Family Relations

Unit 2: family relations

Ex. 1. Read the text and answer the questions following it:

The family is recognised all over the world as the basic unit of any society. Every state pays much attention to the family and provides it with all possible support. If we want to find an answer to the question why the state is so much concerned about the family we have to understand the role of it. The oldest function of the family is the reproductive one. The state, meeting the demand of the society, encourages the growth of the birth rate for a very practical reason: the more working hands a country has, the richer it is, in case the country is able to feed all these people. That’s why young families in our country receive a sort of a birth-bonus: a sum of money on a child’s birth. Large families are also supported by the state. Even more: the mothers of these large families are awarded with a special order. But having big population is not in the least the aim of a country. These people should be loyal to the state, to their native country. Children are not born patriots, they are brought up patriots and here is one more function of the family - the up-bringing one.

Both the country and the family itself are interested in having good citizens of the country and good members of the family. Parents are anxious about their children, about their future. They want their children to respect them and other people and, naturally, to be respected. They, parents, hate the very idea of seeing their children despised by people or chased by the police for having done something wrong. Parents realise quite well that children should be brought up on the values of the society, otherwise they would never feel comfortable among people. A kind of a deal exists between the society and the family. On the one hand the family brings children up in respect of the existing values of the society, on the other hand the society provides conditions for up-bringing: system of education, health protection, recreation facilities and so on. It is a sort of “mutual benefit”.

The family is the place where people feel protected and comfortable. The family get together in joys and sorrows, it possesses an ability to heal wounds and pains. It is the only place where people can feel really secure and relaxed in spite of all problems which exist in every family or in the majority of families.

to recognise to provide with to reproduce a bonus loyal to be anxious about

Признавать Обеспечивать Воспроизводить Премия Лояльный Беспокоиться о ч.-л.

to despise to chase a value mutual benefit to heal a wound

Презирать Преследовать Ценность Взаимная выгода Заживать Рана

How would you explain the notion ‘family’?

What are the functions of the family? Which of them do you think is the most important and why?

What do we actually mean by upbringing?

Do you think the functions of the family were different in various historical periods?

How have the values of a society (community) been formed?

Why are parents so much concerned about their children?

Do you think a mother’s and a father’s attitudes towards a child are a bit different? How can you explain it?

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