What these kids need is discipline
I'm a very old-fashioned and strict parent, like my own father. He wanted me to become a barrister, like him, but I used to say to him that he'd made me secure enough not to worry about having a proper job. He was very disappointed when I said I was going to be a writer, but I think that was out of anxiety: he didn't know how I would survive in the world. As a child I was really proud of my father. I have an image of him, 6ft 5in and broad- shouldered, wearing a smart suit and tie and behaving maturely - an image I feel I should live up to.
My father had status in other people's eyes. I worry that I didn't give my children that. They don't see me wearing a suit and going out to work or having status: they see me sobbing around at home in shorts and no shoes.
I think children want to feel proud of their parents because it makes them feel secure in a Darwinian sense. The one time that my children knew how to rate my professional life was when I was nominated for an Oscar for my adaptation of The Canterbury Tales - my lucky break. Briefly, I was elevated in their eyes. When I didn't win I felt that I had let them down, which is ridiculous. I had one little cry because I felt I had failed.
E
xercise
5. Answer the questions.
1. Why does Jonathan want to be like his father?
2. Why is Jonathan strict with his children?
3. What does Jonathan fear in the world?
4. What was Jonatan nominated for an Oscar for?
5. What has Jonatan inherited from his father?
Exercise 6. Write a short report using the given expressions (100 words).
Love |
fun living up to family expectations |
strong moral sense |
Food |
health job status family money |
friends security |
Check yourself
1. There’s no point in …. him. He always has his mobile switched off when he’s driving.
a) phoning
b) phone
c) to phone
d) phoned
2. It’s important for celebrities …. At all the right parties.
a) to be seen
b) seeing
c) to see
d) saw
3. Who do you … in your family?
a) close up
b) take after
c) alike with
d) differ to
4. My sister is the …. Of the family
a) only sheep
b) old sheep
c) black sheep
d) white sheep
Glossary
-
English
Kazakh
Russian
unfair [ʌn'fɛə(r)]
Әділетсіз
несправедливый
to swot [swɔt]
жаттау, жаттап алу
зубрила, зубрёжка
to assume [ə'sju:m]
шамалау, жорамалдау
предполагать, принимать
unbearable [ʌn'bɛər əb(ə)l]
адам төзгісіз
невыносимый
slobbing [slɔbiŋ]
eріншек, аңқау
лентяй, недотёпа
abuse [ə'bju:z]
қасақылық, қиянатшылық
злоупотребление, оскорбление
spouse [spauz]
eрлі-зайыптылар
супруги
ridiculous [ri 'dik jul əs]
күлкілі, ақымақ
смешной, глупый
to adjust [ə'dʒʌst]
реттеу, қалыпқа келтіру
привести в порядок
Office hours № 1 |
Learn poem ‘The road not taken’ by heart. Robert Frost (p. 163 )
LIW № 1
|
Write an essay on the topic ‘Is marriage old-fashioned?’