1. Work in small groups and discuss the following questions.
a) At what age do you think you should ...
- stop listening to parents and teachers and do what you feel is right?
- be financially independent?
- leave the family home?
b) Have you ever taken your parents' advice and regretted it?
c) Do you intend to follow in your parents' footsteps?
2. Listen to parents talking about their eighteen-year-old daughter. Decide which of the following sentences best summarises their feelings about daughter's plans for the future.
a) They want their daughter to go to university but they're worried about supporting her financially.
b) They think she should get a university degree before she tries to become a pop singer.
c) They think that it would be a waste of time for her to go to university because she really wants to be a pop singer.
3. Listen again to the conversation and complete these extracts, using the phrases in the box.
| taste of freedom up to her out of her system behind her make it |
a) Now she reckons she's going to … in the pop world.
b) That's true, but once she gets a …, she'll find it more difficult to go back to college.
c) At least if it doesn't work out she'll have a qualification … .
d) We're just hoping that she'll get it … and then come to her senses and go back to her studies.
e) ... we can't afford to pay for her to live in London, so it's … to make it work.
4. Work with a partner. Decide whether you agree or disagree with the following statements. Do you think your parents would have the same opinion?
a) If you want to go travelling, it's best to get it out of your system before you start a career. Afterwards it's too late.
b) Once young people have had a taste of freedom, it's difficult for them to go back and live with their parents.
c) The more qualifications you've got behind you, the better your chances are of getting a good job.
d) You don't need musical talent to make it in the pop world these days: just good looks and a good manager.
e) Whether or not you succeed in life is up to you. Nobody else can help.