You and the People Around You

YouAndThePeopleAroundYou_Text

Networked Families
Much has been said about how anti-social the
Internet and mobile phones are. The truth is
however, according to new research,
communication technology is bringing people
closer together. A study by the Pew Internet and
American Life Project found that family members
were keeping in regular contact today more than
ever before. And this is all down to email, chat,
cell phones and SMS messaging.

It makes sense. Years ago, it took a long time to write a letter, then find an envelope and go to
the post office to buy a stamp and post it. Today we write emails while we wait for our change at
the convenience store and they’re sent in an instant. Having free internet calls also helps us to
stay in touch more often and for longer. Everyone’s at it, from five-year-olds to tech savvy
grandparents.

According to the Pew survey, technology has a very positive effect on communication within
families. Researchers asked 2,225 adults whether new technologies had increased the quality of
communication with their family. 53% said it increased communication with family members
they did not live with, two per cent said technology decreased this. Numbers were similar for
those living in the same house as their family. The project director, Lee Rainey said: “There’s a
new kind of connectedness being built inside of families with these technologies.” Survey co-
author, Barry Wellman agreed: “It used to [be that] husbands went off to work, wives went off to
a different job or else stayed home … and the kids went off to school... and not until 5:30 did they
ever connect,” he said.
Taken from http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/0810/081021-family.html (2008)

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YouAndThePeopleAroundYou_GramVoc

Vocabulary Examples
Categories of
family, relatives, friends, classmates, colleagues, acquaintances
people:
General pretty, handsome, good-looking
appearance: to look + adjective (avoir l’air) She looks very young.
to look like + noun (ressembler à) I look like my father.
Physical Height: tall, short, medium-height
description: Build: fat, slim, heavy, overweight, thin
Hair/skin: dark, curly, straight, long, short
Precise age: He is 34 (years old).
Approximate age: She is in her twenties/thirties.
Character fun, nice, smart, clever, easy-going, nervous, CAREFUL! Always give an example to illustrate
description: hard-working, (un)friendly, strict, open/narrow- the adjective you have used.
minded, kind, athletic, lazy
He is very open-minded. You can discuss
anything with him and he listens to other
people’s ideas.
Family parents, grandparents, grandchildren, uncle, aunt, son, daughter, nephew, niece, cousin, father-in-
vocabulary: law, step-mother
Jobs: She is a student.
He’s an engineer.
She’s an employee.

Present simple
Form Examples
to be / to have I have two sisters. I don’t have a brother. Do you have any cousins?
They are engineers. He isn’t a teacher. Are you an engineer?
to have got (auxiliary verb) She’s got blue eyes. He hasn’t got any brothers or sisters.
Have you got any nephews?

Comparatives, superlatives & qualitative adjectives

Form
short adjective + much + er + than
long adjective + more + than
the most + adjective / ever
quite, rather, really, very + adjective
Examples
Labour is much cheaper in India than in Europe.
It is more advantageous to set up a new business in Ireland than in
France.
He’s the most generous man I’ve ever met.
She’s quite tall and very slim.

Questions
Form Examples
What? Where? Who? How? What does your brother do? / Where do you live? / Who are they?
How + adjective? How tall is she? / How old is your best friend?
What + like What is she like?
Where / Who + preposition / like / for Where do you come from?
Who does she work for?
Who does he look like?