Exercises

1. Read and translate the dialogue.

A – Let’s have a look at the picture.

B – With pleasure, I say, what a large family this is!

A – Is it? Is it really large?

B – Of course, it is. Look, how many members are there in the family?

A - As far as I see, the family consists of 6 members.

B – Isn’t it a large family according to the modern standards?

A – It is large. I agree with you. Who are the members of the family?

B – They are: a grandfather, a grandmother, a mother, a father and their children: a son and a daughter. Who is the oldest member of the family?

A – I suppose, the grandfather is. He is the oldest and the wisest member of the family. Is the grandmother younger than the grandfather?

B – Yes, she is.

A – Are they pensioners?

B – I think, they are. But they are still full of life and energy.

A – Whose parents are the grandfather and the grandmother?

B – In my opinion, this man is their son and his wife is their daughter-in-law.

A – Are the mother and the father of the same age?

B – I suppose, she is some years her husband’s junior. May be she is 32. She is an attractive woman, isn’t she?

A – Certainly, she is. And her husband is a handsome man. In general, they are good looking couple. What are they?

B – The wife is a teacher and her husband is an engineer. What are they fond of?

A – I suppose, they are fond of reading books. Let’s have a talk about their children. How many children have they?

B – As far as I can see, there are 2 children in the family: a son and a daughter. Are they teenagers?

A – I am afraid you are mistaken. The boy is of school age and his sister is a little girl. She goes to the kindergarten. She is a pet of the family. What are they fond of?

B – It seems to me, the son is fond of football and the daughter is fond of playing with her toys. Who brings up the children in the family?

A – I suppose, the parents and the grandparents. The father is the head of the family, and by all means, the women keep the house.

B – Do you think, that all the members of the family help one another?

A – Of course, and all the members of the family are on friendly terms with one another.

2. Match the following word combinations.

To look after the house, to take care of the children, to be a pensioner, to be retired from service, to be going to do something, to love (to like).

To have an old-age pension, to run the house, to be about to do something, to be fond of, to be pensioned off, to look after the children

3. Finish the sentences.

1. My mother’s brother is my…

2. A person who is retired from service is…

3. A woman who has never been married is…

4. A man who has never been married is…

5. A woman whose husband has died is…

6. Two brothers or sisters of the same age are called…

7. My wife’s mother is my…

8. My husband’s brother is my…

9. The name that a woman had before her marriage is called a…

4. Answer the questions about your family.

1. How many members does your family consist of?

2. What are your parents?

3. Do you have any sisters or brothers?

4. How many cousins do you have?

5. Where do they live?

6. Where do you live?

7. Who runs the house in your family?

8. Are you on friendly terms with your relatives?

9. What are you?

10. What’s your hobby?

11. What are you fond of?

12. What are you going to be?

5.Discuss the relationship in your family. Make up a dialogue using the following words and word-combinations.

besides	a relative, (close, distant)
maiden	a world of relatives
a maiden name	to be divorced
a bachelor (an old bachelor)	to run the house
a widow	to be pensioned off
a niece	to do one’s best
a nephew	to be about to do smth
a spinster	to be fond of smth, smb
a fiancée	to go in for sports
a sister-in-law	to be in the army
by profession	to graduate from
to be good (excellent) at smth	to get married
to be married

6. Study the vocabulary and describe the members of your family. Use the following words and word combinations.