Today we take another look(1) at teaching young people how to build healthy(2)relationships(3). Last week, we told(4) you 15 percent of seventh graders(5) said they had experienced(6) physical violence in a relationship with the opposite(7) sex. Seventh graders are about(8) 12 years old.
Concerns(9) about dating (10) abuse at such a young age(11) are leading to(12) new programs to teach(13) 11 to 14-year-olds about healthy relationships. The northwestern(14) state of Idaho has had a program for the last few years called(15) Start Strong Idaho.
Director Kelly Miller says healthy relationships depend on(16) open, honest communication — and that starts with communication between children and parents(17). Ms. Miller advises(18) parents to talk with their children anytime they can(19). Parent-child communication can reduce the risk of abusive relationships.
Seventy-five percent of students in the study said(20) they talk to their parents about the issue(21) of dating violence. A good time to have a conversation(22) about a difficult issue is during(23) a family meal(24) or after watching a movie(25) or television show together.
Kelly Miller says young people need rules(26) and boundaries(27). They also need the skills(28) to be able to(29) resist pressure(30) to be on the phone all the time(31) or to text when they should be sleeping(32). The Start Strong Idaho website offers(33) some advice.
For instance(34), watch out for(35) these signs(36) that a phone could be part of an abusive relationship: Feeling like(37) you have to answer text messages or calls(38) right away(39). Feeling like the texts you receive(40) have gone from(41) caring(42) to controlling.
Being pressured(43) to constantly(44) be on your phone, even when(45) you are with friends. And being pressured to send(46) sexual texts or pictures. Kelly Miller also(47) tells young people not to write anything(48) on Facebook that they would not want their parents or other family members to see. And she reminds(49) them that there is no need(50) to accept friend requests(51) from strangers(52) — or to give your phone number to someone you do not know.
“Start Strong Idaho” holds(53) separate workshops(54) for parents and teens(55) and also brings the two groups together(56). Kelly Miller says, during these meetings(57), families often(58) learn things they never knew(59) about each other(60).Ms. Miller said, “One mom(61) came up(62) and said ‘I’m so thankful(63) there was(64) this workshop tonight(65) because I found out(66) my son not only(67) was dating(68) but currently(69) has two girlfriends at the same time(70)
and didn’t understand the problem with that.’” And that’s the VOA
Special English Health Report. I’m Carolyn Presutti. (Adapted from a
radio program broadcast 25Jul2012)
Vocabulary
1. take another look = dar uma outra olhada 2. healthy = saudavel 3. relationships = relacionamentos 4. told = dissemos 5. = alunos da sétima serie 6. Experienced = vivenciado 7. Opposite = oposto 8. About = aproximadamente 9. Concerns = preocupações 10. Dating = encontro, namoro 11. such a young age = numa idade tão jovem 12. leading to = conduzindo a 13. teach = ensinar 14. northwestern = região noroeste 15. called = chamado 16. depend on = depende de 17. children and parents = filhos e pais 18. advises = aconselha 19. anytime they can = a qualquer hora que eles puderem 20. said = disseram 21. issue = questão 22. have a conversation = ter uma conversa 23. during = durante 24. meal = refeição 25. after watching a movie = após assistir um filme 26. rules = regras 27. boundaries = limites 28. skills = habilidades 29. to be able to = ser capaz de 30. pressure = pressão 31. all the time = o tempo todo 32. should be sleeping = deveriam estar dormindo 33. offers = oferece 34. For instance = por exemplo 35. watch out for = fique alerta para 36. signs = sinais 37. Feeling like = sentir-se como se 38. Calls = chamadas telefonicas 39. right away = imediatamente 40. receive = receber 41. have gone from = tenham ido de 42. caring = preocupação 43. Being pressured = ser pressionado 44. Constantly = constantemente 45. even when = mesmo quando 46. send = enviar 47. also = também 48. anything = qualquer coisa 49. reminds = lembrar alguém de alguma coisa 50. there is no need = não há nenhuma necessidade 51. friend requests = pedido de amizade 52. strangers = estranhos 53. holds = realizer 54. workshops = oficinas, mostras 55. teens = adolescente 56. brings the two groups together = junta os dois grupos 57. meetings = reuniões 58. often = frequentemente 59. things they never knew = coisas que eles nunca sabiam 60. each other = um sobre o outro 61. mom = mãe 62. came up = “chegou” 63. thankful = grato(a) 64. there was = havia 65. tonight = esta noite 66. found out = descobri 67. not only = não apenas 68. dating = namorando 69. currently = atualmente 70. at the same time = ao mesmo tempo