Додатковий матеріал

English Reading Practice

1.In this video YouTubers and Twitch streamers share some really useful advice about how to stay safe on the internet. Watch and listen carefully so you keep safe and enjoy your time online. -https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/study-break/video-zone/youtubers-twitch-streamers-share-tips-safer-internet-day 

2.Safer Internet Day is in February every year. Check out this music video showing us how to stay safe online.

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/study-break/video-zone/safer-internet-day-song-surf

1.Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises to check your understanding.
 Preparation: Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–h next to the numbers 1–8.
 1…….. a divide
 2…….. to make up
 3…….. universal
 4…….. abstract
5…….. frustrated
 6…….. vague
 7…….. a network
 8…….. versus (vs.)
a. compared with, against
 b. a big system consisting of many parts that are connected together
c. to make a big thing or number from smaller things or numbers
d. annoyed or upset because you cannot achieve what you want
 e. something that exists as an idea, not a real thing you can see and touch
 f. a difference or separation
 g. not very clear or detailed
 h. existing everywhere and for everyone 

If you’re reading this, you’re using a piece of technology that’s celebrating its 30th birthday. It’s an invention that changed the world, but which invention do you think we’re talking about? The internet? The World Wide Web? If you thought they were both the same thing, then keep reading …

The internet vs. the World Wide Web

The internet and the web are not exactly the same thing, then? No, actually. The internet has been around since the early 1970s – twenty years longer than the web. It is basically a huge network made up of smaller networks of computers. The World Wide Web is built on top of the internet. It’s a way of sharing information in the form of webpages, using a kind of computer language called HTTP. That’s why URLs often start http://www – because http is the language and www means World Wide Web. By the way, no one knows why web addresses use //. Even the web’s inventor, Tim Berners-Lee, says these ‘forward slashes’ are not really necessary and if he could go back in time thirty years and invent the World Wide Web again, he would take them out.

The beginning of the World Wide Web

In 1989, when British scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the web, he was working at CERN in Switzerland. They had computers, of course, and email already existed (Queen Elizabeth II sent an email in 1976). The idea of domain names – web addresses showing the name of the organisation they belong to (like ‘britishcouncil.org’) – also existed. They used hypertext to jump from one document to another, but none of these things worked together so they weren’t very useful.

Berners-Lee was frustrated at CERN because all the scientists had different kinds of computers that couldn’t ‘speak’ to each other. If you wanted information you had to remember exactly which computer that information was on and know how to use the specific programs for that computer. Berners-Lee had an idea for an ‘imaginary information system which everyone can read’. He wrote a report that suggested a way of putting the internet, domain names and hypertext together into one system. His idea was so abstract that his boss called it ‘vague but exciting’. Two years later, in 1991, the world’s first website was built at CERN, http://info.cern.ch (the site you can see now is a copy made in 1992).

The digital divide

Today, thirty years later, that idea is no longer vague and is part of many people’s everyday reality. The web connects about 55 per cent of the world’s population to the rest of the world via the internet. But because only half the world is connected, there is a ‘digital divide’ between communities with regular internet access and those without. In North America, 95 per cent of people have internet access and so do 85 per cent of Europeans. Compare this with Asia, where only half the population has internet access, and Africa, at 36 per cent. In some of the least developed countries, young people are three times more likely to be online than older adults.

The United Nations says the world’s least developed countries will have universal internet access by 2020. They expect to achieve this with the help of low-cost mobile phone services which include internet. This is the key to ending the digital divide. When the web is available to everyone, just like Tim Berners-Lee imagined, people everywhere can enjoy the social, educational and economic advantages it brings.

