Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. in (adj.) [in] – popular; trendy or stylish
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. in (adj.) [in] – popular; trendy or stylish
Example: Smartphones with many
features are in these days.
2. be into (idiom) [bee in-too, -tuh] – to like doing something, be interested in something
Example: He is into sports and often watches sports events
on TV.
3. blend in(idiom) [blend in] – to become similar to or to look the
same as people around oneself
Example: Wearing similar uniforms
help students blend in with others at
school.
4. tribal (adj.) [trahy-buhl] – relating
to a group of people with the same customs and beliefs
Example: She is very interested in
African tribal art and body painting.
5. grooming (n.) [groom-ing] – the act of caring for one’s body or appearance
Example:. The actress said the
secret to her beauty is two hours of grooming
every morning.
Article
Read the text below.
Tattoo is the trend among football athletes these
days, and since Euro 2012 has already began, these tattoos are sure to be noticed.
Ellis Cashmore, a
professor of Culture, Media, and Sport at Staffordshire University says that,
surprisingly, many football players are getting tattoos not to set themselves
apart from other people but to blend
in with their peers.
But it is not just
football players who are into tattoos.
The professor says football players are just like everybody else in their
generation who think getting tattoos is a way of belonging to the Y
generation.
Of course, people
have different reasons for getting tattoos. Some people like to collect
tattoos as their souvenirs from every place they visit. Some get tattoos in order to
remember important special events, such as birthdays or anniversaries. Others
get tattoos to show they are members of a certain organization.
As an example,
Professor Cashmore shares that, in his gym, almost everybody has some kind of
tribal mark on their arms. There
are also many in the gym who have the name of the local football club
tattooed onto their bodies.
The professor says
one reason for the growing popularity of tattoos or body art is the
importance, current society places on the body and personal grooming. People nowadays spend a lot
of money and have an almost obsessive routine when it comes to taking care of
their bodies or their appearance.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
How do you think tattoos affect the appearance
of a person?
·
Do you think people should get tattoos or
always follow a kind of appearance or style simply because it is “in”? Why or
why not?
Discussion B
·
What grooming procedure or product have you
spent the most money on? Would you consider that money well spent?
·
Why do you think some people spend a lot of
time and money on their body image or in trying to look good?