Thomson Heinle Publishing Taboos And Issues

IT
E
E
h

ts
=
fl

=
f5

fl-

l-

l-.

r=
l-r

ll=
l-

Taboos
and
lssues

l-

lq

tF
L

r-

Richard MacAndrew
Ron Martinez

b.

fFr

rrr'
F=

l-r

r*
tEr

l-l

1ll-

l-.

r

l-r

rl-!

11tEl

E
t-

E
E
ll-

1-

F

THOIVTSON

=+--.-

HEINLE

AustraliaCanada Mexico SingaporeSpain UnitedKingdom UnitedStates


lntroduction
Introduction

Methodology

Teachersoften complain that teaching materials
are bland and devoid of the very topics we discuss
in our daily lives. The title of this book suggests
that the material covers controversialand difficult
issueswhich studentsmay be reluctantto discuss.
Many of the issuesare indeedcontroversialbut the
materialis in no way intendedto shock.In fact, the
contents closely resemblethose we find in our
newspapersevery day.

It is expected that this material will be used by
experienced teachers. The teachers' notes,
therefore, have been kept to a minimum and
comprise only short notes, the answers, and
occasionalextra ideas.

1. terboossuch as swearing, talking about death
and prostitution

a w i d e r c l a s sd i s c u s s i o n .

Bearingin mind the sensitivenature of many of the
topics, we suggestit will usually be best to start by
asking studentsto think silently about some of the
questionsbefore they are asked to say anything at
There are good reasonswhy general classroom all. They then work in pairs and small groups
m a t e r i a l s a v o i d t o p i c s w h i c h m a y l e a d t o before the topic is opened up to the whole class.
embarrassment

or friction in the classroom.Many In a similar way, with the reading texts, students
teachersmay be hesitant to use such materials. often work in pairs, with each reading a different
However, many more experienced teachers short text, which they then report to their partner,
recognise the motivational value of materials before the material is dealt with in the whole class.
which more closelyreflectthe real world.
During individual or pair work, monitor what is
This book presents just such stimulating and happening. You may wish to help out with
r e l e v a n t t o p i c s . T h r e e b r o a d c a t e g o r i e s a r e languagewhere necessary,but you can also judge
covered:
whetherand how the topic(s)can be openedout to
It goes without saying that, as the teacher, you
2 . s e r i o u s i s s u e s s u c h a s r a c i s m a n d g e n e t i c should remain neutral throughout any discussions,
engineering
seekingonly to encouragestudentsto expresstheir
3. personal matters such as appearance,hygiene views.
and nudity.
The materiirl is not intended to form the basisof a
course but a resource from which teachers can,
with their students, select topics which interest
them. The material should only be used with
classesyou know well and where the studentsare
sensitiveenough to respectand trust both you and
their fellow students.Even then, you must use the
material sensitively. Individual students or
membersof their family or close friends may have
immediate,personal,even painful, experienceof
many of the topics. In some cases,you may want
to checkwith an individual studentbeforeusing a
particulartopic in class.It is essentialthat teachers
remain alert for difficulties. If a particular issue

becomestoo sensitive,the teachermust be willing
to abandonthe topic and be preparedto move on
to somethingcompletely different.

Studentswill often have strongly-held views and
possiblyprofound personalexperienceswhich they
are willing to sharewith the class.Indeed,trying to
engagestudents in this way is perhaps the prime
purpose of the materials.While encouragingand
helping them to express their views and
experiences,you must, however,never lose sight of
the fact that it is a languagelessonand they must
be in no way pressurised into discussing or
revealingthings about themselveswith which they
are in any way unhappy. A student who wishes to
remain silent must have their right to do so
respected.
Using the internet

M o s t u n i t si o l l o w t h i s p a t r c r n :

Becausethe topics are controversial and regularly
in the news, it will almost always be easy to find
related material by a quick searchof the internet.
Usually typing two or three key words into a
search engine will be sufficient to give you
contemporary examplesrelevant to the topic.

left hand page: introductory discussionand one or
more short texts

Richard MacAndrew
Ron Martinez

How a unit is organised

right hand page: language work
discussion.

and further

The lcft hernd page usually provides the basic
material for a lesson,while the right hand page
providesextensionor follow-up work.


Contents
1.

Death
Talking dhout deatb, funerals, home burials

2.

Nudity

3.

Politicallyincorrectjokes

.Wby
'V/earing
no clothes is natural.
do people get so upset about this?

Is it OK to joke about disabledpeople, religion, deatb?

4.

Tabooconversationtopics
Questionsyou cdn't ask. For example: How much do you weigh/earn?

5.

lt should be banned!
Bullfighting, human cloning, boxing, the Ku Klux Klan - ban them all!

6.

Not my type
Bdd breath, bites his nails, thin legs- what do you auoid in a pdrtner?

7.

Sex for sale
Prostitution - cdn we stoD it? Should we stctDit?

8.

Swearing

Is it OK to swear? What swetr words do/could you use?

9.

Torture
Does torture happen in your country? Is torture always wrong?

10. Sexualharassment
rYhat's wrong with telling a colleague she has nice legs?

11. Briberyand corruption
gifts,bribes,perks- is thereany difference?
Rewards,
12. Designerbabies
Blonde hair, blue eyes- would yow like to designyour children?

1 3 . C h i l d r e nw h o k i l l

.When
a child kills someone,who is responsible- the child, the parents, society?

14. Gays and jobs
Does it matter that d doctor, teacher,or tbe Prime Minister is gay?

1 5 . A n i m a lr i g h t s
We eat them, we do experimentson them, we keep them as pets. Do you object?

16. Marriage- for better or for worse
What's the point of marriage thesedays?

17. Nobody needs a gun
Gun massacresin schools.

.Why

.Wbat's
wrong with diuorce?

do people carry guns?

'Would

you euer use a gun?

18. The sale of human organs

.Would
.Wbat
you let doctors remoue your orgdns?
about people who sell their organs?

19. AIDS
.Would
yowtreata frienddifferentlyif (s)hehadHIV?
Whatdo you knowaboutAIDSi
20. Tellinglies
How honestdre you?


21. Abortion

Are you Pro-lifeor Pro-choice?

22. NationalstereotYPes

"They're lazy and'rlirhonrrt." Blind preiwdice,or is tbere some truth in stereotypes?

