UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE

FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY

ENGLISH LANGUAGE
for first-year students of philosophy and sociology
(UNIT 5)

MAJA STEVANOVIĆ
 2 
 
 Unit 5

Pre-reading questions:

1. What is a nuclear family? What other forms of families exist?

2. In what ways has the structure of family changed over the years?
3. How would you define the concept of marriage? Why do people marry? Is it because of
romantic love, because they are emotionally and physically attracted to one other or because of
financial gain?
4. Discuss traditional versus modern attitudes to marriage.

FAMILY AND MARRIAGE

For a long while in sociology, the family has been

seen as a social institution built on kinship, a bond
based on blood or marriage. Although all societies
contain families, just who is included under the
umbrella of kinship has varied through history, and
varies today from one culture to another.
A husband, a wife, and two children – a nuclear
family - served as the model for the traditional
family for most of the 20th century. But what about
families that deviate from this model, such as
single-parent families, a homosexual couple with or
without children or families of choice which
include people with or without legal or blood ties
who feel they belong together and wish to define
themselves as a family? Should they be considered
families as well?
Every human society recognizes a family structure that regulates sexual reproduction and the care
of children. Even so, how that family unit is defined and how it functions vary. In many Asian
cultures, for example, family members from all generations commonly live together in one
household. In these cultures, young adults will continue to live in the extended household family
structure until they marry and join their spouse’s household, or they may remain and raise their
nuclear family within the extended family’s household. In the United States, by contrast,
individuals are expected to leave home (and their family orientation) and live independently for
a period before forming a family unit consisting of themselves as parents and their offspring (their
family of procreation).

3 
 
American sociologist Talcott Parsons, whose theories dominated sociological thought during the
1940s and 1950s, advocated a conservative definition of family with clearly defined gender roles.
According to Parsons, the husband’s role should be that of breadwinner and leader, with his status
determining the family’s place in society. The wife’s role should be that of the primary caregiver
who socializes the children and nurtures family members. For Parsons, the importance of
complementary roles for husband and wife was based on his view that society operates best when
its needs are fulfilled through this task specialization (i.e. division of labor).

A modern definition of family in terms of gender roles reflects significant changes in the role of
women - women now have more equality and opportunity to choose education and work and many
wish to follow careers and success rather than marry and have children. If they marry and have
children, their role within the family will not be restricted to the role of housewives - women are
now more self-confident and independent and not so emotionally or financially dependent on their
husbands. They no longer ‘need’ a husband to survive financially and so they are less likely to
tolerate an unhappy marriage.

What is marriage? Different people define it in different ways. Not even sociologists are able to
agree on a single meaning. In general, marriage can be defined as a legally recognized social
contract between two people who wish to form a permanent union. A more detailed definition,
however, should also include variations - for example whether spouses are of opposite sexes or the
same sex and how one of the key traditional expectations of marriage (to produce children) is
understood today. Many sociologists are now interested in studying the reasons why people are
marrying later – whether it is because they (a) are staying longer in full time education, (b) living
together before getting married later, (c) enjoying life before settling down or (d) only getting
married when they decide to have children (now often in their 30s).

Comprehension questions:

1. What type of family structure served as the model for the traditional family?
2. What is kinship?
3. How does the concept of family differ from one culture to another? Compare, for example, a
typical Asian family with a typical American family.
4. How did Talcott Parsons define gender roles within a traditional family structure? What changes
in the role of women are noticeable in the modern family structure?
5. How is marriage defined in the text above? What are some of the possible reasons for people
getting married late nowadays?

