2. Answer the questions.

1. What kind of changes is adolescence marked by and how are they revealed?

2. Where and how do adolescents spend their free time?

3. At what age do they normally start to go out with members of the opposite sex?

4. What is ‘steady dating’ and who is ‘a steady’?

5. What may steady dating lead to and on what condition?

6. How can one explain the difference between ‘dating’ and ‘courtship’?

7. How is courtship done in a traditional/non-traditional way?

8. In your opinion, is it possible to draw a distinction between going out, dating and courting?

9. In terms of sociology, what is the period of courtship preceded by?

10. What factors can be mate selection based on? Which of them prevail or matter more?

11. Why do you think people prefer to get married within their social class or group

12. Are always ethnic or religious factors taken into consideration?

13. What does the practice of ‘like marrying like’ mean? What is its scientific term?

14. Especially today economic factors seem to overweigh the others in mate selection. Wouldn’t you agree?

3. Explain the meaning of the following.

1. ... a new, more formal attitude toward parents and, more particularly, toward members of the opposite sex.

2. ... to spend time in same-sex groups.

3. ... come into contact ..... at social occasions.

4. ... go out with mixed-sex groups.

5. ... a stage of steady dating.

6. ... one’s peer group.

7. ... if the couple gets along well together.

8. ...one’s intended bride.

9. ... with no intention of ever marrying.

10. ... mate selection.

11. ... their match is made on the basis of love.

12. ... people usually marry within their social class.

13. ...the practice of like marrying like.

14. .... before she will consent to marry him.

15. ... he is capable of supporting her.

4. Look at the diagram and explain how courtship and mate selection take place.

A d o l e s c e n c e

		formal attitude t o opposite sex

formal attitude to parents

spending time in same sex groups

going out with mixed groups

pairing off and dating

steady dating

courtship

marriage

Getting professional

1. Summarize the information from the passage. Give a short talk on Courtship and Mate Selection.

2. Look at the Family Cycle below and using the diagram say what the normal order of things in mate selection is. Feel free to add or exclude any event you will find necessary.

You get married You get divorced You get pregnant

You meet You get to know

someone someone

You fall in love with You get divorced

someone

You have a baby

Discussion