23. Cheatingon YourPartner

tflhat is cbeating?Just looking dt someone else,fantasising'dn e-mdil relationsbip!

24. Are you haPPYwith Your bodY?

Haueyou thoughtabout it?
Cosmeticsurgeryi, ,o iongeriust/or the rich and famous'

I
I

I

I

I
I
I

I
rt

I

!t

I
+

I
I

I
+

I
I

I
t

J
-

t
t

!l
h

!
b

=
h
I

l=
I
I
F
II

L

=
I
I

=
I
L
II

L
x
I

I

t

25. lmmigrationand racism

comingto liuein yours?
Ho* io you feelaboutpeoplefrom othercountries
26. Ghangingsex

next to d trdnssexual?
Transsexuals- would you feel uncomfortable if you sat

27. ls this news?

rwbat is the news for - to prouide facts or to sbock and entertain?

28. The right to die
Euthanasid- who has the right to choose?

29. Old enough to be her grandfather!

.V/hynot?
woman?
*on with a 25-year-old
A 7T-year-ild
30. Big Brother is watching!

be woftied about?
Are we losing our priuacy? Haue you got anything trt

3 1 . Anxiety and depression
'What
Do you get depressed?

c(tn you do about it?

32. Gay families

f*L ,lacl,andno mum.rybatis a normalfamilythesedays?
33. Begging
Should we giue beggarsmoney or lock them up?

culture
34. Compensation

easymoney?
More pectpleare swingthan euerbefore.Is it right or is it iust

35. Sportand money
ouerpaid?
Are tolt sportsprofessionals

36. Vanity
Are men uainerthan women?

3 7 . Legalisingdrugs
Is it time to cbangethe laws on soft drugs?

3 8 . Turning the other cheek

Do you-findit easyto forgiuepeopleor do you holdgrudges?
39. The death PenaltY
Are you in fauourof it?
40. Addictions

dre you hooked on?
Alcohol,nicotine,drugs, chocglate,shctpping,football.'what


'1
rt

4
4

Death

{

Introduction
Do you find this conversation offensive?
I haven't seenHarry for months. How is he?
> Dead! He died just beforeChristmas.
Which would you prefer to say?
He passedaway just beforeChristmas.
or We lost him just beforeChristmas.
Do you use similar expressions in your language to
avoid the words dead or died? lf so, what are they?

Discussion
ln your country:
1. When someonedies,what happensto their body?
a. It is buried. b.It is cremated.
c. Somethingelse

2. \7here do funeralceremoniestake place?
a. In a church b. At d sbrine
c. Sometuhereelse
3. Who usuallyattendsfunerals?
d. Only men b. Men and women c. Anyone
4. What colour do peoplewear ro signify death?
a. Black
b.White
c. A different colowr
.5.What do peopleusuallydo at funerals?
a. Cry openly and expressstrong emotions.
b. Keep their emotions under control.
c. Try not to cry, but cry quietly if they cdnnot help it.
When you die, would you prefer to be buried or cremated?

"Die,

my dear doctor? That's
the last thing I shall do!"
Lord PctLmerstot't

SURPRISING HONESTY AT FUNERAL
Family and friends at the funeral of George
Ramsbottom in Honley, West Yorkshire,
were stunnedwhen his brother,Frank, stood
up in the church and told everyonethat his
brother would not be missed.
Describing his brother as the meanestman
he had ever met, he went on to list all the
people who would be glad to know that

Georgehad died, and gave the reasonswhy.
He claimed that Georgewas a liar, a cheat,a
womaniserand a drunk. "He owed money to
half the people in the village; he had ruined
a number of marriages; and he was often
incredibly rude for no good reason. No one
will be sad that he has sone." said Frank
Ramsbottom.
Mr Ramsbottom's unexpectedspeech was
followed by complete silence. Eventually
Margaret Dudley, the minister in charge of
the service,stoodto say,"Let us give thanks
for George'slife with our final song." She
then sang on her own while everyone else
stood in silence.The service ended shortlv
afterwards.

{

4

4

4
I

4

{

Iq

I
E
q
I
d

l'1

1
1

4

Reading
Read the two articles opposite. Then choose the best
answers to these two questions:
1.Why do you think nobody sangthe final song at the
fur-rerala. Becausethey didn't agree with George's brotber.
b. Becdusethey were shocked hy what had happened.
2. What is Maplethorpecouncil going to do?
a. Order the body to be re-buried in a cemetery.
b. l"lothing.
Discussthe questionsbelow in pairs:
1. Was Frank Ramsbottomright ro make the speech?
2. "You should neverspeakill of the dead." Do you
agree?
3. Can you bury someonein their gardenin your

country?
4. Can you scattertheir asheswherever you like?
5. How would you feel if your nexr-doorneighbours
buried their grandmorherin their back garden?
Death

1
El
I

HOME BURIAL CAUSES ANGER
A family who buried a relative in their back
gardenhave angeredneighbours.
Residentsof a care home were shocked to
seethe coffin of Daniel Stevensloweredinto
a grave in ChesterfieldRoad, Maplethorpe.
Staff at the Adamson care home, which
overlooks the garden, want the body reburied in a cemetery.
Geraldine Thomson, the manager of the
home, said: "Someone sent me a letter last
week to say the funeral would happen on
Thursday.I thought it was ajoke.
There were about 200 people in the garden
for the service.When I called the police they
said they couldn't do anything to stop it
becauseit wasn't illegal."
Maplethorpecouncil said it was not able to
prevent a burial on private land as long as
certainrules were followed.

Iaboos and /ssues

1

I..1

4
4

|!1

'1
I

'1
"1

1
J

Iq
q

q
1
I
A


Language

Use the correct form of these verbs below:
murder
kill
die
.....fora
1 . I ' m j u s t g o i n g o u t s i d e .I ' m
cigarette.
2. Do you want a drink?
> Y e s I, c o u l d
... acupof tea.
3. What's your new boyfriend like? I'm
....t0meethim.

. . warmed up! Are
9. You look like
you ill?
10.I don't just want to sit on the beachall day.
I'll be bored to . . .
you
have similar idioms in your language?
Do
Do you know these idiomatic expressions?
He's kicked the bucket.
He'spopped his c/ogs.
He'sgone to meet his maker.

