UNIT 9: WAYS OF LIVING IN MODERN TIME

Ways of living are various from this person to another. Choosing and adopting a way of
living seem to be a private matter that cant be forced by anybody. In our country
nowadays, there are three typical life styles devoting, practical, and rioting ways of
living.
Many young people choose the devoting way of living. Many graduates have volunteered
to serve in remote rural or mountainous areas. Moreover, whenever summer vacation
comes, many young people take part in The Green Summer Volunteer Campaign, or
Humanitarian Blood Donation. These people have contributed a lot to the good and
development at the nation. All of these people are worth being praised.
The second kind is a practical life-style that is the most dominant now. People who
possess this kind of living just try to study hard, then find out a job and earn a lot of
money. They usually think of themselves first, and they are willing to compete others to
get their own benefits.
With the rioting way of living, some young people live very freely, independently and
indifferently. They rarely care for others but just think of their own comfort and
happiness. They usually lead a purposeless life. Their way of thinking and living can be
seen in their ways of studying, dressing, or riding motorcycles. In addition, at home, they
turn deaf ears to their parents advice and worries; at school, they ignore all warnings and
rules made by their teachers. Moreover, these people are snobbish to imitate their idols
ways of dressing, loving, or living in foreign films in spite of the fact that they are very
ridiculous and unacceptable. Looking at these young people, we may think that they are
photocopies of the others. Among them, some even take drugs, spend overnight in
dancing halls, cohabit with each other, or join motor racing. This kind of people causes a
lot of problems to society.
In conclusion, among the young now, some way of living are worth being praised, but
others need criticizing. The young are always eager to explore or receive new things, so
they need orientation, control, help and advice from family, school, and society.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What do you think about the ways of living nowadays? What are the ways of
living in the past? Which one do you think better? Why?
2. What do you comment on Western ways of living? Do you think its good to
imitate?
3. Are you practical? Have you ever donated your blood? Why are there many
snobbish people now?
4. Do you think have good personality? What do you do to make your life
meaningful? What is your way of living?

5. If some one complains about your way of living, will you change it at once? Do
you think Vietnamese style of living, at present, is influenced by Western
countries?
6. What do you think about the saying, An aimless life is like a boat without a
rudder? Have you ever thought that your life is boring?
7. Do you think that we have to change our way of living in order to adapt with any
circumstance in our life? Do you live to eat or to live? Please make it clear.
8. Do you think life is a struggle? Have you ever struggled hard for something in
your life? How did you deal with it?
9. Have you ever struggled against yourself? To you, which is more difficult
between a struggle against yourself and against others? Why?
10. Do you think we need to struggle in life or should let everything go its way
naturally?