Exercise 1 | 12 - A remarkable life | Outcomes Advanced - Student's Book | Textbook Answers

Chapter

Exercise

Question

Work in pairs. Check you understand the words and phrases in bold in the sentences. Then discuss the positive / negative effects that each situation might have on someone’s life.

Answer

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If you have a sheltered upbringing, you’re protected from outside influences and the big bad world. Plus side: a nice, safe childhood away from harm and hurt. Downside: may end up being a bit naive and vulnerable as not very streetwise.
If you’re from a deprived background, you grew up without many of the things people associate with a comfortable life. Downside: may not have had many chances in life; may be embittered and damaged. Plus side: streetwise, may well be tough and driven.
If you had to flee your country, you left it quickly because of danger. A military coup is when the army takes control of the country. Downside: maybe lost everything, had to apply for asylum elsewhere, maybe experienced discrimination. Plus side: tough and driven, may have a network of others from the country around the world – the diaspora community.
Radical politics are politics geared towards big social change of some kind. Plus side: may well still be engaged and interested, or may have put it all behind him and now be very mellow and content. Downside: may have been arrested or beaten-up, may be bitter and disillusioned now.
Evacuated means ‘helped to leave a city or building or other place because it wasn’t safe’. Plus side: missed bombing and destruction, survived the war. Downside: maybe never get to go back, may have been separated from family, may have been a refugee.
People who saw active service served in the army, air force or navy during the war and fought. Plus side: survived, maybe got rewarded for this in some way, maybe has close relationships with ex-soldiers, maybe learned discipline, etc. Downside: may have seen or done some awful things, may be suffering post-traumatic stress disorder or have psychological damage.
To do something from scratch means ‘starting from nothing’. Plus side: must be very determined, will have control over own destiny more, must have developed many skills. Downside: less job security, may have to work longer hours.
A broken home is where the parents divorce or separate and the children then grow up with only one parent. Downside: psychological damage, anger and bitterness, insecurity, need for therapy, lack of certain role models. Plus side: very close to at least one parent, may be more driven.
A close-knit community is where everyone knows everyone else and they all do things together. Plus side: everyone watches out for you, may well help you. Downside: hostile to strangers, nosy, no privacy.
A privileged background means ‘coming from a very wealthy family’. Plus side: probably had good education, has lots of connections, may well be ambitious and perform well socially. Downside: may lack drive or ambition or focus, not streetwise or tough. Maybe a bit naive.
Winning a scholarship means ‘being awarded an amount of money by an organisation to go and study somewhere’. Plus side: get to study somewhere maybe you wouldn’t otherwise be able to, get a better education and qualification, more opportunities, broaden social circle, etc. Downside: may feel out of place or conscious of lack of money.
If you’re orphaned, both your parents die and you become an orphan. Downside: grow up in care or with foster families, traumatised, may end up separated from brothers or sisters, etc. Plus side: may be more driven.

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