4.I've been out shoppingall day. My feet are
. . . . . . m e !
5. The train doesn'tleavetill 4, so we've got
nearly an hour to . . .

'Whenever
you open your
6. Just keep quiet.
... theEnglish
mouth,you..
language!
Add the following words to these sentences:
death

murder

7. When is it going to stop raining?I'm sick to
of this weather!
8. Sorrv I'm so late. The traffic was . .

"'Will you pleasetakeyour

Discussion

feet

off *y bestcbair!"

Answer the questions below on your own:
1. How do you feel when the subject of death comes into the conversation?
a. [Jncomfortable- I don't want to talk abowt it.
b. lt dependshow other people redct.
c. Fine - it's perfectly natural to talk about death.
Or do you have another reaction?
2. You have to tell a close friend that a mutual friend of yours has died. You know that they were

very close. How would you start the conversation?
a. I'm afraid we won't be meeting Mary for lunch on Friday after all.
b. Haue you heard? Mary's jwst died.
c. You'd better sit dotun. I'ue got some bad news about Mary. She died last night.
C)r would you say somethingelse?
3. A friend of yours (a rather unreliable one) has just died, owing you a lot of money. After the
funeral his sistercomes to talk to you. Do you say:
a. I was hoping to meet one of the family so I can get my money back.
b. Poor George! He was such a good friend. (and forget about the money)
c. I shall miss George- but not as much as the ["1000 he ctwedme!
Or would you say somethingelse?
4. If the only work availablewas working with dead bodies - for example as an undertaker or a
pathologist - what would you do?
a. Take the job. Somebodybas to do lobs like that. It's no big deal.
b. I could neuer do a iob like that.'What would my friends think? I'd rather starue.
c. I'd ask for a huge salary.It would be OK if I was paid a lot.
d. Pleasestop tallCompareand discuss your answers in pairs or small groups.
ls it OK to joke about death?
Iaboos and /ssues


I
I

I

I

Nudity

I

a

I

a

Vocabulary

I
a

Nude / Naked- both words mean wearing no crothes. For exampre:
He wrrscompletelynarked.Shewas standingthere,in the nude.
Naturism is the activity of not wearing any clothes because you believe
it is more natural or healthy.
The peopfe who do this are called nudists or naturists.

I
a

I
I

I
a

Discussion

I

How would you react in the following situations?would you laugh,
be embarrassed,cover your eyes,
have a good look, or do somethingelse?
l. You are warchinga football match when a
nrrkeclwoman runs onto the pitch and stops
the garrnc.

4. You are ar the beach with your family. A man
and a woman put their towels near you, take
off all their clothesand lie down to sunbathe.

2. Some ncw friends of yours have a sauna.After
clinncr,they suggestyou all relax and chat in
the siruna.When you are getting ready, you
cliscoverthat you are expectedto be naked.

5. You are invited to dinner by some people you
don't know very well. After dinner, they show
you their holiday photographs.They had been
to a naturist resort in the south of France.The
picturesleavenothing to the imagination!

-1.Yru rrreshoppingin the main streetof your
town. You notice a man walking down the
street.He is not wearing any clothes,but is
carrf ing a shoppingbag.

a

I
a

t

a

a
I
I
a
I

J
I
4

6. Your new boyfriend/girlfriend suggestsgorng ro
'V7hen
the beach.
you get there, it,s a nudist
beach.

Reading
Answer these questions. Then read the article to find out the answers.
l. How manv narlrristsdo you think there are in Britain?
a. 5,000 b. 25,000 c. 50,000
2.How many official nudist beachesdo you think there are in Britain?

a.10
b.50
c.100
.1.D. v..r think it is p.ssible to go on a nudist packageholiday?

EVERY BEACH SHOULDBE A NUDISTBEACH
This sunrmer British naturists are spokespersonfbr BN, the
British England to France, which British
planningkr swirn and bathe naked Naturism magazine. "we
wilr N a t u r i s m h o p e s w i l l i n c r e a s e
on public beachesthroughout the def'endour members in court
... as awareness of topless and nudist
collntry to draw .ttention to public long as we are satisfiecl
that they beachesin many partsof the world.
and official opp.sition to their have behaved reasonably
a n d Britain alreadyhas I 70 clubs and l0
lit'estyle.
there's
been
no
i n d e c e n t beacheswhere naturismis ofTicially
British Naturism. the leading UK behaviour."
permitted and, surprisingly, the
o r g a n i s a t i o nf b r n a t u r i s t s .i s n o t T h e N u c l e T o l e r a n c e C a m p a i g n ,
naturist lifestylc is becoming big
only encouraging its members to which
started quietty
last business. Members of BN enjoy
b a t h e n a k e d w h e r e v e rt h e y w a n t , N o v e m b e r , i s b u i l d i n g
up as discounts on ferry servlces.car

b u t i s a l s o p r o m i s i n g t o c l e f ' e n ds u m m e r a r r i v e s a n d B r i t a i n ' s
rental and breakdown insuranccand
the''in court if they iire arrestecl
by 25,000 naturists arrive at beaches can enjoy f2,000 nudist Caribbean
the policc.
and clubs all over the UK. There c r u i s e s . S e v e r a l l a r g e t o u r
"Basically.
.ur view is that every wiil also be a nude cross-Channel
operators, including Virgin. offer
b c a c h i s a n a t u r i s t sb' e a c h , "s a i c la r e l a y s w i m f i o m t h e s o u t h
o f natunstsummerpackages.

Nudity

a
I

Taboosand /ssues

t


Politicallyincorrectjokes
Discussion
Readthis joke about a blind person.ls it funny?
A blind man and his guide dog went into a department store to do some
by the tail and
Christmas shopping. Atl of a sudden, the man picked up his dog"sir!
Can I hellt
started to swing it)round in a circle. A salesassistantshouted,

"I'm
"No
yctu?"
thanks," the blind man replied,
iust looking"'
joke which upset
Have you ever laughed at something that other people thought was not funny or told a
people? Describe the situation.
ls it OK to tel jokes about anything and everything? Would any or all of the following offend you? Why?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

a ioke about a physicallydisabledperson
a joke that makes fun of women
a ioke that makes fun of men
a loke that makes fun of the elderly
a ioke that ridiculesa particularreligion
a ioke involving a particular country or nationality
a loke making fun of lawyers
a ioke that makes fun of blondes
Do you know any jokes involving any of the above?
ls there a particular group of people in your country who are often the object of jokes?

