MODULE 2: FAMILY

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UNIVERSIDAD TECNOLÓGICA DE LA MIXTECA

CENTRO DE IDIOMAS, DIVISION DE ESTUDIOS DE POSGRADO

ENGLISH LANGUAGE READING PROGRAM: INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

MODULE 2: FAMILY

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Postgraduate Intermediate Reading program

Module 2: Family

Prerequisites:

All students must have completed and passed Module 1: Grammar.

Information about the teacher

My name is Maria Pinto. I am in Office 12 in the new Centro de Idiomas building.

Email: [email protected]

Web page: www.utm.mx/~mariapinto/Lectura.html

Course information

To successfully complete the Postgraduate Intermediate level Reading program, students must:

1. Complete the activities and pass the exam for module 1 (Grammar). The pass grade is 6.0. 2. Complete the readings and pass the exam for three (3) other modules. The pass grade for each

module is 6.0. [Note: Students can choose to complete the readings and present exams for more than four modules, if they so choose.]

Students can choose to complete all the modules in one semester, or to complete the modules over several semesters. When they have completed the packet of readings for each module, they must contact the course coordinator, Maria Pinto, to arrange to present the exam for that module.

There are no face-to-face classes for this course. Students are expected to download the packet of readings from Maria’s website, and work through them. Please visit Maria in her office, or send her an email if you have any questions or need help with the readings.

Please make sure Maria has an up-to-date, working email address for you, so that she can contact you when necessary!

Exam information

You need a promedio of 6.0 to successfully complete the Intermediate level course. To successfully complete the course, you must pass Module 1 (Grammar), and three (3) other modules. You must get a promedio of 6 (or more) out of 10 in each module to pass the course.

Exam for the Family module There will be two readings, and three activities for each reading. The first reading uses informal language, while the second uses English for publication (academic, technical, or formal English). There is one vocabulary activity, and there are two comprehension activities for each reading. The readings will be on the theme of Family. The readings are included in this pack, so you can study for the exam. However, the activities are not included.

You will have one hour to complete the exam.

When should I do the exam for this module? Do the exam when you think you are ready to do it. You will have one hour to complete the exam.

When you have worked through the packet of readings, and feel that you are ready to do the exam, send Maria an email, stating which day, and at what time, you would like to do the exam. (You can write in English or Spanish.) Come to Maria’s office at the Centro de Idiomas on the appointed day, at the appointed time.

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Table of contents

Prerequisites: ................................................................................................................................... 2

Information about the teacher ........................................................................................................... 2

Course information ........................................................................................................................... 2

Exam information ............................................................................................................................. 2

Table of contents ................................................................................................................................. 3

Vocabulary: Family .............................................................................................................................. 5

Reading 1: The Robinsons of Ramsay Street ...................................................................................... 6

1.1 Vocabulary. Write the missing word to complete the sentence. ............................................... 6

1.2 Comprehension. Answer the questions. .................................................................................. 6

1.3 Comprehension. Write the names in the correct places in the family tree. .............................. 7

Reading 2: A Brother's Hands .............................................................................................................. 8

2.1 Vocabulary. Circle the correct meaning in Spanish for each word / phrase in English. ............ 9

2.2 Comprehension 1. Circle True or False. .................................................................................. 9

2.3 Comprehension 2. Answer the questions. ............................................................................... 9

Reading 3: The Wooden Bowl............................................................................................................ 10

3.1 Vocabulary. Match the word or phrase in English, with its meaning in Spanish. .................... 10

3.2 Vocabulary / Comprehension. Circle the correct word to complete the sentences. ................ 11

3.3 Comprehension. Answer the questions. ................................................................................ 11

Reading and writing for publication .................................................................................................... 12

Writing to a friend ........................................................................................................................ 12

Writing a fable or story ................................................................................................................ 12

Writing in academic or technical style ......................................................................................... 12

Approaches to Reading 6............................................................................................................ 12

Reading 4: Changing family structure ................................................................................................ 13

Style notes ..................................................................................................................................... 14

4.1 Comprehension. Skill-building - Reading for gist. .................................................................. 15

4.2 Vocabulary. Answer the questions. ....................................................................................... 15

4.3 Comprehension/Grammar. Complete the sentences so that they have the same meaning as the original. ................................................................................................................................. 15

Reading 5: Mexican Family Culture ................................................................................................... 17

Style notes ..................................................................................................................................... 18

5.1 Comprehension. Skill building - Skimming and scanning. ..................................................... 18

5.2 Vocabulary. Circle the word or phrase that has the same meaning. ...................................... 18

5.3 Comprehension. Answer the questions. ................................................................................ 19

Reading 6: Family Structure and Child Well-being: Integrating Family Complexity ............................. 20

Style notes ..................................................................................................................................... 21

6.1 Comprehension. Skill building: Skimming and scanning ........................................................ 22

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6.2. Vocabulary/Comprehension. Circle the correct meaning. .................................................... 22

6.3 Comprehension/Grammar. Circle the option that has the same meaning as the original. ...... 22

The Exam Readings .......................................................................................................................... 24

Exam Reading 1: Sister Love ............................................................................................................. 25

Exam Reading 2: Breadwinning Moms, Caregiving Dads: Double Standard in Social Judgments of Gender Norm Violators ...................................................................................................................... 26

Answers ............................................................................................................................................. 28

5.2 .............................................................................................................................................. 28

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Vocabulary: Family

Grandmother Abuela

Grandfather Abuelo

Grandparents Los abuelos

Grandson Nieto

Granddaughter Nieta

Grandchildren Los nietos

Father Padre

Mother Madre

The parents Los papás

Sister Hermana

Brother Hermano

Brothers Hermanos

Sisters Hermanas

The siblings Hermanos y hermanas

Uncle Tio

Aunt Tia

Uncles and aunts Los tios

Nephew Sobrino

Niece Sobrina

Cousin Primo / prima

Husband Esposo

Wife Esposa

Husband and wife Los esposos

Son Hijo

Daughter Hija

Children Hijos

Mother-in-law Suegra

Father-in-law Suegro

Daughter-in-law Nuera

Son-in-law Yerno

The in-laws Los suegros

Nowadays, with divorce and remarriage, we also have a lot of ‘blended families’, and words to refer to relationships within these families. A blended family is formed when a man with children from a previous relationship marries (or lives with) a woman with children from a previous relationship. The new couple share their house full- or part-time with these children from previous relationships.

