IV. Look at the sentences which you completed in Exercise III. What type of verb construction is used

We use have/get something done to say that we organise somebody to do something for us.

Ask and answer questions with have/get something done, using the prompts a-i.

Examples: Have you ever had your hair dyed?

Would you ever get your nose pierced?

a) ears pierced d) nose/lip/tongue/ eyebrow pierced g) hair permed

b) hair dyed e) a tattoo done h) hair cut very short

c) hair shaved off f) legs waxed i) plastic surgery done

V. Choose one of the following statements and prepare an argument to support it. (Don't worry if you don't believe in it!) Make some notes first.

1. "It's much more important for women to be attractive than for men."

2. "You don't have to be physically perfect to be attractive. You just have to be self-confident."

3. "Beauty contests are an insult to women."

4. "There are many disadvantages in being good-looking."

5. "To be beautiful, you have to suffer."

 

VI. Roleplay a conversation between two people. One person has decided to have a tattoo done, the other is trying to persuade him/her not to. Use some of these ideas:

· tattoo where on the body?

· what type?

· need parents' permission (under 16)

· painful

· indelible

· looks good/tough/ fashionabLe/cool

· friend has tattoo

· don't mind the pain

VII. When do you think plastic surgery is a good idea?

VIII. You are a journalist who works on the problem page of a magazine. You receive a letter from someone who is worried about his/her appearance. Write a reply giving advice and encouragement. Start like this:

Dear ........................, First of alt, Let me tell you that you are not alone. Many people worry about some aspect of their appearance...

IX. Describe your ideal partner. Talk about appearance and personality. Start:

"My ideal partner would be ......................... He/She would have .......................... "

Anorexia

· Can someone be too thin? What are some of the medical dangers associated with lack of food?

· What do you know about the medical condition anorexia nervosa? Do you know how it is treated?

RACHEL FENTEM'S DAY	Rachel Fentem, 20, is an inpatient at the Gerald Russell Eating Disorder Unit. Admitted six months ago weighing 4st 121b (about 32 kilos, ), she currently weighs 6st (41 kilos).
The call to be weighed comes at 6.30am but I am already awake. I stand on the scales backwards, so I am not thrown into a panic by my increasing weight. In many ways, I am sick of this beast, continually whispering in my ear that I am too fat. Yet I am scared to lose what has become my best friend. At Sam I stand outside the dining room. I don't want to eat but if I run away, 17 other patients wilt be sent to find me. forbidden to continue their meal until I return. Breakfast is a big meal: juice, cereal, cooked course and toast. By 8.45 I have already consumed several times the daily calorie ration I would allow myself. Afterwards I have to rest for an hour with the other girls. They are ail so fragile and delicate. I feel obese. However low my weight drops, it is never low enough. This is another trick the anorexia plays: by reaching a magical number - a few pounds lighter - I will like and accept myself. My stomach is uncomfortably bloated from breakfast. This is my fourth hospital admission and each time I have reached a lower weight and found re-feeding more of a struggle. Some mornings there is a community group. Discussions range from the angrily animated to the sullenly silent. Snacaks follow much too soon, at 10am. Then I usually go to an occupational therapy group: art,	and I savour my 20-minute pass. I have to resist the urge to run. Lunch is at 12 noon: juice, main course and cooked dessert. More often than not, somebody will	create a scene because their serving is slightly larger than the next person's. Each meal has a time limit and anyone failing to keep it is given a high calorie drink. Afternoon tea is cake or dreaded chocolate. All foods are difficult but chocolate and puddings are particularly hard. Consumption becomes indulgence and I feel an urge to punish myself with self-induced vomiting. I fill the afternoon with occupational therapy. By building a trusting relationship with the nurse, I have become more confident that will not make myself vulnerable if I speak to her. Dinner is another perennial battleground. It is not uncommon for plates and food to be thrown. By making food and weight loss central to my life, my unhappiness about issues at home and school did not hurt so much. For me, anorexia began with a diet and a comment being made about my weight at a ballet lesson. The final meal is at 10pm. Most of us are relieved that it is the last. Official bedtime is 12.30 but mosthave retired before then, mentally I and physically washed out. Sleep does not always come easily, since insomnia is a side effect of being at a low weight. The Sunday Times

