Read the text and decide whether the statements are T (true) or F (false)

NORMAL DIET FOR ADOLESCENTS – 12 TO 18 YEARS OF AGE

1. Changing Food Habits

Teenagers are often very busy with school, work, and sports schedules. Help your teenager plan his day if he cannot be home for meals. Send healthy snacks or packed lunches with him. This will help him avoid filling up on "junk" foods or high fat foods. They may need extra snacks to take with them or meals they can prepare quickly.

Your teenager still learns from your healthy eating habits. Be an example and praise his good food choices whenever you can. Never criticise the way your child looks at this time of life. Teenagers can easily become too worried about their body image. If they are eating too much or too little, it can affect their growth. Talk with your doctor if you are worried about your teenager's eating habits.

2. Food Group Choices

Give your teenager at least one serving per day of a high vitamin C food. Examples are citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, potatoes, and green peppers. Your teenager also needs one serving per day of a high vitamin A food. This includes spinach, winter squash, carrots, or sweet potatoes.

Choose lean meats, fish, and poultry foods for your teenager. They are a source of proteins young people need in the period of growth. Also, give your teenager 2% milk and low-fat dairy foods. Avoid fried foods and high

fat desserts; serve them only on special occasions. This will lower his risk for heart disease when he is older.

What is a generation gap?

(Khoảng cách thế hệ là gì?)

1. Listen and read.

(Nghe và đọc.)

Ms Hoa: Good morning, class. Today, we'll talk about the generation gap. So, what is the generation gap?

Mark: Well, I think it's the difference in beliefs and behaviours between young and older people.

Ms Hoa: You're right, Mark. So, Is there a generation gap in your family?

Mark: Not really, Ms Hoa. I live in a nuclear family with my parents and brother. We understand each other quite well though we still argue over small things.

Ms Hoa: Right. We can't avoid daily arguments. What about you, Mai?

Mai: Well, I live with my extended family, and I have to learn to accept the differences between the generations.

Ms Hoa: That's a good point. Can you give us an example?

Mai: Well, my grandparents hold traditional views about male jobs and gender roles. For example, my grandfather wants my brother to be an engineer, but my brother hopes to become a musician. And my grandmother thinks women have to do all the housework.

Ms Hoa: How about your parents? Do they share your grandparents' views?

Mai: No, they don't. They think that we should follow our dreams. They give us advice, but never force us to follow in their footsteps.

Ms Hoa: Thank you, Mai, for sharing your experiences. You must respect your parents and grandparents, but you should also express your opinion. Now let's continue our discussion with...

2. Read the conversation again. Tick (✓) the true information about Mark and Mai.

(Nghe đoạn hội thoại một lần nữa. Đánh dấu (✓) vào thông tin đúng về Mark và Mai.)

3. Find words or phrases in 1 that have the following meanings.

(Tìm từ hoặc cụm từ trong bài 1 có nghĩa như sau.)

4. Choose the modal verbs used in 1 to complete the sentences.

(Chọn động từ khuyết thiếu được sử dụng trong bài 1 để hoàn thành câu.)

1. Mai lives with her extended family, and she has to/should learn to accept the differences between the generations.

2. Mai's grandmother thinks women have to/ should do all the housework.

3. Mai's parents believe that children must/ should follow their dreams.

4. Ms Hoa thinks that children have to/must respect their parents and grandparents

2. Read the article. Match the highlighted words with their meanings.

(Đọc bài báo. Nối các từ được đánh dấu với nghĩa của chúng.)

Over the past two centuries, different generations were born and given different names. Each generation comes with its characteristics, which are largely influenced by the historical, economic, and social conditions of the country they live in. However, in many countries the following three generations have common characteristics.

Generation X refers to the generation born between 1965 and 1980. When Gen Xers grew up, they experienced many social changes and developments in history. As a result, they are always ready for changes and prepared to work through changes. Gen Xers are also known as critical thinkers because they achieved higher levels of education than previous generations.

Generation Y, also known as Millennials, refers to those born between the early 1980s and late 1990s. They are curious and ready to accept changes. If there is a faster, better way of doing something, Millennials want to try it out. They also value teamwork. When working in a team, Millennials welcome different points of view and ideas from others.

Generation Z includes people born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, a time of great technological developments and changes. That is why Gen Zers are also called digital natives. They grew up online and never knew the world before digital and social media. They are very creative and able to experiment with platforms to suit their needs. Many Gen Zers are also interested in starting their own businesses and companies. They saw so many people lose their jobs, so they think it is safer to be your own boss than relying on someone else to hire you.

