1. Family

1. What is family for you?

2. Is family important in each person’s life? Why?

3. What will you ask your British friend about his family?

4. What can you advise a person who wants to have a close and happy family?

5. Nowadays an average family has one child. From your point of view, how many children should there be in a family?

What is family for you?

I love being with my family. My parents are my real friends and they certainly mean a lot to me. They always help me in difficult situations. It’s fun to spend time together. My family is very important to me. I think it’s nice to have someone you can rely on and share all your experiences with. Family means much to me. It’s my castle where I can hide and feel safe and protected. Family gives me support and stability. It lets me be confident in myself. I’m lucky to have such a wonderful family. After all, without family you have nothing. That’s my opinion.

Is family important in each person’s life? Why?

Family is important for every person because it gives you a sense of stability and tradition, a feeling of having support and understanding. Family is an emotional centre of a person’s life, transmitter of culture, the place where children are being raised. The proverb says, “Men make houses, women make homes”. In my view, it means that the man provides for his family, pays attention to the problems of the members of the family. And the woman creates the homely atmosphere, encourages her husband and keeps the house. In happy family parents are frank and honest with their children, they treat their children with respect without moralizing or bossing them around. In a friendly family people are gentle, respectful and loving.

What will you ask your British friend about his family?

1. Is your family large?

2. Who are your parents?

3. Have you got brothers or sisters?

4. Do you spend a lot of time together?

What can you advise a person who wants to have a close and happy family?

To my mind, in a close and happy family people should get along with each other and treat each other with respect. To avoid problems and misunderstanding the family members should work through problems and discuss them. They should avoid conflicts not to hurt each other. In a happy family all the members give support to each other because happy family is a united family.

Nowadays an average family has one child. From your point of view, how many children should there be in a family?

Nowadays an average family consists of a mum, a dad and as a rule one child. Parents want the best for their children, that is why they choose one child to give it the most of their love, time and money. A large family also means a lot of problems, love a lot of care. But now young parents are rather concerned of themselves.

2. Family traditions

1. What is family for you?

2. Do you have your own family traditions?

3. What will you ask your British friend about his family traditions?

4. What can you advise a person who wants to have a close and happy family?

5. What is your favourite family holiday?

What is family for you?

→ Билет 1, вопрос 1 ←

Do you have your own family traditions?

We have some family traditions. Apart from observing national holidays we celebrate the birthdays of each member of the family, give presents to each other on the New Years day and on some other occasions. One of our family traditions is spending summer holidays together either at the seaside or in the country, which I enjoy very much.

What will you ask your British friend about his family traditions?

1. What family traditions do you like most of all?

2. What is your favourite family holiday?

3. Is your family friendly and united?

What can you advise a person who wants to have a close and happy family?

→ Билет 1, вопрос 4 ←

What is your favourite family holiday?

My favourite family holiday is New Year. It’s celebrated on the 1st of January, but in fact the celebration starts on the New Year’s Eve when all the family gets together at the beautifully laid dining table for which we cook lots of delicious dishes. We also buy presents for each other beforehand and decorate a fur tree with toys, tinsel and lights. There’s a tradition to look under the fur tree on the New Year’s morning to find there presents. That’s why I love this holiday.

3. Family relationship

1. What role does family play in your life?

2. Are you on good terms with your parents?

3. What will you ask your British friend about his family relationship?

4. What may create a hostile atmosphere in a family, do you think? How it can be avoided?

5. They say that parents and children have difficulties understanding each other because of the generation gap. What do you think about this problem?

What role does family play in your life?

→ Билет 1, вопрос 2 ←

Are you on good terms with your parents?

I think yes. My parents are my real friends. They always help me in difficult situation. I obey my parents and try to follow their advice. We support each other. I can’t say we have no conflicts, at least we try to avoid them. My parents are interested in my opinion when they discuss family problems. And I do my best not to worry them without a slightest cause and never lie to them.

What will you ask your British friend about his family relationship?

1. Do you spend a lot of time together?

2. Can you rely on your family?

3. Who has the greatest influence on you in your family?

4. Is your family friendly and united?

What may create a hostile atmosphere in a family, do you think? How it can be avoided?

I think misunderstanding may create a hostile atmosphere in a family. To my mind family members shouldn’t avoid talking with one another, they have to learn how to listen well to what others are trying to say. They should spend more time together. I think understanding and love, respect and confidence are most important in a family.

They say that parents and children have difficulties understanding each other because of the generation gap. What do you think about this problem?

Our parents and we are different and in some points we are really have different values and understanding of life. The young are better educated nowadays, they grow up more quickly, enjoy more freedom. Every generation is different from the previous one due to the changes that take place in economic, social and political spheres of every society and in every country. Sometimes we even don’t want to understand each other: parents are sure they are right and children don’t want to obey.