A. Match the words from the text with their synonyms or explanations:

1. kinship a. children
2. to deviate b. family members living under the same roof
3. ties c. to change in different situations, to be different form each other
4. to regulate d. to satisfy (a requirement, condition or need)
5. sexual reproduction e. a bond based on blood or marriage
4 
 
 6. to vary f. to function
7. household g. main
8. commonly h. traditional, conventional
9. within i. to support or suggest and idea
10. to advocate j. usually
11. complementary k. to start a family and have children
12. to settle down l. inside (but not beyond)
13. to nurture m. the production of offspring by sexual process
14. to operate n. lasting long or for ever
15. to fulfill o. to do something that is different from the common way of
behaving or doing things
16. offspring p. combining well together
17. primary q. to control something
18. permanent r. important
19. conservative s. bonds or relations
20. significant t. to care for someone

B. Supply the missing words forms and use the appropriate ones in the sentences given below:

VERB NOUN ADJECTIVE

TO VARY
MARRIAGE
TO DEVIATE
TO EXPECT
MEANING
(IN)TOLERANT/(IN)TOLERABLE
(IN)DEPENDENCE
EDUCATIONAL/(UN)EDUCATED

1. They want a divorce because they have been having__________________problems for many
years.
2. People in Italy are more________________of children crying in public places than in Britain.
3. This type of job is___________________only if you are young and not married with children.
4. These children have special___________________needs and require one-to-one attention.
5. When applying for a job, your CV should reflect your qualifications based on
your______________________.
6. The terms “mother” and “father” are no longer rigidly associated with the_________________
of caregiver and breadwinner.
7. Women are now more______________________because of the greater equality in terms of
education and employment.
8. In sociology, __________________describes an action or behavior that violates social norms.
9. In the past, divorce was seen a______________________pattern of behavior which often
stigmatized the whole family.
10. The definition of the word family________________from one culture to another.

5 
 
11. In the past, women’s________________________of marriage were much lower than the
ones they have today.
12. Their decision to get divorced was sudden and_____________________. To their family and
friends, they seemed like a happy family.
13. There are_____________________reasons for divorce – infidelity, money, lack of intimacy,
emotional or physical abuse, interference of parents in marital life, etc.
14. People engage in extra-marital affairs for a____________________of reasons.

C. Insert the appropriate antonyms (words of opposite meaning) in the text given below based
on the definitions given in brackets:

Traditional versus modern attitudes to marriage

In the (1)__________________(present) marriage was more of a ‘social expectation’ – it was

(2)_________________(wrong) for people to want to settle down and have a family. If the couple
became (3)__________________(more) close or even unhappy they were still expected to stay
(4)_________________(apart) because their ‘expectations’ of marriage were much
(5)__________________(higher) than those people have today.

(6)__________________(old) attitudes towards marriage are based on romantic love and the fact
that marriage should bring (7)__________________(sadness) to both partners. If the marriage
does not provide this, there is no longer any justification for continuing the marriage and divorce
follows (8)________________(later) after. Various studies show that it is women rather than men
who file for a divorce more (9)__________________(rarely). One of the reasons for this could
be the fact that (10)_________________(men) are now (11)_______________(less) self-
confident and not so emotionally or financially dependent on their husbands. Because of the greater
equality in terms of education and employment, women who choose to divorce their husbands (12)
(insert two words)_____________________(still) ‘need’ them to survive financially and are
therefore less likely to tolerate an unhappy marriage.

D. Match the following correlative conjunctions and insert them in the sentences below:

1. neither a.but
2. both b.or
3. not only c. or
4. whether d. nor
5. either e. and

1. Women in ancient societies could__________own property______hold any formal

occupation.
2. Nowadays, it is____________the husband who works, _____also the wife.
3. __________ the husband_______ the wife can now sue each other for their rights to property.
4. ___________they are property holders______salary earners, women in modern families do
not lag behind men in any way.

6 
 
5. Most women today___________work______choose to stay at home and raise children.

E. Match the terms with the appropriate definition and insert them in the sentences below:

TERM DEFINITION
1. monogamy a. a form of marriage uniting three or more people
2. polygamy b. a form of marriage joining one female with two or more males
2a. polygyny c. a form of marriage uniting one male and two or more females
2b. polyandry d. a form of marriage joining two partners

1. In all modern societies laws prescribe______________________, i.e. the state of being

married to one person at a time.
2. Islamic societies in Africa and southern Asia, for example, permit ___________________, or
more precisely _____________________, as men are allowed to have up to four wives.
3. ___________________ appears only rarely and is linked to an overall decline in the female
population in one region which forces several men to share a single woman.