Soon a new generation, labelled Gen Alpha, will be on the scene. Let's wait and see if we will notice the generation gap.

3. Read the article again and choose the best title.

(Đọc bài báo một lần nữa và chọn tiêu đề đúng nhất.)

A. The study of different generations

(Nghiên cứu về các thế hệ khác nhau)

B. Generational differences in different societies

(Sự khác biệt về thế hệ trong các xã hội khác nhau)

C. Characteristics of different generations

(Đặc điểm của các thế hệ khác nhau)

4. Read the article again. Tick (✔) the characteristics of each generation according to the article.

(Đọc bài báo một lần nữa. Tick (✔) vào đặc điểm của mỗi thế hệ theo bài viết.)

Culture

The generation gap in Asian American families

(Khoảng cách thế hệ trong các gia đình châu Á châu Mĩ)

1. Read the text and complete the notes. Use no more than TWO words for each gap.

(Đọc đoạn văn và hoàn thành các ghi chú. Sử dụng không quá hai từ cho mỗi khoảng trống.)

For people in most cultures, the generation gap in their family is mainly about differences in musical tastes, career choices, and lifestyles. In Asian American families, however, the process of adapting to American culture makes the generation gap wider.

Naturally, children of Asian American immigrants adapt to American culture much faster than their parents. English quickly becomes their first language. They accept American values such as individualism, freedom, honesty, and competition. They also start to follow American traditions in their daily lives.

On the other hand, many first-generation Asian American parents fail to adapt to the new culture. They continue to use their native language. They keep practising their traditional lifestyle and old culture. They often try to force their children to follow their native country's cultural values, such as the importance of family, respect for the elders and the community.

Due to their different attitudes to the new culture, Asian American children may have cultural values different from their parents' Asian cultural values. They may not do what their parents want them to do or what they are expected to do. As a result, Asian American parents may fail to have their children follow the family traditional values.

1. Read the text. Match the headings (1-3) with the paragraphs (A-C).

(Đọc văn bản. Nối các tiêu đề (1-3) với các đoạn văn (A-C).)

1. Comparing to others (So sánh với người khác)

2. Lack of understanding (Thiếu hiểu biết)

3. Lack of interaction (Thiếu tương tác)

In most cultures, there is a generation gap between parents and their children. There are many reasons for this gap. Below are three of them.

A. _______________________________________

As each generation is strongly influenced by changes in society, parents and children may see the world differently. In addition, different lifestyles make it difficult for parents and their children to fully understand each other's way of thinking. Many adult children even cut all ties with their parents.

B. _______________________________________

Busy work and school schedules often prevent parents and children from spending time together. After along and stressful day at work, parents come home, often feeling exhausted, and have little time to spend with their children. This leads to a lack of communication and widens the generation gap.

C. _______________________________________

Many parents keep comparing their children to other children, or even to how they behaved as children. They think it is good for their children to see these good examples and try to improve. However, this only makes the gap wider and causes their children to lose confidence in themselves. Some children may even start hating those people that they are compared to.

2. Read the text again and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

(Đọc văn bản một lần nữa và quyết định xem những câu sau đây là đúng (T) hay sai (F).)

2. Read the text and check your ideas.

(Đọc văn bản và kiểm tra ý tưởng của bạn.)

Jeanne Calment, the person with the longest lifespan ever, was born in 1875, in Arles, France. Her parents ran a shop in the town and she worked there when she was a teenager. While she was serving in the shop in 1888, she met Vincent Van Gogh, who has come in to buy pencils. She thought he was ‘dirty, ugly and badly dressed’!

In 1896, at the age of 21, she married Fernand Calment and then gave birth to a daughter, Yvonne. Fernand was very wealthy, so Jeanne never needed to work. She lived in Arles for the rest of her life, dying on 5 August 1997 at the age of 122.

So how did Jeanne manage to live so long? The French have their own theories, noting that she ate more than two pounds of chocolate a week and rode a bicycle until she was 100!

1. Read and listen to the dialogue between a teenager and his grandfather. Which adjective best sums up the grandfather's attitude: miserable or nostalgic?

(Đọc và nghe cuộc đối thoại giữa một thiếu niên và ông nội của mình. Tính từ nào tóm tắt tốt nhất thái độ của ông nội: đau khổ hay hoài niệm?)

Grandad: Have you seen this photo of me when I was your age?

