Read and translate the text. About myself, my family and my friend

FAMILY LIFE


Text 1


Parents and children

What is a typical American family? The traditional includes mom, dad, and the kids, but there now are many other combinations of family households. Eight per cent are single-parent families, where one parent lives with the children, while other families may consist of children living with a parent or a stepparent.

In general, the average number of people living together under one roof has got smaller. In 1960, there were 3.3 people in a household; now there are only 2.7. The number of children in a family is also much smaller, and children are usually encouraged to be independent and leave home, when they finish school and start working.
Recently, more children are staying at home with their parents longer, because their salary is not high enough to cover the cost of living away from home. They also prefer the home comforts that their parents can offer.

VOCABULARY

a typical family (traditional)
to include
a single-parent family
stepparent
to live under one roof
to be independent (from)
to stay at home
salary
enough
to cover the cost of living
to offer


Discuss the following questions with a partner:

• 
  What is the best thing about living at home?
  
• 
  What don’t you like about living at home?
  
• 
  What do you miss when you leave your home?
  

Text 2
Love, marriage and divorce

People usually get married in their twenties or thirties, although some couples decide to live together without getting married. Many men and women stay single, because it is difficult to find a compatible person to date or marry. Some single people look for partners through the personals, ads that appear in newspapers or magazines. More divorced people or single people who have never married choose to live alone.

One out of two American marriages ends in divorce. It is a painful process for all family members, and many couples seek marriage counseling to try to prevent a divorce. Children of divorced families often live with their mothers. When the parents have joint custody of the children, the children often divide their time between each parent.

VOCABULARY

to get married
to marry
marriage
a married couple
to stay single
to date
to look for a partner
to divorce
to end in divorce
divorced
a painful process
to prevent a divorce
marriage of convenience
relationship