Speak for Yourself

This Read section of Speak for Yourself #6 offers three different authentic texts on the theme of New Beginnings - an article about how children often spend their summer holidays and the urgent action needed by governments, an article from a woman who explains why she hates September and a famous speech calling for action from one of history's great motivators: Steve Jobs. Read the texts and follow the comprehension and strategy tips presented below each one.

1. "Call for action to end children’s ‘battery-hen existence’ in summer holidays" (804 w.)

"Urgent action is needed to stop children leading a 'battery-hen existence'" - Michael Savage, The Guardian, 25th August 2018

Battery-hen existence = chiusi in gabbia come galline in un pollaio

This text from Michael Savage last week in The Guardian says that many children in the UK spend their summer holidays like a "battery-hen", staying at home, surfing the internet, playing online games and using social media rather than going outside and playing in the fresh air.

The article suggests that this has extremely negative effects on both children's physical and mental health and that the government should take urgent action to resolve the problem before it gets worse.

 COMPREHSION:  

Texts which report the findings of research often use specific language, especially verbs, which describe the findings of the research. Politicians also use specific vocabulary when talking about promises or action they plan to take. Note these particular verbs used in the text:

1. To warn = avvisare
2. To overhaul = revisionare, rettificare
3. To encourage = incoraggiare, spingere
4. To deteriorate = deteriorare
5. To raise funds = raccogliere fondi
6. To ensure = garantire, assicurare
7. To tackle = contrastare
8. To adopt = adottare
9. To boost = aumentare, incrementare
10. To reclaim = bonificare, reclamare

Some of the above verbs are often used in financial contexts and when describing movements and trends. For more information about verbs like this, see our blog Come migliorare il Business English in modo semplice.

2. "September is The Worst" (1,119 w.)

"I’m pretty sure September is trying to kill me" M. Blazoned

September is, for many people, their favourite month. As this edition of Speak for Yourself shows, September is a month of New Beginnings which can be both challenging and exciting,

However, this article in the Huffington Post from prolific web blogger, M. Blazoned, describes how she hates the month of September and everything it represents, particularly from the perspective of a parent! She describes how September should be a month which is celebrated by parents - the children are going back to school! Instead she says it means a month of spending for the start of the school year, school events and homework. Are you a parent? Do you agree with what M. Blazoned says? Read the article and then look at the English phrases she uses below.

 NEW VOCABULARY:  

The author uses very emotive language in the text to try and engage the reader and make them sympathise with her situation. She also uses swear words with asterisks* (not very common in published English writing) that give extra strength to her feelings and emotion at this difficult time of year for her. Look at some of the emotive phrases she uses:

1. You foolishly think you will have some free time. Ha! 
2. You will be sucked into the black hole that is September
3. "Holy mother of hell, what the f*ck just happened?" "September. That’s what just happened. Welcome to the sh*tshow, darling."
4. You can’t humanly pull it all off
5. Each year the schools get amnesia and seem to have no record of you and your children
6. During this September treat that I long to be a user of hallucinogenic drugs
7. The daily hell of being back in school.
8. I don’t want to know. School should be like Vegas. What happens in school, stays in school
9. September and Back to School be damned
10. No one is happier than I am to turn the calendar page to October

3. "How to Live Before You Die" (614 w.) 

"Stay Hungry - Stay Foolish" Steve Jobs, 2005

This article is a reduced text version of one of the most famous speeches of modern times -  "How to Live Before You Die". This speech, delivered to students at Stanford University in the USA in June 2005 is now a very famous example of a motivational speech - encouraging his listeners to take action, to live their dreams, to stay hungry and stay foolish.

The text presented here is a summarised version of the main speech which gives the reader the sense of what Jobs wanted to say. Read the text and note how jobs uses storytelling about the past as a technique for engaging the listener and encouraging them to shape their own future.

 SHORT STORIES:  

Steve Jobs uses a particular technique in his speech - short stories. In particular, he tells 3 stories: "Connecting the Dots", "Love and Loss" and "Death". This engages the listener (or reader) and gives a clear and accessible way to understand what Jobs really wants to way.

Short stories are are great way to improve your English reading skills. This is because they are not too long and so the reader doesn't get bored or see the challenge as too big.