Vocabulary Teaching

What made me the way I am?

In our regular column inviting contributors to reflect on how their past has affected their current life, award winning documentary maker,
Summer Avery, reflects on how her family history influenced her choice of career.
My parents came from totally different backgrounds. My dad, Dave, comes from a mining village in Yorkshire. For generations, all the boys
in his family went down the pit and that's what dad was going to do, too. But in the 1980s they started closing down the mines and suddenly
there was no work for young men like my dad. My mum, Lucy, came from a very different family. Her father was a diplomat, Mum went to
boarding school because her parents lived abroad. They expected her to go to Oxford or Cambridge University and then do an important job,
but she was a rebellious girl.
The early 1980s in the UK was a time of great change. Big industries were closing down and people from communities like my dad's were
losing their jobs and their hope. But in other places, new enterprises were starting up and some people were getting very rich very quickly.
These changes led to political protests and some people rejected mainstream lifestyles altogether. Among those people were the 'New Age
Travellers.' They lived in old lorries and buses and travelled from one music festival to another. These lorries and buses used to travel
together in convoys and they were unpopular with many people. The police kept breaking up the convoys and closing down the festivals.
The travellers kept regrouping and planning more festivals. There used to be a very popular free festival at Stonehenge* on Summer
Solstice*. In 1985, the Travellers were determined to hold this festival and huge numbers joined the convoys. Two of the people who went
to join the peace convoy were my mum, who had decided to run away from school and my dad, who had decided to escape unemployment
by going on the road. That is where they met - when they were arrested at Stonehenge! It's funny to think that they would never have met if
they hadn't gone to that festival.
They were only seventeen years old. I was born exactly one year later on Summer Solstice 1986 – that's why they called me Summer. Both
families were really shocked and disappointed. I didn't even meet my grandparents until I was seven. When I was little we travelled round
Europe in an old double-decker bus. My dad's a talented musician and my mum was good at gymnastics, so they joined this strange
alternative circus called 'Anarkurkus'. There were no animals or any of the usual circus things – just human performers doing really crazy
things.
I didn't have a very conventional way of life as a child. I didn't go to school. We never ate meat. We went to lots of music festivals and
political demonstrations. I learned a lot about being an outsider. In some places people were really hostile. There was no need for this;
everyone in our circus was very gentle and very honest. People are just afraid of difference. I'm sure it is this early experience that made me
interested in how society treats minority groups. I doubt I'd be so interested in social exclusion if I hadn't experienced it. It has been the
subject of all my films.
When I was seven my dad got news that his mother was seriously ill. They returned to the UK and made peace with their families. We lived
in a house and I went to school. I was really excited to have my own bedroom and eat normal food like cornflakes at my cousin's houses.
When I started school I could read and juggle much better than the other kids – and my knowledge of European geography was way ahead of
theirs! I'm sure I wouldn't have known so much at that age if my parents had been more conventional.
*Stonehenge is a 5,000 year old monument in southern England. Summer Solstice (21st June) is the longest day of year in the northern
hemisphere. On the Summer Solstice the sun is aligned with the stones so that light shines through the arches at dawn. Druids still go to
Stonehenge on 21st June to celebrate the summer solstice.
Item Meaning How meaning will Pronunciation Grammatical and Concept questions (if
be conveyed to other information needed)
students http://www.phonemic
chart.com/transcribe/

https://easypronunciat
ion.com/en/english-
phonetic-
transcription-
converter

Alternative Either another You have one or two /ˌɒlˈtɜːnətɪv/ when Adjective-(not Blue and red makes
possibility or a choice, available possibilities, followed by voiced comparable) purple, are there any
different from the one able to choose between sound Noun-(plural alternative colors we
given. more than one /ˌɔlˈtɝnəɾɪv/ when alternatives) can use to create
concept. Example- followed by unvoiced purple?
(Would you like the sound
ice-cream or the Stress Oooo
cake.?)

Conventional Based on or in Ordinary, /kənˈvɛnʃənl/ when Adjective - Would you consider it

accordance with what commonplace. followed by voiced (comparative more conventional to follow
is generally done or Example-(The way you sound conventional, the school rules?
believed. have raised her is very /kənˈvɛnʃ(ə)n(ə)l/ when superlative most
"a conventional conventional) followed by unvoiced conventional)
morality had dictated sound Noun - (plural
behavior" Stress oOoo conventionals)

Hemisphere Two halves divided by Half of the Earth /ˈhɛmɪsfɪə/ when Noun- (plural When the world is
an equal invisible line. Example -(Like the followed by voiced hemispheres) divided by the equator,
Half of the celestial earth there are two sound what do you think the
 sphere, as divided by hemispheres divided by /ˈhɛmɪsfɪəɹ/ when two halves of the
either the ecliptic or the equator.) followed by unvoiced sphere are called?
the celestial equator sound
Stress oOo

Influenced For someone or To effect or change. /ˈɪnflʊəns/ when Verb- simple past If your best friend
something to take an Example-(She has been followed by voiced tense and past makes a decision, will
effect on you, not influenced by her peers sound participle of influence you be biased towards
always in a good way. to behave badly.) Stress oOoo Adjective - the choice, or will you
(comparative more still be able to make
influenced, superlative your own choice
most influenced) regardless of hers?