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Comprehension

1. What time is Rachel weighed?

2. Whydoes Rachel stand on the scales backwards?

3. How many times has Rachel been in hospital?

4 What food is particularly difficult for Rachel to eat?

5 What is one of the side effects of anorexia?

Ammunition box
Key words	Handy hints
anorexia nervosaa form of intentional starvation. What begins as a normal diet is taken to extremes • Anorexia usually starts in the mid teens. The average age for onset is 16 • It usually affects women from middle-class families bulimia nervosaillness involving a cycle of starving and bingeing · Bulimia usually affects a slightly older age group -between early and mid-twenties · It affects three out of 100 women	• Around 5% of young girls in Britain have anorexia • Around 90% of cases involve females • Over 25% of anorexics require hospitalisation • Between 60,000 and 200.000 people in Britain are thought to have anorexia or bulimia - a tenth of them are men • Only around 60% of anorexics recover • One in 10 people suffering from anorexia die from the effects of starvation • 6% of women who develop anorexia or bulimia do so in their thirties: on average they suffer longer - 10 years compared with six years in younger women • Forms of therapy include group therapy, family counselling, psychotherapy and anti-depressants • Psychiatrists have singled out several characteristics which they say are typical of anorexics. These include a dominant, over-protective mother and a passive father, a tendency to perfectionism and a strong desire for order

 

'TV brings eating disorders to Fiji'

Figi a nation that has traditionally cherished the fuller figure, has been struck by an outbreak of eating disorders since the arrival of television in 1995, according to a recent study. Researchers from Harvard say the western images and values have led to an increase indisorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

In 1998 - 38 months after the station went on air - a survey revealed that 74% of teenage girls felt they were 'too big or fat'. 15% of the girls reported they had vomited to control their weight. Anne Becker, an anthropologist from Harvard, said: 'Nobody was dieting in Fiji 10 years ago, the teenagers see TV as a model for how one gets by in the modern world.' Many groups say the worldwide increase in eating disorders is down to the prevalence of images equating a slim figure with beauty.

But some doctors have questioned whether such disorders are caused by culture or are transmitted from generation to generation in genes.

BBC News Online

Comprehension

1. When did television arrive in Fiji?

2. What was the traditional Fijian attitude to women's figures?

3. Why are so many teenagers dieting?

4. Why are eating disorders increasing?

5. What other causes of eating disorders are there?

Discussion

1. What do you think causes anorexia? Do you think anorexia is a physical or mental illness, or both?

2. Why do you think young people, especially women, feel such pressure to be thin?

3. Should parents and teachers bear some of the responsibility for this pressure? Why, why not?

4. How do you think eating disorders such as anorexia should be treated? Should they involve the patient being treated against his or her will?

5. Do you think an enforced eating regime helps the sufferers, or would therapy get to the heart of the problem?

6. Do you think it is possible for someone with anorexia to be completely cured? If not, why not?

7. Do you think men are becoming more interested in the way they look - and therefore more prone to suffer from eating disorders?

Activities

Activity A. Debate the following issue: Images in the media are solely to blame for the growth in anorexia among teenagers.

Activity B

Imagine you are the parent of an anorexic boy or girl. You can see how ill your child is becoming, despite the fact that the youngster refuses to acknowledge a problem. Who can you ask for advice on how to deal with the situation before it is too late - your partner, the family doctor, a counsellor? Describe your feelings and exactly how you plan to resolve the problem.

Networking

Find out more about treatments for anorexia mil bulimia nervosa in your country. Are these treatments successful?

Books: Anorexia and Hulimia: Your Questions Answered (Element Guide Series) by Julia Buckroyd

Diana: Her True Story by Andrew Morton

The Lang Road Back, A Survivor's Guide to Anorexia by Judy Tarn Sargent.

Websites: www.bbc.co.uk www.rcpsych.ac.uk

Beauty Contests

· Do you think beauty competitions are a thing of the past?

· Are any beauty competitions still held in your country? If so, describe them.

Talking point: Are beauty contests outdated?