This article is part of Anyone//Anywhere: the web at 30, a year-long programme of projects and partnerships looking at the impact of the World Wide Web on our lives. Find out more here: https://www.britishcouncil.org/anyone-anywhere

1. Check your understanding: true or false 

 1. HTTP is the computer program that makes the web possible.

 2. The Queen of England sent the first-ever email. 

 3. Tim Berners-Lee thinks his invention is as close to perfect as it can be.

 4. Tim Berners-Lee had to invent hypertext before he could invent the World Wide Web.

  5. He created the web because scientists at CERN didn’t like to talk to each other to share ideas.

 6. Berners-Lee’s boss wasn’t completely positive about the idea of the web.

 7. You can no longer visit the first-ever webpage.

  8. The UN and Tim Berners-Lee share a similar plan for the World Wide Web. 

2. Check your understanding: matching Match the two halves of the sentences and write a–f next to the numbers 1–6.

1…….. The internet and the web are 

2…….. The idea for the internet

3…….. The problem at CERN was

4…….. The first webpage

5…….. Forty-five per cent of

6…….. The United Nations is aiming for

a. was developed in the 1970s.

b. not exactly the same thing.

c. universal internet access by 2020.

d. that information was not easy to access.

e. was published in 1991.

  f. the world does not have internet access.

Human Rights:

https://www.really-learn-english.com/english-reading-practice-article-02.html

Moral Stories:

https://www.really-learn-english.com/english-reading-practice-article-moral-stories-1.html

1.The Environment - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa7ntoCf8yU

2. First Conditional . The Environment . Learn English - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-igqJwYGhuU

3 Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, to enjoy a better life | Educational Video for Kids - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OasbYWF4_S8 - 

Health

#1  - English Made Easy: Intro Unit 12 Health Problems - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdzlLuPYzxc

#2 - Health Problems - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm1KKcgQ7DM&index=7&list=PLCL2kfv2Y29AJACqBQof4y4oZJ1dXzqx2

#3 Health Problems and solutions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBk2haPR0_s&index=9&list=PLCL2kfv2Y29AJACqBQof4y4oZJ1dXzqx2

#4 At the Doctor's - Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk1L0m67pfU&list=PLCL2kfv2Y29AJACqBQof4y4oZJ1dXzqx2&index=5

Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzsKpmYLM6g&index=6&list=PLCL2kfv2Y29AJACqBQof4y4oZJ1dXzqx2

#5- Learn First Aid Vocabulary in English – It could save your life! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q62UwEPPnrg

#6 - Learn MEDICAL Vocabulary in English - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW22_OnpS5Y