Here are a few words to use to describe the relationship between people in a blended family:

The person who marries your mother (but is not your father) = your stepfather

The person who marries your father (but is not your mother) = your stepmother

Your stepparents’ children = your stepbrothers and stepsisters

A child one of your parents has with their new husband or wife = your halfbrother or halfsister

The person you divorce = your ex-wife or ex-husband

Another type of family is formed when children live with one parent (because the other parent is dead or is no longer living with the family). This is known as a ‘single parent’ household.

Some words we use when one spouse (husband or wife) or parent is dead:

You are a widow if your husband is dead.

You are a widower if your wife is dead.

You are an orphan if your parents are dead.

Some children might live with people who look after them, but are not legally their parents. These are known as foster children.

And some children might be adopted into another family – they might not share the same genes, but belong legally to their adoptive parents. These children have birth parents and adoptive parents.

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Reading 1: The Robinsons of Ramsay Street

My favourite soap opera is Neighbours. Neighbours is set on Ramsay Street, in Melbourne, Australia, and tells the story of three families – the Robinsons, the Clarkes, and the Mitchells. All three families live on Ramsay Street. The Robinson family tree is the most complicated. When the show started, there were six people in the Robinson household: the father, Jim, his four children, Paul, Julie, Scott, and Lucy, and his mother-in-law, Helen Daniels. Helen had lived with the family since the death of her daughter, Paul’s wife, Anne. (Anne died when her daughter Lucy was born.)

Neighbours was first broadcast on Australian television in 1985 – and is still running today! Of course, there have been a lot of changes over the years! When I first started watching Neighbours, Scott Robinson was in high school, and Lucy Robinson in primary school.

My favourite moment in Neighbours was when Scott Robinson married his high school sweetheart, Charlene Mitchell, in 1987. (The actors who played Scott and Charlene were both singers, and left the show a year after their on-screen wedding to focus on their singing careers, so Scott and Charlene have not appeared on Neighbours for over 20 years. Do you recognise the actors? They appear in the picture at the top of the next column. Check the answers at the end of this article for their names.)

According to the Neighbours’ storyline, Scott and Charlene have now been married for over 20 years. They have two children, Daniel and Madison. Lucy Robinson has also grown up, and is now married to David. But the two eldest children, Paul and Julie, have had the most complicated lives. (The actors who played Paul and Julie stayed on Neighbours, while the actors who played the other siblings left the show after a few years.)

Julie Robinson was married to Philip until her death. She and Philip had one child, their daughter Hannah, and Philip’s two children (from a previous relationship), Debbie and Michael, also lived with them.

Paul Robinson has been married five times! He also has five children – his daughter Amy, with a woman named Nina, three children with his second wife: Lucinda, Robert, and his (now deceased) twin Cameron, and a son, named Andrew, with his third wife. He has been married to Terry, Gail, Christina, Lyn, and Rebecca.

[* The singer Kylie Minogue played Charlene Mitchell. Jason Donovan, who also became a famous singer, played Scott Robinson.]

1.1 Vocabulary. Write the missing word to complete the sentence.

Eg. Scott is Charlene’s husband.

1. Helen was Lucy’s ______________.

2. Hannah is Debbie’s ______________.

3. Paul’s current ______________ name is Rebecca.

4. Paul is Jim’s ______________.

5. Lucinda and Robert are ______________.

6. Amy is Paul’s ______________.

1.2 Comprehension. Answer the questions.

1. Who was Anne Robinson?

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2. When the show started, what was Lucy Robinson’s job?

3. Which of Jim’s children has died?

4. How many children did Paul Robinson have with his fourth wife?

1.3 Comprehension. Write the names in the correct places in the family tree.

Some names have been given to help you.

(a)

Anne Robinson (d)

(b)

Lucy (e)

(f)

Julie (d)

(c)

Hannah

Debbie

(d)

(g)

Scott

Madison

Paul

Amy

(n)

Terry m1

Rebecca m5

(j) m3

(k) m4

(i) m2

Cameron (d)

(m)

(l)

(h)

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Reading 2: A Brother's Hands

Back in the

fifteenth century,

in a tiny village

near Nuremberg,

lived a family

with eighteen

children. In

order to feed his

family, the

father, who was

a goldsmith,

worked almost

eighteen hours a

day. Despite

their poverty,

two of Albrecht

Durer the Elder's children had a dream. They both

wanted to become artists, but they knew that their

father would never have enough money to send

either of them to Nuremberg to study at the

Academy.

The two boys finally made an agreement. They

would toss a coin. The loser would work in the

nearby mines and support his brother while he

attended the academy. Then, when that brother

completed his studies, in four years, he would

support the other brother at the academy, either

with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by

laboring in the mines. They tossed a coin on a

Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer

won the toss and went off to Nuremberg.

Albert went down into the dangerous mines and,

for the next four years, financed his younger

brother, whose work at the academy was an

immediate sensation. Albrecht's artwork was far

better than those of most of his professors. By the

time he graduated, he was beginning to earn a lot

of money.

When Albrecht Durer returned to his village, the

Durer family had a dinner for him. After a long

and happy meal, Albrecht rose from his position

at the head of the table to drink a toast to his

beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had

enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His

closing words were, "And now, Albert, blessed

brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can

go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will

support you."

All heads turned eagerly to the far end of the

table where Albert sat, crying, shaking his head

from side to side while he repeated, "No ... no ...

no ... no." Albert said softly, "No, brother. I

cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me.

Look what four years in the mines have done to

my hands! The bones in every finger have been

smashed at least once, and lately I have been

suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand

that I cannot even hold a glass to return your

toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment

or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother ... for

me it is too late."

Albrecht Durer’s masterpiece is a drawing of two

hands, pressed together in prayer. They are the

hands of his brother Albert. Albrecht drew them

to give thanks to Albert for all that he had

sacrificed. The world knows this drawing as “The

Praying Hands.”

