Day 36

Holla,
new topic for adults - Society 

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Vocabulary:______Find the "odd one out"

a community

a neighbourhood

a locality

a civilian

a citizen

a soldier

euthanasia

suicide

murder

a gay

a lesbian

a heterosexual

a vision

a dream

a hope

classless

democratic

egalitarian

the age of consent

the age of majority

the age of reason

a consensus

a census

general agreement

Text for dictation:

The meaning of "society" is susceptible to changes in place and time. In Britain, during the Second World War, there was a feeling of community because civilians helped one another out. When the war ended, the Welfare State was founded. People were provided with free eye-tests, glasses, medicines and dental check-ups. There was a sense of the strong helping the weak. By the end of the 1950s, many people were purchasing washing machines and televisions. Some were even buying their own houses. Theconsumer society was under way. Politicians told us that we'd never had it so good.

During the 1960s, in both Britain and America, the conventional view of society was challenged by a youth movement whose opinions were articulated through pop and folk music and student politics. Songs such as "Little Boxes" ridiculed the idealized picture of the two parent family whose children went through both summer school and university to become perfect products of society. The little boxes of many different colours, but which all looked just the same, were the suburban dwellings of the American middle class. Other songs such as "What did you learn in school, today?" questioned the image of the good citizen who never doubts the teacher's word, regards the police as friends, supports the death penalty and is eager to fight for his country. The attack on the uniformity of the family developed into a protest against the Vietnam war. By the early 1970s, criticism turned to thecorruption inherent in the Nixon administration.

Dialogue:______read aloud in pairs

A: Many politicians have visions of a better society. Do you have such a vision?

B: I'll need time to think about that. If you can describe the visions of the

different political parties, then I'll tell you where I stand.

A: O.K. I'll start with the Labour Party. It seems that they want gradual change

towards a more equitable society with improvements to education, health and public

transport. The Conservatives seem to favour private ownership. They want a society

where people with business interests can make a lot of money without interference

from Government. The Liberal Democrats want more or less the same as New

Labour, though they are more eager to change the voting system.

B: Don't you think the vision of the three major parties is more or less the same?

A: Well, it has to be. They're out for votes. They've learnt that people are wise

to promises which can't be delivered; in fact, they probably don't want too much

upheaval in their lives.

B: Do any of the minor parties offer promises of greater change?

A: I think we can forget about the National Front Party, because there now

seems to be a general acceptance that Britain is a multi-racial society as well as a

fairly tight stance on immigration. The Green Party is of far greater interest, because

their vision relates to everything we produce and consume and the effects of all our

actions on the environment.

B: But surely, they'll never get enough support to win a General Election.

A: No, but you can be certain that the major political parties will steal their

clothes. Everybody notices when town centres become clogged up with cars, when the

air in their streets becomes polluted, when it becomes dangerous to swim in the sea

and when their water tastes of pesticides.

B: You mean it's possible to ignore the Green Party, but you can't ignore their

policies when a general consensus of people come to support them?

A: Exactly.

B: Well, I think I'll go along with the Green Party's vision of society, but I'm

not sure that I'll vote for them. You see, I want my vote to count.

A: You should vote for what you believe in. Then there's far more chance that the

major parties will sit up and take notice.

Discussion questions:______ask and answer

1. Should governments use the welfare system to encourage people to live within two

parent families?

2. At what age should a son or daughter be permitted to leave home?

3. Should young people be allowed to buy contraceptives as soon as they reach puberty?

4. Should the age of consent be the same for both gays and heterosexuals?

5. Should gays and heterosexuals have the same right to join the armed forces?

6. Should abortion be available to women on demand?

7. Should euthanasia be available to people in great pain who want to die?

8. Is it possible to pass effective laws against racism?

9. Do you believe in a high tax economy (e.g. Sweden) which distributes money to

education and health or a low tax economy (e.g. the U.S.A.) where people make

private provision for good services?

10. Do you have a vision of a better society? What changes would you make?

11. Do you think genetic engineering should be used to create good citizens?

12. What do you think are the characteristics of a good member of society?