WRITING 2 SPEAKING Read Last week’s competition on the

2.8 An article
Psychology Magazine website and discuss the
questions with a partner.
I can write an article attracting the 1 Why is adolescence described as a ‘roller coaster ride’?
reader’s attention using participle 2 What are the best things about being a young adult?
clauses. 3 What new challenges do you face as a young adult?

3 Read the winning article on the magazine website

1 Look at the photos. Which aspects of adolescence do and discuss the questions with a partner.
they illustrate? 1 Did the author mention any of the pleasures or
challenges you discussed in Exercise 2?

Psychology Magazine 2 What is the author’s conclusion? Do you agree?

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Have Your Say

Last week’s competition
The journey from teenager to adult can bring joy and pain, success and failure, friendship
and heartbreak. If you are riding the roller coaster of adolescence right now, then Psychology
5 Magazine wants to hear from you.
Send us an article in which you describe some of the very best things about coming of age and
discuss the most challenging aspects of life for people living through these ‘in-between’ years.
As usual, a selection of articles will be published in an upcoming edition of Psychology Magazine.

The winning article:

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Adolescence: Pain and Pleasure in Equal Measure
by Josh Payne
Remember when you were little and school summer holidays seemed to go on
forever? Being children, most of us lived carefree and happy lives. Sadly, this does
not last and we must all grow up. I can reliably report that the process brings pain
15 and pleasure in equal measure. 30
This week’s competition
First, there is the pain. Adolescence is a time of huge physical and emotional There are many unfair gender
change. For many of us this change is accompanied by feelings of self-doubt, envy -based
stereotypes concerning the
and embarrassment. Apparently, we are neither children nor adults; asked to act interests and
attitudes of adolescents. Wri
te an article of
like ‘grown ups’ in certain situations, but not in others. ‘Be responsible and act 200–250 words in which you
describe some
20 your age … but be home by 9 p.m.!’ These mixed messages can be hard to deal 35 of these common stereotypes
and challenge
with. Add to this the pressure of schoolwork, and it is no wonder we sometimes feel them by explaining why they
are untrue
unable to cope. or unfair. As usual, a selection
of articles
will be printed in an upcoming
Thankfully, alongside the pain, there is also pleasure. Though we have to study, few edition of
of us need to worry about bills or housework. As a result, whether it is playing sport Psychology Magazine.
25 or online games, we have time to enjoy ourselves. On top of this, we have our friends.
Pleasure and pain alike, can be shared with those who know exactly how we feel.
Despite the challenges, as far as I am concerned, the pleasure of being a young adult
outweighs the pain. Although it may not always seem so now, perhaps in the future
we will look back on adolescence as ‘the best days of our lives’.

30
4 Read the WRITING FOCUS and look at the article 6 Read the LANGUAGE FOCUS and rewrite the
again. Decide which techniques the author used for underlined fragments using participle clauses.
writing the title, the introduction and the conclusion. 1 Because they want to look stylish, many adolescent
boys also enjoy shopping for clothes.
WRITING FOCUS
2 Because they attend mixed schools, most adolescent
An article boys and girls receive the same education.
Title 3 Because I grew up with three sisters, I know something
Attract the reader’s attention from the start: about the differences between boys and girls.
1 ask a question (Are These the Best Days of Our Lives?) 4 Because they are stereotypes, such statements do
2 use vivid adjectives (Adolescence: Thrilling and contain an element of truth, of course.
Terrifying)
5 Because I have always got on well with boys, I think
3 summarise the topic (The Pains and Pleasures of
I understand some of their attitudes.

Adolescent Life)
4 use rhyme/wordplay (Top Ten Tips for Troubled Teens)
LANGUAGE FOCUS
Introduction
Define the topic and hold the reader’s attention: Participle clauses to express reason
5 ask a question You can use participle clauses in formal writing to express
6 tell a short anecdote the reason for a statement made in the main clause.
7 give an interesting or surprising fact or figure • Use a Present Participle (verb + ing) when states or
8 give a quotation actions occur at the same time.
Main paragraphs Being children, most of us lived carefree and happy
Develop the topic and discuss all the issues mentioned in lives.
the question. = Because we were children (past), most of us lived
carefree and happy lives. (past)
Conclusion
Give your personal opinion and leave the reader with • Use a Perfect Participle (having + Past Participle)
something to think about: when one state or action occurs before another.
9 ask a question Having grown physically, many adolescents expect to
be treated as adults.
10 refer to the future
= Because they have grown physically (past), many
11 make an appeal or suggestion
adolescents expect to be treated as adults. (present)
12 return to the idea in the title or the introduction
Note: Articles tend to be written in a formal or semi-
formal style. In a formal article avoid: informal phrases 7 SPEAKING Read the statements and decide if they
(I think = As far as I am concerned …), colloquial are stereotypes about adolescent girls or boys. Do
language (Most parents reckon that … = In most parents’ they reflect reality? Discuss in groups.
opinions …) and contractions (don’t = do not). • They find it difficult to talk about their feelings.
• They are always gossiping.
• They love fashion and shopping.
5 Read the example article introductions and • They love sports and gadgets.
conclusions. Decide which techniques 5–12 in the • They are kind and considerate.
WRITING FOCUS the authors used. • They are rude and aggressive.
Introductions:
a It’s easy to forget that 100 percent of adults alive SHOW WHAT YOU’VE LEARNT
today were once teenagers like us. As a young man,
my ‘sensible’ father was a real rebel. He rode a 8 You are going to reply to This week’s competition
motorbike and got a tattoo at the age of sixteen. on the Psychology Magazine website. Look at
b In his famous book, American author John Gray said page 30, read the topic on the website and think
that ‘Men are from Mars, women are from Venus’. about the following:
Does this also apply to adolescents? Are younger • Where will your article appear and who will read it?
men and women really so different from each other? • Choose two or three gender-based stereotypes you
Conclusions: think are untrue or unfair (see Exercise 7 for ideas).
c As I began by saying, men and women differ in many Note down reasons to support your views.
ways, but individuals also differ regardless of their • Select techniques from the WRITING FOCUS to
gender. We should be wary of stereotyping, respect help you attract and hold the reader’s attention.
each other and cooperate to use our strengths for a • Make sure you use a formal or semi-formal style.
common good. 9 Complete the writing task from the website.
d So, as a regular teenage girl, am I really that different Include at least one participle clause to express a
from the boy sitting opposite me in class? Perhaps reason. Use the WRITING FOCUS and LANGUAGE
not. Whether we will become more or less alike in FOCUS to help you.
later life remains to be seen.

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