Comprehension exercises

I. Reread the text and answer the following questions:

1) What is social inequality usually based on? 2) Why is stratification one of the most important and complex subjects of sociological investigation? 3) What forms of stratification exist in all societies? 4) What is stratification by social class? 5) What is the difference between a racial group and an ethnic group? 6) Does a minority group always constitute a numerical minority? 7) Are there «pure races» in a biological sense? 8) How can different social groups relate to one another in a society? 9) What patterns of intergroup relations do you know? 10) What is stratification by gender based on? 11) How can you prove that ours is a men's world? 12) What are the traditional male and female gender roles? 13) What shows that women gain some degree of power at present? 14) Do barriers still remain? 15) What are the social consequences of women's employment? 16) What is stratification by age? 17) How can you prove the subordinate status of the elderly in all societies?

II. Speak on social inequality, stratification and its firms in brief and illustrate your reports withexamples and situations of your own.

III. Speak about the social inequality and stratification in the Russian society commenting on the following problems:

1) The roots of social inequality in our society. 2) Class distinctions and division in Russia. 3) Russian women — the oppressed majority. 4) The attitude to the elderly in our society.

IV. Describe your own experiences as a member of our society:

Do you feel any social inequality? Do you hold any class consciousness? Are you a member of a minority or a majority group? Do you think that your gender identity determines your gender role? Are there any problems in «being young»? Will all these distinctions influence your future opportunities and in what ways?

Revision Exercises on Unit Eight

I. Revise the active vocabulary and the definitions of the key terms of the unit eight and translate the following intoEnglish.

1) Передача знаний — одна из основных функций образова­ния. 2) Обеспечение социальной и политической интеграции об­щества — это еще одна важная функция образования. 3) Третья функция образования — это поддержание общественного конт­роля. 4) Образование также может стимулировать и вызывать не­обходимые социальные изменения. 5) Теоретики конфликтного подхода к образованию утверждают, что образование сохраняет классовые различия в обществе. 6) Неравный доступ к высшему образованию очевиден во многих странах мира. 7) Стратифика­ция — это один из самых важных и сложных предметов социоло­гического исследования, так как она оказывает большое влияние на человеческие взаимоотношения и социальные институты. 8) Стратификация по социальному классу основана на различиях в получении дохода и на неравных источниках приобретения бо­гатства. 9) Расовая и этническая стратификация основана на раз­личиях между группами меньшинств и группой социального боль­шинства. 10) Стратификация по полу основана на теории сексизма, т.е. на превосходстве одного пола над другим. 11) Подчиненный статус пожилых существует во всех обществах мира, и это еще одна форма стратификации.

II. Reread the texts of unit eight again and discuss the problem-questions given in the learning objectives in the introduction tothe unit.

III. Comment on the following questions thinking like sociologists.

1) «All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others» (George Orwell «Animal Farm», 1945).

2) «The sociologist is a person intensively, endlessly, shamelessly interested in the doings of people» (Peter L. Berger «Invitation to Sociology», 1963).

CONTENTS

Практикум по английскому языку 1

Москва 1

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ 3

Unit One. THE NATURE OF SOCIOLOGY 5

Looking Ahead 5

Learning Objectives 5

Text I. WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY? 5

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 6

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 7

Text II. WHAT IS SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY? ORIGINS OF SOCIOLOGY 7

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 8

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 9

Revision Exercises on Unit One 10

Unit Two. METHODS AND TECHNIQUES OF SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH 11

Looking Ahead 11

Learning Objectives 11

Text III. WHAT IS SCIENTIFIC METHOD? 11

In Summary: Scientific Method 12

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 13

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 13

Text IV. RESEARCH DESIGNS FOR COLLECTING DATA. ETHICS OF RESEARCH 14

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 15

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 16

Revision Exercises on Unit Two 17

Unit Three. ORGANIZING SOCIAL LIFE: 18

CULTURE 18

Looking Ahead 18

Learning Objectives 18

Text V. DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURE 18

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 19

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 20

Text VI. ELEMENTS OF CULTURE 20

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 22

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 23

Revision Exercises on Unit Three 24

Unit Four. SOCIALIZATION 25

Looking Ahead 25

Learning Objectives 25

Text VII. THE ROLE OF SOCIALIZATION. 25

SELF-IDENTITY AND SOCIALIZATION 25

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 26

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 27

Text VIII. SOCIALIZATION AND THE LIFE CYCLE. 28

AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION 28

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 30

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 31

Revision Exercises on Unit Four 31

Unit Five. SOCIAL INTERACTION AND 33

SOCIAL STRUCTURE. SOCIAL CONTROL 33

Looking Ahead 33

Learning Objectives 33

Text IX. SOCIAL INTERACTION AND REALITY. 33

ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL STRUCTURE 33

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 35

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 36

Text X. CONFORMITY AND OBEDIENCE. 37

DEVIANCE AND CRIME 37

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 39

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 40

Revision Exercises on Unit five 41

Unit Six. SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS: 43

THE FAMILY, THE RELIGION 43

Looking Ahead 43

Learning Objectives 43

Text XI. THE FAMILY: UNIVERSAL BUT VARIED 43

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 44

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 45

Text XII. RELIGION 46

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 48

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 49

Revision Exercises on Unit Six 49

Unit Seven. SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS: 51

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS. THE ECONOMY 51

Looking Ahead 51

Learning Objectives 51

Text XIII. GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 51

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 53

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 54

Text XIV. THE ECONOMY 55

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 56

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 57

Revision Exercises on Unit Seven 57

Unit Eight. EDUCATION AS A SOCIAL INSTITUTION. SOCIAL INEQUALITY 59

Looking Ahead 59

Learning Objectives 59

Text XV. EDUCATION 59

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 60

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 61

Text XV I. SOCIAL INEQUALITY 62

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 64

COMPREHENSION EXERCISES 65

Revision Exercises on Unit Eight 66

1