Idioms & Expressions:
cut a rug / tear it up (verbs; these are slang terms for “dancing”)
The young hip-hop dancers like to tear it up in the clubs on the weekends.
got moves (verb; slang term for having the ability to dance)
Jared was having fun on the dance floor at the wedding. He’s got moves.
like father like son / like mother like daughter
the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree (an expression that refers to children being similar to their parents)
He is just like his father! I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
run in the family (verb; refers to traits that are shared by the members of a given family)
They all play tennis. A love of sports runs in their family.
follow in (someone’s) footsteps (verb; to work the same job as one of your ancestors or someone you admire.
He is a soldier just like his father. He’s following in his father’s footsteps.
take after (verb; this means to be similar to a family member)
She takes after her mother. She’s also very polite and quiet.
black sheep (noun; a member of the family who is unlike the rest of their family)
My son is very different from me. He’s the black sheep of the family.
Part I: Group Discussion
- Do you like dancing?
I do. I learned how to swing dance and do ballet when I was younger. Now I can do a little hip hop dancing.
- Do you like watching people dance?
If they’re really good, sure. There are a lot of talented dancers out there.
- Has anyone ever taught you to dance?
I had my friends teach me how to swing dance. And I had a ballet teacher when I was younger.
- Tell me about traditional dancing in your country.
I think we have a lot of “hoe-downs” and other kinds of line dancing in the Southern states. Those dances are popular in some areas.
- Do you think traditional dancing will be popular in the future?
No. I think they are already not popular now. So they will not get more popular in the future.
Part II: Individual Presentations
Describe a situation when you were proud of your family member. Please say:
Who is he/she?
What did he/she do?
How did you feel about it? Why?
In 2011, my sister went to Tanzania, in Africa to volunteer for the local Greek Orthodox Church there. She spent the entire summer there and helped out with the church’s programs and functions, and got to know the locals quite well. She became an integral part of the church there. Following this, she returned to Africa in 2014 to work at another church in Kenya. I’m proud of her for giving up her own goals in order to help other people, and wish I did the same.
Part III: Class Discussion
- In what ways can people in a family be similar to each other?
In every possible way, from looks to personality to genetic predispositions.
- Do you think that daughters are always more similar to mothers than to their male relatives?
Not necessarily. You can find plenty of “mama’s boys” and “daddy’s girls.”
- What about sons and fathers?
Again – see my answer to question #2.
- In terms of personality, are people more influences by family or by friends? In what ways?
I think it’s half and half. They say you can’t outrun your genetics, and they also say that you’re the sum of your five closest friends.
- How do people in your country feel about genetic research?
I’m not sure. I’m sure there are a range of different opinions on this. This kind of topic doesn’t come up in conversation too often.
- Should this research be funded by the government or private companies?
Sure. I think this could somehow help find genetic cures for certain genetic diseases.
