Parents and children

Hands up any parent who has never smacked their child. Hands up anyone who was never smacked as a child. The numbers are few. Since the dawn of history parents have corrected their children by smacking. But it is already illegal in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Austria. Germany and Canada want to introduce some laws. Can Britain be far behind? The child experts agree that physical punishment should be outlawed. It leads to more violence in society.

But the cases of cruelty differ from smacks used by parents who teach their children how to behave.

In her excellent book on child care "Good children" Lynette Burrows writes that a quick, minimally-painful smack is the most sensible corrective in child development.

The mother is the ideal person to do this since she combines love and concern for the child with a physical presence.

The «experts» who believe all smacking should be outlawed perhaps don’t understand other forms of cruelty which are very damaging to children. Coldness, emotional rejection, hurtful words and not spending time with children are cruel, too.

Violent crime and aggression are just as often in non-smacking Scandinavia as elsewhere. In the Mediterranean summer resorts Swedish and Dutch teenagers bully and fight. In Greece and Spain people are appalled by the behavior of these more "progressive" tourists.

Parents must be responsible for their children until the age of majority.

Normal parents do not take any pleasure in punishing their children. Of course, we must reject cruelty or brutality to children: but making the reasonable smack illegal is not the way.

Task 1

Study the following words and expressions and memorize them:

Smack - to punish ['pΛni∫] – наказывать

Punishment – наказание

Violence ['vai∂l∂ns] – жестокость, насилие

Cruelty ['kru∂lti] – жестокость

To hold office – занимать должность

To elect [i'lekt] – выбирать (голосованием)

Native-born ['neitiv bo:n] – уроженец

Resident ['rezid∂nt] – постоянный житель

Particular [p∂'tikjl∂] – отдельный

To vote ['v∂ut] – голосовать

Voter ['v∂ut∂] – избиратель

Measure ['meз∂] – мера

Favourable ['feiv∂r∂bl] – подходящий, удобный

To represent [¸repri'zent] – представлять

Level ['lev∂l] – уровень

Election district [i¸lek∫n'distrikt] – избирательный округ

Compromise in politics ['kompr∂maiz in 'politiks] – политический компромисс

Matter ['mæt∂] – вопрос

Choice ['t∫ois] – выбор

Finance [fai'næns] – доходы

Proposal [pr∂'p∂uz∂l] – предложение, план

Directly [di'rektli] – непосредственно

Legislative ['ledзisl∂tiv] – законодательный

Legislature ['ledзisleit∫∂] – законодательная власть, законодательный орган штата

Legislator ['ledзisleit∂] – законодатель

Task 2

Read the text.

Task 3

Do the following exercises on the text.

Exercise 1. Find English equivalents for the words below.

UNIT 7

Дата добавления: 2015-07-19