TRANSCRIPT
Hi again. Welcome back to www.engvid.com. I'm Adam. Today's lesson is a bit more practical, especially if you're going to be going to travel in an English-speaking country, you might want to know some of these words. We're going to look at some medical vocabulary, and to talk about the issues that you're facing. Okay? First of all, let's break down the medical vocabulary to three sections. We have injuries, we have illnesses, we have diseases. Okay? First thing to understand, an injury is always about the physical body. Okay? It's bones, it's tissues, it's skin, it's all these things. Illness is inside the body, but it's usually shorter. Okay? It doesn't last a long time, and you can usually get rid of it; you can fix it somehow. Diseases, on the other hand, they're also inside, but they take a long time and quite often they can kill you. Okay? Some diseases, nothing you can do about them; there's no cure for them. But some diseases, you can treat. Okay? We'll talk about that as well. You can treat them, but there's no cure necessarily. So, let's start with injury. An injury to your physical body can come in different forms. All of these are called "wound", "wound", it sounds like an "oo" sound. "Wound". Okay? A wound is when you do something to physically harm your body. A "burn". If you touch the stove... You're pulling out bread from the oven, you touch it. Or the stove, you're cooking something and you touch the hot plate, you will burn your hand. Okay? So, if you burn your hand, it'll stink a little bit, it will hurt a lot, but you can put some lotion on it, take care of it. A "break". Now, if you go skiing and by accident you fall down, you can break your leg. Or if you go bicycling, like off-road, like trail biking, you fall down, you break your leg, break your arm, break something. Like: "crack", a bone inside somewhere broke. But you could also fall and "sprain" something. A sprain means like almost a break. Like, for example, you fall down on your ankle... You can't see my ankle. It's down there, but I'm like twisting it. If I fall down on it, I won't break my bone, but it will get all swollen. Okay? It'll puff up. It'll be blue and black, and very, very painful. And maybe I won't be able to walk on it, but I didn't break anything. Okay? So, these are examples of injuries. Next, we have illness. Now, everybody gets ill at some time. If you say "sickness", it means the same thing. Sickness/illness, exactly the same thing. You can get a "cold". [Coughs] And sneezing, and coughing, and whatever. You can get a "flu" will usually be with a... Usually comes with a fever. Many of you know "influenza", so we just say "flu" for short. Okay? This is not very fun. You sit in bed for a few days, but eventually it goes away, hopefully. And we always... We often talk about a "bug". Now, when we talk about a bug, we're talking usually about a virus. So we say: "There's a bug going around." So during certain times of the year, you'll get on the bus and somebody on the bus is sick or somebody coughed and then grabbed onto the handle. Then you come on the bus, you grab the handle. The bug comes inside you, and then the next day you're ill. You have a flu. You have a cold. You have something. So we say there's a bug going around. Next, we have a disease. Now, a disease is a very harsh thing. Okay? There is mental diseases, there is physical diseases. Something that is "chronic" means that it continues for a long time; it doesn't go away. Like even if I have-[coughs]-a chronic cough, it means I'm always coughing; it doesn't go away. Then, if you get tested and you find out that, for example, you had a tumour let's say. You had something growing inside you, you think maybe it's cancer, you go get it tested and then you find out it's "benign". It means it's not dangerous. It's not going to do anything to you. It won't develop into the disease. But then there are some diseases that are "terminal". "Terminal" means end. So, basically, if you have a terminal disease, you're going to die. Okay? Sad, but true. That's how it works. Cancer is a terminal disease in most cases. In some cases, it goes away for a little while, but it can come back. But if you have a terminal disease, you're probably going to pass away. Now, we "heal" injuries. Okay? You go to a doctor, you go to the hospital, they do something, they fix your arm. Then eventually, after a little bit of time, your broken arm, your broken bone heals.

Health

People nowadays are more health-conscious than they used to be. They understand that good health is above wealth.

To be healthy we should avoid different bad habits that can affect our health. In my opinion, smoking and drinking too much alcohol, are the worst ones. It's common knowledge that smoking and drinking can shorten our lives dramatically. Smoking, for example, causes a number of heart and lung diseases, such as pneumonia, emphysema and cancer. Besides, it makes your teeth yellow and skin unhealthy. Fortunately, in recent years smoking has received a lot of bad publicity, and fewer people smoke nowadays. Some companies don't employ people who are smokers. Smoking has been banned in most public places because everyone agrees it does harm to our health. I don't smoke, because I don't want to have unhealthy skin and teeth and die young.

Smoking and drinking are joined by less dangerous habits, such as skipping meals, eating unhealthy food, or even overeating. Of course, they are not quite as deadly as smoking or drinking alcohol, but they also affect our health.

If we eat too much, we'll become obese, and obesity leads to serious health problems. A lot of people like drinking coca cola and coffee, and enjoy pizzas and hamburgers. But what is tasty is not always healthy. Fast food makes you fat, that's why Americans are the fattest people in the world.

In recent years eating habits have undergone a change. People are encouraged to eat less fat and more fibre. Fat is believed to be one of the major causes of obesity and heart disease. High fibre and low fat foods can now be found in all shops and supermarkets. Salads, beans, and fruit have taken the place of steak and ice cream. The fashion for health food is growing all the time.

Many people feel they are too fat, even if their doctors disagree. And a lot of people try to improve their fitness. There are a lot of ways to lose weight and avoid gaining it. Perhaps the most popular of them is following a diet. If you want to lose weight, you should cut out snacks and desserts, and cut down on fat. People have also become more aware of calories, the energy value of food. Some people count the number of calories they eat every day; so that they can try to take in fewer calories and lose weight. This is called a calorie-controlled diet. Manufacturers are increasingly producing special foods with fewer calories for slimmers.

