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 healwounds 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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Let’s discuss:

Ex. 2. In one of the interviews Mrs Margaret Thatcher gave to BBC she said that she was a great admirer of Victorian values. These are those perennial values she mentioned:

- to work jolly hard;

- to improve yourself;

- to live within your income;

- self-reliance;

- cleanliness is next to godliness;

- self-respect;

- always to give a hand to your neighbour;

- tremendous pride in your country;

- to be a good member of your community.

How do you understand these values? Comment on them.

Are these values actual in our time and in this country? Do we always keep to these values?

What values do you think need some revival?

Ex. 3. Read the information provided and comment on it using the questions below:

For 20 centuries European nations have been trying to live according to the Christianity commandments. The Ten Commandments are written in the Old Testament, they are the laws given by God to the Hebrew leader Moses on Mount Sinai, engraved on two tablets of stone.

They are: to have no other gods besides Jehovah; to make no idols; not to misuse the name of God; to keep the sabbath holy; to honour one's parents; not to commit murder, adultery, or theft; not to give false evidence; not to be covetous. They form the basis of Jewish and Christian moral codes; the `tablets of the Law' given to Moses are also mentioned in the Koran.

Sabbath - (Jewish) суббота; (Christian) воскресенье

1. the seventh day of the week observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening as a day of rest and worship by Jews and some Christians;

2. Sunday observed among Christians as a day of rest and worship;

3. some other biblical period (e.g. a year) of rest;

4. a time of rest.

What do you think these commandments are? Are they a message from God or at least the accumulation of human social experience?

Do you follow all of them or at least some of them?

Do you think these rules of behaviour must be taught in the family?

Do you think we succeed in moulding these perennial values in our children?

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VOCABULARY

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