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2.1 Vocabulary. Circle the correct meaning in Spanish for each word / phrase in English.

1. In order to a) Por que b) Por c) Para

2. toss a coin a) lanzar el dado b) tirar una moneda c) apuntar una flecha

3. an immediate sensation a) sensato muy pronto

b) impacto a muchos c) famoso casi inmediatamente

4. to drink a toast a) hacer un brindis b) comer pan tostada c) tostar una bebida

5. parchment a) hoja b) rama c) tronco

6. masterpiece a) dueño de la obra b) obra hecha a mano c) obra maestra

2.2 Comprehension 1. Circle True or False.

1. Albrecht Durer the Elder was a goldsmith. a) True b) False

2. Albert Durer’s family was poor. a) True b) False

3. Albert Durer was older than his brother Albrecht. a) True b) False

4. Albrecht Durer the Younger paid for his brother’s studies. a) True b) False

5. Albert Durer never became an artist. a) True b) False

2.3 Comprehension 2. Answer the questions.

1. How many siblings did Albert Durer have?

2. What was Albert Durer’s job?

3. Where did Albrecht Durer the Younger study?

4. How long was the course at the Academy?

5. What health problems did Albert Durer have?

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Reading 3: The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son,

daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson.

The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was

blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate

together at the table. But the elderly

grandfather’s shaky hands and

failing sight made eating

difficult. Peas rolled off his

spoon onto the floor. When he

grasped the glass, milk spilled

on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law

became irritated with the mess.

“We must do something about

father,” said the son. “I’ve had

enough of his spilled milk,

noisy eating, and food on the

floor.” So the husband and

wife set a small table in the

corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the

rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since

Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food

was served in a wooden bowl! When the

family glanced in Grandfather’s direction,

sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat

alone. Still, the only words the couple had for

him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a

fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed

his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.

He asked the child sweetly, “What are you

making?” Just as sweetly, the

boy responded, “Oh, I am

making a little bowl for you and

Mama to eat your food in when

I grow up.” The four-year-old

smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents

so that they were speechless.

Then tears started to stream

down their cheeks. Though no

word was spoken, both knew

what must be done.

That evening the husband took

Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to

the family table. For the remainder of his days

he ate every meal with the family. And for

some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed

to care any longer when a fork was dropped,

milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

[This story has been told many times, in many countries. It was collected by the Brothers Grimm, for Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and was also told by Leo Tolstoy.]

3.1 Vocabulary. Match the word or phrase in English, with its meaning in Spanish.

a) una advertencia b) chicharros c) débil d) enojarse e) estremecerse

f) ensuciarse g) quedarse callado h) ser borroso i) vacilarse

1. frail: 4. to tremble: 7. to be blurred:

2. to falter: 5. peas 8. to become irritated:

3. an admonition: 6. to be speechless: 9. to be soiled:

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3.2 Vocabulary / Comprehension. Circle the correct word to complete the sentences.

A man invited his (1) father / son / grandfather to live with him, his (2) daughter-in-law / mother /

wife and his son. The grandfather had (3) good / bad / worse eyesight, which made eating difficult.

The man said that he (4) was had / have had / had had enough of the Grandfather’s spilled milk and

noisy eating, and (5) moves / moved / moving him to a table in the corner. Sitting at the other table

made the grandfather (6) happy / angry / sad. The grandson started to make a wooden bowl for his

(7) fathers / parents / grandmother. This made them (8) joyful / tearful / hateful and thoughtful.

From that day on, the grandfather ate with (9) his / their / her family.

3.3 Comprehension. Answer the questions.

1. How many grandchildren did the old man have?

2. What food did the grandfather have problems eating?

3.What is the little boy making?

4. Why do the parents no longer care when the grandfather drops or spills things?

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Reading and writing for publication

The first three readings were written for friends, or for publication as fables. Writings in that style generally include the reader as a listener.

The next three readings were written for publication in books or journals. Different techniques and styles are involved when writing for publication in academic or technical journals or books.

Let’s look at the difference between the styles...

Writing to a friend

I went to the market yesterday to buy some apples, but there weren’t any, so I can’t send you any. The shopkeeper says he’s bought some from overseas, and they should arrive next week. But I think they’ll be very expensive. Do you still want me to buy you some?

Writing a fable or story

Peter went to the market, but he was unable to find apples. The shopkeeper said that he was going to import apples from overseas, and that these would arrive the following week. Peter wrote to his friend to say that apples would be expensive and to ask if he still wanted some.

Writing in academic or technical style

The market on Smith Street generally stocks apples. However, the lack of rain this past rainy season has impacted on the apple harvest. The fruit vendor has been forced to import apples from overseas. Prices have risen, and sales have dropped.

Reading 4 comes from a book, Reading 5 from an online article, and Reading 6 consists of the first section of journal article published in February 2015.

The first activity after each reading is a summary of Style Notes for the reading. What style is the reading written in? What are the grammatical features of this style? Why is the article written in this style?

Subsequent activities ask you to identify style features, then use the skills of skimming, scanning, and reading for gist, to find the information you need.

Approaches to Reading 6

Reading 6 is more difficult than Readings 4 and 5. However, when reading for your studies, you will be faced with articles in English that contain several words you do not understand, or use grammatical constructions that are difficult to understand. Do not approach Reading 6 with a dictionary. Do not read Reading 6. Go directly to the activities. Follow the instructions, and do each activity. The aim is to learn to find the information you need, to learn tricks you can use in reading for your studies, and tricks you can use in writing in English, not to try to understand something unrelated to your studies.

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Reading 4: Changing family structure

Trend 6. Changing Family Structure

As people live longer and have fewer children, family structures are transformed. This

has important implications in terms of providing care to older people.

Most older people today have children,

and many have grandchildren and

siblings. However, in countries with very

low birth rates, future generations will

have few if any siblings. As a result of this

trend and the global trend toward having

fewer children, people will have less

familial care and support as they age.