But excessive dieting may be dangerous, too. Some people refuse to eat meat as they consider it harmful. They say a vegetarian diet reduces the risk of cancer and vegetarians live longer than others. I can't agree with them, because meat is an excellent source of good nutrition. In my opinion, it's wrong to put down a food simply because excessive amounts can cause health problems. Consumed in moderate amounts, meat is perfectly good for our health.

To my mind, the only way to stay healthy and to keep fit is by going in for sports. Among the benefits of regular exercise are a healthier heart, stronger bones, quicker reaction times and more resistance to various illnesses. Besides, you can eat and drink as much as you want because you are burning it all off.

To be healthy, it is also very important to spend a lot of time in the open air. It is useful to go for a walk before going to bed, or to air the room.

I think it is very important to be fit and healthy, and it is necessary to take care of your health. Being fat, in fact, can cause real problems. It is harder for fat people to get a good job, or even to make friends. If you want to do well, you must be thin. That's why I go in for sports on a regular basis. I have been doing aerobics for three years and I feel great. I am not enthusiastic about strict dieting, but I try to eat only low-fat food, and fruit and vegetables which are rich in vitamins.

Personally I believe that regularity in life promotes our health. Sleeping eight or nine hours, getting up early, regular meals, a healthy diet and going in for sports is really a good way to live.

https://www.warchildholland.org/sites/default/files/deals_download/5-manual_conflict_and_peace_def_kopie.pdf

 WHAT IS CONFLICT? Is conflict good or bad? When is it good, when is it bad? Can we always prevent a conflict from happening? Should we always prevent it? 

 Conflict is a natural part of life. It is very difficult to always prevent conflict. Most people have a very negative view of conflict. They feel it provokes anger and causes fights. Some people think it is a waste of time. In reality, conflict does not always have to be a negative experience; it depends on how people manage and solve them. You can learn a lot from a conflict situation. Sometimes conflict is even needed to ‘clear the air’ and move forward. 

We often associate the word ‘conflict’ with large-scale armed clashes: war, rebels, and fighting. However, conflicts can also occur on a smaller scale, for example quarrels with friends, parents, or teachers. Conflicts may even exist within yourself. This module addresses these smaller conflicts and helps us find ways to deal with them peacefully. Conflict is a disagreement that makes the people involved feel like their needs, interests, or concerns are under threat. Peace is the absence of violence and a state of harmony within and between people or groups. 

 CONFLICT AS A PART OF LIFE Conflict is a natural part of human existence. People have different values, opinions and interests that can clash from time to time. If you deal with those clashes constructively, conflict can be a positive dynamic – a force of change for the better. Peace is not only the absence of war or armed violence. Even in times of peace people can still be marginalised, exploited and discriminated against. This is called ‘negative peace’. ‘Positive peace’ is different. During ‘positive peace’, social relationships, structures and cultures enhance the capacity of human beings. When there is positive peace, groups and institutions manage conflicts non-violently and constructively. We cannot avoid conflicts altogether. We need to deal with them as they arise. People will naturally disagree on some things – that’s normal. The challenge is to find constructive solutions for them, leading to positive peace. 

 CONFLICT ANALYSIS Social conflicts are complex. They involve many actors in processes that are usually complicated. Sometimes conflicts escalate in intensity and violence; other times they quiet down. Then, again, they may fall back into violence, before taking a new step towards peace. We can analyse the cause and factors that contribute to a conflict to help us find the best way to contribute to peacefully resolving it. 

 LEVELS OF CONFLICT Broadly speaking, we can distinguish four levels of conflict: The four different levels of conflict: • Intrapersonal: a conflict between thoughts, ideas, and emotions within an individual. 

• Interpersonal: a conflict between two or more individuals. 

• Intragroup: a conflict within a group, such as sports team, family, community or class.

 • Intergroup: a conflict between groups such as communities, gangs, or ethnic groups. 

• What are the causes of the conflict? • What are the different ways people perceive the conflict?

