RUSSIAN FAMILY: WHAT IS IT LIKE?

So what is it like, the family tradition? Whose descendants are we? What are the stories your granny used to tell? What can family albums, letters and diaries reveal? What is your grandfather's name? What is the name of your great-grandfather?

Many of the Russians are not able to answer these simple questions. The family tradition is lost for them. And it is one of the reasons why most people have no sense of family honour and pride.

A group of people who have the same name and sit together in front of a TV set is not yet a family. Here are some family statistics in Russia. Over 80 per cent of women and about 70 per cent of men marry by the age of 25.

At present, more than 40 out of every 100 marriages end in divorce. Every year about one million families break up. About 50 per cent of divorcees do not want to re-marry. Men remarry more often than women. Over 50 per cent of divorced men remarry within a period of ten years, while only 25 per cent of such women do so. Many young families have material difficulties. As a result, young couples often have to rely on the assistance of their parents.

The housing shortage is another problem of many young families. Most young people don't wish to live together with their parents after they get married but about half of them have to do this.

As a result these young people have no necessary experience in family life. They don't know: 1) how to run a household; 2) how to manage the family budget; 3) how to bring up children.

The revival of the family should start with the restoration of its traditions. The people need family shops, cafes, cinemas and health-building homes.

In its various forms the human family has been in existence for as long as man himself. The family tradition has preserved the picture of Madonna with a child in her arms. Can this beauty save the world? Shall we have this tradition in future, or lose it, as we lost so many other beautiful things?

Слова к тексту "Русская семья: какая она?"

to be like - быть похожим

descendant [di'sendәnt] - потомок

diary ['daiәri] - дневник

to reveal [ri'vi:l] - раскрывать

great-grandfather - прадедушка

to be lost - (по) теряться

reason ['ri:zn] - причина

sense [sens] - чувство

honour [' nә] - честь

pride [praid] - гордость

to marry ['mæri] - жениться, выходить замуж

age [eid ] - возраст

to end [end] - заканчивать (-ся)

divorce [di'v:s] - развод

to break up ['breik ' p) - распадаться

divorcee [di,v:'si:) - разведенный

to remarry [ri'mæri] - еще раз жениться, (выйти) замуж

within a period (of) - [wi'ðin 'piәriәd] - в течении какого-то периода времени

to rely on [ri'lai] - полагаться на, рассчитывать на

assistance [ә'sistәns] - помощь

housing shortage ['hauziη '∫:tid ] - недостаток, (нехватка) жилья

necessary ['nesisәri] - необходимый

experience [iks'piәriәns] - опыт

to run a household ['r n ә 'haushould] - вести хозяйство

to manage the family budget ['mænid ðә 'fæmili 'b d әt] - вести семейный бюджет

to bring up children ['briη] - воспитывать детей

revival [ri'vaivl] - возрождение

to start [stα:t] - начинать

restoration [, restә'rei∫n] - восстановление, возрождение

cafe ['kæfei] - кафе

health-building home - оздоровительное учреждение

various ['vεәriәs] - различный

human ['hju:mәn] - человеческий

existence [ig'zistәns] - существование

to preserve [pri'zә:v] - сохранять

beauty ['bju:ti] - красота

to save [seiv] - спасать

to lose [lu:z] - терять

Задания к тексту.

1. Скажите, в связи с чем упоминаются следующие цифры: 25; 40-100; 50%; 50%-25%.

2. Дайте развернутые ответы на следующие вопросы:

1. Why do most people have no sense of family honour and pride?

2. Why do families break up?

3. Why do young couples have to rely on the assistance of their parents?

4. Why do young people have no necessary experience in family life?

5. Why should we think of the revival of the family as soon as possible?

3. Расскажите о современной русской семье, используя пункты плана:

1. Lack of family tradition.

2. Growth of divorces.

3. Difficulties of young families.

4. The revival of the family.

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