F. Match the terms with the appropriate definition and insert them in the sentences below:

TERM DEFINITION
1. spouse a. is a person with no siblings, either biological or adopted
2. sibling b. females who share a same male partner in a polygamous
relationship
3. an only child c. each of two or more children having both parents in
common
4. marital status d. the member of a family who earns the money that the family
needs
5. sister wives e. a person’s traceable ancestry (by blood, marriage, and/or
adoption)
6. breadwinner f. a person who manages a home and often raises children
instead of earning money from a job
7. homemaker/housewife g. a husband or wife, considered in relation to their partner
8. kinship h. is the legally defined marital state
9. cousin(s) i. is a son/daughter of a person whom one of your parents
(mother of father) has married after divorce
10. half-brother/sister j. a child (or children) of a person's aunt or uncle, or,
more generally, a distant (not close) relation
11. step brother/sister k. is a son/daughter of one of your parents (mother or father)
with a person whom they have married after divorce
   

1. Mothers and daughters, uncles and nephews, sisters and cousins are all examples
of_______________________.

7 
 
2. _______________________is usually defined through the following concepts: single,
married, widowed, divorced or separated.
3. _______________________is an American reality TV series broadcast on TLC which
documents the life of a polygamous family which includes a father, his four wives and their 18
children.
4. The term______________________is gender neutral and can refer to either a husband or a
wife.
5. A man is often expected to be the_________________________in a family.
6. A woman who cares for her own home and family by cleaning, cooking, caring for pets, etc. is
called a____________________________.
7. Daniel and Mike are_____________________ - their mums are sisters.
8. Many of our distant _____________________, whom we hadn't seen for years, came to my
sister's wedding.
9. You share one common biological parent (your father or mother) with your______________
brother/sister.
10. You do not share one common biological parent with your ______________brother/sister.
They became your 'brother' or ‘sister’ as a result of your parent (father or mother) marrying
someone else.

G. Match the terms with the appropriate definition and insert them in the sentences below:

TERM DEFINITION
1. matrilineal descent a. system in which it is customary for a husband to live with his
wife’s family
2. patrilineal descent b. a type of unilateral descent that follows the mother’s side only
3. patrilocal residence c. system in which a newly married couple lives separately from
(or patrilocality) both the husband's and the wife's household
4. matrilocal residence d. system in which it is customary for the a wife to live with her
(or matrilocality) husband’s family
5. neolocal residence e. a type of unilateral descent that follows the father’s line only
(or neolocality)

1. In societies based on_____________________, such as those in rural China and India, only
males carry on the family surname which gives them the prestige of being permanent family
members while females are seen as only temporary members.
2. ____________________ is structured by a rule that a man remains in his father's house after
reaching maturity and brings his wife to live with his family after marriage.
3. _____________________is common in Native American societies, such as Cherokee tribes.
In these tribes, children are seen as belonging to the women and, therefore, one’s kinship is
traced to one’s mother, grandmother, etc.
4. _____________________seems to be the basis of developed countries, as it is common for
newly formed couples to form their own separate household units and create what is considered a
nuclear family.

8 
 
5. Although rare,_______________________is observed is almost all parts of the world and is
usually associated with matrilineal descent.

H. Match the terms with their appropriate definitions:

FAMILY TYPE DEFINITION

1. nuclear family a. a family that is formed through marriage
2. extended family b. families with children headed by a parent who is widowed or
divorced and not remarried, or by a parent who has never married
3. single-parent family c. the family into which one is born
4. foster family d. two parents (traditionally a married husband and wife) and
children living in the same household
5. adoptive family e. a family which extends beyond the nuclear family to include
grandparents and other relatives who may or may not be living in
the same household
6. patchwork family f. a type of family consisting of parents after their adult children
(blended family) have left home and started living on their own
7. family of choice g. a family consisting of chosen, rather than fixed, ties of intimacy,
care and support
8. family of orientation h. a family formed by the marriage of two individuals, one or both
of whom have at least one child from a previous relationship living
part-time or full-time in the household
9. family of procreation i. a family that provides care for a non-biological child for a
specific time period, usually because the child’s biological parents'
rights are terminated by a court
10. rainbow family j. a family that legally takes a child of other parents to be their own
11. ‘empty nest’ k. a family with parents of the same sex bringing up a child
 

