ScriptsforUnitOneListeningTask1Theneighborhoodchildrenmyageplayedtogether:eitheractive,physicalgamesoutdoorsorgamesofdolls-and-houseindoors.I,ontheotherhand,spentmuchofmychildhoodalone.I’dcurlupinachairreadingfairytalesandmyths,daydreaming,writingpoemsorstoriesanddrawingpictures.Sometimesaroundthefourthgrade,my“big”(oftencritical,judgmental)Grandma,who’dbeenvisitingussaidtome,“What’swrongwithyouWhydon’ttheotherchildrenwanttoplaywithyou”Irememberbeingstartledandconfusedbyherquestion.I’dneverbeenparticularlyinterestedinplayingwiththeotherchildren.Ithadn’t,tillthen,occurredtomethatthatwaseitheroddorsomethingwithme.Norhaditoccurrredtomethattheydidn’t“wanttoplaywith”me.Myfirstconsciousmemoryoffeelingdifferentwasinthefourthgrade.Atthewardrobe,listeningtoclassmatesjoking,chatteringandlaughingwitheachother,IrealizedIhadn’taclueaboutwhatwassofunnyorofhowtoparticipateintheireasychatter.TheyseemedtoliveinauniverseaboutwhichIknewnothingatall.Itriedtoactlikeothersbutitwassodifficult.Ifeltconfusedanddisoriented.Iturnedbacktomyinnerworld:readingbooks,writinganddaydreaming.Myinwardnessgrewmeinwaysthatcontinuedtomovemefurtherawayfromtheworldofmyagepeers.Theeasyflowofcasualsocialchathasremainedforeverbeyondmyreachandbeyondmyinterest,too.ListeningTask2ThegreatestdifficultyformeisthatasapersonofmixedoriginIamathomeneitherherenorthere.WhereverIam,Iamregardedasbeingforeign,either“white”or“black”.IthappenstomewhenIliveinmymother’scountryoforigin,inSwitzerland,andithappenedtomewhenIwaslivinginmyfather’scountry,IvoryCoast.IwouldfeelathomewhereIcouldfeelthatpeopleacceptmejustthewayIam!Whenyouareasmallchildyoufirstdonotfeelthatyouaredifferentfromtheothers.Butsoontheotherswillmakeyoufeeldifferent–andchildrentoocanbeverycruelintheirbehavioragainstthe“strangechild”.Sometimesincredibleincidentshappen.SometimeagoIwasridingmybikesomewhereinalittleplaceinSwitzarlandnearbytowhereIlive.Acardroveby,andthemaledriveropenedthewindowandyelledatm