Resolving a conflict requires the following stages: 1. Clarifying the needs 2. Identifying the main issue 3. Generating alternatives 4. Evaluating alternatives 5. Choosing a solution 6 And the following skill

I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER’S NEEDS

I SOMETIMES GET INTO A FIGHT WITH MY BEST FRIEND... BUT WE ALWAYS RESOLVE IT, BY TALKING TO EACH OTHER

• Did you see conflicts? • What type of conflict did you see (intrapersonal, interpersonal, intragroup)? • How did the participants try to solve the conflicts? • How could they have solved the conflicts? 

• What is peace? • What does peace mean to you?

KEY TERMS CAN BE: 

PEACE IS GETTING ALONG WELL TOGETHER. 

PEACE IS SOLVING ARGUMENTS WITHOUT IT BECOMING VIOLENT. 

PEACE IS RESPECTING EACH OTHER AND EACH OTHER’S DIFFERENCES. 

PEACE IS BEING PART OF THE SAME WORLD WITHOUT FIGHTING. 

PEACE IS HAVING ROOM TO GROW AND LEARN SAFELY. 

PEACE IS BEING KIND TO OTHERS. 

PEACE IS IN EVERYONE’S HANDS.

Basic English 1: Elementary - 

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/basic-english-elementary

Basic English 2: Pre-Intermediate - 

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/basic-english-pre-intermediate

English for Academic Study - 

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/english-academic-study

Exploring English: Language and Culture - 

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/explore-english-language-culture

Music

Eurovision Song Contest 2017 - Grand Final - Live - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehH0_UXtQlY

1. Learning English with songs - http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=314

2. A book released this year claims that Americanisms will have completely absorbed the English language by 2120. Hephzibah Anderson takes a look.

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20170904-how-americanisms-are-killing-the-english-language?ocid=fbcul

English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions

An idiom is a phrase where the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words, which can make idioms hard for ESL students and learners to understand. Here, we provide a dictionary of 3,883 English idiomatic expressions with definitions.

List of Idioms by Topic:

https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/

Museums: do you love them or hate them?

Museums: do you love them or hate them?

Museums:Do you like them or hate them?

A trip to a museum is not everyone's cup of tea. Some people love going to museums and poring over all the different artefacts on display. Others absolutely hate it and would far rather stay at home, with an episode of their favourite TV show. Increasingly, museums are being seen as outdated and boring by today's youngsters. 

Museums are typically seen as educational, either to develop knowledge gained at school in particular subjects, or to enhance knowledge of other cultures. Some museums are very interactive, with quizzes and activities to participate in. Others have lots of information, which many people find tiring to read.

I must admit, I am not often enthused by a trip to a museum. Often, there is just too much to take in - too many things to see and too much information to read. However, there are always exceptions. I have just returned to the UK after travelling around Canada and the USA. Whilst there, I visited lots of museums with my boyfriend. Some were fantastic and really interesting; others were less exciting. 

In Chicago, we visited the world-famous Art Institute of Chicago. It was filled with paintings, drawings, sculptures and installations by a huge variety of artists, such as Picasso, Monet, Matisse and Dali. There was a mixture of traditional and modern art, including colourful stained glass windows, tribal art and sculptures and abstract art. I liked seeing the paintings by Monet (who is known for his paintings of water lilies, a flower which grows on ponds) and some of the strange modern art.

When we were in Washington D.C., we visited a few of the Smithsonian museums. These are all free to visit - which is great if you just want to see a few things, and not spend all day inside. The Air and Space museum was particularly good: it had lots of aircrafts and rockets on display, interesting information and also some interactive sections. We also went to the National U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Naturally, it was sad to read about the horrors of this tragedy which affected so many people. However, it was also incredibly interesting to read the stories of those who survived the Holocaust, as well as those who helped others.

I also enjoyed visiting the Old Fire Station in Philadelphia. Inside there were old fire engines - which looked like horse-drawn carriages! - and equipment which they used to use. You could even try on a fireman's uniform! This wasn't a museum which I would have thought of visiting myself, but it was recommended by locals. It turned out to be a really worthwhile visit!

