Page 17 - American English File Student Book 3B
P. 17
b Read the article again and put the phrases A -H in the
Do you wanB correct places.
A "They are a mystery to me," she says
to practice for B Later Sophia was even allowed to go to a rap concert
C a-sk-wh-^shc-d-id-n-t-get-a-n-A-in-m-a-t-h
fivel hoursfor six? D Chua spent much of her daughters' childhood
shouting at them and criticizing every mistake
they made
E Born in the Unites States to Chinese immigrant
parents
fSi ill (I { ‘‘ J i f f i f l j l i r 9 y t in
I 1 y sflak I B 1 B JO. \ frynTyM
F In fact, she is glad her mother made her learn
G to be at least two years ahead of their classmates
in math
H "There's no musical talent in my family," she says, "it's
just hard work"
c In pairs, look at the highlighted words and phrases and
figure out their m eaning from the context.
d Read three responses that were posted after the article
was published. D o you agree w ith any o f them?
Wow, what a different way of looking at how to learn!
Amy Chua certainly shows that strict discipline works.
But personally I think that being positive and encouraging
children is better than being so strict.
I disagree with the idea that children on their own never
At 13 Sophia played a piano solo at Carnegie Hall in New
want to work. My son was motivated by himself to succeed
York City, and at 12, Lulu a violinist, was the leader of a
in music. If having strict and pushy parents is what it takes
prestigious orchestra for young people. Chua chose math
to be a child prodigy, then I feel sorry fo r the child. Yes, they
and music for her daughters, but it seems that they could
might be very successful, but at what cost? What is the rest
have excelled in anything. 4_________________________ .
of their life going to be like?
Eventually Chua realized that she was pushing her daughters
I agree that no matter what we do in life, hard work is
too hard. Lulu had always rebelled the most, and when she
required to be successful. That’s a great lesson to learn.
was 13 she refused to cooperate at all. After a series of
BUT, it should be accompanied by love and respect for
violent arguments, Chua decided to give her daughters a
the child.
little more freedom, and Lulu immediately gave up violin
lessons and took up tennis.5 ___________________ .
e Talk to a partner.
Many people have been shocked by the book.
6 ___________________ . She once sent her daughter Lulu, 1 What do you think of Amy Chua’s system?
aged three, into the yard without her coat when it was 21°F 2 Were (are) your parents strict about your education?
because she had behaved badly at her first piano lesson.
3 Did they (do they)...?
However, the girls do not seem to resent their mother. • help you with your homework
Sophia said that she herself chose to accept the system, • make you study a certain number of hours every day
and after the book was published, she wrote an article
• punish you if you didn’t (don’t) pass exams
defending her mother. Lulu says that although she no longer
• let you go out with friends during the week
wants to be a violinist, she still loves playing the violin.
• let you choose your extra activities
7 ___________________ . Sophia is
• make you do extra activities that you didn’t (don’t)
now studying law at Harvard, and
really want to do
Lulu is doing well in high school
and winning tennis trophies.
Interestingly Chua, who was brought make and let
up in a family of four girls, has no After make and let we use the base form of a verb.
idea whether she could apply her My parents made me work very hard.
Chinese parenting system to boys. They didn't let me go out during the week.
8
Adapted from The Times
Online Practice 7A 67
