Text d. The Japanese Family

Work plays a very important role in Japan. One Japanese said “I belong to my company”, not “I work for my company”. Because work is so important, a child, especially a boy, must work very hard indeed. He begins to study seriously as soon as he starts going to school, because if he doesn’t pass all his exams he can’t go to a good school. If he doesn’t go to a good school he can’t go to a good university – and so he can’t get the good job that he needs. A Japanese mother usually helps her children so that they could pass their school exams well. Because of this system Japanese children don’t have as much time to play as* children in most Western societies.

A lot of Japanese parents “arrange” marriages for their children. This is because they feel that marriage does not only affect the young couple, but that it affects the whole family. They believe that it is important that the young couple had the same interests and that they came from the same social background. Sometimes parents go to a “matchmaker”. A matchmaker’s job is to find two similar young people and arrange for them to meet. If they like each other, a marriage is arranged for them.

A lot of arranged marriages are very successful and help the tradition of the Japanese family to continue.

* Note: don’t have as much time to play as … - не так много времени для игры, как …

Exercise 3. Read Text E and tell what is true and what is not true about modern American families.

These words will help you understand the text:

rush (v) – торопиться

adorable (a) – обожаемый

optional (a) – дополнительный, необязательный

for the sake of – ради

striking point – основной пункт (вопрос)

Text e. The “Typical” American Family

The “typical” American family consists of five people.

Father, the Breadwinner, tall and strong, and in a hurry (“I’ll be late for the office”, “I have to rush”); Mother, the homemaker, sweet and gentle (Don’t work too hard, dear); athletic little Billy (“Bye, Daddy”); adorable little Susie (“Bye, Daddy”), and the optional third child. But rather often Father and Mother think that two children are quite enough these days.

And we know how they will spend their time. Father will work hard with great financial success for the sake of Mother, Billy, Susie, the new car, house, refrigerator, washing machine and sailboat. Mother will clean and shop, and help children prepare for their future important roles in American life as, naturally, breadwinner and homemaker. The striking point is how many Americans actually live this way.

Part III

Exercise 1. Read Text F and make your own biographical sketch.

Words to be remembered:

higher education (n) – высшее образование

higher-educational institution/establishment/(n)- ВУЗ

entrance examinations (n)- вступительные экзамены

department (n) – факультет

out-of-town students (n) – иногородние студенты

advise (v) – советовать

enter (v) – поступать

graduate (from) (v) – заканчивать

graduate (n) – выпускник

post-graduate course (n) – аспирантура

hostel (n) – общежитие (англ.)

dormitory (n) – общежитие (амер.)

subject (n) – предмет

higher mathematics (n) – высшая математика

specialist (n) – специалист