Language

Use the correct form of these verbs to complete the jokes below:
climb
make
drown
pLtt
retrdtn
take
call
haue
. . . a blonde laugh on
1.How do you
Friday?
> Tell her a joke on Monday.
...ablonde?
2.Howdoyou
> Put a mirror on the bottom of a swimming
pool.
3. What's the differencebetweena blonde and a
computer?
information into
> You only have to . . .
a computer once.

say
throw

6. \fhy don't blondes get coffee breaks?
> It takes too long to . . . . . . them afterwards.
'V7hat
do intelligent blondes and UFOs

7.
...incommon?
> You often hear about them, but you never
seeone.
. . . to screw
8. How many blondes does it
in a light bulb?
> One. Sheholds the bulb still and the world
revolvesaround her.

. . . over the glass
4. Why did the blonde
wirll?
> Tcrseewhat was on the other side.

9. IX/hatdo you
brain?
> Gifted.

S.What do you do if a blonde . . . . . . . - a
grenadeat you?
> Pull the pin out and throw it back.

' . . if her doctor
10.What would a blonde
told her that she was pregnant?
> Is it mine?

. . . a blonde with half a

Did you find these jokes offensive? Do you know anybody who would? Are they blonde?
it to
Thi;k about a joke that you know and try to translate it into English. Write it down first and then tell
a classmate.
Politically incorrect iokes

Taboosand /ssues


Reading
The authors would like to make it clear that none of the following jokes has been written by them. They
are typical of jokes which exist in books of jokes and on joke websites.The jokes printed here are among
the least offensive! As you read the jokes below, rate each one for its level of humour and level of
offensiveness:

HUMOUR
A: very funny
OFFENSIVENESS A: verv offensive

B: a bit funny
B: a little offensive

C: not funny
C: not offensiveat all

loke 1
Q: How can you tell when a lawyeris lying?
A : H i s l i p sa r em o v i n g .

loke 7

How do you make a cat go 'woof'?.
Soak it in petrol and throw it on the fire.

foke 2
A womanwas payingfor someitemsin a
- a pint of milk,a packetof bacon,a
supermarket
smallbagof rice and a few vegetables.
The man at
the checkoutsaid,"l betyou'resingle,aren'tyou?"
"Well yes,I am,"the womanreplied."How
did you
you'rereallyveryugly,"replied
know?""Because
the man.

foke B
There was a young man from Calcutta,
Who had the most terrible stutter,
H e s a i d , P a s st h e h - h a m ,
And the 1r-ffjam,
And the b-b-b-b-b-b-butter.

foke 3
HOW TO IMPRESS
A WOMAN
Compliment
her,cuddleher,kissher,caressher,
love her,strokeher,comfort her,protecther,hug
her,wine and dine her,buy giftsfor her,listento

her,respecther,standby her,supporther,go to the
endsof the earthfor her.
HOW TO IMPRESS
A MAN
Arrivenaked... with beer.
foke 4
How do you makea dog drink?
P u ti t i n a l i q u i d i s e r .
foke 5
Q: How do men sorttheirlaundry?
' F i l t h yb u t s t i l lw e a r a b l e . '
A: 'Filthy'and
foke 6
Q: What hasfour legsand eightarms?
A: A pit-bullterrierin a children's
playground.

foke 9
A young man with a wild and multi-coloured
hairstylesits next to an old man on a park bench.
The old man staresat the young man. "What's the
matter,old man?" saysthe young man. "Never done
a n y t h i n gc r a z y i n y o u r l i f e ? "T h e o l d m a n r e p l i e s :
"Yeah. When I was in the Navy, I got really
drunk
one night and had sex with a parrot. I thought you
might be my son."
loke 10
Q: How do you know when you're too fat?
A: When you step on the scalesand it says 'To

be continued.'
foke 11
Q: If your wife comes out of the kitchen to nag you,
what have you done wrong?
A: Made her chain too long.
foke 12
Q : W h y d o l t a l i a nm e n w e a r l o t s o f g o l d c h a i n s
a r o u n dt h e i r n e c k s ?
A: So they know when to stop shaving.

Match the following reactions to the relevantjokes above:
a. Anybody who thinks setting fire to an animal is funny needspsychiatrichelp. They are sick!
b. That's in really bad taste.Peoplewho have a speechimpedimenr can'r help it.
c. I don't think you should joke about people'sappearance.It's not their fault!
d.I don't get it. (I don't understandthe johe.)

Discussion
Did you find any of the jokes offensive or 'sick'? Which, it any?
Who would be offended by the jokes above? Consider each one with a partner.
Are there any categories of jokes that you would describe as offensive that were not included above?

Taboosand /ssues

Pol iticaIly incorrectjoke s


-

||
I

L

a

Tabooconversationtopics

f,

I

I

{
il
I

Discussion

1l

s

Work in pairs. Discussthese questions:

I

When you fill in a form, are you h"ppy to give this information:
Yottr age?
Your mdrital statusl
Your income?

Are there any other questionsyou don't like answering?

t
t
il
4

{
I

f

Reading

.t'l

ril

Readthrough the four conversationsbelow.Who are the peopleand what is the situation?

;
t

Conversation 1
A: Your blood pressureis absolutelyfine. Have
you beeneatingnormally?
B: Oh yes.The sameas normal.
A: And do you take any regularexercise?
B: Yes,I play squashtwice a week.
A: Mm. Tell me, how much do you weigh?

B: About 68 kilos.
t

Gonversation2
A:
B:
A:
B:

Ia

'We've
just moved in
Hello, I'm Jean Walker.
nert door.
Paul Burton. Pleasedto meet you. Do you
work locally?
Yes, I'm a solicitor with a firm on the High
Street.
A solicitor.That's a good job. How much do
you eirrn?

