TEST 7 Questions 1-7. Match the following headings (A-H) to the texts (Q1-Q7). Note: There is one extra heading which you do not need to use. HEADINGS: A) Pessimistic predictions B) Western experience C) Parents’ carelessness D) A perfect example to follow E) Sad statistics F) Strong family — great potential G) Family traditions H) A common myth Q1.
The first thing most Western people notice in the East is the respect everyone has for old people. Elderly
people live with their married children and are important members of the family. They look after the
children, help with cooking, give advice and often rule family life. Living in an extended family has
advantages for everyone: children are taken care of by their loving relatives, and grandparents feel that they
are loved and needed.
Q2.
The nuclear family is a product of the modern West. The family usually consists of mother, father, and two
children. If the mother goes out to work, she must leave them with a child minder (a babysitter). If there is
divorce or separation, the child’s life will change completely. In such families children are likely to grow
up without love and care. Q3.
The latest evidence of the traditional family’s decline shows that within 12 years the majority of the adult
population will be unmarried. It is for the first time began that those who are divorced, widowed or have
never married have outnumbered married adults. Forecasts suggest that by 2020 the proportion of the
married adult population will fall from about 49 per cent today to 45 per cent.
Q4.
One of the wrong things said about family life in North America is that there is too little friendship
between family members. It’s true that relatives may seldom see each other, but most American families
are very friendly. Almost any American kid can say his family is very important to him. American families
have different ways of showing their love for their members. The whole family reunites to celebrate
Christmas or Thanksgiving how far from each other they may live.
