12 A) Read the following text and say

- in what ways the views on family life have recently changed;

- whether a marriage can be a success if both parents have full-time jobs;

- if you approve of modern trends in family life.

b) Explain the following notions.

a nuclear family _______________________________________________

an extended family _____________________________________________

generation ____________________________________________________

career________________________________________________________

to neglect (a child) _____________________________________________

Modern Trends in Family Life

When we speak about families in sociological terms we must differentiate between the nuclear family and the extended family. Most people, however, in everyday conversation, use the word ‘family’ to mean the nuclear family, and the word ‘relatives’ or ‘relations’ to mean the extended family.

Family life has changed a lot over the last few decades. The people of the young generation don’t see home life in the same way as their parents did. In general, the women of the last generation accepted that their role, or part in life was to do the housework (cleaning, cooking, etc.) and to look after the children while the husband went to work to earn money.

The modern trend – a radical change from former ideas – is that if a woman has spent a long time training for a career, she wants to continue that career after she has married and had children. Can a marriage really work if both parents have full-time jobs? This may depend on money. If the parents don’t earn very much money and so can’t afford to pay for someone to take care of the children and to do the housework, the problems could arise and the children could be neglected, receiving too little attention from their parents.

13 Interview your partner and find out from him or her

a) if she/he comes from a big family;

b) how many brothers and sisters she/he has got;

c) if she/he would prefer to have more or fewer brothers or sisters;

d) if her/his family is close-knit, how much time they spend together;

e) who she/he gets on with best of all;

f) if there is anyone in her/his family she/he does not get on with;

g) if she/he has very much contact with her/his extended family;

h) how many children she/he would like to have (if any).

Model:

A: Listen, Ann, do you come from a big family?

B: Not really. There are three of us – Mom, Dad and me. And what about you? Is your family big?

A: Yes, quite. ...

Listening

14 (To be done in class) families

a) Before listening, read the definitions of the words and phrases below and understand what they mean.

1. cautious – careful, wary;

2. single parents – people who are the only parent to their child or children;

3. consequences – things that happen as a result or effect of something you do;

4. skeletons in the closet – secrets, information that people do not want others to know about;

5. pawned – temporarily exchanged for money;

6. upfront – open, honest, truthful;

7. for the sake of something – something is done for a particular person or purpose;

8. vote for – to make an official choice for or against someone or something.

b) Listen to the radio program and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).

1. Rob thinks that children are able to go to school on their own at the age of 8.

2. The idea of a traditional British family has broken down.

3. Some parents need to attend parenting classes to be better parents.

4. Most people say that their families satisfy them.

5. Sixty percent of the surveyed people said their jobs make them happy.

6. Most respondents think that people should stay in unhappy relationships for the sake of children.

7. All British people are ready to report a relative to the police if they commit a crime.

8. Rob has got a few family secrets he is ashamed of.

c) Speak about the problems raised in the program. Do you think Russian and British families are similar?