I

u

I
I
f

d

a

Conversation3
A:
B:
A:
B:

Hello. I'rn looking for a white tennis shirt.
OK. Tennisshirtsare over here.
As you can see,I'll need a fairly large srze.
Yes, I c:rn seethat. How much do you weigh,
if you don't mind me asking?
Conversation4
A: Gareth,you will be delightedto hear that we
wor-rldlike to offer you the job.
B: Great! Thank you very much.
A: \7e need tc'rtalk a bit about salaries.
B: Right, yes,of course.
A: Rernindme, how much do you earn at the
moment?
B: About {35,000 a year.
A: Yes,well, we won't be able to give you more
than that initirrlly, but we shor-rldbe able t<;
match it.
Tabooconversationtopics

a

J
a

"Good

morning. I'd like to talk
to you ahout the Bible."

a
J

-

Discussion

I

1.In each dialogue there is a personal question.
Decide if the question is appropriate to the
situation and the speakers. lf it is not
appropriate,why isn't it?
2. The questionsin conversations2 and 3 do not
have answers.How do you think the speaker
should reply in these situations?
3. Have you ever been asked an inappropriate
question? When and who by? How did you
respond? Have you ever asked an inappropriate
question by accident?What happened?
Taboosand /ssues

-1
I
J

d
a

I
T

t
t

I

!

;
a

2

l


Ir

i=

Language

i-

Mark the expressions below in the following way:
if they are polite ways of asking personal questions
O
R
if they are ways of responding to personal questions

E
F.!
Er
h

t-r
I

:i.r

EI
l-

=f..i

tsl
F-

-

ET

-l

-rEI

l.l hope you don't mind me asking,but ...
2 . I ' d r a t h e rn o t a n s w e rt h a t ( i f y o u d o n ' t m i n d ) .
1

'

l

J. t Know this is a bit nosey,but ...
4 . M i n d v ( ) r r ro w n b u s i n e s s !
5. wliv do you ask?
6. Can I ask you a personalquestion?
7. That's rrrther il personalquestion.
8 . I k n o w t h i s i s a b i t p e r s o n a l b, u t . . .
9. I'm afraid thert'sreally none of your business.

Discussion
Look at the questionsbelow.Decidewho has the right to ask you these questions.lt may be a particular
person, for example, a doctor, a priest, a police officer, a partner/lover.lt might be anybody or it might
be nobody. Write anyone. a particular person or no one next to each question.

-

How old are you?

Have you ever taken drugs?

E

How much do you weigh?

Are you planning to start a family?

How tall are you?

Who did you vote for at the last election?

How much do you earn?

Have you got a criminal record?

Have you got a boy/girlfriend?

Are you gay?

Are you a virgin?

How much was your CD-player?

Are you married?

\fhat religion are you?

\rVereyour parentsmarried?

How do you feel about abortion?

U
E'
-l

-

Ei
-q
rla

EI
rE

-

Work in pairs.Ask your partnerthe questions.Use the expressionsin the Languagework to help you
ask and answerthe questions.

II

-

-a
E
rla

--a

Your best friend

Gouldyou say these things to your best friend?
Your breirthis terrible.

I think you've had enoughto drink.

You smell nice. What is it?

You look silly in that shirt.

You need a haircut.

I think you should ring and apologise.

Your boy/girlfriend'sgot nice legs.

If you want to smoke, do it outside.

I wish you'd learn how to make coffee.

zrp)
Your fly is undone. (fly = 11611.er

E

-

-a

ET

-

Et
F'

-

Could you say the same things to your teacheror your boss?
Do you have a friend you can say anything to?
Are you a tactful person or are you more blunt and direct?
Do you think being direct is a good or a bad thing?

-l

td
I

I

I

F--

II
I

|!

Taboos
and/ssues

Tabooconversation
topics

4


It shouldbe banned!
Discussion
Here is a list of some things which are banned in some countries,but are allowed in others. In pairs or
small groups, discuss whether they are banned in your country and then comparewith others in your
class:
. toplesssunbathing
. smoking insidepublic buildings
. abortion pills
o s m o k i n gm a r i j u a n a
. sellingalcohol on electionday
o parentSsmacking children
lf some or all of the things above are not banned in your country, do you think they should be?
Why / why not?

Reading
Read these articles and answer the questions below each one with a partner:
WOMAN ARRESTEDON RIO BEACH

I'OX HUNT SABOTEURS ARRESTED

A young woman was amestedyesterdaytbr using
only one part of her two-part bikini. Braziliansare
famous fbr their love of the beach,and wear very

s m a l l b i k i n i s b u t t o p l e s s s u n b a t h i n gi s s t i l l n o t
'look the other way'
allowed.Policeusedto have a
policy but localauthoritieshavebegunto enforcethe
controversiallaw which forbids nudity.The woman
"This is Brazil - not
was unrepentant
afterher arrest:
England.not the US. We believein fieedomand we
bclieve in the right to show our bodies. This is
absolutelyricliculous."

Two men and a woman were anestedby police after
pulling a man off his hclrse,causinghim to breakhis
arm.The incidenthappenedas the threetried to stop
a fox-huntgoing aheadin the Sussexcountrysidein
t h c s o u t ho f E n g l a n d .

1. ls this law sensible, in your opinion?
'look the other way' policy?
2. What is meant by a
3. "We believe in the right to show our bodies."
Do you agree with her?

Severalminutes of arguing had precededthe attack
when the small group anived with bells and whistles
"Hunting fbxes is
to confusethe dogs and horses.
murder." screamedone of the group before being led
away by police.

1. Do you feel sympathetic towards the offenders
in this article? Why? Why not?
2. Do you have any animal sports in your country
which you think should be banned?

BAR FINED FOR ALLOWING SMOKING

KU KLUX KLAN RALLY VIOLENCE

Popularbar O'Malley's was fined $1.000on Friday
city order
nightfbr disobeyingthe new SanFrancisct'r
which prohibitssmokingin any public building.The
owner plans to appeal against the fine before a
"l
hearingthis afiernoon. tell you. even if the fine
stays.there'sno way I'm going to make my loyal
customersgo outsidein the cold to smoke."he said
yesterday.His customers have of'fbred a lot of
support.
"Has
the world gone mad'?This is a barl It's a place
"l
fbr vices." said one regular. can't drink without
smokingl"

Four members of the Ku Klux Klan brotherhood
were beaten up at a public rally in which KKK
"a cry fbr white freedom."
memberswere calling for

1. What do you think about this law?
2. What do you think the bar owner should do?
3. What was one customer's justification for
smoking in the bar? Do you agree?
It shouldbanned!