Should the world of beauty pageants remain a kitsch memory firmly stuck in the past, or is it time we learned to Love Miss World again? Well reach for your tiaras and remote controls because it is back. After a ten year absence from UK terrestrial television, the new and improved Miss World contest is hitting the screens of Channel Five on Thursday. The new politically correct version has ditched the national costumes, skimpy swimsuits and high heels

of old - this year's contestants will be seen in a 'more natural environment' relaxing in jeans and T-shirts. But in sanitising the contest are the organisers removing the meat-market factor or simply being prudes? Why is there no Mr World contest?

Critics are inclined to pan the pageant as an excuse for people to leer at semi-naked women, judging them on their looks and figure alone.

But this year's Miss Malaysia thinks the contest has moved on.

'I think everyone is going to be surprised at how spectacular the event is going to be and how down to earth it is, and they're really making an effort to move into the 21st century,' she said.

Founder of Miss World,Eric Morley, said broadcasters had been foolish to drop the annual ritual.

'People love a competition and when it comes to beauty everyone's an expert,' he said.

They like to watch Miss World and say "Why did she win? My wife's better looking than her".'

What do you think?

Votes: Yes 7% No 93%

Beauty pageants are harmless, eh? Then why do so many young girls starve themselves to live up to a ridiculous ideal that these pageants promote and celebrate? I don't think that one can ban them, but at the very least, throw some normal-sized people in there. Kristen Nkolaisen, USA

Beauty contests are outdated because it is in the eye of the beholder and the contests are meaningless. Also, how can it be Miss World when only 86 out of 191 countries take part? I get the feeling that they try to emphasise beauty as white, or not too dark. Yoet Sano, UK

Of course not, if over a billion people watch the contest clearly it is not outdated. The argument that it exploits women is absurd. The contestants willingly take part, enjoy it and hope it will provide lucrative careers in fashion or modelling. Feminists need to be reminded that feminists do not own the contestants' bodies and therefore don't need feminist permission to participate. David Gordon, UK

Beauty contests can serve no real purpose in the fast moving modern world where women have started to drift away from their stereotypical portrayal as sex objects. RKR, India

Beauty contests are not outdated because its simply human nature to look at beautifulpeople. In fact, when it comes to the level of Miss World or Miss Universe, pageants can promote cultural exchange. I sincerely believe not too many people have heard of many of the smaller countries represented at these contests. Besides, how many young people can have a genuine opportunity to travel and be a representative of his/her own country like the participants of Miss World do?

Carter Kwong, Canada BBC Online

Comprehension

1. Is Miss World returning to television?

2. How is the new version different?

3. Why is Miss World popular according to its founder, Eric Morley?

4. Explain what Yoel Sano means by beauty "is in the eye of the beholder".

5. What benefits might contestants get after taking part in beauty contests?

6. Explain how beauty pageants promote cultural exchange.

Discussion

1. Which of the speakers do you agree with most? Were any points made that you particularly agree/disagree with?

2. What effect do you think beauty competitions have on the contestants?

3. Do you know of any beauty competitions for men? Are they different in any way?

4. Do different countries and cultures have different ideas of beauty, or is there a common ideal of world beauty?

5. Doyou think beauty contests are biased towards women of a certain race?

6. Do you think beauty contests are outdated? Why, why not?

7. Do you think beauty competitions such as Miss World are demeaning or insulting to women? Why, why not?

Activities

Activity A. Role-play: In groups, imagine you are a team of producers for a TV channel. Recently it has been suggested that a beauty competition might be a good way of attracting more viewers. You need to think about:

Activity B

Write a response to the article. Or write up your proposal for the directors of the TV channel. Explain to them what the programme is and why you think it will be successful (you need them to back this project)

Networking

Find out more about beauty contests all over the world. What kinds of people enter, and how popular are they? Would you enter?

Book: The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf

Film: Drop Dead Gorgeous 1999 directed by Mirhael Patrick Jann

Video: Investigative Reports Beauty Pageants: Bright Lights, Big Business (1994)

Websites: pageantcenter.com/history.html www beautycontestinfo.com/in dex.htm

What is Your Wardrobe Worth?

· What was the last item of clothing you bought? How much did you spend?