James: No. I haven't. Let me see. Wow! You used to have great hair!

Grandad: I know, I used to spend ages getting it just right. It's much quicker now.

James: Your clothes look cool too. Did you use to spend a lot of money on them?

Grandad: I didn't use to have much money. My mother made some of them. And l used to share clothes with my brother.

James: I used to do that too. But he doesn't let me borrow them now!

1. Read the article about a film. Explain in your own words what is unusual about the main character.

(Đọc bài viết về một bộ phim. Giải thích bằng lời của bạn những gì không bình thường về nhân vật chính.)

I USED TO BE older…

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button certainly lives up to its title. It is a very unusual film about a man who lives his life backwards: he is born as an old man and dies as a baby.

The story begins in 1918 when a woman gives birth to a baby with the appearance of an elderly man. The mother dies and the father abandons the baby, who is called Benjamin. Two workers at a nursing home, Queenie and Tizzy, decide to look after Benjamin, who fits in with the elderly residents at the home because he looks so old. But as the years pass, Benjamin becomes physically younger.

At the age of twelve, he meets a young girl called Daisy and gets on with her very well despite having the appearance of an old man, but later they lose touch when Benjamin starts working a job on a boat.

Years later, he catches up with Daisy again in Paris. In their forties, they finally look the same age for the first time - and fall in love. They almost marry and settle down together, but they never go through with it. One reason is that Daisy could never put up with Benjamin's strange condition.

In the end, they run out of time: Daisy is becoming an old woman and Benjamin is becoming a child. He finally dies in Daisy's arms as a baby.

2. Read the text quickly, ignoring the gaps. Choose the best summary of the text: a, b or c.

(Đọc văn bản một cách nhanh chóng, bỏ qua những khoảng trống. Chọn tóm tắt tốt nhất của văn bản: a, b hoặc c.)

a. Parents may find it difficult to understand their adolescent children, but it is a parent's duty to communicate properly with them and avoid arguments.

(Cha mẹ có thể thấy khó hiểu con cái ở tuổi vị thành niên của mình, nhưng nhiệm vụ của cha mẹ là giao tiếp đúng cách với chúng và tránh tranh cãi.)

b. Although teenagers develop new ideas, values and beliefs during adolescence, that is no excuse for bad behaviour. They should listen to their parents.

(Mặc dù thanh thiếu niên phát triển những ý tưởng, giá trị và niềm tin mới trong thời niên thiếu, nhưng đó không phải là lý do bào chữa cho hành vi xấu. Họ nên lắng nghe cha mẹ của họ.)

c. Teenagers experience big physical and emotional changes during adolescence. It's important to communicate with your parents and try to understand their point of view.

(Thanh thiếu niên trải qua những thay đổi lớn về thể chất và cảm xúc trong thời niên thiếu. Điều quan trọng là giao tiếp với cha mẹ của bạn và cố gắng hiểu quan điểm của họ.)

HOW TO HANDLE YOUR PARENTS

Adolescence is a difficult time for both parents and teenagers as it is a period of physical, social and emotional changes. Physically, as a dependent pre-teen child, you are being transformed into an independent young adult. ¹____________

First, you want more freedom to choose who to see and when. You used to be most happy in the company of your parents. Now you want to spend some more time on your own. Second, your parents made most decisions before adolescence. But now you want to decide things for yourselves. ²____________. Above all, adolescents have strong opinions and are idealistic. ³____________. You feel you have all the answers while adults don't.

All these perfectly normal changes will affect teenagers' relationship with parents. So what can you, as adolescents, do to stay on good terms with your parents? ⁴____________. Secondly, try to agree rules and boundaries and prove to be dependable. Keep your words and stick to rules.

Thirdly, try to understand why they might be irritated by your behaviour. Show your parents that you are capable of an independent life by taking care of your own school work and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Finally, it's all about communication! ⁵____________. The more disconnected they feel, the more critical, distrustful and controlling they tend to become.

3. Read the Reading Strategy. Then read the sentences below and the highlighted words in the text. Say which sentence links to which highlighted word and underline the part of the sentence which helped you to decide.

(Đọc Chiến lược đọc. Sau đó đọc các câu dưới đây và các từ được đánh dấu trong văn bản. Nói câu nào liên kết với từ được tô đậm và gạch dưới phần của câu đã giúp bạn quyết định.)

