Conversation Questions Family

1. What is the role of the family in modern society? What are the functions the family fulfills in society? How have these functions changed over time?

2. Can you describe a typical family and the importance of a family in your country?

3. Who is the head of the household in a typical family in your country?

4. What responsibilities do parents have toward their children?

5. Are there many single-parent families in your country? Is the divorce rate going up?

6. What are the most important things your parents have taught you?

7. What do you think are the most important qualities of a good parent?

8. What is your favorite family tradition?

9. What do you think makes a happy family?

10. What three words do you think best describe your family?

11. What is the difference between the family in the past and now?

CPC 2

Dialogue: Talking about family relationships

Phrases for your dialogues:

1. Suggest your idea:

- Why don’t we...         

- Shall we...

- Do you think we should...     + V

- Do you want to...

- Would you like to...

- Maybe the best thing would be to…

- I think the best thing might be to…

- I wonder if we should….

- How about...

- What about...                                          

- Do you feel like...               + Ving     

- What do you think of...

- Do you fancy...

- Let’s think about…

2. Prove your idea:

• … would be a good idea because ….

• One thing we should remember is that ….

• Personally, I suggest … because ….

• One advantage of … is that ….

• In my opinion, it would be best to choose … because ….

3. Agree or disagree:

Agree:

Yes, I completely agree with you.

You are right.

That’s a good point.

That’s just what I wanted to say.

It’s a great idea!

Disagree:

I agree up to a point, but ...

Well, I agree to a certain extent, but ... 

I don’t think we should…

I’m afraid I don’t agree.

I have to disagree with you. 

I’m not sure I agree, to be honest.

Here are some useful words and word combinations you can use:

ancestor, relatives, husband, wife, spouse; father, mother, parents; son, daughter, sibling, child, children; brother, sister, siblings, twins; grandfather, grandmother, grandparents; grandson, granddaughter, grandchild, grandchildren; great-grandfather, great-grandmother, great-grandchild; stepfather, stepmother, stepbrother, stepsister; uncle, aunt; nephew, niece; cousin; father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law; brother-in-law, sister-in-law; child, baby, infant; boy, girl; teenager; adult; young man, young woman, middle-aged man, middle-aged woman, old man, old woman; single, married, engaged, divorced; bride, bridegroom; girlfriend, boyfriend; to be born, to die; to get married, to get divorced; nuclear family, single-parent / one-parent family; family gathering; to start a family.  

Choose the right variant

1. How many __ do you have? a. son; b. children; c. family.

2. She is the oldest of four …. a. sons; b. siblings c. child

3. My sister's daughter is my.... a. niece; b. nephew; c. aunt

4. Jane doesn't like her … who married her daughter last year.

a. son;  b. father-in-law; c. son-in-law

5. Lucy is a …. Many of her daughter's school friends also only live with one parent.

a. single mother; b. half sister c.  step sister

Conversation Questions

Generation Gap

1. What is a generation gap? Is it possible to overcome a generation gap?

2. Is it possible for parents and children to be friends?

3. What three adjectives would you use to describe today’s youth?

4. Do old people understand today’s youth?

5. Should adults try to teach young people lessons, such as the dangers of drinking too much or taking drugs, or should they leave them alone to find out about these things themselves?

6. Do people respect the aged in your country?

Read, translate the dialogue and put three questions to it.

Youth & Old Age

A: Do you think that the young have anything to learn from the elderly and vice versa?

B: Well, older people are said to have more experience than younger ones. 

A: I've heard that argument time and time again, but nobody ever says what experience! 

B: I would have thought that was obvious. They've lived through personal and family relationships. In many cases, they've bought and sold houses. They've witnessed ups and downs in their careers. They're often experts on matters of health ranging from minor ailments to major operations. Some of them have been round the world.

A: But do these achievements really relate to the problems of young people today? 

B: They have to, somewhere along the line. What I'm saying is that older people have been there before. They've had the problems and found the solutions.

A: I'm not sure that it works like that. You see, today's young live in a different age. For a start, they don't go looking for information on the shelves of their local reference library. If they need any kind of advice, they'll find it on the Internet. I don't suppose their grandparents will know how to use Search Engines. 

B: It seems that you're confusing quantity of information with quality of information. Nobody knows you better than someone in your own family. You don't need a global instrument to solve a local problem.

A: Let's look at the other side of the coin. What can the young teach the elderly?

B: If the elderly are receptive, they could share some of the benefits of information technology. An E-mail message or a fax could save someone with mobility problems a lot of time and effort. Telephone banking could spare them having to queue in one of the few remaining branches of their bank. The elderly are often confused by modern telephones and automatic switchboards.

A: I wonder whether that's the case. Isn't it rather that they enjoy getting out and about instead of sitting next to a telephone? Don't you think they're right to be suspicious of technology which is turning us all into screen-gazers and zombies? The young are so hooked on these electronic toys, that they can't really see where they're going. The elderly don't need all this virtual reality. They are content to listen to the trees rustling in the wind, to smell the summer grass and to watch the setting sun.