Last but not least, I also found the 9/11 Memorial and Museum to be of great interest. This museum is dedicated to those who lost their lives, as well as their families, when the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked by terrorists in 2001. It tells you how the terrorists planned the attack, how they hijacked the planes, and ultimately what happened as a result of their actions. Surviving pieces of the towers are shown in the museum, alongside damaged fire engines and donated clothing and shoes worn by survivors. It was a truly thought provoking visit, which made me value my own life that little bit more.

I think museums play an important role in preserving artefacts of historical significance for future generations. Whatever your interests, there is likely to be a museum for you. You can visit waxwork museums to see models of your favourite celebrities (and get photos with the Queen!), science museums for a more hands-on, interactive visit and so much more! Best of all, if you're ever in the UK, many of them are free!

Do you like visiting museums? Tell us about a museum you have visited recently. 

Cause & Effect Essay: Natural Disasters and Their Causes

Natural disasters happen all over the world, and they can be utterly devastating for people’s lives and the environments in which they live. Although natural disasters are caused by nature and there is nothing that we can do to prevent them happening, there are many different natural causes that lead to natural disasters, and being aware of these causes enables us to be better prepared when such disasters do arrive.

One common natural disaster is flooding, which occurs when a river bursts its banks and the water spills out onto the floodplain. This is far more likely to happen when there is a great deal of heavy rain, so during very wet periods, flood warnings are often put in place. There are other risk factors for flooding too: steep-sided channels cause fast surface run-off, while a lack of vegetation or woodland to both break the flow of water and drink the water means that there is little to slow the floodwater down. Drainage basins of impermeable rock also cause the water to run faster over the surface.

Earthquakes are another common natural disaster that can cause many fatalities. The movements of the plates in the earth’s crust cause them. These plates do not always move smoothly and can get stuck, causing a build-up of pressure. It is when this pressure is released that an earthquake occurs. In turn, an earthquake under the water can also cause a tsunami, as the quake causes great waves by pushing large volumes of water to the surface.

Tsunamis can also be caused by underwater volcanic eruptions. Volcanic eruptions are another natural disaster, and they are caused by magma escaping from inside the earth. An explosion takes place, releasing the magma from a confined space, which is why there are often also huge quantities of gas and dust released during a volcanic eruption. The magma travels up the inside of the volcano, and pours out over the surrounding area as lava.

One of the most common natural disasters, but also one of the most commonly forgotten, is wildfires. These take place in many different countries all over the world, particularly during the summer months, and can be caused by a range of different things. Some of the things that can start the wildfires can be totally natural, while others can be man - made, but the speed at which they spread is entirely down to nature. The two natural causes of wildfires are the sun’s heat and lightning strikes, while they can also be caused by campfires, smoking, fireworks and many other things. The reasons that they spread so quickly are prolonged hot, dry weather, where the vegetation dries out, which is why they often take place in woodland.

What’s the worst natural disaster in your opinion? 

A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard which leads to financial, environmental or human losses.

‘Floods’ are opposite to ‘droughts’. A drought happens when there has been no rain for a long time. The land becomes too dry and it is impossible to grow any plants.

A ‘drought’ may result in a famine where there is not enough food for people and they start to starve (die from not eating).

A ‘tornado’ (or ‘twister’), is a very large column of wind that spins around quickly.

A ‘hurricane’ (Atlantic Ocean), ‘typhoon’ (Pacific Ocean) or ‘tropical storm’ (Indian Ocean) is an intense thunderstorm which usually occurs in late summer. They result in strong winds and heavy rain.

‘Volcanic eruptions’ send red hot lava flowing. Lava is a type of liquid rock called magma.

‘Earthquakes’ occur when pressure is suddenly released which causes the ground to move and shake violently. If the earth quakes beneath water then the shock wave which reaches beaches and dry land causes huge waves travelling at high speed called ‘tsunamis’.

A ‘landslide’ happens when rocks and earth are water-laden from lots of rain and slide down. This is different to an ‘avalanche’ which is the large movement of snow down a mountain. The snow becomes too loose and slides down, mixing with air and water.

