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Page 10 Exercises
1. Vocabulary & Speaking—family
a) Talk to a partner. What’s the difference between…?
1. a father and a parent—A father is specifically the male parent, while a parent can be
either the mother or the father.
2. a mother and a stepmother—A mother is the biological or adoptive female parent, while
a stepmother is a woman who marries someone who already has children from a previous
relationship.
3. a brother and a brother-in-law—A brother is a male sibling who shares the same parents,
while a brother-in-law is the brother of your spouse or the husband of your sibling.
4. a stepsister and a half-sister—A stepsister has no blood relation (from a parent’s previous
relationship), while a half-sister shares one biological parent with you.
5. a grandfather and a great-grandfather—A grandfather is your parent’s father, while a
great-grandfather is your grandparent’s father (one generation further back).
6. an adopted child and an only child—An adopted child is legally taken into a family not
their biological family, while an only child has no brothers or sisters.
7. brothers and sisters and siblings—“Brothers and sisters” refers specifically to male and
female siblings separately, while “siblings” is a general term for all brothers and sisters
together.
8. your immediate family and your extended family—Immediate family includes parents,
siblings, and children living in the same household, while extended family includes
grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.
b) Read the article about modern British family life. Complete the gaps with numbers:
Based on the statistics shown: 2, 10%, 14%, 17%, 30, 32, 40%, 45%
c) Listen and check. Are there any statistics in the article which you think would be very
different in your country? Why?
Statistics that would probably be very different in Ukraine:
1. Single-parent families (22%)—This percentage would likely be lower in Ukraine. Traditional
family values remain stronger, and extended family support systems are more common,
making it less likely for parents to raise children alone.
2. Average marriage age (women 30, men 32)—Ukrainians typically marry younger. The
average age would probably be closer to 25–27 for women and 27–29 for men, as there’s
still cultural pressure to marry and start families earlier.
3. Eating together frequency—The statistic that 20% of families only eat together 1–2 times
per week would be much lower in Ukraine. Family meals, especially dinner, remain a
strong tradition in Ukrainian culture. Most families still prioritize eating together daily.
4. Contact with extended family—Visiting extended family only twice a month would be
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unusually low for Ukraine. Ukrainian families typically maintain much closer ties with
grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, with more frequent contact and visits.
Why these differences exist:
• Ukraine has more traditional family structures and values
• Extended family relationships are typically stronger and more involved
• Economic factors mean families often live closer together or even in multi-generational
homes
• Cultural emphasis on family unity and regular family gatherings
• Less individualistic society compared to Britain
Page 12 Exercises
4. Vocabulary—adjectives of personality
a) Complete the opposite adjectives in sentences 1–5:
1. She’s extroverted, but he’s shy/introverted.
2. She’s generous, but he’s selfish.
3. She’s hard-working, but he’s lazy.
4. She’s talkative, but he’s quiet.
5. She’s funny, but he’s serious.
5. Pronunciation—word stress
a) Underline the stressed syllable in the multi-syllable adjectives:
1. anxious ambitious generous rebellious
2. sociable reliable
3. responsible sensible
4. competitive talkative sensitive
5. unfriendly insecure impatient immature
6. Reading
b) Look at four groups of adjectives. Which group do you think goes with each position
in the family?
• Group 1 (outgoing, charming, disorganized)—Youngest child
• Group 2 (responsible, ambitious, anxious)—Oldest child
• Group 3 (self-confident, independent, spoilt)—Only child
• Group 4 (sociable, sensitive, unambitious)—Middle child