· How important are clothes to you?

Rachida Addou, 22, heiress. Cost of wardrobe: £500,000 I don't like to be seen in the same dress more than once, so I have more than 30 ball gowns and evening dresses. I'll pay anything up to £20,000 for a dress. I keep most of my dresses, which together are worth about £200,000, at our house in Spain. Dresses are my favourite items of clothing. For my wedding in September next year, I've had seven designed for me. The celebrations will last three days, so apart from the white dress for the ceremony, the rest are ball gowns and evening dresses of every colour under the sun. I can't wait to get married. Because of the nature of my fiance's job we'll always be away. I don't work - and won't work. I spend my days shopping. My day wardrobe comprises mainly Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana and Georges Rech. I own five outfits from each designer. Accessories have to be either Christian Dior or Chanel. Some of my bags cost £700. the others thousands. For best value, you can't beat Louis Vuitton. The leather is exquisite. I also have a few Gucci wallets and sunglasses. Shoes are my other weakness. I pay about £300 for a pair of shoes. My jewellery must be worth the same as my clothes. Most of it's Cartier, including a diamond-encrusted watch and ring my parents gave me last summer. It wasn't even a birthday present - more of a pre-wedding gift.

Roz Barnett, 27, Lance Corporal in the army. Cost of wardrobe: £1,000 It's pretty fortunate that I'm not into fashion - at all. Being in the army gives me little opportunity to dress up in civilian clothes. Most women would be horrified by the contents of my two wardrobes. I have one at the barracks, in Aldershot, Hampshire, for my uniform, and another for my civilian gear. I live in T-shirts, tracksuits and trainers when not in army gear. I have four pairs of trainers and three tracksuits and that's about it. I do own one or two smart items. The last dress I bought -for Christmas, over a year ago - was a purple evening gown. It was the most expensive thing I've ever splashed out on - £35, from Next. I refuse to spend more. I live five days a week in my uniform combat gear: khaki-coloured combat trousers and shirt, boots and a maroon beret. I also have a dress uniform, which is worn on occasions like Remembrance Day. It's a rather attractive A-line khaki-coloured suit, which I wear with a cream blouse, khaki tie, black tights and flat, shiny, lace-up shoes. Oh, and we have our physical training gear. Make-up and hair have to be 'non-distinctive'. Women can wear foundation and mascara, but nothing else. Long hair has to be worn up, under the beret. No jewellery either, apart from a wedding ring and plain ear studs. I've never missed not being able to wear civilian clothes all week, even when I was 18. The joy of a uniform is that you never have to think about what to wear in the morning -or spend lots of money on clothes.

Comprehension

1. How much does Rachida pay for a dress? 5. What clothes does she wear during the week?

2. Are trousers Rachida's favourite clothing? 6. What was the most expensive item Roz ever bought?

3. Who are her favourite designers? 7. What are the advantages of wearing a uniform?

4. Does Roz spend a lot on clothes?

Discussion

1. Which woman's attitude to clothes is closest to your own?

2. What is your reaction to the prices Rachida is happy to pay for her clothes?

3. Do you think there is something immoral in paying so much for a dress when so many people can't afford to eat?

4. Do you think designer goods - such as Gucci. Chanel and Dior - are worth the money, or are you paying for the name?

5. Do you follow fashion trends closely? Why, why not?

6. Do you think women spend more on shopping than men? What things do men spend more on?

7. Do you think people judge others by the clothes they wear? Why, why not?

Activities

Activity A. Debate the issue: You are what you wear.

Activity B

Write an account similar to the article about the contents of your wardrobe. If you wish to keep your clothes a secret or make your wardrobe more interesting, invent the details!

Or Write a letter to one of die women in die article telling her what you think about her attitude towards clothes.

Networking

Find out about the fashion industry in your country.

Books:Coco Chanel and Chanel by David Bond, Gianni Versace by Richard Martin, The End of Fashion: The Mass Marketing of the Clothing Business by Terri Agins

Film:Pret a Porter (1994) by Robert Altman

TV: Absolutely Fabulous

Websites: click.hotbot.com www.fashion.net/ www.harrods.com www.vogue.com

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 3583