Department of English

Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University


 


2202217  English Reading Skills 


Unit 2  The Gender Gap: Gender Expressions


 

Passage 6: Field Guide to the Tomboy: High Heels and Pink? No Way.

 

Notes

tomboy

¶1  Hooters: a restaurant chain in the USA known for their busty waitresses


¶3  Tonka trucks: a well-known US brand of toy trucks



¶12  wings: buffalo wings or buffalo chicken wings, a common US game snack


chicken wings

buffalo wings
  • Claire Suddath, "A Brief History of Buffalo Wings," Time (2009)
    A good sports bar needs three things: beer on tap, a television on the wall and a menu that offers Buffalo wings. Wings can be found at nearly every Super Bowl party and barbecue outing in the country, and they are the favored excuse of businessmen who want to visit Hooters.
  • Joseph Stromberg, "A Brief History of the Buffalo Chicken Wing," Smithsonian (2013)
    With the Super Bowl around the corner, it seems that buffalo chicken wings may have become the country’s favorite football-watching food. While the annual rumors that we’re running out of wings simply aren’t true, wings have indeed become the most expensive part of the chicken due to their popularity when fried and covered in buffalo sauce.
  • Calvin Trillin, "An Attempt to Compile a Short History of the Buffalo Chicken Wing," The New Yorker (1980)

 

 





Questions for Comprehension and Discussion

 

1.  A “euphemism” is a polite word you use instead of a more direct one to avoid shocking or offending someone. Explain why “endowments” in paragraph 1 is an example of a euphemism.

Response



2.    Why is the word “girly” in paragraph 2 enclosed in quotation marks?

Response



3.    What is the purpose of paragraph 3?


Response



4.    Supply the missing word in the blank in paragraph 3.

Though; while; Although



5.    What is the main idea of paragraph 4? Is it directly stated or implied?

Response


6.    How many possible reasons are given to explain tomboyism?

Response



7.    What is the relationship between paragraphs 6 and 7?

Response


8.    What does the expression “On the flip side” (paragraph 8) mean?

On the other hand; on the contrary



9.    In your own words, what influence do “prenatal hormones” have on adult behavior?

Response



10.    What does “which” in paragraph 9 refer to?

Academic excellence; performing well in school; "excelling in school"



11.    According to the article, is tomboyism the same as lesbianism? Explain.

Response



12.    Explain the highlighted sentence in paragraph 11: “Whether there is any real link to homosexuality depends on how you define tomboyism, says Carr.”

Response


13.    Supply the missing word for the blank in paragraph 11.

While



14.    What does the last sentence mean: “But they can't talk to me about who got traded yesterday”? How does it help to explain White’s appreciation for her male friendships?

Response


15.  Using context clues, infer the meaning of the following:

a.  averse to (¶1) 
unhappy with; refusing to [awkward]
b.  shun (¶3) 
reject; turn away [awkward; wrong subject and object]; antonym of prefer; opposite of prefer
c.  emulate (¶4) 
imitate; copy; follow  
d.  pigeonholed (¶7) 
classified; labeled; fixed; stereotyped; categorized; filed; confined 


 

 




More Ideas for Further Discussion


      

  • Sam Killerman, "Understanding the Complexities of Gender," TEDxUofIChicago  (2013; 16:29 min.)

  • "Gender Identity," 16x9, Global News (2013; 19:48 min.)

  • Middle Sex: Redefining He and She, dir. Anthony Thomas, HBO (2005 documentary; 1 h. 10:06 min.)

  • Thomas Lloyd, "Why Am I So Gay?," TEDxGeorgetown (2014; 22:32 min.)

  • Tomboy, dir. Céline Sciamma (2011 film)

 



 


 

 

 


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Last updated September 13, 2015