As life expectancy increases in most

nations, so do the odds of different

generations within a family coexisting. In

more developed countries, this has

manifested itself as the “beanpole family,”

a vertical extension of family structure

characterized by an increase in the

number of living generations within a

lineage and a decrease in the number of

people within each generation. As

mortality rates continue to improve, more

people in their 50s and 60s likely will

have surviving parents, aunts, and uncles.

Consequently, more children will know

their grandparents and even their great-

grandparents, especially their great-

grandmothers. There is no historical

precedent for a majority of middle-aged

and older adults having living parents.

While the picture of the nuclear or

extended family that stays together

through life is still the norm in most

nations, it is changing in many countries

around the world. Among baby boom

generations in the West, the family unit

may take a variety of shapes. This reflects

higher rates of divorce, remarriage,

blended and step-family relations, and

adults who have never married or are

voluntarily childless. Further, many

couples and single mothers delay

childbearing until their 30s and 40s,

households increasingly have both adults

working, and more children are being

raised in single-parent households.

People currently divorced constitute a

small proportion of older populations.

This will soon change in many countries

as younger populations with higher rates

of divorce and separation age. In the

United States, for example, 9 percent of

the 65-and-over population is divorced or

separated compared to 17 percent of

people age 55 to 64 and 18 percent of

people age 45 to 54. This trend has

gender-specific implications: Nonmarried

women are less likely than nonmarried

men to have accumulated assets and

pension wealth for use in older age, and

older men are less likely to form and

maintain supportive social networks.

Childlessness is another important factor

that will affect caregiving but has received

relatively scant attention. In modern

societies, around 20 percent of women do

not give birth. Rising percentages of

childless women are seen in Europe and

North America and, increasingly, in Latin

America and Southeast Asia as well.

Research among European adults age 18

to 39 shows that, in some countries, more

than one-third either intend to remain

childless or are uncertain about remaining

childless.

Given the variation in family structure

worldwide, it will be increasingly

important to distinguish between the

various reasons for childlessness—

voluntary, involuntary coerced,

involuntary natural, or loss of children

due to HIV/AIDS. Each has different

implications for care arrangements as

middle-aged women reach older age.

Older people’s living arrangements reflect

their need for family, community, or

institutional support. Living arrangements

also indicate sociocultural preferences—

for example, some choose to live in

nuclear households while others prefer

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6

5

4

3

2

7

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extended families. The number, and often

the percentage, of older people living

alone is rising in most countries. In some

European countries, more than 40 percent

of women age 65 and older live alone.

Even in societies with strong traditions of

older parents living with children, such as

in Japan, traditional living arrangements

are becoming less common (Figure 9). In

the past, living alone in older age often

was equated with social isolation or family

abandonment. However, research in many

cultural settings shows that older people,

even those living alone, prefer to be in

their own homes and communities. This

preference is reinforced by greater

longevity, expanded social benefits,

increased home ownership, elder-friendly

housing, and an emphasis in many

nations on community care.

While multigeneration households are

dwindling in the more developed world,

two- and three generation households are

still the norm in most less developed

countries. Despite the apparent

robustness of such living arrangements

for older people, concerns are emerging.

For example, unmarried women or

widows without children can have little

support and nowhere to live if extended

family will not take them in. Further,

changes in household structures

occurring in the face of large numbers of

AIDS deaths in parts of Africa and Asia

may leave many orphans living with and

supported by grandparents. There also

are broader concerns related to young

adult migration to urban areas, levels of

intrafamily remittances, and return

migration of adults after extended

periods of employment in other countries.

Long-term care for older people has

become a key issue in the West and also

in many less developed, middle-income

nations. Such care involves a range of

support mechanisms such as home

nursing, community care and assisted

living, residential care, and long-stay

hospitals. While the cost of long-term care

is a burden to families and society, there

are other concerns as well. For example,

the staffing needs of caring for aging

populations have increased the migration

of health workers from lower income to

higher income nations. Clearly, it is not

premature to talk about the globalization

of support for older persons.

[From: National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health. (March 2007). Why Population aging matters: A global perspective.]

Style notes

The article is a summary of data and reports on families. As a summary, it is direct and to the point. The article is also very clearly written. Each paragraph focuses on one idea or facet of the problem, and the implications of these.

There are four types of sentences in the article:

a) A Statement. These sentences are generally in the simple present, present continuous, or the present perfect tenses.

b) A Prediction. The statement is generally followed (or preceded) by a prediction. The grammar tense used is the future with ‘will’. Sometimes, instead of a prediction, we have a Possibility, the modal verbs ‘can’ and ‘may’ are used to indicate possibility.

c) An Example. Reference is made to other studies that have been carried out. d) An Implication. What does the current situation (outlined in the Statement) mean? An implication

is like a prediction or a possibility, but talks about the present, while the other two talk about the future.

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4.1 Comprehension. Skill-building - Reading for gist.

Which paragraph (or paragraphs) talks about the following topic? Write the number of the paragraph.

a) several generations of a family being alive at the same time

b) divorce and its implications

c) childlessness and its implications

d) differences between developed and less developed countries

4.2 Vocabulary. Answer the questions.

1. (para 2) What is a ‘beanpole family’?

a) several generations all alive

b) small families of thin people

c) people in their 50s and 60s

2. (para 4) What does the word ‘assets’ mean?

a) a collection of people

b) money, land, jewellery, etc

c) a husband

3. (para 5) Another way of saying ‘childless’ in paragraph 5 is:

a) women who do not give birth

b) factor that will affect caregiving

c) rising percentages

4.3 Comprehension/Grammar. Complete the sentences so that they have the same meaning as the original.

Eg. (para 1) Where countries have very low birth rates, future generations will not have many siblings.

1. (para 1) People will have less familial care and support as they age.

People _________________ have as much familial care and support as they age.

2. (para 3) Households increasingly have both adults working.

The number of households where both adults work is _________________.

3. (para 4) Older men are less likely to form and maintain supportive social networks (than women).

Women are ________________ likely than men to form and maintain supportive social networks.

4. (para 7) The number of older people living alone is rising in most countries.

The number of older people living alone ______________ risen in most countries.

