Clean Up Your Room
ORAL SPEECH
Read the dialogue and do the assignments following it:
(After Art Buchwald)
(You don't really feel the generation gap in this country until a son or daughter comes home from college for Christmas. This dialogue is probably taking place all over America this week.)
— Nancy, you've been home from college for three days now. Why don't you clean up your room?
— We don't have to clean up our room at college Mother.
— That's very nice and I'm happy you're going to such a freewilling institution.. But while you are in the house I would like you to clean up your room.
— What difference does it make? It's my room.
— I know, dear. And it really doesn't mean so much to me. But your father is much afraid of the plague. He said this morning if it's going to start anywhere in this country, it's going to start in your room.
— Mother, you people aren't interested in anything really important. Do you realize how big corporations are polluting our environment?
— Your father and I are very much worried about it. But now we are more concerned with the pollution in your bed room. You haven't made your bed since you came home.
— I never make it at the college.
— Of course you don't and I'm sure the time you save goes toward your education. But we still have that old- fashioned ideas about making beds in the morning and we can't give them up. And since you are at home for such a short time, why don't you do it to please us?
— Oh, Mother, I'm quite grown-up! Why do you have to" treat me like a child?
— We are not treating you like a child. But it's difficult for us to realize you're an adult when you throw all your clothes on the floor.
— I haven't thrown all my clothes on the floor. Only those I wore yesterday.
— I'm sorry I exaggerated. Well, how about the dirty dishes on your desk? Are you collecting them for a science project?
— Mother, you don't understand us. You people were brought up to have clean rooms. But our generation doesn't care about things like that.
— No one respects education more than you; father and I do, particularly at the prices they are charging. But we can't see how living in dirt can improve you mind.
— All right, all right. I'll clean up my room if it means that much to you. But I want you to know you've ruined my vacation.
— It was a risk I had to take. Oh, by the way, I know it's terrible thing to ask you, but would you mind helping me to wash the dinner dishes?
— Wash dishes? Nobody washes dishes at college.
— Your father and I were afraid of that.
a free-willing institution — заведение, где можно делать все, что хочется.
plague — чума
to pollute the environment — загрязнять окружающую среду.
exaggerate — npeyвеличивать
* * *
a) Say in what way the girl thinks her generation differs from that of her parents. Is she right?
b) Say how you understand the phrase "generation gap". Use the following words and expressions if necessary:
lack of mutual understanding; common interests; disrespect of children for their parents; modern; old-fashioned; to feel superior (superiority); estrangement (отчуждение) between the younger and older generations; misunderstanding and tension in the family; to feel embarrassed; to be out of question; to spoil relationships.
Read the joke and say what it adds to the "generation gap" problem: