HYEC - The Best English Speaking Club in Hanoi (since 1992) - CLB Tiếng Anh lâu đời nhất Hà Nội

Have you ever read an advice column (sometimes also called as “an agony column”) such as: "Dear Abby", "Dear Anne", or "Dear anh Chánh Văn" (Hoa Học Trò)?

Among those who read agony columns, some hopes to find the solution to their own agony by reading the columnist’s advice for a similar situation. The rest simply enjoys reading about other people’s private lives and problems.

Alternatively, you may prefer online agony columns which don’t have a columnist. In this case, the readers themselves can give many valuable and useful advices.

Discussion Questions

1. What are the most common issues in an agony column?
2. What are the main advantages and limitations of an advice column?
3. When you have a problem, who do you turn to for advice? What's the best piece of advice ever given to you?
4. Who was the latest person you gave advice to? What problem did he/she have? What did you say?

Role-playing Game

We will try to solve some real-world problems, and see who the best agony aunt/uncle is.

Vocabulary

column (noun):

(trong ngữ cảnh của bài này) một chuyên mục trong một tờ báo/tạp chí.

columnist (noun):

người phụ trách, người viết bài chính trong một chuyên mục

agony (noun):

một đau đớn về thể xác hoặc tâm hồn, một nỗi khổ

agony column / advice column (noun):

Chuyên mục tâm sự, gỡ rối

agony aunt / agony uncle (noun):

người chuyên trả lời các bức thư bạn đọc trong chuyên mục tâm sự

Here are some agony aunts and uncles
http://www.talktalk.co.uk/lifestyle/agonyaunt/
http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/series/dearjeremy