1. The Smith family is made up of a mother and her two children who live together. The Smiths
are a___________________family.
2. Your aunt, uncle, and cousins are typically considered members of your _________________
family.
3. Your siblings and your parents are your family__________________________________.
4. You, your spouse and your children as a unit make up your family of____________________.
5. Children are usually placed in ____________________families as a result of abuse, neglect
and/or abandonment.
6. A______________________ family is one where the parents have children from previous
relationships but all the members come together as one unit.
7. Children placed in______________________families lose all legal ties with their biological
parents.
8. Our only child has just moved into her first apartment so we have an____________________.
9. ________________________families are families of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transsexual
parents and their children.
10. Children who live in a household with only their mother or father live in a_______________
family.
9 
 
I. Insert the appropriate modal verb (CAN, MUST, SHOULD, MAY, MIGHT, COULD) and the
bare infinitive (e.g. DO) or the perfect infinitive (e.g. HAVE DONE) of the verbs given in
brackets to complete the sentences below:

1. This_________________________(BE) your son. He looks exactly like you!

2. This_________________________(NOT/BE) right – my birth certificate states that I was
born in 1989 instead of 1999. They_________________________(MAKE) a mistake.
3. Parents_____________________(TEACH) their children how to behave in public places.
I_______________________(NOT/STAND) children crying all the time while I’m having
lunch at a restaurant.
4. They__________________________(HAVE) some serious problems and disagreements in
the past before they decided to get a divorce.
5. Adopted children_______________________(HAVE) difficulty in forming a strong
relationship with their adoptive parents.
6. You______________________(START) a new chapter in your life only if you stop re-
reading the last one.
7. ‘She believed she_______________________(DO) it, and she did it’ is a quote typical of all
strong women who believed in themselves.
8. They_______________________(CHANGE) their mind about getting a divorce, but it is not
very likely.
9. Many women seeking professional careers and high positions are not sure about when they
_________________(HAVE) children – taking time off from work just never seems acceptable.
10. I__________________________(LISTEN) to my parents! Marrying you was the worst
mistake in my life!
11. I_______________________________(BE) successful if I had worked harder.
12. You____________________________(HEAR) already that my daughter is going to move to
Germany.
13. In many countries the legally set marriage age for both sexes is 18. Girls, however,
______________________(GET) married when they are 16 of 17 only with the consent of at
least one parent or guardian.

J. Put the verbs in brackets into the appropriate tense. Use passive forms if necessary:

Birth control policy in China

In 1980, China (1)___________________(BEGIN) implementing a strict birth control policy of

one child per couple which (2)____________________(BE) in effect until 2015. The government
argued that its policy (3)_____________________(AVOID) a population explosion, and
(4)___________________(PREVENT) approximately 250 million births. Since the policy
(5)_____________________(TERMINATE) in 2015, China (6)____________________(SEE)
many other side-effects, such as the asymmetrical age structure (the society is getting older) and
gender structure (there are now many more boys than girls). Along with this, a hidden population
of children, whose birth had to be concealed for fear of reprisals,
(7)_______________________(ALSO/ RECENTLY/APPEAR).

10 
 
Match the words from the text with their appropriate synonyms:

1. to argue a. an act punishment

2. to implement b. to stop (something from happening)
3. to prevent c. to end
4. approximately d. to claim
5. concealed e. to carry out, to enforce
6. reprisal f. not long ago
7. to terminate g. nearly
8. side-effects h. plans and guidelines adopted by the government
9. policy i. unpleasant, unwanted and unexpected results of something
10. recently j. hidden

K. Match the words from the VALUE lexical group to their corresponding definitions:

TO VALUE (v.) VALUE (n.) VALUABLES (n./pl.) INVALUABLE (adj.)