Have you prepared for a natural disaster?

Many countries use early warning systems and school children will ‘drill’ disaster response by climbing under desks, standing in doorways or lying in bathtubs. Most people living in disaster-prone areas will keep non-perishable foods and bottled water.

Are there often natural disasters in your country?

The main problem with natural disasters is the aftermath: the risk of disease from dirty water, the difficulty in getting to sick or injured people and the economic impact of reconstruction and lost capacity; not to mention the death toll!

Today, technology allows us to provide donations and aid to disaster struck regions. Survivors are found by relief workers, rescuers and volunteers.

Can teenagers ever be tamed? Whatever!

There have been countless books and television series on taming teenagers, yet parents seem no nearer to discovering how on earth to get their offspring to pick up their wet bath towels from the bedroom floor, let alone vacuum it occasionally.

It might be a tough pill to swallow, but a new approach to dealing with rude and unruly not-quite-adults is for parents to look at their own behaviour.

"The key to getting teenagers to respect you is to respect them first," says Penny Palmano, who wrote a bestselling book on children's manners last year and has turned her attention to teenagers for her next book, Yes, Please. Whatever!: How to Get the Best Out of Your Teenagers (HarperCollins), which will be published in September. "You can't get away with treating them the same way that you have for the previous 12 years: they have opinions that count. Imagine if you'd spent two hours getting ready to go out for the evening and someone said, 'You're not going out looking like that, are you?' You'd be crushed. You'd never say that to an adult, because it shows a total lack of respect."

Not that she has been a pushover, confirms her 17-year-old son, Sam. "She's caring, and she encourages me and gives me my own space, but she means what she says," he says. "I have friends whose parents view children and adults as completely different species. They seem to think that until you are 21, you don't have opinions that count."

Palmano, who also has a daughter aged 19 and a 16-year-old stepdaughter, has even allowed the children to hold several teenage parties at her home. They passed without a hitch. "I've found that if you have brought them up to do the right thing, and then trust them to do it, usually that trust will be repaid," she says. "I make them sandwiches, buy some beer or wine and leave them to it. But I make it clear that they have to clear up any mess and that I want to come down in the morning and not even know that they've had a party, otherwise they won't be having another one. I've never had a problem; in fact, the kitchen was sometimes cleaner than I'd left it."

She agrees that teenagers can be infuriating: luxuriating in a world that is free of responsibility, yet desperate for independence - just like toddlers. She believes, however, that the monster that replaces your child around its 13th birthday is not just the result of raging hormones and a powerful desire to be annoying. Until recently, scientists have assumed that the brain was fully mature at puberty and that teenage angst was a result of fluctuating hormones and a desire for independence. But it turns out that the prefrontal cortex, the "civilising" region of the brain that controls judgment and appropriate emotional responses, does not fully develop until the early twenties.

Neuropsychologist Richard Restak points out: "The teenage brain is a work in progress that we're only beginning to understand. This would explain why most teenagers don't have the ability to make good judgments, control their emotions, prioritise or multi-task - for example, to make the right decision between watching television, ringing a friend, doing a chore they've been asked to do or finishing their homework," says Palmano. "It means that they do not intentionally do the wrong thing just to wind parents up, then shrug and mumble, 'Whatever'."

It was Palmano's son Sam who came up with the translation of "Whatever". Apparently, it means, "You're right, but I don't want to agree with you".

The key to sanity for all, Palmano believes, is calm negotiation and compromise. If you want your teenagers to be home by 11pm, explain why, but listen to their counter-arguments.

If it's a Saturday, might you consider a compromise of midnight (rather than 1am, which is what they had in mind)? If they are up to 20 minutes late, don't jump down their throats. Instead, ask if they've had a problem with public transport and let it pass; they've pretty much managed what you asked.

She urges a bit of perspective on other fronts, too. "There have been times when my daughter's room has not been as tidy as I would have expected, but as she said once, 'I'm a teenager - what do you expect? It's not a downward spiral into heroin addiction, it's just clothes on the floor, Mum'."

