6. Give English equivalents to the following words and expressions:

относиться с подозрением, зарабатывать на жизнь, удивляться чему-либо, вспоминать, привыкать, пенсионный возраст, состоятельный, испытывать сильные чувства, нанимать на работу, давать отпор, круги общества, сопровождать, относиться как к экзотическому растению.

7. Fill in the chart with family words. Translate them into Russian.

Noun	Verb	Adjective	Adverb
	protect
type
		immediate
company
		normal
end
boy

8. Translate the last passage of the text in written form beginning from “In private life…” up to “…something else”.

9. Write a short summary of the text of no more than 250 words using the guidelines on page 6.

Unit II. FAMILY

Text 1. A CONTEMPORARY FAMILY

1. Answer these questions:

- What types of the family do you know?

- How has the concept of the family changed recently? What influ­enced this change?

- What does marriage mean to modern people?

2. Read the text and check if you were right.

A contemporary family

Family is the most controversial social institution. Each of us has con­nections to a 'family'. We each have a biological mother and father, and most of us grow up within proximity of one or both of our parents. The idea of the family has connections that arc embedded in our cultural, religious and linguistic history. When we speak of the 'family', we refer to relation­ships with what is familiar or well known to us within a household.

Historically, we are born into a culture whereby marriage is consi­dered to be part of the 'natural' progression of life. We get married and become part of a 'nuclear' family, defined as consisting of two genera­tions of biologically related people, typically a man and a woman who marry, maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and have one or more children.

Today, however, the idea of the 'family' as a monolithic notion has been replaced with the assumption that the structure of families is fluid and changeable. Contemporary families consist of single parent families, blended families, step-families and homosexual families to name a few. To define the concept of the family in classical attributes leads to contro­versial discussions concerning the ideologies of marriage, divorce, sex and children. The concept of the contemporary family has evolved into a fluid ideology that is constantly shifting and changing throughout so­ciety.

The concept of the family has changed to incorporate the changes that have occurred within modern society and the attached ideologies. Such changes have not only occurred due to the shifting trends, expectations and norms of society, but have also occurred as a result of wars, eco­nomic depressions, changes in the identity of women and the decline in birth rate. Such changes, subsequently led to changes in other concepts such as 'marriage'.

Marriage is no longer considered to be an identity marker that sets precedent for one to be part of a family; rather it has become a formality that throws out other social markers connected with status, class and power. To be 'married' or to be part of a 'married' family indicates stabil­ity and normality. Thus, it is easy to see why so many people embark upon marriage in order to get a sense of belonging, and to be deemed 'normal' only too later realize that the marriage is far from normal.

The changes we see within the idea of the family and the concept of marriage will continue to remain fluid and changeable. We live in a soci­ety whereby change is inevitable. Whilst the idea of the 'nuclear' family remains popular, it is important to understand that modern family’s arc diverse. We will continue to see a variety of ways in which people work individually and collectively. Today's family incorporates a variety of notions, all of which fit within the definition of the family.

Vocabulary Notes

contemporary – современный

controversial – противоречивый

proximity – близость

to be imbedded – быть встроенным

to approve – одобрять

assumption – предположение

fluid – расплывчатый

concerning – относительно

to occur – происходить

decline in birth rate – снижение рождаемости

subsequently – следовательно

identity marker – показатель сущности

embark upon – начинать с

3. What is the main idea of the text and the key points of the passages?

4. Write down all the words referring to such issues as:

a) contemporary family,

b) controvercial discussions,

c) shifting trends.

Read out the sentences they are used in and translate them into Russian.

5. Look back at the text, find out and write down the answers to the following questions.

-Why is family considered to be the most controvercial social institution ?

Is the idea of the family connected with the cultural and religious history ?

-Why is the family defined as consisting of two generations of biologically related people ?

-Is the structure of families fluid and changeable ?

-What changes occurred due to the shifting trends, expectations and norms of society ?

-Marriage is no longer considered to be an identity marker, is it?