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Vocabulary Quiz
ghetto • territorial • myself
odds • pressure
  1. When I am sick, I just prefer to keep to .
  2. Our volunteer group is going to help build new houses and schools in the .
  3. He's not naturally a bad kid, but peer makes him do things he would never do on his own.
  4. She was an only child and is very about people using her things.
  5. My boyfriend and I are at about this right now.
Comprehension Quiz
Answer the following questions about the interview.
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#546 Gangs

Jeanie talks about why people join gangs.

  • Transcript
  • Vocabulary


I lived in a black ghetto.

A 'ghetto' is a very poor area of a city.  People living in a ghetto are usually members of the same race, and they live separate from other members of the city.  Notice the following:

  1. The fire destroyed most of the ghetto, because the houses were made of paper.
  2. She is a very strong person, because she grew up in the ghetto, taking care of her brothers and sisters.


It had to do with conflicts between African Americans and Jamaicans, pretty territorial.

A 'territorial conflict' is an argument about territory or boundaries between territories.  A group's territory is the land that they own or control. Notice the following:

  1. My dog is very territorial and can't be around other dogs.
  2. I didn't know you were so territorial until we started living together.

keep to myself

I basically just kept to myself.

If you emotionally and physically distance yourself from other people and you don't frequently talk to other people, you are 'keeping to yourself.'  Notice the following:

  1. When she has free time, she usually keeps to herself.
  2. It's better if he keeps to himself when he's angry.

at odds with

They're often at odds with the Hispanics.

If you have problems with another person, you are 'at odds with' him.  Notice the following:

  1. We usually agree.  I have never been at odds with her about anything in my life.
  2. It is very uncomfortable to be around two people who are at odds with each other.

peer pressure

Not a peer pressure, it's an image thing.

'Peer pressure' is the influence your friends have, which makes you do things that you probably wouldn't do on your own.  Notice the following:

  1. Peer pressure was a big problem for them in high school and they were in trouble a lot.
  2. She didn't want to smoke a cigarette, but peer pressure made her do it.


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