LESSON D FAMILY AND FRIENDS

1. DISCUSSION.
1. How important are children for a family?
2. How many children are the ideal number in a family? Two and four
3. How important is the gender, boy or girl?

2. READ THE TEXT QUICKLY AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IN EXERCISE 1.

01 02 03 04 05 06

A survey conducted in different countries asked this question. Here are the results:

How many children is the ideal?

In most countries in Europe and North America, the answer to this question is two or three children. In other
countries some adult people show more preference for three or more children, but in general people prefer
small families. The United States is more traditional in the response to this question than other developed
countries. 50% of Americans are in favor of small families and 41% are against. By comparison, 77% of people in
Germany are in favor of small families, 67% in England and 61% in Canada. The French opinions on family size
are similar to the Americans’.

Boy or girl?

Regarding this question, the survey results show a moderate preference for boys around the world. Some
people say that gender –boy or girl- does not really matter but if they can choose, they prefer boys over girls.
This preference for a boy is particularly common in Thailand and India. 82% of people in those countries prefer
boys and only 7% prefer girls. The rest say that gender is not important. In the U.S. 42% of people participating
in the survey have no preference, but among those who do, boys are preferred by 35% versus 23% who prefer
a girl.

How important are children in a family?

About nine out of ten adults in Hungary, India and Taiwan state that it is necessary for a family to have children.
Six out of ten people in Europe, Mexico and Canada have the same feeling while only four out of ten people in
Germany and the United States feel that having children is necessary for their personal fulfillment.

Gallup News service, 1997

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 3. READ THE TEXT AGAIN AND IDENTIFY WHAT THESE PERCENTAGES REFER TO.
1. 41% OF AMERICANS ARE AGAINST SMALL FAMILIES
2. 61% OF PEOPLE IN CANADA ARE IN FAVOR OFSMALL FAMILIES
3. 7% IN THAILAND AND INDIA PREFER GIRLS
4. 42% IN THE E.E.U.U., PEOPLE HAVE NO PREFERENCE
5. 23% IN THE E.E.U.U.,PREFER GIRLS

4. CHOOSE THE BEST ANSWER TO EACH QUESTION.

1. The text implies that:

a) In general, people have two or three children.
b)
✔ In general, people consider a small family one that has two or three children.
c) In general, people out of America and Europe have more than three children.

2. What is the percentage of French people regarding the ideal number of children?
a)
✔ 50%
b) 61%
c) 41%

3. In the second paragraph, the text implies that:

a) People don’t really have a preference for boys or girls.
b)
✔ The population in Thailand and India is 82% boys and 7% girls.
c) Not many people in Thailand and India prefer having girls.

4. The percentage of people that prefer boys or girls in the U.S.:

a) 58%
b) 42%
c) The information is not in the text.
✔

5. According to the text, we can conclude that:

a)
✔ In general, German and American people don’t like children.
b) In general, people around the world consider children are important for a family.
c) In general, families around the world have only two or three children.

LESSON E WRITING A PERSONAL FACEBOOK PROFILE

1. COMPLETE WITH THE CORRECT PERSONALITY ADJECTIVE FROM THE BOX.

creative friendly honest hardworking patient polite sensible

1. ______________________
polite My brother always helps people in need.
2. ______________________
friendly I have a lot of friends.
3. ______________________
honest I never copy my classmates’ homework.
4. ______________________
patient I always wait for my sister to go home after school.
5. ______________________
hardworking Mom always does housework after work.
6. ______________________
polite Dad always opens the car door for my mom.
7. ______________________
creative I’m a graphic designer. I work for an international company.

2. TELL YOUR PARTNER ABOUT YOUR PERSONALITY

I think I’m creative an friendly, and you? I’m friendly but I’m not very patient

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 3. READ LEO’S PERSONAL PROFILE AND CHECK ( )THE POSSIBLE CONTRACTIONS.

Hi, my name is Leo and I am eighteen years old. I am from Hidalgo, Mexico. I live
in San Marcos with my parents. They are doctors. They work in the local hospital.

I am a student at university. It is a great school. I love it! My favorite subjects are

Maths and English.

In my free time, I play the guitar, but I am not very good at it and I sometimes
watch movies on my laptop.

I am going to be an engineer in Industrial Processes. I am studying English at the

university, my teacher is American.

Next year, I am going to study French.

Remember!
4. READ AGAIN. WHICH OF THESE we use contractions
SENTENCES ISN´T TRUE? CROSS in informal writing
A, B, C OR D.
WRITING STRATEGY
a) Leo lives with his parents. Organize your ideas into paragraphs
b) He loves numbers and languages.
Paragraph 1: Paragraph 3:
c) He can’t play a musical instrument.
name, age, live in, family (Jobs) free time activities
d) He’s studying English in a private school. Paragraph 2: Paragraph 4:
school, favorite subjects future plans

5. WRITE YOUR PERSONAL FACEBOOK PROFILE

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