Exam Topics. Family

Family means a lot to everyone, because it gives you a sense of stability and tradition, a feeling of having support and understanding. You feel secure when there’s a family behind you. They are people you can trust and rely on, people who won’t let you down and who share your joys and sorrows. In happy families parents are frank and honest with their children, they treat their children with respect, as equals, without moralizing or bossing them, and children in their turn learn how to treat other people and how to form relationship with their peers.

Some of us are lucky to be born and raised in an extended family with lots of family members, close and distant relatives. Others come from nuclear families which are made up of parents and children. Basically, the size is not so important. It’s the relationship in the family that matters.

I really appreciate the relationship in my family. We are a family of four: my Dad, my Mum, my brother and I. Both of my parents are middle-aged. My father is in his late 40s. He’s tall, slim and has neither beard, nor a moustache. He works as an engineer. My mum is in her mid-40s. She’s of a medium height with long dark hair and blue eyes. She’s a teacher by profession. I have always looked up to my parents and treated them as my role-models. My dad is a very wise person and he taught me many life lessons. My Mum is the example of patience, kindness and tolerance towards other people.

I enjoy the honest and open atmosphere in my family. I like it when parents trust their children, give them enough freedom and respect them. I think these things make family relations warm and pleasant. There is no so-called “generation gap” in our family, though we may argue and disagree on certain issues. I can always bring my friend home and my parents are very positive about it, although they don’t always approve of our tastes, views and clothes.

We also share responsibilities and household chores. Everyone has their own duties which we have to fulfill and I consider it fair. Besides it makes us more disciplined and well-organized.

As I have already mentioned, I have one sibling, a brother. He’s 5 years younger than me and studies in primary school. Talking about the relationship with my brother, I won’t be honest enough if I say that it’s perfect. In general, we get on well most of the time but sometimes we don’t see eye to eye on certain things and it can lead to misunderstanding and even rows. But if my brother is in trouble, I will always support and stand for him. And he will do the same. So, all in all, our family is happy and tight-knit.

Nothing strengthens family ties and creates an atmosphere of friendship, happiness and love better than family traditions. Moreover, they set a good example of family relations for children and, of course, they leave memories for the rest of their lives. We have some family traditions. But to my mind we haven’t got anything special or original in our family. All our family traditions are connected with some holidays. Apart from national holidays there are family holidays like birthdays, weddings and anniversaries. Birthdays are always a happy event in our family. On these days we usually have a party. Mum is usually responsible for cooking and dad for entertainment. I guess, when people spend more time together they are closer to each other. One more family tradition is spending summer holidays together either at the seaside or in the country, which I enjoy very much.

I’d like to become more independent from my parents in future; nevertheless we’ll always be the best friends because my parents are the most important people in the world.

 

 Let’s talk about your family.

1. What kind of holidays do you like to celebrate in your family?

2. Do you have a family album? Why or why not?

3. What will you ask your British friend about his/her family?

4. What can you advise people who want to have a good relationship with their parents and grandparents?

5. What is more important: family or work? What do you think about it?

Let’s talk about your family.

1. What does your immediate family mean to you?

2. Are there any family traditions that you follow?

3. What questions will you ask a British teenager about their extended family?

4. Give a piece of advice on how to have a close and happy family?

5. They say that parents and children have difficulties understanding each other because of the generation gap. What do you think about it?

Write the answers to the questions in comments. Answers will be graded.