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5. (para 8) Two- and three generation households are still the norm in less developed countries.

__________________ normal for two or three generations of the family to live together in less developed countries.

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Reading 5: Mexican Family Culture

By Cassie Damewood

The culture of Mexican families has a strong foundation in unity. Mexico's divorce rate is one of the lowest in the world and generations of families typically live in the same neighborhood or in the same house, which reflects the dedication to supporting family members and displaying loyalty no matter what happens.

Home Life Traditionally, there were clearly-defined roles for mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters in Mexican families. The mother was the heart of the family, the one who cooked, cleaned and cared for the children on a full-time basis. Fathers generally took charge of family decisions, and their authority was rarely challenged by either the mother or children. Machismo, the Spanish word for male chauvinism, was readily accepted in Mexican families and the wife often endured physical and psychological mistreatment, as well as adultery. These roles are similar to what were the traditional version of American family values before the 1960s and 1970s.

Brothers were expected to defend the honor of their sisters, both verbally and physically. Sisters were relied upon to emerge in the image of their mothers, learning how to cook, nurture children and cater to the needs of the men in the family. Both brothers and sisters usually lived in the family home until marriage.

This traditional home life is evolving in many parts of Mexico, especially in northern cities. While some Mexican families still have a traditional home life, many others have home lives that look very similar to modern American daily life.

Religious Practices Mexican families conventionally worship together. More than 90 percent of Mexicans follow the Roman Catholic religion, and the church plays a large part in providing spiritual and social support. Christenings, weddings and funerals are all elaborate religious celebrations that bring Mexican families and neighbors together, building strong cultural ties that extend into daily life. Celebrating the patron

saint days in each community typically involves more fanfare than individual community members' birthdays.

Rites of Passage Young Mexican females are honored on their 15th birthday with a quinceañera celebration. The party is full of ceremony and emotion as the girl's father ceremoniously exchanges her flat, childish style shoes for a demure pair of modestly high-heeled shoes to denote her passage into womanhood. The event is full of sentiment as the young woman dances with her father as the guests look on. Another touching Mexican cultural tradition is the matrimonial golden coin ceremony. The groom bestows his betrothed with 13 golden coins as a gesture of his trust in her to treasure and care for him and his possessions. Her acceptance of the coins signifies her devotion to love, respect and nurture him.

Community Culture Devotion to unity and mutual support extends to Mexican cities, towns and neighborhoods. The schools, churches and worker organizations all depend on the combined efforts of families to sustain themselves. Instead of concentrating on attaining individual wealth and social status, the philosophy leans toward ensuring everyone is sustained financially and emotionally through the combined support of friends, neighbors and family. Many businesses have employees who are all related to each other either by blood or marriage.

Government and Politics Many communities have minimal trust in the government, and seeing law enforcement officials as corrupt is common. This shared negativity builds even stronger commitments to family and neighborhood cooperation and support. Families frequently bond together to protect each other from crooked politicians and police officers, or contribute to monetary efforts to free the imprisoned with bribes or bail money.

18

Family Culture Evolution In Mexico, like many other countries, the culture continues to evolve as people from other countries become part of the population and new ways of thinking evolve. The media also has a significant influence on family values. These influences have resulted in attitudinal changes in family relationships, especially between husbands and wives,

where the roles are becoming less defined and more flexible. However, this progression is mainly in the northern parts of the country and traditional spousal relationships remain popular in southern and rural regions. As with any nationality, individual families have their own culture, but remnants of the traditional family culture and the importance of family values in Mexico still remain in many regions.

[Downloaded from: http://family.lovetoknow.com/family-values/mexican-family-culture]

Style notes

This article was published online, on a site called Love To Know. The site claims that all articles are fully researched, but the author’s name is not given, and no references are provided to back up the statements.

The writing is clearly structured, with section headings indicating what each section will talk about.

Grammatically, the article predominantly uses the present tenses (active and passive voice), because the site claims that this is what Mexican society is like now. However, when giving historical information on home life, in that section, the article moves briefly into the past for two paragraphs.

5.1 Comprehension. Skill building - Skimming and scanning.

Skimming and scanning is the technique of running your eyes down a text looking for a particular word or words. When you find them, you read the text around those words. We use skimming and scanning when we are looking for answers in a hurry. Read the sentences below. Before each sentence, there is a word in parentheses. Look for this word when you skim and scan to find the answer. [Note that sometimes the word is included in the sentence, and sometimes, a synonym is included.] Circle True or False for each sentence.

1. (divorce) Few Mexican couples get divorced. a) True b) False

2. (adultery) Mexican women used to cheat on their husbands. a) True b) False

3. (saint days) Saint days are less important than birthdays. a) True b) False

4. (shoes) The father changes the girl’s shoes at her 15th birthday party. a) True b) False

5. (support) People help each other in Mexico. a) True b) False

5.2 Vocabulary. Circle the word or phrase that has the same meaning.

The words below are underlined in the text.

1. nurture a) challenge b) depend on c) care for

2. cater to a) meet b) eat c) signify

3. conventionally a) traditionally b) recently c) happily

4. fanfare a) noise b) celebration c) famous people

5. attaining a) getting b) letting c) meeting

6. bond together a) stick b) rely c) unite

19

7. spousal relationships a) husband-wife relationships

b) parent-child relationships

c) brother-sister relationships

5.3 Comprehension. Answer the questions.

1. How do you say ‘machismo’ in English?

2. When did siblings traditionally leave the family home?

3. What do the 13 golden coins symbolize?

4. If you are in jail, who will pay the money for bribes or bail?

5. Which part of Mexico is changing?

20

Reading 6: Family Structure and Child Well-being: Integrating Family Complexity

Susan L. Brown, Wendy D. Manning, J. Bart Stykes

It is well established that children’s living arrangements are diverse. Fewer children reside with two biological married parents and more live with unmarried parents, whether in families with two biological cohabiting parents, two cohabiting stepparents, a single mother, or a single father. Children also reside in stepfamilies, and increasingly these are unmarried (cohabiting) rather than married families (Kreider & Ellis, 2011). The rise in unmarried and stepfamily living has coincided with a rapid acceleration in family instability, with more children transitioning across multiple living arrangements over the course of childhood (Raley & Wildsmith, 2004).

