

Exercise 12. You are a vice-rector for studies at the University. One of the graduates of Master’s going to apply for job. Give him or her a recommendation letter.