Young people and society + questions

YOUNG PEOPLE AND SOCIETY
It is said that youth is the nicest time of one´s life. And I think it is true. As a young person you are nice, fit, healthy, strong and you have enough energy to face problems. You do not think about any problems, you look forward to every day in which you may try something new and adults around you usually tolerate your faults because of your lack of experience J
 
There are two different groups of young people: teenagers (13 to 19 years old) and those between twenty and thirty. Both groups have something in common, but there are also differences between them. Teenagers are a special group (people between 13 to 19 are called “teenagers” because their age ends in “teen” in English). Teenagers are strongly influenced by their friends, they usually have their role models (sports players, rock stars, film actors, reality show stars…). They want to live independently so they often have conflicts with their parents, teachers We called it  a generation gap. In their leisure time they like getting together with friends, listening to music, playing computer games and going to parties and discos. They also differ in clothing and hair style. Teenagers care a lot what they look like and they follow the fashion trends,  they always want to be “IN”. Most teenagers would like to start their own independent lives, but are still financially dependent on their parents. Those teenagers who want to have their own money try to find a part-time job, especially during school holidays, because working in the afternoons or at weekends could be very useful for their future. They learn how to be responsible.

Young people between 20 and 30 are a bit different. Most of them have finished school and have found a job. Their problems are different from those of teenagers. They are adults and so they have to find a place to live. Many get married and have children.
 
Only a small number of young people join radical youth movements like skinheads (propagating fascism) or fight against international companies like antiglobalists. These groups may become dangerous in the future but nowadays their influence on young people is relatively small.
 
QUESTIONS:
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being young?
2. How do you spend your leisure time? What is your favourite free time activity?
3. Is there anything you would like to change in our life?
4. How do you get on with your parents? (grandparents)
5. What does a typical teenager look like?
6. How does a typical teenager behave?
7. What ideals (role models) do teenagers have?
8. Do you have an ideal?
9. Is friendship important to you?
10. Do you have your best friend?
11. Can you describe him/her? (his or her personal qualities)
12. How long have you know him/her?
13. What do you have in common?