This traditional approach to conceptualizing children’s living arrangements relies on a measure of family structure that captures children’s relationships to the parental adult(s) in the household, ignoring children’s relationships to siblings as well as family members outside the household. Growing family instability coupled with rising unwed childbearing portends more family complexity, a term that typically describes the presence of half- or stepsiblings in the household. Nearly 15% of children reside with at least one half- or stepsibling (Kreider & Ellis, 2011). Comparatively few studies have considered family complexity, but the evidence to date suggests that family complexity is negatively associated with child well-being (Gennetian, 2005; Halpern-Meekin & Tach, 2008; Tillman, 2008; Yuan, 2009). Bridging the family structure and family complexity literatures, we illustrate how these two measures can be integrated in studies of the linkages between family composition and child well-being using data from the 2008 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP; www.census.gov/sipp/).

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether family complexity is uniquely associated with child well-being net of the standard measure of family structure. In other

words, is there value added to including a measure of family complexity in studies on family structure variation in child well-being? In addition, is the role of family complexity contingent on family structure? We argue that from a theoretical standpoint, it is important to account not only for parents but also siblings in the family environment. In addition to providing a descriptive portrait of today’s children in complex families, we empirically tested two assertions: that family complexity is (a) distinct from family structure and (b) related to child well-being. Using data from the 2008 SIPP, we focused on two indicators of economic well-being among children: (a) the family income-to-needs ratio and (b) public assistance receipt.

Background Research on family structure has burgeoned over the past few decades, as scholars have carefully investigated living arrangement patterns and their implications for child well-being (Brown, 2010; McLanahan & Sandefur, 1994). Children residing outside of families with two biological married parents tend to fare less well, on average, than those in this family form. The differences among children in single-parent (mother or father only), married stepparent, and cohabiting families (two biological parents or stepparent) are comparatively small. This pattern holds across several domains of child outcomes, including cognitive, behavioral, and physical and mental health (e.g., Artis, 2007; Brown, 2004; Fomby & Cherlin, 2007; Magnuson & Berger, 2009; Manning & Lamb, 2003). Yet this literature needs to be expanded to include the sibling complexity that characterizes many children’s family lives (Cancian, Meyer, & Cook, 2011).

Measures of family structure capture only parent–child relationships. This approach implicitly assumes that parents are the most salient feature of the family environment, channeling resources such as time and money to children, which in turn shapes their

1

5

3

2

4

21

development and well-being (Kalil & DeLeire, 2004). However, the distribution of economic and parental resources to children also may depend in part on the presence of other children, especially when those children have different sets of parents. Parents tend to invest less in children who are not biologically related to them (Case, Lin, & McLanahan, 2000; Hofferth & Anderson, 2003). These conclusions come from the extensive literature on married stepfamilies. Although the challenges associated with the formation and maintenance of married stepfamilies are well known, this research has excluded cohabiting families, and much of it is now rather dated (Sweeney, 2010).

Many children who reside in stepfamilies (as defined by the presence of a stepparent) also experience family complexity. High levels of divorce and repartnering among single mothers set the stage for growth in stepfamilies. As parents move from one partner to the next on what Cherlin (2009) termed “the marriage-go-round,” children are more likely to spend time living with half- or stepsiblings.

Furthermore, more children are experiencing new forms of stepfamilies that exist outside the boundaries of formal marriage. A

consequence of relationship dissolution and repartnering for children is often the presence of half- or stepsiblings (Carlson & Furstenberg, 2006; Guzzo & Furstenberg, 2007). Thus, the usual assumption that a stepfamily emerges because of the child’s relationship to a parent’s new spouse or that stepfamilies occur only within marriage is outmoded.

Moreover, family complexity is not synonymous with stepfamilies. Family complexity is evident across all family structures. It can occur among single-parent families through multiple partner fertility. Also, it is less realistic today to presume that children living with two biological married parents are a homogeneous group. Although a majority live with either no or full siblings only, a growing minority reside with either half- or stepsiblings. Even some children in what would be labeled “traditional nuclear families” using a standard measure of family structure actually experience family complexity (Gennetian, 2005; Halpern-Meekin & Tach, 2008; Manning, Brown, & Stykes, 2014). This complexity seems to be related to child outcomes.

Brown, S.L., Manning, W.D., & Stykes, J.B. (2015). Family Structure and Child Well Being: Integrating Family Complexity. Journal of Marriage and Family 77, pp.177-190. DOI:10.1111/jomf.12145.

Style notes

The section above comes from a journal article that was published in February 2015.

As a journal article, it contains fairly simple grammar, but complex sentence structure. In addition, the references interrupt the flow of the reading.

The article also uses a lot of big words – where we generally use small words, and less formal language when speaking, or writing informally.

Reading (and writing) journal articles is a skill that needs to be learnt. Writing for publication in a journal is a highly specialized form of writing.

In this reading, we are not reading to understand every word, we will be practising reading to find answers to certain questions (skimming and scanning) and to see whether our guesses as to meaning are correct (reading for gist).

6

7

8

22

6.1 Comprehension. Skill building: Skimming and scanning

Look at the questions below. Do not read the article. Use your finger or your eyes to go down the page looking for the answers to the questions below. (Hint: Look for the underlined word, number, or acronym.) Write the answers in the column on the right.

1. What does SIPP stand for?

2. Write down the names of the two (three) authors who talk about child well-being.

3. How many references were published in2004? Write the names of the authors of these papers.

4. In which paragraphs does the word “stepfamilies” NOT appear? Write down the paragraph number/s.

5. What percentage (%) of children live with at least one half- or stepsibling?

6. What four types of health are mentioned in paragraph 4?

7. Name the author who talked about “the marriage-go-round”.

8. Not counting this article, in which years has Brown published articles? Write down the years. (Hint: Look at the references.)

6.2. Vocabulary/Comprehension. Circle the correct meaning.

Do not look up a dictionary. Look at the underlined word in the reading and try to guess the meaning from the context. Also use your knowledge of Spanish to help you – is there a similar word in Spanish? What does this word mean?

