Gangs have existed for a long time throughout history. Modern urban teenage gangs bring fear and violence to many large cities around the world. Gang members often come from similar backgrounds, whether ethnic, geographic, or sharing a common interest. Gangs can make a lot of money from illegal activities like drugs and gambling, allowing them to grow larger and become more dangerous every year in both small towns and large cities. A former gang member suggests offering hope to kids so they don't feel apart from society, otherwise gangs will continue growing.

1. DANGER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Gangs are as old as mankind. A famous ancient gang was Ali Baba and the forty thieves.
Of course, that is pure legend. But urban teenage gangs are not legends. They bring fear and
violence to many large cities, in the world.
Gang members come from many kinds of families and usually have something in common.
They may be from the same ethnic group, live in the same area, or have a common interest, as for
instance the Coronado While Boys from San Diego. They are teenagers surfers who started a
gang to protect their favorite surfing areas from “intruders”.
Gangs may also make a lot of money from drugs and gambling. They grow larger and
become more dangerous every year, and can even be found in small towns.
No one really knows how this problem can be minimized. But something must be done.
Jephet Copeland, a former member of a Los Angeles gang, says, “If kids feel that they aren’t part
of society, they won’t join a gang. You have to offer hope. If there’s no hope, the gangs will grow.”
VOCABULARY: dangerous: perigso, gangs: turmas, gangues, gambling: jogo, instance: exemplo,
intruders: intrusos, legend: lenda, mankind: humanidade, teenage: adolescente, thieves – ladrões, urban:
urbano(a),
Text Comprehension
1 – Retire do texto:
a) As palavras cognatas:
b) As palavras repetidas:
c) As marcas tipográficas:
2 – Qual é o assunto do texto?
3 – Que personagem das histórias infantis aparece no texto?
4 – Por que as pessoas têm medo dessas gangues juvenis?
5 – Como uma gangue é formada de acordo com o texto?
6 – Qual é a finalidade dessa gangue de surfistas juvenis?
7 – Como as gangues, de forma geral, conseguem dinheiro?
8 – Onde as gangues podem ser encontradas?
9 – Uma vez que as pessoas não sabem como minimizar tal problema. Que proposta Jephet
Copeland ofereceu para combater o problema?
10 – Traduza a seguinte passagem: “If kids feel that they aren’t part of society, they won’t
join a gang. You have to offer hope. If there’s no hope, the gangs will grow.”