Personality Survey

Do you agree with these statements? Complete the survey.

1. I'm not afraid of giving speeches in front of the class.
A. definitely agree B. somewhat agree C. definitely disagree
2. I enjoy going to parties where I don't know everyone.
A. definitely agree B. somewhat agree C. definitely disagree
3. I avoid expressing my feelings and ideas in public.
A. definitely agree B. somewhat agree C. definitely disagree
4. I insist on making my own decisions.
A. definitely agree B. somewhat agree C. definitely disagree
5. I don't mind giving up my time to help other people.
A. definitely agree B. somewhat agree C. definitely disagree
6. I never worry about getting places on time.
A. definitely agree B. somewhat agree C. definitely disagree
7. I always feel like going dancing!
A. definitely agree B. somewhat agree C. definitely disagree
8. I can't stand being in a messy, disorganised room.
A. definitely agree B. somewhat agree C. definitely disagree
9. I prefer telling people how I feel, even if it's embarrassing.
A. definitely agree B. somewhat agree C. difinitely disagree

How would you describe yourself? Why?

a. friendly and outgoing e. honest and sincere
b. strong and independent f. shy and reserved
c. laid-back and relaxed g. wild and crazy
d. kind and generous h. calm and cool
i. neat and tidy
How do you feel about these things? Discuss your answers the following expressions.
I enjoy going to parties where I don't know everyone.
I avoid expressing my feelings and ideas in public.
I can't stand being / to be in a messy room.
I love taking / to take my friends to cool new clubs.
I don't mind giving up my time to help other people.
I hate getting up / to get up for early morning classes.
I insist on making my own decisions.
I always feel like going dancing!
I'm into going out to new foreign restaurants.

1. tell people that I'm angry with them 4. eat a full meal late at night
2. help with chores around the house 5. start conversations w ith people I don't know
3. listen to people's personal problems 6. go to places where I have to use English

Family matters
Choose at least three questions you'd like to talk about with your group.

1. What's the best thing about spending time with your family? What's the worst thing?
2. What's one advantage of havin g a close family?
3. What are some rules that people have to follow in your family?
4. What's a benefit of having strict parents?
5. Are you most likely to confide in a parent, a sibling, or a friend?
6. Do you believe mothers and fathers should do the same chores?
7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a two-income family?

Match the family members on the left with the definitions on the right.
1. Your great-aunt is a. your father's or mother's grandmother.
2. Your granddaughter is b. your mother's or father's aunt.
3. Your sister-in-law is c. your son's or daughter's daughter.
4. Your great-grandmother is d. your wife's or husband's sister, or your brother's wife.

Which of the family members in the box can be combined with a prefix or
suffix in the chart? Complete the chart with a partner. What does each
term mean?

aunt - brother - daughter - father - mother - nephew - niece - sister -

son - uncle
 great- grand- great-grand -in-law

READING A family of friends

Do you tend to rely more on friends or family for help and advice? Why?

From Circle of Friends to Modern Tribe

Who celebrates birthdays and holidays with you? Who do you call when a crisis
hits or when good luck strikes? If your answer is "my friends," you may have a
"tribe."
When Ethan Watters took stock of his life a few years ago, the San Francisco
writer realized that he was more dependent on friends than family, who lived
hundreds of miles away.

"My friends were the centerpiece of my social life," he says. "They had taken on
all the responsibilities that family members typically tackle - connecting me to
the city, being a matchmaker, and helping me find jobs and places to live."

This circle of friends had become a tribe, which started when a group of artists,
writers, and photographers began meeting for dinner every Tuesday night.

Before long, they had begun functioning as a family of choice.

Watters grew to believe that non-family members forming close-knit social net
works was a growing trend in the United States, and he wrote a book about it
called Urban Tribes: Are Friends the New Family?

Modern tribes like Watters's often grow out of a shared interest or experience,
but not every group of friends becomes a tribe.
The shift from "circle of friends" to tribe happens when members begin to treat
each other like amily - offering support without expectation of repayment;
sheltering each other from gossip, stress, and at tack; and looking out for
everyone's overall well-being in life, work, and relationships.

Modern tribes often have a regular meeting place, annual parties, and group
trips. Shared rites and rituals create a tribal story. "The members of the group
may change," Watters says, "but the story of that group has central elements
that remain. It gives the group a history."

Every tribe usually has an individual or core group that tends to its growth and
survival. These tribal leaders are the ones who get everyone together on a
regular basis and make the phone calls that get members excited about
upcoming events.

Like families, tribes have a way of shaping their members: Individuals feel more
confident, secure, loved, and stable. Even. if your own family is close-knit, you
may benefit from cultivating a family-like circle of friends. "The love and support
we get from one," Watters says, "does not take away from the love and support
we get from another."

Read the article and answer the questions.

1. In what ways does Watter's circle of friends function as a family?
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. According to the article, what are some differences between a tribe and a
family?
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. How does a group of friends become a tribe?
…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Discuss these questions. Then share your answers with the class.
1. What are some advantages and disadvantages of relying on friends for
family-like support?
2. Do you consider yourself a member of a modern tribe? Why or why not?