Bakhytkul
Toleuhanovna Ilyassova
Semey pedagogical college named after
M.O.Auezov
Supplementary activities to
the Module 1 “Lifestyles”, Lesson 3 “Essentrics” pp 12-13, of the Students’
Book “Opportunities” pre-intermediate by Michael Harris, David Mower, Anna
Sikrrzynska issued by Longman, Pearson Education
“Eccentrics”
An eccentric is by
definition someone whose behavior is abnormal, someone who refuses to conform
to the accepted norms of his society. This, of course, immediately begs the
question, “What is normal?” Most of us, after all, have our quirks and
oddities. It may be a passion for entering newspaper competitions, a compulsion
for collecting beer mats, a tendency to write indignant letters to the press on
every conceivable subject. Eccentricity is the assertion of our individuality.
Within most of us that urge is constantly in conflict with the contrary force.
It is as though in the depth of our psyche we have two locomotives head-to-head
on the same track, pushing against each other. One is called individualism and
the other conformity and in most of us it is conformity that is the more
powerful. The desire to be accepted, loved, appreciated, to feel at one with
our fellows, is stronger that the desire to stand out in the crowd, to be our
own man, to do our own thing.
Notice, for
example, how people who have unusual hobbies, strong opinions, or
unconventional behavior, tend to congregate. They form clubs, hold meetings,
and organize rallies where they can get together and discuss their common enthusiasms
or problems. The important word is ‘common’. They look for other people with
whom they can share what in the normal run of events is regarded by relatives,
friends and neighbors as an oddity. A crowd, even a small crowd, is reassuring.
Probably all of us
recognize a tension within ourselves between the two forces of individualism
and conformity, for at the same time that most of us are going with the crowd,
we tend to resent any suggestion that this is what we are doing.
We feel a
self-conscious need to assert our individuality as when the belligerent man at
the bar informs his small audience, “Well, I say what I think.” Or the wary
stranger to whom we have just been introduced announces, “You must take me as
you find me. I don’t stand on ceremony.”
Any of us can, at
any time, reverse this trend. We can stoke the boiler of individualism, assert
our own personality. Many people have made it to the top in their chosen
professions, basically by doing just that. One example is Bob Dylan, the
American singer, who has gone on record as saying, “When you feel in your gut
what you are doing and then dynamically pursue it – don’t back down and don’t
give up – then you’re going to mystify a lot of folk.” But that self-conscious
assertion of individuality is not eccentricity, at least not in the early
stages. When a pop singer deliberately wears bizarre clothes to gain publicity,
or a society hostess makes outrageous comments about her guests in order to get
herself noticed in the gossip columns, that is not eccentricity. However, if
the pop star and the society hostess perpetuate such activities until they
become a part of themselves, until they are no longer able to return to what of
us consider ‘normal behavior’, then they certainly would qualify. For the most
important ingredient of eccentricity is its naturalness. Eccentrics are not
people who deliberately try to be odd, they simply are odd.
The true eccentric
is not merely indifferent to public opinion, he is scarcely conscious at all.
He simply does what he does, because of he is. And this marks the eccentric as
essentially different from, for example, enthusiasts, practical jokers,
brilliant criminals, exhibitionists and recluses. These people are all very
conscious of the world around them. Much of what they do, they do in reaction
to the world in which they live. Some wish to make an impression on society,
but all are very much aware of society. The eccentric alone goes on his merry
way regardless.
I. Questions to the
Text “Eccentrics”
1. What do we call a
person with abnormal behavior who refuses to conform to the accepted norms of
his society?
2. Do you think most
of us have our quirks and oddities?
3. May a passion for entering
newspaper competitions, a compulsion for collecting beer mats, a tendency to write
indignant letters to the press on every conceivable subject be quirks and
oddities?
4. Eccentricity is the
assertion of our individuality, or personality, isn’t it?
5. What within most of
us is constantly in conflict with the contrary force of individualism and
conformity? – /The urge to do something extraordinary is./
6. What two
conflicting forces are in the depth of our psyche, or soul? – /They are
individualism and conformity./
7. What do people with
unusual hobbies, strong opinions or unconventional behavior tend to do?