Tempers began to flare when the Klan members,
in traditionalwhite robes,begantheir march
clressed
t h r o u g h a p r e d o m i n a n t l yb l a c k n e i g h b o u r h o o d
"White power!" Locals took to the streets
shouting
and showedtheir opposition.some using violence.
Four men were anestedby the police.
"We are a peaceful organisationwith the right to
"It's not our
speakour minds," said one Klansman.
fault thesepeopleare animals."
1. Do you sympathise with the offenders?
'the right
2. The man from the KKK said they had
to speak our minds'. Do you agree?
3. Should groups like the KKK be banned?
Taboosand /ssues


Language
Use the correct form of these verbs to complete
the texts below:

stgn

go on

protest dgatnst

I (1) . .
. . . a protestmarch
tomorrow with Greenpeaceto (2)
. . . . the JapaneseGovernment's
policy on whaling. \7e are trying ro ger 5,000
p e o p l e t o( 3 ) .
...a petirion,whichwe
plan to hand in to the JapaneseEmbassy.This is
something I feel very strongly about.

urSe
ban

boycott
carry out
I belongto an organisationthat (4)
against animals being used ro test cosmetics.We
(5) . . .
politiciansand consumergroups
and (6)
. . the generalpublic to (7) .
c o m p a n i e s t h a(t8 )
.... experimentson
animals. Our aim eventually is for the

governmentto (9)
. . . all forms of animal
exploitation in the cosmeticsindustry.
cdmpatgn
lctbby

Discussion
Have you ever been on a protest march? What for?
Have you ever signed a petition? What for?
Have you ever boycotted a company or its products? Which ones? Why?
Do you think any of these actions make a difference?Which one is the most effective?

Newspaperlanguage
Certain words are found almost exclusively in newspapers, particularly in headlines. Match the
meaningson the right with the underlinedwords in the headlinesbelow:
I. POLICE OIJIZ ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP

a. attempt

2. NUDISTS SEEK MORE SUPPORT

b. fight

3. MINISTER BACKS CANNABIS PLANS

c. interview

4. FASCISTPARTY IN POWER BID

d. supports

.5. NEW CALLS TO HALT FUR TRADE

e. demand

6. POLICE AND DEMONSTRATORS CLASH IN CAPITAL

f. stop

7. BOXING BAN PLEA

g. obstruct

8. GREENPEACEFOIL WHALERS

h. look for

Discussion
In small groups, decide whether any of the things below should be banned.Try to persuadethe others
in your group. Then take a vote for each one.

Iaboos and /ssues

bullfighting

g e n e t i c a l l ym o d i f i e d( G M )f o o d

f o x - hu n t i n g

h u m a nc l o n i n g

cockfighting

alcohol

f i s hi n g

cigarettes

whale-hunting

marijuana

shooting

prostitution

gunclubs

pornography

m i l i t a r ys e r v i c e

boxing

n u c l e a rt e s t i n g

soapoperas

b a l l r o o md a n c i n g

passports

It should be banned!


Not my type
Discussion
L How important is it for you to have a partner who is physicallyattractive?
2. Could you fall in love with someonewho was physicallyunattractive?
3. Have you ever beenout with someonewho had a disgusting/ embarrassinghabit?

Reading
Here are two letters to the 'problem page' of a magazine.As you read them, think about this question:
Hdt,e J,tttteuer nlet on),onewith the same or similar'prrtblems'?
Dear Betty,

Dear Bettv.
l've met thiswonderfulwoman.She's
, arming
t a l l ,b e a u t i f u il n
, t e l l i g e nct h
a man couldever
nearlyeverything
want.There'sonly one problem.Every
time shetriesto kissme I feel like
b e i n gs i c k !
thing
At firstI thoughtit was a passing
- that maybeshejust neededto brush

herteethmore.Now I realisethatthis
mustbe somekind of permanent
c o n d i t i o nW
. h a td o I d o n o w ?| c a n ' t
g o o n h o l d i n gm y b r e a t h( a sl ' m d o i n g
now)everytime sheleansoverto kiss
me. lt'sgettingto the pointwhereI
don'tevenlook in her directionwhen
shetalksto me! Thisis not your
kind of smellaveragemorning-breath
t h i si s m o r el i k es o m e t h i nhsa sd i e d
i n s i d eh e r !
W h a ts h o u l dI d o ?
Thomas

I have one of the most thoughtful,kind,
consideratemen on the planet but he
h a st h i s r e a l l yd i s g u s t i n gh a b i tt h a t I
can't standand I can't decide how to
tellhim.
B a s i c a l l yt ,h e p r o b l e m i s h e p i c k s h i s
n o s e .I d o n ' t m i n d s o m u c h w h e n w e ' r e
at home, alone, but when we're in
public, in a nice restaurant,or worse/ at
e hen we/rehaving
m y p a r e n t s ' h o u sw
just
want to disappear.He
dinner, I
s t a r t sd i g g i n gi n a n d p u l l i n gt h i n g so u t

and throwing them on the floor, or
even worse, puttingthem in his pocket!
And then afterwardswhen he wants to
hold my hand or touch my face I avoid
his advances- and of coursehe gets
upset.
I want to tell him about it becauseI
don't think he realisesthat he does it,
sim and I
b u t l ' m a f r a i dl ' l l e m b a r r a s h
d o n ' t w a n t t o l o s eh i m . I m e a n , I d o n ' t
w a n t t o s o u n dl i k e l ' m h i s m o t h e r .
P l e a s eh e l p .
Emily

Discussion
Discussthe following with a partner:
that tell you how bad Thomas'sgirlfriend'sbreath is.
1. Find words and expressions
2. Did anything in the two lettersmake you laugh?
3. Which problem above did you think was worse?
4. What would you do in Thomas'sor Emily's situation?
6

Not my type

Taboosand /ssues


Sex for sale

Discussion
1. Match the words on the left with the definitions on the right:
l. a prostitute
a. someonepaid ro go out socially with other people
2. a pimp
b. a house where men pay to have sex with prostitutes
3 . a r e d - l i g h rd i s r r i c r
c. a person who agreesto have sex in return for money
4. a brothel
d. part of a town where there are many prostitures
-5. a kerb-crawler
e. a man who controls prostitutesand lives off their earnings
6. an escort
f. a man who drives slowly along a road looking for a se"ual liaison
ls prostitution a problem where you live? ls there a red-light district in your town?
Readthe informationin the box and discuss the questionsin pairs or small groups:
At present,in Britain, a woman who
sells sex on her own in a single
property is not breaking the law.
However, it is illegal for a prostitute
to work, or to ask for work. in a
public place. If two or more women
sell sex in a single property, it is
technicallya brothel, which is illegal.

o What is the law in your country?
. Do you think it is too strict, too lenientor about
r:ight?\fhy?
o How would you feel if you found our rhar a close
friend or a member of your family was working as

a prostitute?

