Comprehension Questions. Discuss the questions below with a partner

Discuss the questions below with a partner. Then join the whole group in a discussion.

1. What does the author do in the opening paragraph? Does it contain the main idea? What is the main idea and where is it found?

2. Who is Rico? Describe him and his behavior on the subway. Is he similar to any panhandlers you’re met? Are there beggars in your city? Compare them to Rico.

3. Who would you give money to?

· Rico, a man on crutches

· Jose, a man with no legs

· Connie, a homeless woman

· Santiago, who has AIDS

· David, who cries

· Roland, who curses and threatens

· people

4. Rudolph Giuliani, the mayor of New York, has promised to “get touch on” beggars. What has happened since he became mayor? What is done in your country to control begging?

5. Describe the anti-begging campaign. What is the most “potentially devastating” aspect of the campaign? How does the author feel about it? What do you think of it?

6. Describe some of the “highly personal responses” of New Yorkers encountering beggars on the train. What is the author’s response? your response?

7. “To Give Or Not To Give” is the question posed by the author. What does he conclude at the end of this portion of the article?

Vocabulary Exercises

A. Find the words that match the definitions in the column below. Then write the word next to the correct definition.

New words: colleagues, destitute, to scrape, to bellow, to bawl, to clutch, to nap, disingenuous, to shuttle, to assault, a horde, a monologue, purports, ambivalent.

Definitions

1. to sleep for a short period of time

2. a great number

3. having opposite feelings at the same time

4. associates

5. a discussion with oneself

6. very, very poor; totally lacking

7. to attack

8. to hold tightly

9. claims

10. to remove a thin layer

11. lying

12. to go back and forth

B. Write the definitions below the underlined words in the sentences.

Definition

a cleaning tool, to treat harshly, neighborhood known for destitute alcoholics, begging/solicitation, done what he promised, many police arrests, increased police activity, a circle drawn around words to indicate speech, relieved of anxiety/saved from a difficult situation, became annoyed about.

1. Giuliani promised to get tough on begging and he has delivered.

2. He ordered police sweeps of the squeegee men.

3. The police have announced a crackdown on subway panhandling.

4. The ad contains a thought balloon.

5. The author bridled at being told how to think about a private decision.

6. He resented being let off the hook so easily.

Directions: Choose a team, either pro or con. Conduct a debate on the controversy surrounding the topics below.

Each team member will choose one of the following roles in arguing the team’s case.

A. Enforced hospitalization of the mentally ill homeless

PROS CONS

Mayor Koch Robert Levy, attorney

Psychiatrist from Bellevue Billie Boggs

Restaurant owner at 65m St. psychiatrist

Sister of Billie Boggs civil right advocate

passerby passerby

B. Advertising against panhandling in N.Y. subway system

PROS CONS

Mayor Giuliani panhandler (s)

passenger (s) policeman

MTA official passenger (s)

policeman advocate for homeless

John Ezard

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