Vocabulary Exercises

Ex. 1. Match the words and word combinations in the left column with the correct definitions in the right column.

puberty chastity abstinence incidence to contract to molest to thwart to dismiss to instill

the condition or practice of abstaining from sex on moral grounds to refuse to give consideration to something because you think it is not important self-denial: restraint from indulging a desire for something, e.g. alcohol or sexual relations to catch or develop an illness or disease to force unwanted sexual attentions on somebody, especially a child or physically weaker adult the stage in human physiological development when somebody becomes capable of sexual reproduction. to prevent somebody or somebody’s plan from being successful to teach someone a way of thinking or behaving over a long period of time the frequency with which something occurs

Ex. 2. Match the attributes (A) and the verbs (B) on the left with nouns or phrases on the right, focusing on the use of the key vocabulary. Use each word only once.

A pre-marital declining mixed abstinence-only comprehensive neonatal alarming out-of-touch sound unintended premature low poor B to contract to stress to engage in to attain to resist to discuss to dispense to pressure for to get on to outweigh to thwart to molest

techniques unit labor decisions pregnancy birth weight health and social outcomes statistics family values approach message sex-ed programs chastity societal and peer pressure birth-control devices advances contraceptive methods welfare advantages sex a child abstinence sexual activity social acceptance STDs

Ex. 3. Read the text and fill in the blanks with suitable words or word combinations in the correct form from the box below.

increasing rate misguided message teen pregnancy driving force

abstinence communication sex education incidence of STDs

sexual involvement peer pressure sexual intercourse reproduction

premarital and extramarital sex sexual behavior declining family values instill expose cater to overlook dispense frown upon social acceptance troubling trend

maturity outnumber outweigh

Teenage Sex: An Almost Unnoticeable Problem

Teenagers in the US are experimenting with sexual activities more and more, and the alarming thing about this issue is that it is becoming commonplace in our society, because it is not being (1) … . There is no denying that the majority of high school aged boys and girls would have engaged in some sort of sexual activity by the time they graduate from high school. The (2) … of children having (3) … before they are of the age of thirteen is also a (4) … .

A vital factor that contributes to teenagers having early sex is (5) … . Both in sexual behavior and in all other areas of, teenagers strive to attain (6) … by their peers, which is common at their stage. The desire to be loved or to love may result in the decision to be sexually intimate. This motivation can be a very strong (7) … that pushes teenagers to start having sex as the notion of “since everyone is doing it” has been (8) … in their heads. Adolescents who have (9) … at this stage often do so out of the need to prove to themselves that they are lovable and acceptable.

Moreover, lack of good (10) … between parents and teenagers is closely related to the problem of teenage sex. Teenagers often turn to their peers for advice on most issues affecting them. And when questions about sex arise, instead of talking to their parents or a trusted adult, they talk to their friends and receive a clear yet terribly (11) … : Sex is an accepted and expected part of any relationship.

One more significant factor that influences teenagers is the media. Adolescents are (12) … to the sexual behavior patterns they may not have observed elsewhere. On prime time TV, the occurrence of (13) … far (14) … sex between spouses, with the rate soaring to 24:1 in soap operas and 32:1 in R-rated movies. By (15) … our basic sexual desires, the media can easily manipulate and adjust the attitudes and actions of its watchers, listeners, and readers.

(16) … is now given in most American schools, public and private, from grades 2 to 12. Teachers are told to give the technical aspects of sex education without telling the students about moral values, how to make the right decisions, and (17) … . After describing the male and female anatomy, and (18) … , the main emphasis is on the prevention of venereal diseases and (19) … . This has now led to some schools having to start (20) … free birth control devices to students who go to the school’s health clinics. Nevertheless, sex education still has not helped decrease (21) … in teenagers or teenage pregnancy. Each year in the US about 750,000 teenage girls become pregnant and three million teens get an STD.