1. cohabiting (para 1) a) biological b) unmarried c) stepfamily

2. Bridging (para 2) a) separando b) explicando c) juntando

3. standpoint (para 3) a) apuntar b) pararse c) lugar

4. burgeoned (para 4) a) grown b) become smaller c) started

5. capture (para 5) a) ignore b) focus on c) teach

6. repartnering (para 6) a) fixing b) making another boy/girlfriend

c) separating from your boy/girlfriend

7. Furthermore (para 7) a) ademas b) aunque c) adelante

8. labeled (para 8) a) ticketed b) qualified c) called

6.3 Comprehension/Grammar. Circle the option that has the same meaning as the original.

1. (para 2) This traditional approach to conceptualizing children’s living arrangements relies on a measure of family structure that captures children’s relationships to the parental adult(s) in the household, ignoring children’s relationships to siblings.

a) Research looks at parent-child relationships, not at sibling relationships.

b) Research looks at traditional living arrangements.

23

c) Traditional approaches measure family structure.

2. (para 2) The evidence suggests that family complexity is negatively associated with child well-being.

a) Family complexity is a negative idea.

b) Children don’t do as well in complex family structures.

c) Children are negative.

3. (para 3) Family complexity is (a) distinct from family structure and (b) related to child well-being.

a) Family complexity and family structure are different things.

b) Family structure is related to child well-being.

c) Family complexity, family structure, and child well-being have no relationship.

4. (para 4) Children residing outside of families with two biological married parents tend to fare less well than those in this family form.

a) Children form families with two biological married parents.

b) Children who live in families do better than children who don’t live in families.

c) Children whose parents are married do better.

5. (para 5) This approach implicitly assumes that parents are the most salient feature of the family environment.

a) You need to have parents to have a family.

b) People think that parents are the most important thing in a family.

c) The family environment approach must feature parents.

24

The Exam Readings

The readings for the Module 2 exam are on the following pages, so that you can prepare for the exam.

You will not be allowed to bring your notes into the exam.

You need a score of 6 (out of 10) to pass the exam for Module 2.

25

Exam Reading 1: Sister Love

Marcia met Howard Collins at church. Marcia was thirty-five years old, Howard was forty-one. Howard lived with his mother in a small house on the south side of town. Marcia lived with her sister and father in an apartment, three streets away.

Marcia did not work. Her father, George Grant, was ill and never left the apartment. He always needed somebody with him. So Marcia stayed at home with her father, and only went out when her sister Karin was in the house.

The two sisters were very different. Marcia was short with a small round face and short black hair. Karin was ten years younger. She was tall, beautiful, with long brown hair, and a suntan all through the summer. There were always lots of men ready to take Karin out to dinner or to the cinema. But Marcia stayed at home.

Karin worked in a shop in the town. When she was at home, she liked to go up to the roof garden of their apartment building, in her white bikini, and lie in the sun.

One day, Marcia brought Howard home to meet her family. Her father was not interested in new people or his daughters’ friends. Karin came into the room in her white bikini. She smiled at Howard.

“So you’re Howard,” she said. “My big sister has a boyfriend at last!” She invited Howard to the roof garden to drink wine with her.

From then on, every Sunday after church, Howard came home with Marcia, and sat on a chair in the roof garden, talking to the two sisters. One day, Karin asked Howard to drive her home from work. “Could you bring me home after work? My shop’s very near the hospital where you work, and you only live three streets away from us.” Marcia wanted Karin to take the bus, but Howard said yes.

Now, Marcia saw Howard every day, when he brought Karin home. But sometimes, they came home very late. “There was an accident,” Karin would say. “We couldn’t get

past, and we couldn’t go back!” Howard never said anything.

Then, one Sunday morning, Howard phoned Marcia. “I don’t feel well,” he said. “I’m not going to go to church today.” Marcia was sad. “Today’s the meeting after church,” she said. “I’ll be home late, but I’ll phone you when I get home. I hope you feel better soon!”

But Marcia had made a mistake. There was no meeting. So she walked home alone after church. Her father was asleep. She phoned Howard, but there was no answer. So she went upstairs to the roof garden. And, just as she was about to open the door, she heard voices. It was her sister Karin. And Howard. Karin was telling Howard that he had to break up with Marcia. “You love me, not Marcia,” she said.

Marcia ran away quickly to her bedroom. “Why?” she thought. “Why does she do it? I stay home with Father all the time. I can’t go out to work, I can’t make new friends, I can’t meet new people. I go shopping once a week, and I go to church once a week. And then I met Howard. I was so happy! It’s not because she wants him. It’s because I love him.” Did Howard really love beautiful Karin, and not her? He didn’t know Karin. “She’s not going to have him...” Marcia thought.

Marcia did nothing for a week. Every day, Howard and Karin got home later and later. On Sunday, Marcia didn’t go to church. “I have a headache,” she told Karin. When Karin was with their father, Marcia went to the roof and saw the bottle of suntan oil. She smiled.

After church, Howard drove his car to the Grant house. Karin and Marcia were on the roof. “He’s here!” Karin said excitedly. “Your man’s here!” She jumped up and ran to the wall to look down. But her feet slipped. She put out her hands to catch the wall, but it was slippery too, and she fell, off the wall, over the edge, and down...

Before she hit the ground, she knew.

Slippery...suntan oil...Marcia!

[Adapted from Sister Love and Other Crime Stories, by John Escott.]

26

Exam Reading 2: Breadwinning Moms, Caregiving Dads: Double Standard in Social Judgments of Gender Norm Violators

Ruth Gaunt

The past several decades have witnessed

dramatic changes in women’s political

rights, economic privileges, and work

patterns. The massive entry of women into

the labor force has been followed by a

considerable change in attitudes toward

women’s employment (Brewster & Padavic,

2000). Nevertheless, the change in

attitudes regarding the roles of men and

women in the family has been smaller

(Scott & Braun, 2009), and the prevailing

traditional views continue to define men as

primary breadwinners and women as

primary caregivers (Gershuny, Bittman, &

Brice, 2005; Zuo, 2004).