A. You see the world differently, develop your own views and your own sense of right and wrong.

(Bạn nhìn thế giới khác đi, phát triển quan điểm của riêng mình và ý thức đúng sai của riêng bạn.)

B. They may not say so, but they are probably feeling a sense of loss and may even feel rejected by you.

(Có thể họ không nói ra, nhưng có lẽ họ đang cảm thấy mất mát và thậm chí có thể cảm thấy bị bạn từ chối.)

C. Firstly, let your parents know that you still love and value them.

(Thứ nhất, hãy cho cha mẹ biết rằng bạn vẫn yêu quý và quý trọng họ.)

D. Keep talking to your parents.

(Tiếp tục nói chuyện với cha mẹ của bạn.)

E. In general, emotionally and socially, the adolescents like you are experiencing profound changes in terms of freedom, privacy, interests, decisions and opinions.

(Nói chung, về mặt cảm xúc và xã hội, những thanh thiếu niên như bạn đang trải qua những thay đổi sâu sắc về tự do, quyền riêng tư, sở thích, quyết định và quan điểm.)

F. You hate being told what to do all the time.

(Bạn ghét lúc nào cũng bị chỉ bảo phải làm gì.)

G. Despite this, you should always listen carefully.

(Mặc dù vậy, bạn nên luôn lắng nghe cẩn thận.)

4. Use your answers to exercise 3 to match sentences A-G with gaps 1-5 in the text. There are two extra sentences.

(Sử dụng câu trả lời của bạn cho bài tập 3 để nối các câu từ A-G với các khoảng trống từ 1-5 trong văn bản. Có hai câu bị thừa.)

2. Read the advertisement from a website for international penfriends above. What information does Adam ask for?

(Đọc đoạn quảng cáo từ một trang web dành cho bạn bè quốc tế ở trên. Adam yêu cầu thông tin gì?)

Find a penfriend

Hi! My name is Adam. I'm sixteen years old and I live in Newcastle in the UK. I'm looking for a penfriend from any country in the world. Send me a message and tell me about yourself and your family. Also, could you please tell me why you are looking for a penfriend? Thanks-

and I hope to hear from you soon! Click here to reply to Adam

3. Read the task and the message below. Does Vinh provide all of the information that Adam asks for? What does Vinh ask for more information about?

(Đọc nhiệm vụ và thông báo dưới đây. Vinh có cung cấp đầy đủ thông tin mà Adam yêu cầu không? Vinh hỏi thêm thông tin về cái gì?)

Read the text about staying young. Match the headings (A-G) with the paragraphs (1-5). There are two extra headings.

(Đọc văn bản về việc luôn trẻ trung. Nối các tiêu đề (A-G) với các đoạn văn (1-5). Có hai tiêu đề phụ.)

1 _______ As people grow older, they often think back to the days of their youth. They remember the great friends of those days, great times together, and how bright the future looked. Of course, not everything was perfect - but it can look that way as we get older. And this can make people feel pessimistic and bitter.

2_______It doesn't need to be that way. There are many secrets to staying young in spirit well into old age. Why put up with feeling miserable when you can be enthusiastic instead? Here are some tips to keep you young at heart as you grow older.

3_______Relationships are extremely important. Family gives you comfort and support, and catching up with old friends can help older people to feel young. Making new friends is important, too but make sure they are optimistic, enthusiastic people.

4_______Bad things happen to all of us. We split up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, and later we may have to do a boring job for years. But don't think too much about negative things. Deal with them, and get on with your life.

5. _______Always keep special things around you, like family photos or favourite possessions - and be grateful that you can enjoy them. Thank your loved ones daily for sharing your life, too. When you see the pleasure on their faces, you will never feel old - even in your eighties!

A. The importance of people in your life

(Tầm quan trọng của mọi người trong cuộc sống của bạn)

B. Ageing can be a positive experience

(Lão hóa có thể là một trải nghiệm tích cực)

C. You can choose to stay young

(Bạn có thể chọn trẻ trung)

D. Appreciate the things and people in your life

(Đánh giá cao những điều và mọi người trong cuộc sống của bạn)

E. Looking back can make old people feel bad

(Nhìn lại có thể khiến người già cảm thấy tồi tệ)

F. Getting over the negatives and moving on

(Vượt qua những điều tiêu cực và tiếp tục)

G. Even pessimists can have friends

(Ngay cả những người bi quan cũng có thể có bạn bè)

a. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a problem between Donna and her daughter?

