Никоненко Тамара Петрівна

   Belonging to a family is one bond almost everyone in the world shares, but family patterns vary from country to country. What are families like in the United States?
   Nine out of ten people in the USA live as members of families and they value their families highly. Most of the Americans say that family is very important to them. “Families,” they say, “give us a sense of belonging and a sense of tradition, families give us strength and purpose. Our families show us where we are. The things we need most deeply in our lives – love, communication, respect and good relationships – have their beginnings in the family.” Families serve many functions. They provide conditions in which children can be born and brought up. Families help to educate their members. Parents teach their children values (that is what they think is important) as well as daily skills. They also teach them common practices and customs, such as respect for elders and celebrating holidays. But the most important job for a family is to give emotional support and security.
   When Americans speak about families, many of them mean a “traditional family”. A traditional American family is one in which both parents are living together with their children. The father goes out and works and the mother stays home and brings up the children. There are two children in a traditional American family: an elder daughter (called “Sis”) and a younger brother (“Buddy” or “Junior”). This does not mean that such size of family or order of birth is statistically more common in the United States than in other countries, but this is the typical structure when a traditional American family is pictured in illustrations or advertisements.
   But most American families today do not fit this image. The biggest change is that in many families both parents work outside the home.

Are these statements true (t) or false (f)

1. There are two children in a traditional American family.
2. A traditional American family is one in which both parents are living together with their children.
3. Five out of ten people in the USA live as members of families.
4. The Americans say that family is unimportant to them.
5. The teachers provide conditions in which children can be born and brought up.
6. Parents teach their children values as well as daily skills.
7. Families help to educate their members.
8. An elder daughter called “Sis” and a younger brother “Master”.
9. The most important job for a family is to give emotional support and security.
10. The size of family, or order of birth, is statistically more common in the United States than in other countries.
11. In all American families the father goes out and works and the mother stays home and brings up the children.

Ененкова Л.Н. АбальшинаА.С., Мясоедова С.В. Английский язык. Тексты для чтения и обсуждения (аудирование). – Х.: Мир детства, 2002. – С. 18-19