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CHAPTER 3

RELATIONSHIPS

Part 1: Who’s Taking Care of the Children?

Words to remember

homemaker (n) – a woman who manages a home and often raises children instead of earning money from employment. Compare house husband a man who stays at home and cleans the house, takes care of the children, etc. while his wife goes out to work

to necessitate (v) – to cause something to be needed, or to make something

necessary

executive (adj) – having the power to make important decisions in an organization or

government

glass ceiling (n) – invisible barrier to the promotion of women

full-time (adv) – during the number of hours that people normally work in a complete

week

part-time (adv) – working during only a part of regular working time

flex-time US (n) (flexitime UK) – a system of working in which people work a set number of hours within a fixed period of time, but can vary the time they start or finish work job-sharing (n) – a system in which two people share the work from a single job, so that each one works for part of the day or week

to raise (v) – to take care of a person, or an animal or plant, until they are completely

grown

household (n) – a group of people, often a family, who live together. Syn.: family

to support (v) – to give a person the money they need in order to buy food and clothes and pay for somewhere to live. Syn.: provide

to reveal (v) – to make known or show something that is surprising or that was

previously secret

to take smth for granted – to expect smth always to happen or exist in a particular way, and not think about any possible problems or difficulties

to portray (v) – to represent or describe someone or something in a painting, film, book or other artistic work

breadwinner (n) – the person who earns money to support a family

to account for smth – to form, use or produce a particular amount or part of smth extended family (group noun) – a family unit which includes grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts and uncles, etc. in addition to parents and children

immediate family/nuclear family (n) – a family consisting of two parents and their

children, but not including aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.

one-parent family/single-parent family (n) – a family which includes either a mother

or a father but not both

blended family (n) – a family in which both the mother and the father were previously married and combined their children to form a new family

to make for smth – to help to make smth possible

shift (n) – one of the set periods of time during each day and night when a group of workers in a factory etc. are at work before being replaced by another group of workers to establish oneself (v) – to be in a successful position over a long period of time secure (adj) – able to avoid being harmed by any risk, danger or threat. Syn.: protected salary (n) – a fixed amount of money agreed every year as pay for an employee, usually paid directly into his or her bank account every month: a 10% salary increase. Compare: wage (n) a fixed amount of money that is paid, usually every week, to an employee, especially one who does work that needs physical skills or strength, rather than a job needing a college education: a very low/high wage; an hourly/daily/weekly/annual wage

survey (n) – an examination of opinions, behaviour, etc., made by asking people questions: to conduct/carry out/do a survey

to sample (v) – to use a group of people in order to get information about a larger group or about the whole population

capabale of (adj) – very good at doing a job to do the laundry (phr) – to wash clothes

adequate (adj) – good enough or large enough for a particular purpose; syn. sufficient

EXERCISES

1. Give English equivalents of the words and word partnerships used in the text.

Хозяйка дома, мать семейства; делать необходимым; занимать руководящую должность; работать полный (неполный) рабочий день; гибкий рабочий график;

денежный фактор; искать творческое решение; разделение работы; работать посменно; воспитывать детей; содержать семью; принимать как должное,

считать само собой разумеющимся; показывать, изображать; кормилец;

насчитывать; большая семья; малая (нуклеарная) семья; неполная семья;

смешанная семья; создать себе имя (репутацию); опрос.

2. Match the words or expressions with their definitions.

3. Make new words by adding suffixes or prefixes to the italicized words. Translate the sentences.

ity / ary / ous

1.This change would necessitate starting all over again.

2.He was born in a …. (poor) family.

3.He doesn’t like having two jobs, but if he wants to provide his family with decent conditions for living, it was a … .

4.Food is … for life.

tion / ive (2)

1.The plan was good, but it was badly executed.

2.The musician’s … was perfect, but he played without feeling.

3.Our department reports to the top … of our company.

4.Secretaries are not allowed to use the ... dining room.

ed / sion

1.The regulations do not extend to foreign visitors.