It's vital to choose your battles carefully: don't criticise teenagers for having an untidy room, then suddenly widen the goalposts.

"On these occasions, parents tend to bring up all the other things that they may or may not have done wrong in an attempt to get one up on them. One minute, it's about an untidy room and the next, you're saying, 'And another thing' and throwing everything you can at them."

Gill Hines, education consultant and co-author of teenage parenting guide Whatever! A Down-to-earth Guide to Parenting Teenagers (Piatkus, £12.99), agrees.

"If there are disputes about a child's lateness or about them picking up their schoolbag from the hall floor, then you need to sit down when things are going well and discuss them to reach a compromise. Aim to change only one behaviour at a time - never mention anything else. Teenagers are so sensitive to criticism at this age, yet this is when they seem to get criticised the most.

"Ask them very politely to hang the bag on the hook you have provided, instead. If it doesn't happen the next day, remind them in a kind way. Never be sarcastic, and remember that nagging never works. Usually, with something this minor, they will comply if you don't get at them too much."

If you're asking for a bigger change of behaviour, such as getting up earlier in order to be at school on time, she advises making it a condition of their annual review of income. "Show them that responsibility and freedom are two sides of the same coin. If you are mature enough to keep your room tidy or to get to school on time, then you are mature enough to stay out half an hour later."

Getting to school on time was a major sticking point for Hines's co-author Alison Baverstock, mother of two teenagers and two younger ones. "I bought them two alarm clocks, then stood back and let them take the consequences of their actions," she says. "More than once, I've sat at the bottom of the stairs, biting my nails and wondering if they're going to make it to school on time. There's always a temptation to bottle it and give them a lift, but I don't.

"However, there are other things we have compromised on. Maybe it's not my choice to get up at the last minute and eat toast walking down the street, but that was my son's choice - so fair enough. As long as he's at school on time, then fine."

She says she consults with her youngest, aged 10, more than she ever did with her eldest, who is now 17, and they have family meetings to discuss problems (the current one is the suitability of certain video games).

"You get better adherence to rules if they are mutually agreed. I think parents often talk to teenagers as if they are not real people. That's partly because everyone is so busy now, so we tend to talk in bullet points. But it's vital to realise that a young person has a point of view that matters."

To make negotiation work, though, it has to be real, says Hines.

"Some parents start by saying they want their daughter to be home by 10pm, so they can appear to be compromising when they all settle on 11pm, which was the time the parent wanted in the first place. But that's not honest, and a bright teenager will know exactly what's going on. A parent who uses tricks will have a child who grows up using tricks."

Glossary of terms (under no circumstances to be used by adults)

Baphead - idiot

Bizzo - a bizarre person

Cashback - something surprisingly good that happens

Chelping - talking rubbish

He's claimin' - he's not telling the truth

Gay - ridiculous, sad

Legend - an amazing person

Marinate - relax, hang out

Player - a guy who gets the girls

Rinsing - making fun of someone

Swamp donkey - an ugly person

Penny Palmano's do's and don'ts

• Do set boundaries: children still need them in their teens. But you have to trust them - and they will turn up trumps surprisingly often.

• Do discuss problems when everyone's calm. Try not to say no. Instead, listen to your teenager's view, then negotiate and explain your reasoning. If you do have to say no, calmly make the decision, explain why and then, walk away. Don't be drawn into arguments.

• Do occasional thoughtful things, such as putting flowers in their room when it's tidy. Eventually, your teenagers will start to emulate you.

• Do have at least three family meals a week. You can often steer discussions round to pertinent themes.

• Don't go into their room without knocking: teenagers need their own space, too.

• Don't become a taxi service for all their friends, but do accept that you will need to ferry them around a certain amount. Help your teenager to realise that you can't do everything: if you've asked them to help with the housework and it hasn't happened, calmly explain that you're afraid you won't have time to take them to their friend's house that evening. Then, stick to it.
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