TO EVALUATE (v.) VALUES (n./pl.) VALUABLE (adj.) VALUELESS (adj.)

DEFINITION WORD
1. [verb]
to think carefully about something before making a judgment
about its value, importance, or quality
2. [verb]
a. to consider something to be important
b. to state how much something is worth
3. [noun/pl.]
the principles and beliefs that influence the behavior and way
of life of a particular group or community
4. [noun]
a. the amount that something is worth, measured especially in
money
b. the degree to which someone or something is important or
useful
5. [noun/pl.]
small possessions that are worth a lot of money, for example
jewelry
6. [adjective]
a. worth a lot of money
b. very useful and important
7. [adjective]
something that has no value whatsoever
8. [adjective]
extremely useful/important

11 
 
Insert the appropriate word from the VALUE lexical group in the sentences below. Use
passive forms if necessary:

1. Most people agree that it is hard_________________________the long-term effects of

divorce on children.
2. The results of this research will be very______________________to everyone interested in
the concept of family in sociology.
3. She________________________the time she spends with her family.
4. Family___________________are thought to be the ideal to which a successful society should
strive.
5. Her recent study provides an_____________________contribution to the study of ancient
family structures.
6. My parents did not pass many_______________________, although they both worked so hard
all their lives. But the______________________that they passed on are infinitely more
_______________________.
7. Individuals in a society have specific beliefs, but they also share collective_______________.
8. The adjective________________________is synonymous with the adjective worthless.
9. The precious family jewels____________________________at €1,000.
10. You may store your_____________________________in the hotel safe while you are here.
11. Is it true that children unconsciously adopt their parents’________________and ethical
principles?
12. His comments were so general that they were practically__________________________.
13. That watch belonged to his grandfather and now has great sentimental________________.
14. The adjective__________________usually applies to things that can’t
be__________________in monetary terms.
15. We thought this painting was worth a lot of money, but it turned out to be a______________
replica.
16. Both Mary and John________________________________by our team of psychologists to
determine whether they are suitable for the role of adoptive parents.
17. The Internet has become an________________________source of information for students.

L. Fill in the gaps in the text below using the words given in the table. Some of the words from
the table may be used more than once:

WITH BY OF
UNTIL BETWEEN FOR
AS OR AT

Traditional family structure in Japan

(1)________________Japan’s defeat in World War II, everyone was officially part

(2)________________a male-headed multigenerational household. Relationships
(3)________________family members were shaped (4)_______________the Confucian values of
filial piety, i.e. respect (5)_______________one's parents, elders and ancestors.

12 
 
Firstborn sons had privileged status (6)________________they inherited and controlled family
wealth. Women could not choose a spouse (7)_____________own property. Daughters were
viewed (8)_______________temporary family members until marriage, (9)____________which
point they moved in (10)______________their husband’s family. Brides served and obeyed the
husband and his parents, including caring (11)_____________them in old age.

M. Fill in the blanks in the text by inserting the words from the table below. Use the
definitions given in brackets as cues:

extended infertility widowed ostracized

superior span approve banned
inheritance gain negotiate enforced
burkas theft adultery severe

Family structure in Afghanistan

The typical family in Afghanistan is (1)__________________(not nuclear), with members

sharing a household. Extended family households (2)_________________(to extend across a
period of time) several generations, including the male head of family and his wife, his brothers,
several sons and their families, cousins with their families, as well as all unmarried and
(3)_________________(those who lost their husbands through death) females. The Afghan
family is male-dominated; authority rests with male elders, and
(4)____________________(money or property inherited after one’s death) is passed through
the male line. Women are expected to want children, especially sons, as
(5)___________________(inability to have children) is “a frightening social stigma” for a
woman and her family. Males are considered (6)_________________(higher in rank or status)
to females and take control over women’s lives, usually deciding whether they can
(7)___________________(receive) education or not. The men also
(8)___________________(officially agree to accept something as satisfactory) the spouse and
(9)______________________(try to reach an agreement or compromise by discussion) the
price of the bride for their sons. Independent females are viewed as a threat, and families tolerating
such independence are (10)_______________________(excluded from a society or group). The
ideal wife for a son is a paternal first cousin. The typical Afghan bride is in her teens and is matched
with a man in his mid-twenties.