Shouldwe legalisebrothels?
Read the two articles to see if these statements are correct:
1.The police officer would like to have srricterlaws on prostitution.
2. The local councillorwould like to relax the laws on prostitution.
"lt's ridiculous
to try and eliminate a practice
w h i c h h a s b e e n g o i n g o n s i n c e t h e b e g i n n i n go f
c i v i l i s a t i o n .T h e r e a l w a y s h a s b e e n , a n d a r w a y s
w i l l b e , a d e m a n d f o r p r o s t i t u t e sy. o u c a n , t s t o p r t
b y m a k i n g i t i l l e g a l .T h e p r o b l e m s w e h a v e a r e
b e c a u s ep r o s t i t u t i o ni s n o t r e g u l a t e d T
. he women
i n v o l v e da r e a t r i s ko f b o t h p h y s i c a la n d e m o t i o n a l
a b u s ef r o m t h e p i m p s w h o , e m p l o y , t h e m .T h e i r
w o r k i n g c o n d i t i o n sa r e o f t e n p o o r a n d t h e r e a r e
c o n s i d e r a b l eh e a l t h r i s k s .L e g a l i s i n gi t w o u l d g i v e
women more control over their lives _ their
h e a l t h , t h e i r s a f e t y a n d t h e i r f i n a n c e s .F r o m t h e
police point of view, it would also mean ress
o b v i o u s p r o s t i t u t i o no n t h e s t r e e t sa n d a r e d u c t i o n
i n r e l a t e dc r i m e s u c h a s d r u g d e a l i n g .T h e c u r r e n t
Iaws are contpletely impractical.lt,s time thev
were changed."
Helen Maddocks, senior police officer

"This

i s n o t a p r a c t i c a li s s u ea t a l l , i t ' s a m o r a t o n e

a n d l ' m d e a d a g a i n s ta n y c h a n g ei n t h e l a w . I n f a c t ,
I think the laws should be tougher.I agree we
s h o u l d b e c o n c e r n e da b o u t t h e h e a l t ha n d s a f e t yo f
the women, but the plain fact is, sexfor money is
wrong. Sex should not be for sale.The laws we
h a v ea r e n o t j u s t f o r s t a t i n gw h a t i s a l l o w e d a n d n o t
allowed, but also to show us what is good and
w h a t i s b a d . L e g a l i s i n gp r o s t i t u t i o n c r e a t e s t h e
i m p r e s s i o nt h a t i t i s a g o o d t h i n g . l t ' s a s i g n o f g r e a t
m o r a l w e a k n e s si n o u r s o c i e t y .P r o s t i t u t i o nm a y D e
t h e ' o l d e s t p r o f e s s i o n ' ,b u t t h a t d o e s n ' t m e a n t r
s h o u l d b e e n c o u r a g e dt o c o n t i n u e . "
Janet Boyce, local government councillor

Spend two minutesthinking about these questions,then discuss them with a partner:
l.Which argumentis closerto your own opinion?Underlinethe statementsyou agree
with.
2. Are you surprisedat the police officer's attitude? why? / \7hy not?
3. Do you agreethat prostitutionis a 'sign of great moral weaknessin our society'?
7

Sexfor sale

Taboosand /ssues


Language1

Language2

Look at this extract from the text:

Divide these expressions with /aw into three
groups:
1. What the governmentor the police do.
2. What offenders or criminals do.
3. What good citizens do.

This is not a practical issueat all,
it's a tnoral one.
Discuss with a partner. ls prostitution:
a practicalissueor a moral issue?
a complicatedissueor a straightforwardissue?
l n i m o o r t i - r ni ts s u eo r r n o n - i s s u e ?
Which verb does not collocate with issue.'

avoid
complicate
address
discuss

I
I
I
I

a. tighten the law
b. break the law
c. defy the law
d. obey the law

e. observethe law
f. relax the law

the issue

do
tackle
resolve

g. comply with the law
h. enforce the law

Which issues is your government addressing at
the moment? Which issues is it avoiding? Which
issues do you want your government to tackle?

i. ignore the law
j. abide by the law
k. changethe law
l. disobeythe law

Discussion
What would you say in reply to these people? Discuss with a partner.

I can earn {,1000 a week as
'lbat's
d prostitute.
about
four times ds much as I
would get doing a different

iob. So why should I stop?

Lots of girls are fctrcedinto
prostittttion. Often they are
illegal imnrigrants. They can't
go to the police becausethey
dre not in the atuntry legally.

"I believe that sex is one of the
most beautiful, natural,
wholesome things that
money can buy."
Steue Martin, actor

Prostitution is a problem
causedby men. There aren't
any prostitutes for women.
It's men who credtethe
problem dnd men wbo mdke
tbe laws.

Taboosand /ssues

I don't belieuetbdt sleeping
with a prostitute is being
unfaithful to my uife. lt's
only sex- nothing else.
Marriage is abont loue.

lf someone wants to accept

my money to haue sex with
me, what's thc prohlem?
It's their life and tbeir
body. It's my money and
it's none of your business!

It's the only way dirty old
m e n c d n g e t s c x ,P r o s t i l u l i o t r
is for sad, sad 1teo1tle.Tbe
women are sdd and the men
dre euen sadder. I'd ban it!

Sex for sa/e


Swearing
"When angry, count to a hundred; when very angry, swear."
Mark Twctin

Discussion

What would you say?

Work in pairs and compare your answers to the
following questions:

Would you swear in the following situations?What
would you say?