8. Who (m) do eccentrics
look for to share with them what is regarded by relatives, friends and
neighbors as an oddity or a quirk?
9. What tension do all
of us recognise within ourselves? – /It’s a tension between the two forces of
individualism and conformity./
10. We feel a self-conscious need to assert our individuality, don’t
we?
11. Who is not merely indifferent
to public opinion and is scarcely conscious of it at all?
12. Does this mark the eccentric
as essentially different from other people with unconventional behavior?
13. 
What people are
very conscious of the world around them?
14. Do eccentrics behave strangely
just in reaction to the world in which they live?
to the surrounding world?
15. 
Some wish to make
an impression on society, don’t they?
16. What do some wish to escape
from?
Who(m)
17. Are all very much aware of
society?
18. Only who goes on his merry way
regardless of society?
II. Synonyms
to the text “Eccentrics”
Eccentric, a = odd,
strange, queer, bizarre
1. normal = usual
(behavior)
2. abnormal = unusual,
unconventional (behavior)
3. ask/beg a / the
question
4. a quirk = an oddity
5. passion =
enthusiasm
6. to assert one’s
individuality / personality
7. a tendency = an
urge
8. psyche = soul
9. a desire = a wish
10. to stand out in the crowd = to
be one’s own man / to do one’s own thing
11. to congregate = to get
together / to gather
12. to form = to organize
13. for example = instance
14. to inform = to announce
15. deliberately = intentionally
16. an ingredient = a part
17. to be indifferent to public
opinion = to be scarcely conscious of public opinion
18. to make (produce, leave) an
impression on smb. = to impress smb.
19. to be conscious of society =
to be aware of society
20. a man / a person = a fellow
III. Antonyms to
the text “Eccentrics”
1. (ab) normal
behavior
2. to refuse / to
agree to conform to smth.
3. an individual /
society
4. to feel at one with
one’s fellows / to be on own man (to stand out in the crowd, to do one’s own
thing)
5. to have (un) usual
hobbies and interests
6. to have (un) conventional
behavior
7. common / individual
personal
8. to go with the
crowd / to go on one’s own way regardless of society
9. to be indifferent
to public opinion / to be conscious of public opinion
10. to be much aware of society /
to go on one’s (merry) way regardless of society
11. in the depths of / on the
surface of
12. to push / to pull
13. (un) natural
14. to be different from smb. / to
be similar to smb.
smth.
smth.
15. more / less
IV. Word formation to the text “Eccentrics” ?
1. eccentric, adj. → n.
↓
- ity (n.)
2. odd, adj.
↓
- ity (n.)
3. individual, adj.
↓
- ity (n.)
- ism (n.)
4. person, n.
↓
- al (adj.)
- al (adv.)
↓
- ity (n.)
5. conform, v.
↓
- ity (n.)
6. assert, v.
↓
- ion (n.)
7. tend, v.
↓
- ency (n.)
8. regard, v, → n. →
- less (of) – a phrasal preposition
↓
-
ing (v.)
-
ed (adj.)
V. Derivatives to the
text “Eccentrics”
1. eccentric, adj. →
eccentric, n. (conversion)
↓
n.
eccentricity (suffixation)
/ (suf.)
2. odd, adj.
↓
n.
oddity (suffixation)
3. person, n.
↓
n.
personal, adj.
(suffixation)
1) personally,
adv. 2) personality, n.
(suf.)
(suf.)
4. v. + -ity → N
(verb)
(suffix) (noun)
conform,
v. → conformity, n.
v =
- ion → N
assert,
v. → assertion, n.
v =
- ency → N
tend,
v. → tendency, n
9. 
regard, v
→ regard, n. (conversion)
↓
regardless
of smb. / smth. – a phrasal preposition
1) regarding,
v.
2) regarded, adj.
