Vocabulary Focus:
- Candidate
- Precede
- Adolescent
- Coeducational
- Radical
- Spontaneous
- Skim
- Vaccinate
- Untidy
- Utensil
- Sensitive
- Temperate
A Course for Parents
A course entitled “The Responsibilities of Parenthood” sounds like it should be offered to students who are immediate candidates for parenthood, not according to Dr. Lee Salk, who feels that teaching children about parenthood should precede the adolescent years. Dr. Salk of the New York Hospital teaches a volunteer coeducational class of junior high school youngsters what it means to be a parent. He does not lecture or present radical views. Rather, he conducts spontaneous discussions by encouraging students to imagine that they are parents and asking them such questions as “What would you do if you found your child smoking?” or “How would you prepare your child for the first day of school?” The lessons skim over such topics as the need to vaccinate children against diseases or to teach them not to be untidy or to use utensils properly. The class is more concerned with preparing students emotionally to become better parents someday and making children sensitive to the responsibilities of parenthood.
The class members often express temperate and mature views. One girl said she would disapprove of having a nurse bring up her child. Another felt that money earned through babysitting or other jobs should be shared with parents. When asked how his students rate, Dr. Salk retained a hopeful outlook. “They are ready for this information,” he declared. “I think they’ll be honest parents.”
- Candidate: Kandidat, calon, peserta pemilihan
- Precede: Mendahului, terjadi sebelumnya, menjadi yang pertama
- Adolescent: Remaja, masa pubertas, anak muda
- Coeducational: Campuran, bersama-sama, sekolah campuran
- Radical: Radikal, ekstrem, mendasar
- Spontaneous: Spontan, tiba-tiba, tanpa persiapan
- Skim: Membaca cepat, melihat sekilas, mengambil bagian teratas
- Vaccinate: Divaksin, disuntik vaksin, memberikan vaksin
- Untidy: Berantakan, tidak rapi, kacau
- Utensil: Alat makan, peralatan, perkakas
- Sensitive: Sensitif, peka, responsif
- Temperate: Tropis sedang, sedang, cuaca sedang.
Spontaneous Skimming
Spontaneous Skimming is a dramatic and interesting story about a group of adolescent students who attend a coeducational school that is under threat of being shut down by the government. The students decide to take a radical action and skim money from the school’s funds to finance their own campaign to save their school. They use various utensils and gadgets to hack into the school’s system and transfer the money to a secret account. However, their plan goes awry when they discover that the school’s principal is a candidate for the upcoming election and has been using the school’s money to fund his own campaign. The principal is also involved in a conspiracy to vaccinate the students with a dangerous drug that would make them obedient and compliant. The students have to face the consequences of their spontaneous decision and try to expose the principal’s scheme before it’s too late. Along the way, they also have to deal with their personal issues, such as their sensitive feelings, their untidy relationships, and their temperate personalities.