Consistently, several studies attest to

negative evaluations of men and women

who violate these gender norms. Findings

show that primary caregiving fathers and

primary breadwinning mothers are viewed

less favorably than caregiving mothers and

breadwinning fathers (Brescoll & Uhlmann,

2005; Coleman & Franiuk, 2011; Etaugh &

Folger, 1998). On the other hand, a few

findings document positive responses to

involvement in nonnormative roles

(Deutsch, Roska, & Meeske, 2003; Lobel,

Slone, Ashuach, & Revach, 2001). (...)

Social judgments of normative and norm-

violating couples are examined in this

study with regard to three dimensions:

attribution of warmth-related and

competence-related traits (Cuddy, Fiske, &

Glick, 2008), which may reveal stereotype-

based shifting standards (Biernat & Manis,

1994; Biernat, Manis, & Nelson, 1991);

attribution of moral emotions to the target

(e.g., pride, self-conscience); and

attributions of reciprocal marital emotions

to the spouses (e.g., appreciation,

criticism), which may also reflect the

perceivers’ own moral judgments of the

target’s behavior.

The Shifting Standards Model

The shifting standards model suggests

that when people judge individual

members of stereotyped groups on

stereotyped dimensions, they compare

them to within-category judgment

standards (Biernat et al., 1991; Biernat &

Manis, 1994). That is, stereotypic

expectations serve as standards against

which a particular target is compared and

evaluated. For example, given the

stereotype that women are less task

competent than men, people are likely to

judge the competence of a particular

woman against a lower standard of

competence than the competence of a

particular man. As a result, “good” for a

woman does not mean the same thing as

“good” for a man (Biernat et al., 1991).

Similarly, judgments of a woman’s

aggressiveness are made in comparison to

the expected range of aggression among

women, whereas judgments of a man’s

aggressiveness are made in comparison to

expectations for men. Behavior that is

judged as “very aggressive” in a woman

may be seen as only “moderately

aggressive” in a man (Kobrynowicz &

Biernat, 1997). Evidence supporting the

operation of stereotype-based standard

shifts has been documented in a variety of

judgment domains. It has been shown that

judges shift their standards in ratings of

women versus men on height and weight,

verbal ability, writing competence,

aggression, and job-related competence;

standards for Blacks versus Whites

similarly shift on verbal ability, athleticism,

and job-related competence (Biernat &

Kobrynowicz, 1997; Biernat & Manis,

1994).

Shifting Standards of Work and Family

Roles

Several studies have documented shifting

standard effects in the domains of work

and family. In a study on judgments of

27

financial success, women were rated

financially successful at a lower income

than men (Biernat et al., 1991). That is, for

a man to be perceived as financially

successful, he had to earn much more

money than a comparably perceived

woman.

Similar shifting standard effects have been

found in judgments of parenting roles. In

one study, participants were asked to

estimate the duration or frequency with

which a target parent engaged in various

parenting tasks. Findings showed that a

woman described as either a “very good”

parent or an “alright” parent was judged to

perform significantly more parenting

behaviors than a similarly described man

(Kobrynowicz & Biernat, 1997). In two

other studies, participants estimated a

higher frequency of parenting behaviors

for a mother who worked full-time, part-

time, or stayed at home than for her male

counterpart (Bridges, Etaugh, & Barnes-

Farrell, 2002; Park, Smith, & Correll, 2008).

Finally, studies have showed how shifting

standard effects for parenting result in

shifting standards for employment.

Specifically, participants rated mothers as

less competent and committed to paid

work than nonmothers and consequently

discriminated against mothers when

making hiring and salary decisions. Such

discrimination was not found with regard

to fathers (Correll, Benard, & Paik, 2007;

Fuegen, Biernat, Hains, & Deaux, 2004).

Gaunt, R. (2013). Breadwinning Moms, Caregiving Dads: Double Standard in Social Judgments of Gender Norm Violators. Journal of Family Issues 34(1), pp.3-24. DOI: 10.1177/0192513X12438686. [Excerpts taken from pp.4-7.]

28

Answers

1.1 1. grandmother

2. half-sister

3. wife’s

4. son

5. siblings / brother and sister

6. daughter

1.2 1. Jim’s wife, Helen’s daughter, Paul, Julie, Scott and Lucy’s mum.

2. She was a student.

3. Julie

4. He (They) had none.

1.3 a) Helen Daniels

b) Jim Robinson

c) Philip

d) Charlene

e) David

f) Michael

g) Daniel

h) Nina

i) Gail

j) Christina

k) Lyn

l) Lucinda

m) Robert

n) Andrew

2.1 1c

2b

3c

4a

5a

6c

2.2 1a

2a

3a

4b

5a

2.3 1. 17

2. miner

3. Nuremberg Academy

4. 4 years

5. broken bones in his hand, arthritis in the right hand

3.1 1c

2i

3a

4e

5b

6g

7h

8d

9f

3.2 1 father

2. wife

3. bad

4. had had

5. moved

6. sad

7. parents

8. tearful

9. his

3.3 1. one

2. peas

3. a wooden bowl

4. (your answer)

4.1 a) para 2

b) para 4

c) paras 5, 6

d) paras 7, 8

4.2 1. a

2. b

3. a

4.3 1. will not / won’t

2. increasing

3. more

4. has

5. It is

5.1 1. a

2. b

3. b

4. a

5. a

5.2

1. c

2. a

3. a

4. b

5. a

6. c

7. a

5.3 1. male chauvinism

2. when they got married

3. the man’s trust in his wife, the wife’s devotion to him

4. your family

5. the north

29

6.1 1. Survey of Income and Program Participation

2. Brown, 2010; McLanahan & Sandefur, 1994

3. (3) Raley & Wildsmith; Brown; Kalil & DeLeire

4. paras 2, 3, 4

5. 15%

6. cognitive, behavioural, physical and mental

7. Cherlin (2009)

8. 2010; 2004; 2014

6.2 1. b

2. c

3. c

4. a

5. b

6. b

7. a

8. c

6.3 1. a

2. b

3. a

4. c

5. b