Leaving Home
Vocabulary
| really | dangerous | worry/worried |
| course | so far away | think/thought |
| earn | so much | some sort of |
| extra | ground | comfortable |
| ago | important | good/better/best |
| hard | hard work | hardly working |
| group | exciting | child/children |
| hope | careful | underground |
| flat (2) | especially | get to know |
| ballet | tube (2) | rest of my life |
Transcript: Mr. David Snow talks about his daughter.
My daughter Jackie is living in London now. We are very worried about her, really.
London is such a dangerous place for a young girl. She is only eighteen, and London is so far away.
Her mother went down to see her there . . . But I don’t like London.
I don’t know why she went there. I think she has some friends there. She said she wants to be a dancer, and she is doing a sort of course – a ballet course or something.
But dancing isn’t a real job, and you don’t earn much money being a dancer.
She is living in a flat in North London with her boyfriend, I think. And we don’t like that at all. We never met the boyfriend, Tony, his name is. He doesn’t have a job.
I think she is earning some extra money working as a dancer in a theater or club in the center of London. But I am not sure. I hope it’s a nice place.
I do worry about her; London is such a big place.
I am sure she wants to come home really. She phones home sometimes, but not very often. And when we phone her, she is always out.
We are her parents, and I know we’re important to her. But it still makes me sad.
Questions
Mother, Mom; Father, Dad, Pop. Jackie was born and raised in London. Is this true or false?
Wife, Husband. Mr. Snow doesn’t care about his daughter. Is this right or wrong? Why is he worried?
Daughter, Son. Why did Jackie move to London?
Sister, Brother. Dancing is a very good career. What does the speaker think?
Aunt, Uncle. According to Mr. Snow, where does his daughter live? Who does she live with? Is her father happy about this?
Cousin. What’s Jackie’s boyfriend’s name? What does her father say about her boyfriend?
Grandmother, Grandfather. Jackie only studies and practices dancing. Is this right or wrong? If she has a job, what does she do, according to Mr. Snow?
Niece, Nephew. Mr. Snow says his daughter keeps in contact with him and her mother. Is this correct or incorrect? If yes, how does she keep in contact?
Grandchildren, Granddaughter, Grandson. Jackie feels homesick. She wants to return home. What does her father think?
Great-Grandparents. How does the speaker describe London? Does he like London? Is he positive or negative about London? Does he feel optimistic or pessimistic?
Transcript: Jackie Snow talking about her life in London.
I came to London two months ago because I want to be a professional dancer, and the best schools of dance are here in London.
I am doing a course at the National Dance School, which is very hard work, but I am really enjoying it.
The class is expensive. But I work with a theater group at the weekend: we teach dance to groups of children.
I am living with another girl in a flat in North London. It’s small, but comfortable.
My boyfriend, Tony, lives in the same street with his parents. They are very kind, and often cook meals for me.
I know my parents are worried about me living in London. But it isn’t dangerous at all if you’re careful.
It’s so exciting here. There’s so much to do and see.
It was difficult in the beginning – especially getting to know the underground. And I didn’t know many people.
But it’s fine now. I have a lot of good friends.
I love my mom and dad very much. But I don’t want to live at home for the rest of my life.
I phone home every Sunday, and when I go to museum or art gallery, I always send them a postcard. Mom reads them, but I don’t know if dad does.
Questions
Daughter, Son. Jackie has moved to New York City. Is this true or false? When did she move to London? Why did she move to London?
Mother, Mom; Father, Dad, Pop. Has life in London always been easy? Is living in London easy, difficult, both, neither or in between?
Sister, Brother. The dance program is very easy. Yes or no?
Aunt, Uncle. Where does Jackie live? In London, who does she live with?
Niece, Nephew. Does she have a boyfriend? What does she say about her boyfriend and his parents?
Cousin. Jackie has a job. Is this right or wrong? If she has a job, what does she do?
Grandparents, Grandmother, Grandfather. Does Jackie keep in contact with her mother and father? If yes, how does she keep in contact?
Grandchildren, Granddaughter, Grandson. Jackie wants to live with her mother and father permanently. Is this correct or incorrect?
Great-Grandparents. How does the speaker describe London? Does she like London? Is she positive or negative about London? Does she feel optimistic or pessimistic?
London. At what age do children in your town, city or country leave their parents’ home?
Paris. Young people want to move away from home. They want to move out of the their parents’ home. Do you agree? What do or did you want?
How do parents feel about their children moving out or living at home? How do you or your parents feel?
New York. Do children look after their parents when they become old? What happens to people when they get old?
Cairo. Are more (young) people moving from villages, towns and small cities to larger cities? Are some people moving away from cities “back to the country”, or both?
Rio de Janeiro. Where would you and your friends like to live?
Singapore. What will happen in the future?
