ESL Podcast 1018 - Raising Teenagers
principal - the director, top manager, or administrative leader of a school
Children who misbehave in the classroom might be sent to the principals' office for discipline.
to assert (one's) independence - to demonstrate through one's actions and/or words that one is a responsible adult who does not want or need to be controlled by others, especially when talking about teenagers
Teresa is trying to assert her independence by proving that she can continue to get good grades while working in a part-time job after school.
to rebel - to rise in opposition to someone or something; to fight against someone or something, especially to choose to no longer follow the rules or meet the expectations
Samantha is rebelling against her parents by cutting her hair short and dying it bright pink.
tattoo - an image permanently drawn on one's skin by using needles to inject ink under the surface
The company has a policy against hiring anyone with a visible tattoo.
piercing - a small hole placed in one's body, especially in the earlobe, nose, eyebrow, tongue, lip, or belly button, used to wear jewelry as decoration
We were shocked to see how many facial piercings her boyfriend has.
to experiment with drugs - to begin using illegal drugs to know what the experience feels like, but without yet having formed an addiction
Many people experiment with drugs without realizing how quickly they can become addicted to them.
peer pressure - influence from one's friends, classmates, and colleagues of the same age to do certain things or to act in a particular way
What has a greater influence on high school students' decisions: peer pressure or their parents?
to set boundaries - to establish the acceptable limits of something; to create clear rules or expectations
It's important for teachers to set boundaries for their students at the beginning of the school year.
strict - expecting people to follow the rules perfectly, without making exceptions
Joao's parents are so strict! If he comes home even one minute late, they take away all his privileges.
called for - required; needed; necessary
In this type of market, drastic measures are called for.
to ease up - to relax and become more lenient; to become less strict; to become more flexible and easier to deal with
The bank is easing up on its mortgage lending requirements, making it easier for consumers to get home loans.
to need space - to want to have privacy and the opportunity to be alone, without having other people (especially one's parents) become overly involved in one's activities or relationships
Justin told his girlfriend that he loves her, but he needs space and wants more time to spend with his friends.
insightful - with a deep understanding of something that is not easily understood by others, especially related to emotions and human behavior
Jacob's writing is insightful and helps people understand what his experiences must have been like.
to come into play - to have a role in something; to participate or be involved in something
Which laws come into play when we're dealing with students under 18?
to hang out with the wrong crowd - to form relationships and spend time with people who have a negative influence on one's actions, behaviors, and beliefs, especially people who abuse alcohol and other drugs, or who break the law
When Mariah turned 17, she started hanging out with the wrong crowd, smoking in the park when she should have been in class.
to be led astray - to be influenced so that one does bad things; to be encouraged to do things that one should not do
Some people call him a prophet, but others think he is leading people astray.
vigilant - watching for dangers or difficulties, and prepared to deal with them; looking for problems that might present trouble
The Center for Disease Control is vigilant in looking for rapidly spreading diseases.