(Điều nào sau đây KHÔNG được đề cập là vấn đề giữa Donna và con gái cô ấy?)

a. how her daughter spends money (cách con gái cô ấy tiêu tiền)

b. her daughter's musical taste (sở thích âm nhạc của con gái cô ấy)

c. her daughter's grades (điểm số của con gái cô ấy)

Dear Linda

Can you give me some advice? Sometimes I don't know what to do with my daughter. We've had several arguments recently.

She pays more attention to her appearance now, and her clothes are just... Well, I can't understand the younger generation's fashion. She has bought so many new clothes, but I think she should've saved her money. So I talked to her about it, and we argued. I decided to stop giving her money for a month, and now she's really angry.

She also spends a lot of time in her room. I wouldn't mind if she was studying, but I don't think she is. She plays music loudly, and her music is just... not good at all. When I suggested she should play classical music to help her focus better, she refused. She said it's boring. Last Friday, I was so tired and she wouldn't turn off her music, so I shouted at her. I was wrong to shout, but she shouldn't have ignored me. I feel like she doesn't respect my opinions anymore.

The biggest problem between us, however, is her request to have "privacy." She never talks to me about her school or friends, and she wants to change her curfew to 10 p.m. I'm worried that she might meet someone who is a bad influence. Yesterday, when I was cleaning her room, I found her diary. I started to read it and then put it down. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I just wanted to know what's going on with her.

I really want our relationship to get better. What should I do?

Please help me.

Donna

b. Now, read and write True, False, or Doesn't say.

(Bây giờ, hãy đọc và viết Đúng, Sai hoặc Không nói.)

1. Donna thinks her daughter spent too much money on clothes.

2. Donna's daughter likes to listen to classical music.

3. Donna often argues with her daughter about her friends.

4. Donna didn't give her daughter permission to go home late.

5. Donna regrets reading her daughter's diary.

c. Listen and read.

(Nghe và đọc.)

Dear Linda

Can you give me some advice? Sometimes I don't know what to do with my daughter. We've had several arguments recently.

She pays more attention to her appearance now, and her clothes are just... Well, I can't understand the younger generation's fashion. She has bought so many new clothes, but I think she should've saved her money. So I talked to her about it, and we argued. I decided to stop giving her money for a month, and now she's really angry.

She also spends a lot of time in her room. I wouldn't mind if she was studying, but I don't think she is. She plays music loudly, and her music is just... not good at all. When I suggested she should play classical music to help her focus better, she refused. She said it's boring. Last Friday, I was so tired and she wouldn't turn off her music, so I shouted at her. I was wrong to shout, but she shouldn't have ignored me. I feel like she doesn't respect my opinions anymore.

The biggest problem between us, however, is her request to have "privacy." She never talks to me about her school or friends, and she wants to change her curfew to 10 p.m. I'm worried that she might meet someone who is a bad influence. Yesterday, when I was cleaning her room, I found her diary. I started to read it and then put it down. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I just wanted to know what's going on with her.

I really want our relationship to get better. What should I do?

Please help me.

Donna

a. Read the essay and choose the best concluding sentence.

(Đọc bài văn và chọn câu kết bài đúng nhất.)

1. I think older and younger generations have a lot of things they can show each other.

(Tôi nghĩ thế hệ già và trẻ có rất nhiều điều họ có thể chỉ cho nhau.)

2. I think my grandparents and I could show each other a lot of things.

(Tôi nghĩ ông bà tôi và tôi có thể chỉ cho nhau rất nhiều điều.)

3. The older generations could teach me so much.

(Các thế hệ đi trước có thể dạy tôi rất nhiều điều.)

Older and younger generations can share a lot with each other. I learned very different things in school than older generations did. They also have many years of (1) ____________ doing things that I have never even tried.

Older generations could teach me lots of skills, such as teaching me interesting and useful outdoor and survival skills. My neighbor could teach me how to fish using a spear, which I think would be a really cool thing to learn. I think I would really enjoy learning how to do it, as well as learning a lot of other useful skills from people with more life experience than me.

I have already learned lots from people of the older generations. Many different people have taught me new skills that have helped me in life. One thing my grandfather taught me was how to start a fire. It's easy and it's really useful when I go camping. I have learned lots of other skills from other family members and friends, too.

I also believe that there are things that I could help the older generations with. I could help them use technology like computers and tablets better because I know lots about these kinds of technology that my elders may not know. I think I could show them things that they would benefit from. I could also tell them about musical instruments, new fashion, and much more.