Under the Taliban, who (11)_____________________(caused something to happen by force) a

conservative interpretation of Islamic law, girls could not go to school; women could not hold
public jobs and could leave their homes only under rare circumstances, and only if wearing full-
body (12)______________________(a long and loose dress covering the whole body from
head to feet, worn in public by women in many Muslim countries). The Taliban demanded that
men grow beards and (13)____________________(prohibited) Western- style clothing. Crimes
such as (14)__________________(the act of stealing), (15)____________________(the act of
infidelity) and drinking were subject to (16)____________________(strict) punishments,
including stoning and amputation.

13 
 
 

N. Use the definitions given in brackets to fill in the missing words in the text. Random letters
are given as hints:

The social value of sons

In pre-industrial societies and some modern countries, a higher value was, and still is, (1) A _ S _
G _ _ D (given) to sons rather than daughters. This, in turn, gives males a higher social status.
In China, for example, a one-child policy which was in effect until 2015, showed a (2) R _ _ E
(increase) in the level of male births because of the practice of sex-selective A _ O _ T _ O _ _
(acts of deliberate termination of human pregnancies).
In some (4) P _ T _ _ L _ _ E _ L (based on the male line of descent) societies, the eldest son has
special (5) P _ _ V _ _ _ G _ S (special advantages or benefits). For example, the first-born male
may (6) _ _ H _ _ I _ (receive money or property as an heir) most of the property from their
father. Some Japanese social norms involving the eldest son (7) I N _ _ _ D E (comprise) the
following: (a) "the parents are more likely to live with their eldest child if their eldest child is a
son" and (b) "the parents are most likely to live with their eldest son even if he is not the eldest
child".
Some sociologists claim that the (8) P R _ _ _ R _ N _ E (a greater liking for one alternative
over another) for sons is not limited to pre-industrial societies or specific counties only. Some
men nowadays still think that their lives are (9) _ _ C _ M _ L _ _ E (not complete) or that they
are (10) _ _ S _ F _ _ C _ _ N _ L _ (not sufficiently) masculine unless they have sons, so much
so that their (11) _ _ C _ _ I _ N (the outcome of the process of deciding) to divorce or stay in
an unhappy marriage is often based less on the wife than on the (12) _ _ F _ _ _ I N _ (children).

Discuss the following questions:

1. Is the high social value of sons recognized in our culture?

2. Across cultures, the bias against daughters has been closely tied to women’s second-class
status. Does this mean that sons are more likely to be successful, carry on the family name and
earn money to support family members in old age?
3. What is, in general, the social value of daughters? Has the social status of women changed
over the last several decades?

O. Insert the missing prepositions and use the prepositional phrases in the sentences below:

1. ____ACCORDANCE____
2. ____THE BENEFIT_____
3. ____COMPLIANCE____
4.____OPPOSITION_____
5. ____TERMS_____
6. ____MEANS_____
7. ____THE BASIS____
8. ____THE PEAK____
9.____CONTRAST____
10. ____ADDITION____

1._______________________the functionalist approach, the family fulfills the needs that are
basic to the survival of every society.

14 
 
2. Research has shown that women are more likely to divorce_________________
their careers.
3. Some people stay in an unhappy marriage _____________________of their children.
4. In Canada, polygamy is illegal and hence not___________________the law.
5. _________________________working
at home, women are nowadays encouraged
to seek formal employment as well.
6. The differentiation of the
roles__________________________sex
ensures that families are well balanced and
coordinated.
7. The modern family structure is often
described________________________the
traditional family structure.
8. Polygamous families
are________________________the
widely accepted social norms.
9. They became parents___________________________adoption.
10. Femininity is not always defined ___________________________beauty.