The price teenagers are paying for being sexually active greatly (22) … any advantages, and the consequences of teenage sexuality cannot be (23) … by society. (24) …, peer pressure, and the media play the major part in gearing adolescents to finding out about, knowing, and finally engaging in sexual intercourse before they are both physically and mentally capable of handling the reality that accompanies sexual activities. Input and guidance from parents may help adolescents make healthy and appropriate decisions regarding their (25) … . Understanding that these are decisions that require (26) … and responsibility will increase the chance that they make good choices.

Ex. 4. Fill in the correct prepositions where necessary.

A. The debate (1) … whether to have sex education in American schools is over. A new poll (2) … the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government finds that only 7 per cent of Americans say sex education should not be taught (3) … schools. However, this does not mean that all Americans agree (4) … what kind of sex education is best. There are major differences (5) … the issue (6) … abstinence. Fifteen per cent of Americans believe that schools should teach only (7) … abstinence (8) … sexual intercourse and should not provide information (9) … how to obtain and use condoms and other contraception. A plurality (46 per cent) believes that the most appropriate approach is one that might be called “abstinence-plus” – that while abstinence is best, some teens do not abstain, so schools also should teach about condoms and contraception. Thirty-six per cent believe that abstinence is not the most important thing, and that sex ed should focus (10) … teaching teens how to make responsible decisions (11) … sex.

B. Statistics can be boring. But the statistics (1) … teenage pregnancy are alarming. Some 560,000 teenage girls give birth each year. Almost one-sixth of all US births are (2) … teenage women.

The high rate (3) … teenagers having babies is a national health and social problem that demands attention. The death rate (4) … pregnancy complications is much higher among girls who give birth (5) … age 15 than among older mothers. The teenage mother is more likely to be undernourished and suffer premature or prolonged labor. During the first three months of pregnancy; seven (6) … … ten pregnant teenagers do not see a doctor or go to a clinic.

Two (7) … … three pregnant teenagers drop (8) … … school. With her education cut short, the teenage mother may lack job skills. The income of teen mothers is half that of those who first gave birth in their 20s. The teenage mother is more likely to become financially dependent (9) … her family or get (10) … welfare.

Babies born (11) … teenage girls are (12) … higher risk of being born prematurely and of having a low birth weight. They also have disproportionately high infant mortality rates. Children born (13) … teenage mothers face an increased risk (14) … physical neglect and abuse, growing up (15) … poverty and experiencing poor health and social outcomes. The children of teenagers who are (16) … welfare are also prone (17) … engage in sexual activities in their teenage years. The sons of teen mothers are 13 per cent more likely to end up (18) … prison while teen daughters are 22 per cent more likely to become teen mothers themselves.

Teenage marriages have a much greater chance of ending (19) … divorce. The number (20) … births (21) … teenagers has decreased considerably (22) … the last few decades. This decrease is most likely due (23) … the increased availability (24) … contraception and abortion, rather than a decrease (25) … sexual activity. Some teenage pregnancies occur as a result of young women’s sexual inexperience and an inadequate understanding of their reproductive cycle. Public health workers suggest that knowledge about reproductive matters and access (26) … contraception are necessary to prevent unintended adolescent pregnancy.

Ex. 5. Give the English equivalents of the following words and phrases.

Всесторонняя программа полового воспитания; средний возраст полового созревания; репродуктивная функция; целомудрие; девственность; воздержание; секс до брака или вне брака; противозачаточные средства (2); болезни, передающиеся половым путем; число случаев заболевания среди подростков; откладывать начало половой жизни; вступать в половые сношения; представлять секс как нечто привлекательное в СМИ; пропагандировать использование противозачаточных средств; противостоять давлению со стороны сверстников и общества; добиться общественного признания; незапланированная беременность; нежелательная беременность; предотвращение подростковой беременности; высокий уровень количества абортов; уровень рождаемости; смертность; недоношенный ребенок; мертворожденный; преждевременные роды; бросить школу; жить на пособие.

Ex. 6. Translate the following text into English, focusing on the italicized words and phrases. Make use of the key vocabulary.