Разработка заданий по чтению "What Is a Family?"

What Is a Family?

A family is a group of people who are related to each other by blood (for instance a brother and sister), or by marriage (for instance a husband and his wife's marry sister). A wider group of related families is referred to as kinship system. Family relations are universal in the sense that everyone has blood relatives.

However, the patterns of family, marriage etc. vary both geographically and historically.

Marriage is the bond that makes families possible. Typically, it involves a legal agreement between a man and a woman to enter into a long-term relationship for the purposes of establishing a home and raising children. Marriage also creates rights and responsibilities, such as the economical support of spouse and offspring.

In Western societies marriage is the final stage in a social process that involves dating, courtship and engagement. Marital relationships are usually formalized and solemnized by an usual elaborate ritual, known as a wedding ceremony, often with relatives of the couple in attendance. This can take place in a building officially recognized for holding such events, such as church, temple or registry office.

In many non-Western societies, for example in rural China, marital partners are selected by parents or other matchmakers rather than the couple themselves. All civilized societies prohibit marriage between certain categories of relatives (incest).

1. Answer the questions:

1. How to define the word ‘family’?

2. In what sense can family relations be universal?

3. What does a legal agreement imply?

4. What does a marriage mean in Western societies?

5. What is the role of matchmakers in non-Western societies?

6. What kind of marriage is forbidden in a civilized society?

1. Find the words and phrases which mean the following:

1. the relationship between the members of the same family or related families

2. a duty to take care of somebody

3. a husband or wife

4. someone's child or children

5. to take care of children while they are growing up

6. the period of time when a man and a woman have a romantic relationship

7. a formal agreement to get married

8. a ceremony in which two people get married

9. relating to marriage

10. a place in the UK where births, deaths and marriages are officially registered

11. a person who tries to arrange marriages or romantic relationships between people

12. relations between persons who are so closely related that their marriage is illegal or forbidden by custom.

Keys

I.

1. A family is a group of people who are related to each other by blood or by marriage.

2. Family relations can be universal in the sense that everyone has blood relatives.

3. A legal agreement implies entering into a long-term relationship for the purposes of establishing a

home and raising children.

4. In Western societies marriage means the final stage in a social process that involves dating,

courtship and engagement.

5. The role of matchmakers in non-Western societies consists in the selection of marital partners.

6. A marriage between certain categories of relatives (incest) is forbidden in a civilized society.

II.

1. Kinship

2. Responsibility

3. Spouse

4. Offspring

5. To raise

6. Courtship

7. Engagement

8. Wedding ceremony

9. In attendance

10. Registry office

11. Matchmaker

12. Incest