Reading Aloud 15

Local teens have bad manners

Most adults say that teenagers in Hong Kong are rude. Their negative view is understandable. Not only do teens here show little respect for their elders, they also behave badly in public.

The government and parents must work together in order to stop this unhealthy trend.

Teenagers come into contact with a lot of information through the media, such as magazines and movies. Many movies advocate the use of violence to settle disputes. Impressionable teens may pick up on this and think violence and bad behaviour is acceptable.

Monitoring the media doesn't seem to have much effect. The government should strengthen the supervision of the media.

Parents also play a vital role. They should instill good manners in their children. Many teenagers go astray because they are neglected by their parents. We have to educate young people on how to behave.

Chan Kin Fung (7B)
South China Morning Post ( August 20, 2007 )

Vocabulary

1. teens (n) 青少年
2. understandable (adj) 可理解的
3. advocate (v) 提倡
4. disputes (n) 爭執
5. impressionable (adj) 易受影響的
6. strengthen (v) 加強
7. supervision (n) 監督
8. media (n) 大眾傳播媒介
9. go astray (phr) 迷途
10. neglected (v) 忽略

Useful Sentences

1. respect for 尊敬
I have the greatest respect for my class-master.

2. come into contact with 接觸
In her job she often comes into contact with lawyers.

3. pick up on 領略，意會
She failed to pick up on the humour in his remark.

4. play a major/vital role 發揮重要作用
The media play a major role in influencing people's opinions.

5. instil sth in/into sth 逐漸灌輸
His parents had instilled a lasting love of music in him.

6. go astray 誤入歧途
The best-laid plans can go astray.