_________________________________________________________. I should spend more time with the older generations and see how we can improve each other's lives.

b. Now, read and answer the questions.

(Bây giờ, hãy đọc và trả lời các câu hỏi.)

1. Read and circle the answer that best fits the numbered gap.

(Đọc và khoanh tròn câu trả lời phù hợp nhất với khoảng trống được đánh số.)

a. time (thời gian)

b. experience (kinh nghiệm)

c. jobs (việc làm)

d. school (trường học)

2. What could the writer's neighbor teach him?

(Người hàng xóm của tác giả có thể dạy anh ta điều gì?)

3. What did their grandpa teach him?

(Ông của họ đã dạy anh ấy điều gì?)

4. What devices does the writer think he could help older generations use better?

(Người viết nghĩ mình có thể giúp thế hệ cũ sử dụng thiết bị nào tốt hơn?)

5. What else does the writer think he could tell the older generations about?

(Tác giả nghĩ mình có thể nói với thế hệ cũ về điều gì nữa?)

c. Listen and read.

(Nghe và đọc.)

d. In pairs: Do you agree with all the points in the essay? Why (not)? What else could they show each other?

(Theo cặp: Bạn có đồng ý với tất cả các điểm trong bài luận không? Tại sao (không)? Họ có thể chỉ cho nhau điều gì nữa đây?)

2. Read the text and decide if each of the statements (1-5) is T (true) or F (false).

(Đọc văn bản và quyết định xem mỗi câu (1-5) là T (đúng) hay F (sai).)

1. Melinda thinks many parents are fairly easy-going. ______

2. Jim’s mum doesn’t agree on what he wears. ______

3. Jim’s dad doesn’t think he studies hard enough. ______

4. Mike thinks teenagers can be difficult because of the Internet. ______

5. Mike doesn’t often see his daughter. ______

3. Read the text again and answer the questions.

(Đọc lại văn bản và trả lời các câu hỏi.)

1. How does Melinda think parents feel about teenagers?

2. What is Jim’s opinion on how to solve the generation gap?

3. What does Mike think is a possible solution to the generation gap?

5. Read the statements (1-8). Which of the complaints (A-H) in Exercise 4 does each statement match?

(Đọc các câu phát biểu (1-8). Mỗi lời phàn nàn (A-H) trong bài tập 4 phù hợp với câu nào?)

1. ____ “My daughter doesn’t help with the chores.”

2. ____ “My parents never let me stay out late.”

3. ____ “Mikey never says hello when friends visit.”

4. ____ “Dad is always telling me to clean my room.”

5. ____ “My parents give me little money to go out.”

6. ____ “My son thinks he knows everything.”

7. ____ “I often catch Ann using her mobile after 10 p.m.”

8. ____ “My parents don’t want me to hang out with my friend, Julie.”

Read the article and answer the questions that follow.

Is There Really a Generation Gap?

According to the results of a survey in USA WEEKEND Magazine, there isn’t really a generation gap. The magazine’s “Teens & Parents” survey shows that today’s generation of young people generally get along well with their parents and appreciate the way they’re being raised. Most feel that their parents understand them, and they believe their parents consider family as the No. 1 priority in their lives. Although more than a third of teens have something in their rooms they would like to keep secret from their parents, it is usually nothing more harmful than a diary or a CD.

Such results may seem surprising in the context of the violent events that people hear about in the media. Maybe because of the things they hear, parents worry that their own kids might get out of control once they reach the teenage years. However, the facts in the survey should make us feel better. The survey shows us that today’s teens are loving and sensible. They are certainly happier than the angry people in the teenage stereotypes we all know about. True, some teenagers are very angry, and we need to recognize their needs, but the great majority of teens are not like that at all.

In contrast to some stereotypes, most teens believe they must be understanding about differences among individuals. Many of them volunteer for community service with disadvantaged people. When they talk about themselves, their friends and their families, they sound positive and proud. Generally, these are very nice kids.

Is this spirit of harmony a change from the past? Only a generation ago, parent-child relations were described as the “generation gap”. Yet even then, things were not so bad. Most kids in the 1960s and 1970s shared their parents’ basic values.

Perhaps, however, it is true that American families are growing closer at the beginning of this new millennium. Perhaps there is less to fight about, and the dangers of drug abuse and other unacceptable behavior are now well known. Perhaps, compared to the impersonal world outside the home, a young person’s family is like a friendly shelter, not a prison. And perhaps parents are acting more like parents than they did 20 or 30 years ago.