P. Match the following excerpts about culture with the theoretical perspective which best
describes it:

(structural) functionalism (social) conflict theory symbolic interactionism

Theoretical Perspectives on Marriage and Family

According to______________________________________, parents teach children gender

roles. In each family there is a division of labor that consists of instrumental and expressive
roles. Men tend to assume the instrumental roles in the family, which typically involve work
outside of the family that provides financial support and establishes family status.

Women tend to assume the expressive roles, which typically involve work inside of the family
which provides emotional support and physical care for children. The differentiation of the roles
on the basis of sex ensures that families are well balanced and coordinated. When family members
move outside of these roles, the family is thrown out of balance and has to change in order to
function properly. For example, if the father assumes an expressive role such as providing daytime
care for the children, the mother must take on an instrumental role such as gaining paid
employment outside of the home in order for the family to maintain balance and function.

___________________________________________highlights the areas of marriage and life that

involve inequalities or discrepancies in power and authority. The exercise of power and authority
often includes the performance of family status roles. Researchers found that the person with the
most access to monetary resources held the most power. As money is one of the most valuable
resources, men who worked in paid labor outside of the home held more power than women who
15 
 
worked inside the home. The disagreements over the division of household labor are also a
common source of marital problems. Household work offers no wages and, therefore, no power.
When men do more housework, women experience more satisfaction in their marriages, reducing
the possibility of conflict.

__________________________________________highlights how the family status roles of

each member are socially constructed, playing an important part in how people perceive and
interpret social behavior. In the late 19th and early 20th century, a “good father,” for example, was
one who worked hard to provide financial security for his children. Today, a “good father” is one
who takes the time outside of work to promote his children’s emotional well-being, social skills,
and intellectual growth. Therefore, the terms “mother” and “father” are no longer rigidly associated
with the meanings of ‘caregiver’ and ‘breadwinner’.

Find the words/phrases in the three paragraphs given above which mean the following:
1. ___________________________________roles refer to the rights and obligations that are
normative for men and women in a particular culture.
2. An________________________________ role is a functionalist understanding of the
female's function/role in the family which is related to providing emotional support and child
rearing.
3. An_________________________________role is a functionalist understanding of the
male's function/role in the family which is related to providing economic support for
the family.
4. A________________________________is the member of a family who earns the money that
the family needs.

Q. Insert the appropriate prepositions:

1. In China, a one-child policy was ______effect until 2015.

2. The outcome of this policy was a rise ______the number of male births.
3. The preference ______sons is not limited _______ pre-industrial societies or specific counties
only.
4. Theft, adultery and drinking were subject _______ harsh punishments, including stoning and
amputation.
5. It is sometimes difficult to decide whether one should get a divorce or stay ______an unhappy
marriage.
6. He put all his time into his career, ______the detriment _______ his family life.
7. People often get married _______ economic reasons.
8. The terms “mother” and “father” are no longer rigidly associated _______ the meanings of
‘caregiver’ and ‘breadwinner’.
9. Parents sometimes play an important role _______ choosing marriage partners for their
children.
10. In traditional Afghan families, males are considered superior _______ females and take
control ______ women’s lives.

16 
 
R. Fill in the missing Past Simple and Past Participle forms of the verbs RISE, RAISE and
ARISE:
Infinitive Past Simple Past Participle
RISE
RAISE
ARISE

Match the words from the RISE/RAISE/ARISE lexical group to their corresponding
definitions:

RISE (v.) RAISE (v.) ARISE (v.) RISE (n.)

DEFINITION WORD
1. [noun]
a. an increase in size, amount, power or influence of someone or
something
b. to make something happen or begin (e.g. phrase to give .…to
something)
2. [verb/intr.]
to increase in size, amount, quality, or strength (intransitive – used
w/o an object)
3. [verb/tr.]
a. to increase in size, amount, quality, or strength (transitive –
used with an object)
b. to mention something so that it can be discussed (e.g. questions,
an issue, etc.)
c. to collect money for a particular purpose
d. to take care of children while they are growing up
4. [verb/intr.]
to begin to exist, to emerge or to become apparent (of a problem,
opportunity, situation, question, etc.)

