Nature’s children
INTRODUCTION
It’s summer and the New Age Travellers are
here again. In their vans, old buses and
caravans, they move from place to place.
Angry MPs, farmers and local people
appear on television and complain about
them: ‘The police shouldn’t allow it! They
should put them all in the army!’ etc., etc.
Glossary
MOVE (VERB) change residence
ANGRY (ADJECTIF) displeased
MP Member of Parliament
FARMER (NOUN) person who owns or
manages a farm
COMPLAIN ABOUT (VERB) say that one is
dissatisfied, unhappy, etc,
ALLOW (VERB) permit (sb/sth) to do sth
1st PARAGRAPH
The Travellers don’t have jobs, because
they don’t stay in one place long
enough. They are the children of
nature – modern gypsies. When
autumn comes, they disappear and
we don’t see them any more. In fact,
they move to the cities and look for
empty houses for the winter. Perhaps
the children go to school for a few
months.
Glossary
JOB (NOUN) regularly paid position or post
ENOUGH (ADVERB) sufficiently
ANY MORE (ADVERB) any further, any longer
LOOK FOR (VERB) try to find (sth), seek
EMPTY (ADJECTIF) with nobody in it
PERHAPS (ADVERB) it may be that
2nd PARAGRAPH
Paul and Janice are Travellers. They aren’t
married. They have two children called
Moonstone and Saffron. Their life is very
simple. During the day they sit and talk to their
friends while the children play. In the evenings
they usually eat together with other families
around a big fire, and somebody usually plays a
guitar or switches on a CD player. They live on
social security benefits. If they need extra
money, Janice makes jewellery and sells it at
markets and fairs.
Glossary
TRAVELLER (NOUN) gypsy or other itinerant person
LIVE ON (VERB) support oneself (from a certain
source)
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS government
payments to people who are unemployed, ill,
disabled, etc.
JEWELLERY (NOUN) ornaments, eg. rings and
necklaces
FAIR (NOUN) market (esp. for farm animals and farm
products) held regularly in a particular place
3rd PARAGRAPH
Both Paul and Janice come from normal middle
class families. That’s one reason why Paul
prefers the life of a Traveller. As Paul explains,
‘My father works in an office. He catches the
same train to work every day. He comes home
at 5.30. And why does he do it? To pay the
mortgage on the house! But then what does he
do in his free time? He works! He decorates the
house, he digs the garden, and he washes the
car. He thinks he’s free, but he’s really just a
slave. Well, I don’t want to be like that.’
Glossary
AS (CONJUNCTION) in the way in which
CATCH (VERB) be in time for and get on
MORTGAGE (NOUN) agreement in which
money is lent by a bank for buying a
house or other property
DECORATE (VERB) put paint, plaster,
wallpaper, etc.
DIG (VERB) use one’s hands, a machine,
etc, to break up and move (earth, etc.)
4TH PARAGRAPH
What should we do about the
Travellers? They’re rebels against
respectable society and they don’t care
what we think. But why shouldn’t
they do their own thing? As I sit here
at my desk and think about my
mortgage, the insurance, and the
taxes, I wonder who’s right.
Glossary
AGAINST (PREPOSITION) in opposition to
CARE (VERB) be worried, concerned or
interested
DO ONE’S OWN THING do what one
wants to do without being influenced
by other people or by rules
AS (CONJ) while
WONDER (VERB) ask oneself questions
Cmprehension questions
1st paragraph
Do the Travellers have any jobs? Why?
Where do they live?
2nd paragraph
Who are Paul and Janice?
Have they got any children?
What kind of lifestyle do they have?
What do they do for a living?
3rd paragraph
What type of family do they come from?
Does Paul admire his father?
4th paragraph
How does the writer feel about the Travellers?
Does he complain about them?
What do you think about the New Age
Travellers?
Which lifestyle do you find more attractive
Paul’s or his father’s? Why?