Minority Smaller or less than Less than the same /maɪˈnɒɹ.ɪ.ti/, /mɪ Adjective-(comparative Would it be fair if 30%
what makes up the being compared to. ˈnɒɹ.ɪ.ti/ when followed more minority, of people whom
whole. Example-(The by voiced sound superlative most attended a seminar do
Any subgroup that minority of the /maɪˈnɔɹ.ɪ.ti/, /mɪ minority) not understand the
does not form a population do not ˈnɔɹ.ɪ.ti/ when followed Noun-(countable and language it is presented
numerical majority. struggle with by unvoiced sound uncountable, plural in? As the minority in
discrimination.) Stress Oooo minorities) the group, would this
be fair towards them?

Protests a written declaration, express disapproval, /ˈprəʊtɛst/ when Noun-(plural of Do you think protests
typically by a notary disagree. followed by voiced protest) can benefit some
public, that a bill has Example-(I protest sound communities or
been presented and that what you are /prəˈtɛst/ when groups?
payment or acceptance saying is true, my followed by unvoiced Would you think
refused. believes are different sound protests have a positive
from yours.) Stress Oo or negative impact on
society?

Reflect An exact mirror image (The suns reflection on /ɹɪˈflɛkt/ when followed Verb-(third-person If you think about
of oneself, bounce back the ocean. Staring in by voiced sound singular simple present what you have done,
 or throw back the mirror.) /rɪˈflɛkt/ when reflects, present are you reflecting on
Thinking about your followed by unvoiced participle reflecting, your actions?
feelings and actions, sound simple past and past
how you can do it Stress oO participle reflected)
differently.

Rejected Not accepting. dismiss a strong complaint /ɹɪˈdʒɛktɪd/ when Verb–(simple past If I say ‘no’ to your
as inadequate, expressing followed by voiced tense and past proposal would you feel
unacceptable, or faulty. disagreement, sound participle of reject) rejected? How would
disapproval, or /rɪˈdʒɛkt/ when past tense: rejected; the feedback affect
opposition followed by unvoiced past participle: you?
Example- sound rejected
(Unfortunately your Stress oOo
letter has been
rejected.)

Exclusion Not adding something Not being a part of /ɪksˈkluːʒən/ when Noun-(countable and If two of your friends
to a list or contract. something. followed by voiced uncountable, plural don’t invite you to
The act of excluding or Example-(You are sound exclusions) their get together, how
shutting out; removal being excluded from /ɪkˈskluːʒ(ə)n,ɛk would you feel?
from consideration or the meeting.) ˈskluːʒ(ə)n/ when
taking part followed by unvoiced
sound
Stress Ooo

Hostile Showing strong dislike Not being very nice. /ˈhɒstaɪl/, /ˈhɒstəl/ Adjective-(comparative Acting very aggressive
or unfriendliness Example-(He acted when followed by more hostile, or indifferent towards
towards something, very hostile towards voiced sound superlative most someone or something,
someone or an idea. his neighbor.) /ˈhɑstəl/, /ˈhɑstaɪl/ hostile) would you say that
when followed by Noun-(plural hostiles) they’re being hostile?
unvoiced sound
 Stress Oo

Rebellious Not easily controlled. Showing a desire to /rɪˈbɛljəs/ when Adjective-(comparative Do you think rebellion
Does not follow resist. followed by voiced more rebellious, against authority is a
authority or rules. Example-(Children are sound superlative most good thing?
rebelling against the /ɹɪˈbɛli.ən/ when rebellious) Would you say that in
school rules.) followed by unvoiced some cases we can
sound benefit from a
Stress oOoo rebellious act?

Determined Doing something once Being able to follow dɪˈtɜːmɪnd/ when Adjective-(comparative Are we all determined
you have put your through on something followed by voiced more determined, to pass this course?
mind to it. without changing your sound superlative most
mind. Example-(He /dɪˈtɝmɪnd/ when determined)
was determined to be followed by unvoiced Verb-(simple past
elected class president.) sound tense and past
Stress oOoo participle of
determine) YES!!