Insert the appropriate word from the RISE/RAISE/ARISE lexical group in the sentences
below. Use passive forms if necessary:

1. Ancient Greece gave_______________________to a group of philosophers and scholars who

pushed the boundaries to find out more about their world.
2. A social climber is a person who is trying________________________above his or her
position in life.
3. Problems usually___________________________if the parents’ approach to discipline is
inconsistent.
4. To someone who_____________________in New York City, the marriage customs of a
family from Nigeria may seem strange or even wrong.

17 
 
5. The Industrial Revolution and the____________________of capitalism led to great
differences in wealth between the owners of the factories and workers.
6. According to Durkheim, people usually____________________to their proper levels in
society based on merit.
7. Over $ 10,000______________________by means of voluntary donations
8. The number of single parent families the US_____________________sharply over the last 10
years.
9. Could you work on Saturday, should the need_______________(= if it were to be necessary)?
10. Generally speaking, the number of people who________________from poverty to wealth is
very small.
11. Single-parent households are on the____________________.
12. Social inequalities___________________from differences in class, gender, race, etc.
13. By taking part in this project, we want_____________________awareness about the causes
of homelessness.
14. In the last century, the people living in the United States have experienced a gradual
________________in their standard of living.
15. The standard of living in the United States________________________gradually over the
last century.
16. All these factors are important if you want______________________your standard of living.
17. The whole community came together to________________________money for this family
in need.
18. The role of celebrities and other influencers in________________________public awareness
is enormous.

Focus on: arranged marriages

Arranged marriages

Marriage can be defined as a socially recognized and approved union between individuals, who
commit to one another with the expectation of a stable and lasting intimate relationship. It begins
with a ceremony known as a wedding, which formally unites the marriage partners. A marital
relationship usually involves some kind of contract, either written or specified by tradition, which
defines the partners’ rights and obligations to each other and to any children they may have.  

18 
 
 Historically, parents have played a
major role in choosing marriage
partners for their children, and the
custom continues in the world’s
developing countries today. Parental
influence is greatest when the parents
have a large stake in whom their child
marries. Traditionally, marriage has
been regarded as an alliance between
two families, rather than just between
the two individuals. Aristocratic
families could enhance their wealth or acquire royal titles through a child’s marriage. Marriage
was also used as a way of sealing peace between former enemies, whether they were kings or
feuding villagers.
The most extreme form of parental influence is an arranged marriage in which the bride and groom
have no say at all. For instance, in traditional Chinese practice, the bride and groom meet for the
first time on their wedding day.
In many traditional societies, marriage typically involved transfers of property from the parents to
their marrying children or from one set of parents to the other. These customs persist in some
places today and are part of the tradition of arranged marriages. For example, in some cultures the
bride’s parents may give property (known as a dowry) to the new couple. The practice of giving
dowries has been common in countries such as Greece, Egypt, India, and China from ancient times
until the present. It was also typical in European societies in the past. Although the giving of
dowries has been part of the norms of marriage in these cultures, often only those people with
property could afford to give a dowry to the young couple.
Families use dowries to attract a son-in-law with desirable qualities, such as a particularly bright
man from a poor but respectable family or a man with higher status but with less money than the
bride’s family. In societies in which the giving of dowries is customary, families with many
daughters can become impoverished by the costs of marriage.

Discussion topics:

1. Why did/do parents play a major role in choosing marriage partners for their children?
2. Are arranged marriages common in our society? What are the advantages and disadvantages of
arranged marriages?
3. What is usually regarded as dowry? Is the practice of giving dowries common in our country?
4. Is marriage still regarded as an alliance between two families rather than an alliance between
two individuals?
5. What type of marriages in today’s society can be considered a ‘modern’ form of arranged
marriages?

19