2.He lived in an … family with lots of relatives living near-by.

3.The bank will … your credit.

4.I planned an … of my holidays.

sion / ing

1.He has five children to provide for.

2.The … of a new library with lots of books has been of great benefit to the students.

3.I will go there, … (if) you go too.

un / er / tion / ive / ity / ed

1.The wine bottle was marked “Produce of Spain”.

2.Canada is a … of high-quality wheat.

3.The book was … on a very small budget.

4.She was involved in the … of several well-known films.

5.Office work is necessary, but most of it is not directly … .

6.He was fired because of his … work.

7.New production methods have led to high … .

4. Give synonyms. Make up your own sentences with these words.

5.Fill in the blanks with suitable words in a proper form from the list below.

1.Going to the university would ___________ his move to the city.

2.The investigation has __________ some serious faults in the system.

3.The newspaper wants to ___________ the project in the worst possible light.

4.Repeat sales ____________ 73% of our sales.

5.For most parents, __________ a child is a positive challenge.

6.The important thing is that children feel _________ about being loved.

7.I ___________ that you’d want to come with us, so I’ve bought you a ticket.

8.The food was _________ for all of us.

9.The staff all seems very _________.

10.Teach your children how to _________ their pets.

11.He earns a good __________, because he works for a fair employer.

12.When she got married she decided to quit her job and be a __________.

13.He quickly _________ himself as a promising young actor.

To establish, salary, to care for, to portray, capable, homemaker, to necessitate, to raise, secure, to take smth for granted, adequate, to account for, to reveal.

6. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1.Работа в этой компании неизбежно влечёт за собой жизнь за границей.

2.Деление рабочего места между несколькими работниками – одна из мер уменьшения безработицы.

What do you think about divorce? Is it common in your country? Do you think it is harmful to the children involved or do you think at times it is beneficial to them? The following essay by the well-known journalist Ellen Goodman describes how one man changes after his divorce. In the first paragraph Goodman uses а comparison to show what the man was like before his divorce, when he lived with his family. She compares him to а visitor in his own home and speaks about him having his children "brought in on а tray at cocktail hour." This is an example of figurative language (language that uses а figure or symbol to show something). It does not mean, of course, that the children were literally (really, actually) carried in on а tray. It means that the father's distant, formal attitude toward his children was similar to the attitude of а guest toward the snacks and drinks that are offered to him on а tray before dinner.

Can you show how this comparison is extended in the first two paragraphs by the use of more figurative language? Why do you think the author begins like this instead of saying directly what she means?

Prereading Exercise: Learning Words Through Their Latin Roots

Many English words originally came from the Latin language and still have Latin roots (parts). Becoming familiar with Latin roots can help you to remember the meaning of some English words. Study the meanings of the following Latin roots; then fill in the blanks with words made from them.

1.А woman who acts like а mother toward someone treats that person in а maternal way. А man who acts like а father to someone is said to have а _________ attitude toward that person. The city of Philadelphia was founded by а religious group called the Quakers, who believed in brotherly or ___________ love.

2.In hospitals, there are special sections for women who are in the condition of being or becoming mothers; these are called maternity wards. On university campuses there are often groups of male students who live together like brothers; these associations are called ____________.

3.А person who kills his father commits patricide. If he kills his mother, this act is called _____________.

4.Can you guess the meaning of the following words?

homicide _____________________________________________________________

genocide ______________________________________________________________

suicide ______________________________________________________________

5. Two words used in the main reading are fratricide and paternity. Can you give their definitions?

Prereading Exercise: Guessing the meaning of words from context. Read the following excerpts from the selection and the commentaries for each. Circle the correct meaning for each italicized word.

1."At the smallest sign of crankiness [bad temper] or illness, [the children] had been promptly sent back to the kitchen, and to the mother who had been held more or less responsible for such а lapse."

