The youth of the 21^st century face many problems. One of them is the generation gap. Every generation has its own ideals and a set of values. Adults always complain that the young are not what they were. They always teach the young how to live. But the young prefer to make their own mistakes rather than to listen to adults. Today the young are better educated. They grow up more quickly and they want to live their own life. Parents do not remember that making mistakes is the best way of learning.

The second problem is school. Young people have to learn a lot. Teachers sometimes do not understand that one cannot learn only, one should also have some spare time for fun and entertainment. School is very important, but it is impossible to learn all the time, especially if every teacher considers his subject to be the most important one.

The problem of love is very important for the young. But young people are not always ready to have stable relations. Their feelings are strong, but they are not so patient and tolerant to their beloved and friends.

Teenagers always try very hard to be accepted by their friends. It is really very important for them, so they wear strange clothes that are fashionable in the company they keep but may seem terrible to their parents.

There are many other vital problems such as drug abuse, AIDS, alcohol addiction and crime.

As for me the most serious problem now is to get a good education and enter the university I’ve chosen.

generation gap [′ʤenerei∫n ′gæp]                             проблема поколений

value [′vælju]                                                           ценность

adult [′æd∧lt]                                                           взрослый

to complain [kəm′plein]                                            жаловаться

entertainment [ֽentə′teinmənt]                                    развлечение

stable [steibl]                                                            стабильный

patient [′pei∫nt]                                                          терпеливый

tolerant [′tolərənt]                                                      терпимый

to accept [ək′sept]                                                    принимать

fashionable [′fæ∫ənəbl]                                               модный

vital [vaitl]                                                                 жизненно важный

drug abuse [′dr∧g ə′bju:s]                                          наркотическая привязанность

addiction [ə′dik∫n]                                                      пристрастие, привязанность

crime [kraim]                                                             преступление

Questions:

1)       Do you agree that the teen age is the most wonderful period of your life?

2)       What is a generation gap?

3)       Do you feel that your parents understand/misunderstand you?

4)       Do you think that relations with one’s parents is a serious problem?

5)       Do you have enough free time?

6)       How important is studying at school for you?

7)       Is it easy to have steady relationship with your boyfriend/girlfriend?

8)       Why is drug abuse considered to be a serious problem?

9)       What makes some young people turn to crime?

10)   What do you think is the most important problem among your friends?