Everyday English

Asking for and giving permission

1. Listen and complete the conversation with the expressions in the box. Then practise it in pairs.

(Nghe và hoàn thành cuộc hội thoại với các từ trong hộp. Sau đó thực hành nó theo cặp)

A. ls it OK B. I'm afraid not C. Certainly D. can I

Lan: Mum, (1) ____________ go to my friend's birthday party this Saturday evening?

Lan’s mother: (2) ____________. Whose birthday is it?

Lan: It’s Mai’s birthday, Mum. (3) ____________ if I stay the night at her house after the party?

Lan’s mother: Oh, (4)___________. You must come back home before 10 p.m. We're going to visit your grandparents early on Sunday morning.

Lan: OK, Mum. I'll be home before 10 p.m. then.

Answer:

Lan: Mum, (1) D. Can I go to my friend's birthday party this Saturday evening?

Lan’s mother: (2) B. Certainly. Whose birthday is it?

Lan: It’s Mai’s birthday, Mum. (3) A. Is it OK if I stay the night at her house after the party?

Lan’s mother: Oh, (4) B. I'm afraid not. You must come back home before 10 p.m. We're going to visit your grandparents early on Sunday morning.

Lan: OK, Mum. I'll be home before 10 p.m. then.

2. Work in pairs. Use the model in 1 to make similar conversations for these situations.

(Làm việc theo cặp. Sử dụng mô hình trong phần 1 để tạo các hội thoại tương tự cho các tình huống này)

One of you is Student A, the other is Student B. Provide reasons for not giving permission. Use the expressions below to help you.

1. Student A is a teenager: Student B is his / her parent. Student A is asking for permission to invite friends to a party. Student B can decide to give permission or not.

2. Student B is a teenager; Student A is his / her parent. Student B is asking for permission to colour his / her hair. Student A can decide to give permission or not.

Answer:

1.

Student A: Dad, Can I invite some friends over for a party this Saturday evening?

Student B: Sure, but can you give me more details about the party?

Student A: We'll just have some snacks, play games, and listen to music. Can I invite around 15 friends?

Student B: I'm afraid not. Our house isn't big enough for so many people. You can invite a maximum of 5 friends.

Student A: OK, Dad. I'll invite only 5 friends then.

2.

Student B: Mom, Can I colour my hair purple?

Student A: Why do you want to do that?

Student B: I think it will look cool and all my friends are doing it. Can I please do it?

Student A: I'm afraid not. You're too young to make such a drastic change to your appearance. Maybe we can consider a temporary hair dye or highlights instead.

Student B: OK, Mom. I understand.

Culture

The generation gap in Asian American families

1. Read the text and complete the notes. Use no more than TWO words for each gap.

(Đọc văn bản và hoàn thành các ghi chú. Sử dụng không quá HAI từ cho mỗi chỗ trống)

For people in most cultures, the generation gap in their family is mainly about differences in musical tastes, career choices, and lifestyles. In Asian American families, however, the process of adapting to American culture makes the generation gap wider.

Naturally, children of Asian American immigrants adapt to American culture much faster than their parents. English quickly becomes their first language. They accept American values such as individualism, freedom, honesty, and competition. They also start to follow American traditions in their daily lives.

On the other hand, many first-generation Asian American parents fail to adapt to the new culture. They continue to use their native language. They keep practising their traditional lifestyle and old culture. They often try to force their children to follow their native country’s cultural values, such as the importance of family, respect for the elders and the community.

Due to their different attitudes to the new culture, Asian American children may have cultural values different from their parents’ Asian cultural values. They may not do what their parents want them to do or what they are expected to do. As aresult, Asian American parents may fail to have their children follow the family traditional values.

ASIAN AMERICAN CHILDREN

* Adapt to American culture faster

* Speak (1) _________ as their first language

* Accept American values: individualism, freedom, honesty, and competition

* Start to follow (2) _________ in their daily lives

FIRST-GENERATION

ASIAN AMERICAN PARENTS

* Fail to adapt to American culture

* Use their (3) __________ language

* Practise a traditional lifestyle and their old culture

* Try to force children to follow native country’s (4) ___________: importance of family, respect for the elders and community

Answer:

ASIAN AMERICAN CHILDREN

* Adapt to American culture faster

* Speak (1) English as their first language

* Accept American values: individualism, freedom, honesty, and competition

* Start to follow (2) American traditions in their daily lives

FIRST-GENERATION

ASIAN AMERICAN PARENTS

* Fail to adapt to American culture

* Use their (3) native language

* Practise a traditional lifestyle and their old culture

* Try to force children to follow native country’s (4) culture values: importance of family, respect for the elders and community

2. Work in groups. Discuss the following questions.

(Làm việc nhóm. Thảo luận các câu hỏi sau)

Do you think your family would experience the same generation gap if you moved to a Western country? Why/Why not?

Answer:

I believe that it's common for families who immigrate to a new country with a different culture to experience some level of generation gap. The extent of the gap would depend on various factors, such as the age of the individuals when they move, the degree of cultural difference between the two countries, and how much effort the family members put into adapting to the new culture. It's possible that some families may experience a wider generation gap than others, but it ultimately depends on each family's unique situation.