Why do adults sometimes find teenagers difficult to talk to?

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People who own dogs consider them as members of the family. Dogs are known for their loyalty and strong (1) __________ of alertness. Besides the police, many hospitals and homes also use dogs in their treatment programmes and have been successful in their implementation. Children recover from illnesses faster and elderly people feel (2) __________ depressed or helpless after playing with dogs. Dogs are also very much needed by the blind.

However, owning a dog is no easy task. It needs your constant (3) __________ and affection. Besides feeding and bathing, a dog needs daily exercises and play time too. It also needs to go for (4)__________ check-ups at the animal clinic. For young dogs, you need to put in time for training.

Before buying a dog, you need to sit down and ask yourself some questions. Do you have enough room and time for it? What is the main reason for buying a dog? When you travel, who will care for it (5) __________ your absence? Owning a dog is a long-term commitment.

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In an effort to fight pollution and help the environment, the Marina Hills Ecology Club offers free trees to institutions willing to plant them on their grounds. Among those that took advantage of the offer was Marina Hills High School. After consulting with his teachers on where to plant the trees, Principal Max Webb contacted the Ecology Club. But when the seedlings arrived, Webb had an idea. Instead of planting the young trees in front of the school, he thought it would be better to put them behind the school, where the sun gets very hot in the afternoon. “It gets so hot inside the building that the students start to sweat during their afternoon classes,” said Webb. “Now the shade from our trees will bring them some relief.”

“There was no argument from the teachers,” he added. “When I proposed the idea, everyone said, ‘Now why didn’t I think of that!’. The relief won’t come until the trees grow taller, but the school will not have to wait long because it requested two species of trees that grow quickly. “Time is key, and we wanted our trees to get big fast,” said Webb. “We were given a wide choice, from shrubs to fruit trees. We requested eucalyptus and willow trees.”

Webb said he is also looking forward to finally seeing some wildlife in the school yard at Marina Hills High School. “If all you have is a grass lawn with no trees, you can’t expect the local birds to come and visit,” said Webb. “They have no place to make their nests. Now that will change, and we’ll be able to see birds from our classroom windows.”

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I’m 18 years old and have never played on a sports team before, so I never received lessons or training of any kind. I wish my parents had signed me up for soccer when I was younger because I discovered that I wanted to play sports. I just have no skills. There is a soccer team at my high school, but I definitely won’t make it. Most people on the team have probably been playing for years. I feel like I missed my chance and that I’ll never be as good as them. Is it too late for me to learn to play from scratch? I just figure that by the time I become “good”, I’ll be too old anyway. I tried teaching myself in the past, but it seemed too unorganized and I didn’t know what I was doing. Is there some places that teaches people of any age how to play soccer?

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During the teenage years, many young people can at times be difficult to talk to. They often seem to dislike being questioned. They may seem unwilling to talk about their work in school. This is a normal development at this age, though it can be very hard for parents to understand. It is part of becoming independent of teenagers trying to be adult while they are still growing up. Young people are usually more willing to talk if they believe that questions are asked out of real interest and not because people are trying to check up on them.

            Parents should do their best to talk to their sons and daughters about school work and future plans. However, it is not a good idea that parents push teenagers to talk if they do not want to. Parents should also watch for the danger signs: some young people in trying to be adult may experiment with sex, drugs, alcohol, or smoking. Parents need to watch for any signs of unusual behavior which may be connected with these and get help if necessary.