Unlocking
Word Meanings
Read
the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. teased (adj.) – to be annoyed or made fun of with harmful
words
Example: I get teased when I
make a mistake.
2. struggle (n.) – problem or battle (which someone
experiences)
Example: I was able to deal
with my struggles in school by studying well.
3. bully (v.) – to scare or frighten someone with words or
actions
Example: Some say that children
who bully others lack attention at home.
4. disorder (n.) – a disease; specifically, a lack of order
in the function of the body
Example: People with
disorders should seek for immediate treatment.
5. retain (v.) – to hold or keep something for a long period
of time
Example: I was able to retain
a healthy lifestyle through discipline.
Article
Read the text below.
Six-year-old LaNiyah
Bailey is one of the many young girls who get teased at
school for being fat.
But instead of feeling
sorry for herself, LaNiyah chose to write a book retelling her struggle with kids who
constantly bully her. With the help of her
mother, LaToya White, LaNiyah created the book entitled “Not Fat Because I
Wanna Be.” LaNiyah said that through this book, she hopes to let other children
understand that bullying others because of how they look is wrong.
LaToya revealed in an
interview that her daughter’s weight is not something controllable by diet nor
exercise. At a young age, LaNiyah is suffering from a number of health problems
and one of those is a disorder called Polydipsia, a condition similar to
‘water diabetes’. Polydipsia, a disease unknown to many, causes a person to
experience excessive thirst, forcing them to drink lots of fluids. Despite
healthy diet and regular exercise people suffering from this disease usually
become overweight because their bodies retain too much water.
Both mother and child
were interviewed in CNN and they shared their experience which inspired them to
write the book.
Excerpts from “Not Fat Because I Wanna Be” by LaNiyah
Bailey:
I always tried to hold back my tears, but they came anyway.
"BJ called me a big-fat elephant girl."
I sobbed. "And they all call me fatty pants."
My mom would hug me tight and say, "Don't cry honey. Don't
give them the pleasure. People often judge others by how they look on the
outside. They don't take time to discover the beautiful person that's on the
inside."
Viewpoint
Discussion
Enjoy
a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion
A
·
What
do you think of the saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover”?
·
How
do you usually judge a person? (Do you judge them by the way they look, the way
they act, their activities, etc.)
Discussion B
·
What
do you think can parents do to prevent their children to bully or to get
bullied by others?
·
Do
you think it is okay for parents to encourage their children to fight back when
they are being bullied? Why or why not?