VI. Word combination to the text “Eccentrics”
§ 1.1.
to conform to the accepted norms of one’s society
2. to have one’s quirks and oddities
3. to be
have a passion for entering newspaper competitions
4. to be
have a compulsion for collecting smth. unusual
5. to be
have a tendency to write indignant letters to the press on every
conceivable subject
6. to be the assertion
of one’s individuality
7. to be constantly in
conflict with the contrary force of individualism and conformity
8. in the depths of
one’s psyche
§ 2. 9. to have unusual hobbies and interests
10. to have strong opinions
11. to have unconventional behavior
12. to share with smb. smth. regarded by
relatives, friends and neighbors as an oddity
§ 3.13. to
recognize a tension within oneselves between the two forces of individuality
and conformity
14. to feel a self-conscious need to
assert one’s individuality to assert one’s own personality
§ 4.15. the true
eccentric
16. to be not merely indifferent
to public opinion
17. to be scarcely conscious of public opinion
18. to mark the eccentric as
essentially different from other unusual people
19. to be very conscious of the
world around smb.
20. to do smth. in reaction to the
surrounding world
21. 
to make
produce an impression on society
leave
22. to escape from society
23. to be much aware of society
24. to go on one’s own merry way
regardless of society
VII. Fill in blanks with prepositions:
1. to conform _______
the accepted norms _______ one’s society
2. to have one’s quirks
and oddities
3. 
to be
have
a passion _______ entering newspaper competitions
4. to
be
have
a compulsion _______ collecting smth. unusual
5. to be
have
a tendency to write indignant letters _____ the press _______ every
conceivable subject
6. to
be the assertion ______ one’s individuality
personality
7. to
be constantly ______ conflict ______ the contrary force _____ individualism and
conformity
8.
______ the depth ______ one’s psyche
9. to
have unusual hobbies and interests
10. to
have strong opinions ________ smth.
11. to
have unconventional behavior
12. to
share ________ smb. smth. regarded __________ relatives, friends and neighbors
as an oddity
13. to
recognize a tension _____ one selves _______ the two forces ______
individualism and conformity
14. to feel a self-conscious need to assert
one’s individuality (personality)
15. the
true eccentric
16. to
be not (merely) indifferent _______ public opinion
17. to
be (scarcely) conscious _______ public opinion
18. to
mark the eccentric as essentially different ____________ other people
19. to
be (very) conscious ___________ the world _________
20. to
do smth. __________ reaction ______ the surrounding world
21. to
make (to produce, to leave) an impression ___________ society
22. to
escape ____________ society
23. to
be (much) aware ___________ society
24. to
go _______ one’s (merry) way regardless _________ society
Keys
1. to conform to
the accepted norms of one’s society
2. to have one’s
quirks and oddities
3. 
to be
have
a passion for entering newspaper competitions
4. to
be
have
a compulsion for collecting smth. unusual
5. to be
have
a tendency to write indignant letters to the press on
every conceivable subject
6. to
be the assertion of one’s individuality
personality
7. to
be constantly in conflict with the contrary force of
individualism and conformity
8. in
the depth of one’s psyche
9. to
have unusual hobbies and interests
10. to
have strong opinions about smth.
11. to
have unconventional behavior
12. to
share with smb. smth. regarded by relatives, friends and
neighbors as an oddity
13. to
recognize a tension within one selves between the two forces of
individualism and conformity
14. to feel a self-conscious need to assert
one’s individuality (personality)
15. the
true eccentric
16. to
be not (merely) indifferent to public opinion
17. to
be (scarcely) conscious of public opinion
18. to
mark the eccentric as essentially different from other people
19. to
be (very) conscious of the world around
20. to
do smth. in reaction to the surrounding world
21. to
make (to produce, to leave) an impression on society
22. to
escape from society
23. to
be (much) aware of society
24. to
go on one’s (merry) way regardless of society
Conclusion
In
this article, I have aimed to show:
however
the textbook is good, it will never be perfect for every teacher’s teaching. It
will always need adapting, modifying or supplementing. The only limit is the
teacher’s time and imagination. With a little of both most objectives can be
fulfilled.
References:
1. Text “Eccentrics”
authentic reading material brought from England, Devon in 2003 by me.
2. Macmillan Magazine
“Modern English Teacher” Volume 8, Number 3, July 1999.
3. Students’ Book
“Opportunities” pre –intermediate by Michael Harris, David Mower, Anna
Sikrrzynska issued by Longman, Pearson Education in 2000.
4. Teacher’s Book
“Opportunities” pre-intermediate by Patricia Mugglestone issued by Longman,
Pearson Education in 2000.