The words crankiness and illness tell us that there was something wrong with the children. Because of this, they were sent back to the mother, the person considered

responsible for this lapse. The implication is that the mother had not prepared the children correctly. Therefore, lapse means а small:

а. success b. error c. help

2."So instead, at thirty-five years of age, he chose paternity. Ten years earlier he had been more or less drafted. This time he really chose it.”

Аcontrast made between а man at thirty-five who chooses to be а father and the same man at twenty-live who had not chosen it, who had been drafted. Therefore, drafted means:

3."... The visited father finally established а rapport with his children. He spent more time with them in ten months than he had in ten years."

The words finally established and spent more time tell us that а rapport is something that а person establishes with someone else over а period of time. So, а

4."It was his daughter who pointed out the absurdity of the sign on the corner that read: Go Children Slow. “That doesn't make sense.”

The words that doesn't make sense show us that absurdity means:

5."Sometimes he was jealous. Of men who had custody of their children. Of live-in fathers."

The words of live-in fathers tell us that the fathers who have custody of their children:

а. take care of them most of the time b. get along well with them

с. can visit them when they choose

The Making of a Father

When he lived with them, he had been а visiting father. The sort who has his children brought in on а tray аt cocktail hour and collected before dinner is served. The sort who prefers his children to come shiny-clean, cheerful, and in small doses.

Не had sniffed them as if they were corks from а new wine bottle. At the smallest sign of crankiness or illness, they had been promptly sent back to the kitchen, and to the mother who had been held more or less responsible for such а lapse in the quality of the wine cellar. It’s true. Не'd always wanted them perfect, 98.6 degrees and in full repair.

But things were different now. Не was nо longer а live-in visiting father. Не had signed on the dotted line of а very formal agreement, full of clauses and subclauses, one of which read: "The father shall have reasonable visitation rights."

But now that he was officially, legally, the visiting (or visited) father, something remarkable happened. Не had made his first full connections with the small people in his life. In а peculiar way he knew this was his first Father's Day.

In the last ten months he had become а father, not just а name on а birth certificate.

Не discovered that this transition wasn't unique with him, but he wasn't entirely sure why it happened to so many divorced fathers.

When first apart, he thought he would be а "swinging" bachelor, with а high-rise studio apartment and а mirror over his bed. But somehow he'd felt rather silly.

So instead, at 35 years of age, he chose paternity. Ten years earlier he had been more or less drafted. This time he really chose it. Out of loneliness and guilt at first, and out of pleasure at last, the visited father finally established а rapport with his children. Не spent more time with them а ten months than he had in ten years.

They were with him through Wednesdays, weekends, and vacations, through the flu and sunburn and carsickness and various attempts at fratricide.

Alone with his children, he took intensive on-the-job training. The mother who had been designated the expert by all of them wasn't around for consultations. Не had to cram. Indeed, the father developed a repertory of attitudes on subjects like these: Should his daughter have dessert if she refused to eat the vegetables? What was the appropriate punishment for а ten-year-old boy who spread honey all over the cat?

Не became the kind of parent who knew how to braid hair and limit junk food and tuck in tired bodies — and yell. Не learned what his children liked to еаt, that they hated to wash, and where they were likely to have left the other tennis shoe. Не learned that even when they'd seen each other at their worst, they liked each other.

Alone with his children, he'd found them to be remarkably interesting. That was an odd word to use, but there it was: interesting. It was his son who explained to him quite clearly why there was no such thing as nothing, "because then nothing has to be something." It was his daughter who pointed out the absurdity of the sign on the corner that read: Go

Children Slow. "That doesn't make sense. It should read: “Go Slow, Children."

The visiting father who had never had time for his children made time. Period. Не met both teachers. Не had seen one child play basketball and the other play hockey.

Sometimes he was jealous. Of men who had custody of their children. Of live-in fathers. Не wondered why he had waited so long.

But at least he had learned. When he couldn't take them for granted, he discovered that you can't take them for granted. What he had with his children was what they created. They had made him, at last, а father.