1. How oftcn do you swear?

2. What swearwords do you use most often?
3. Are there irny swear words you would never
u s e ?W h y ?
4.In what situationswould you try to avoid
swearing?
-5.Are you ever offended,upsetor annoyedwhen
other peopleswear?

1. You take some milk out of the fridge, but
drop it on the floor.
2. You are carrying two pints of beer in a bar.
Someonebumps into you and you spill the beer
down your trousers.
3. You miss the bus to work by a few seconds.
4. Somebodydrivesinto the back of your brand
new car.
5. Your ohone bill is double the normal amount.

Reading
Read the articles below. Tick (/) the true sentences.
l. Marth:r Johnsonwas sackedfrom her job.
2. Mr Slaterfeelsthat he has to swear at work.
3.lohn Ashford was arrestedfor swearing.
4. He is going to jail for 90 days.

PARTOF HIS PERSONATITY
A salesexecutive has taken her
ex-bossto an industrialcourt
c l a i m i n gt h a t h i s s w e a r i n gf o r c e d
her to quit her job. For over six

m o n t h sM a r t h aJ o h n s o n 4, 3 , p u t
u p w i t h t h e f o u l l a n g u a g eo f J a c k
S l a t e r ,m a n a g i n g d i r e c t o r o f a
transport company, and his
deputy, Darren Wiggins. Both
m e n s w e a rc o n t i n u a l l yt,h e c o u r t
wastold.

something about the awful
language.At leastnow I am in a
place where peopleshow respect
for each other."

Mr Slatertold the court that bad
language was part of his
p e r s o n a l i t ya n d a l s o c o m m o n i n
t h e t r a n s p o r tb u s i n e s s ." l c a n ' t
s t o p s w e a r i n g , "h e s a i d ." l ' m t h e
fucking boss.My workers would
all think I was fucking soft if I
Y e s t e r d a y M s J o h n s o n o f stoppedswearing."
W o r t hi n g , S u s s e x , w h o h a s D u r i n gt h e h e a r i n gt h e j u d g e h a d
r e c e n t l yt a k e nu p a n e w j o b , s a i d : to warn Mr Slater severaltimes
" l h a d a r e a l l yw o n d e r f u jl o b w i t h a b o u t h i s l a n g u a g e .T h e c a s e
t h e c o m p a n yb u t I j u s t h a d t o d o continuestomorrow.

A BIG SPLASH
T h e b a d l a n g u a g eu s e d b y J o h n
Ashford as he fell out of his
sailing boat into a river in

M i c h i g a nh a s l a n d e dh i m i n b i g
trouble. He appeared in court
'1OO-year-old
state
for breaking a
law which forbids swearing in
front of women and children.
F a m i l i e sw e r e p i c n i c k i n gn e a r b y
w h e n t h e a c c i d e n th a p p e n e d .
His defence team argued that
standards over the years have
changed and that it is now
p e r f e c t l ya c c e p t a b l et o s w e a r i n
e x t r e m e c i r c u m s t a n c e ss, u c h a s
falling into a river.
Mr Ashford, who faces up to 90
d a y s i n j a i l a n d a $ 1 0 0 f i n e ,w a s
caught by two sheriff'sdeputies.
T h e y w e r e f i s h i n gf r o m t h e s i d e
of the riverwhen he fell in.

Discussion
Work in pairs or small groups. Discuss these questions about the texts above.
Do yolr think Martha Johnson was over-reacting?If so, what do you think she should have done?
Do you think Mr Ashford should be in court? If not, what do you think should have happened?
8

Swearing

Taboosand /ssues

Language
Look at the sentence below from the second text:
It is now perfectly dcceptdbleto swear in
extreme ctrcumstances.
fn these sentences one of the words in italics is
wrong. Cross it out.
1. Swearingin certainsituationsis completely
una ccep tab Ie/ r u de/ inapp r op r i at e.
2.1 foLrndhis languagedeeply upsetting/
off ensiue/ o bscene/ sh o ckin g.
3. Using that kind of languageis perfectly
acceptable/OK/goodin some situations.
4. Somewords that people use are actually uery

Now make true sentences using some of the
expressions from examples 1 - 4.
1. Most peopleI know find swearing. . . .
2.My mother I father thinks swearing is . . . .
3. There are one or two words which I find . . . .
4. Swearingat someonein a public place is . . . .
5.I think it is . . . . to swearwhen you are really
annoyedabout something.
6.If the Prime Minister swore on TV, I would
findit....
Work in pairs and compare your answers.

funny/rude/terrible.

Discussion
Discuss the statements below. Do you agree or not? Why?
l. Swearingcan lre creafiveand expressive.
2.lt's r-rseful
to be able to swear in English.
3.lt's difficult to know how to use Englishswearwords.
4. You can sound silly if you swearin English.
5. Peoplewho swear a lot are just uneducated.
6. Children should be taught that swearingis wrong.
'JesusChrist'.
7. You can upset people by saying
8. Peopleshouldn'tuse swearwords in the street.

"Er . . . mind if we swear?"

Language

Discussion

The list below shows that swear words vary in
strength. Different people of different ages find
some words more offensive than others. Here is a
rough guide to some of the most common English
swear words and expressions:

Which of the words and expressions opposite
have you used or would you use?
Are you offended when people use religious words
as swear words?
Do you know of anybody who has got into trouble

by swearing?
Most English swear words are connected with sex
or the body. ls this the same in your language?

Weaker

Stronger

Damn!
Blast!
Hell!
Bloody hell!
It was bloody awful!
Crap!
It was really crap!
Bullshit!
He's a real dickhead.

He's a real shit.
Shit!
Pissoff!
Bastard!
Bitch!
Bollocks!
He's a total wanker!
He's a stupid prick.
He's an arsehole!

Taboo-strength:Fuck off!
Religiousswear words can offend much more than

words connected with sex, body parts or bodily
functions. Using God, Jesus Christ or Christ
Almighty will greatly offend some people.
Taboosand/ssues

Avoidingswearwords
Native speakers often avoid swearing by using
other similar-soundingwords. What do you think
the following examplesavoid?
1. He told me to F off!
2.It's flipping cold, isn't it?
3. Not bleedinglikely!
4. Oh, sugar!
5. P off!
6. He's a real B!
Swearing