B) Translate the sentences below using the expressions listed in a)
1) Семья – важнейший из общественных институтов, который несет основной груз ответственности за воспитание законопослушных граждан, подготовленных к жизни в обществе.
2) Через общение в семье ребенок познает культурные традиции, нравственные ценности и нормы поведения, принятые в обществе, в которое он со временем вступит.
3) Семья – краеугольный камень общества, вот почему многие видят в ее разрушенииглавную причинумногих бед современного общества.
4) В Великобритании приверженность семейным ценностям считается ключевым фактором национально-культурной идентичности.
5) Большинство британских политических партий выступают в защиту семьи, и эта верность традиции служит источником национального единства.
6) С середины 19 в. изменения структуры занятости, вызванные Промышленной революцией, заставили пересмотреть традиционные представления о ролях мужчины и женщины; были поставлены под сомнениеубеждения и вековые обычаи, касающиеся вопросов пола и семьи.
7) Возникшие в то же время общественные движения привели к ряду правовых реформ, которые затрагивали нормы сексуального поведения,родственные отношения и положение женщины в обществе; и в результате британским женщинам были предоставлены права опеки, собственности, представительства в органах гос. власти и регулирования рождаемости.
8) Меняющиеся представления о гендерной идентичности вкупе с необратимыми экономическими и демографическими процессами сопровождались постепенным разрушением традиционной семьи.
9) Большая семьягосподствовала почти до середины 20-го в., и ее разрушение способствовало возникновению крайнего разобщения, отчужденности в обществе.
10) Самый бурный период в истории семьи пришелся на последние декады 20-го в.: либеральное законодательство 60–70-х гг., которое отдавалоприоритет свободе личного выбора вместо нравственности и долга, вызвалоеще большие перемены в сфере дома и семьи, включая кардинальноеизменение ролей мужчины и женщины.
11) Современное общество проявляет терпимость в отношении пар, живущих без брака, и матерей-одиночек, и многие люди теперь не спешат произносить брачный обет и узаконить свои отношения.
12) В настоящее время треть детей рождается вне брака, и происходит это не только из-за снижения числа зарегистрированных браков, но и потому, что многие молодые люди теперь склонны избегать прочных, серьезных отношений.
13) Улучшение возможностей карьерного роста и признание обществомконтрацепции позволили женщинам откладывать рождение детейнезависимоот семейного положения. В результате получили распространение семьи бездетей.
14) Упадок традиционной патриархальной семьи привел к разнообразиюформ семейной жизни, например бабушки все чаще вынуждены компенсировать внукам недостаток материнской заботы, и так называемое «общественное воспитание» детей становится признанным фактом современности.
15) Если политики правого толка винят либеральные реформы и вседозволенность в нравственном разложении общества и упадке семьи, то их оппоненты указывают, что именно вопиющий индивидуализм и жажда потребления, поощрявшиеся правительством Тэтчер, подорвалинравственные устои, необходимые для сохранения семьи.
2. Collect all relevant information necessary to discuss the main issues of the text outlined below:
1) Views on family as an institution.
2) The traditional family unit and family values.
3) Conventional European family.
4) Family in crisis
- roots of the current decline of the traditional family;
- consequences of the family crisis.
Interpret the following concepts.
- family values
- gender identity
- national identity
- a latchkey kid
- a career woman
- a patriarchal family
- an extended family
- a nuclear family
- a companionate family model
- an atomized/ alienated society
Write a summary of the text.
Text 2
The Love Nest
“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do with you, Mr. Bartlett,” said the great man. “I’m going to take you right out to my home and have you meet the wife and family: stay to dinner and all night. We’ve got plenty of room and extra pajamas, if you don’t mind them silk. I mean that’ll give you a chance to see us just as we are. I mean you can get more that way than if you sat here a whole week, asking me questions.”
“But I don’t want to put you to a lot of trouble,” said Bartlett.
“Trouble.” The great man laughed. “There’s no trouble about it. I’ve got a house like a hotel. I mean a big house with lots of servants. But anyway I’m always glad to do anything I can do for a writing man. I mean it’ll be a pleasure to have you. So if you want to notify your family … ”
“I haven’t any family,” said Bartlett.
“Well, I’m sorry for you. And I bet when you see mine, you’ll wish you had one of your own. But I’m glad you can come and we’ll start now so as to get there before the kiddies go to bed. I’ve got three.”
“I’ve seen their pictures,” said Bartlett. “You must be very proud of them. They’re all girls, aren’t they?”
“Yes, sir, three girls. But let’s go. The Rolls is downstairs and if we start now we’ll get there before dark. I mean I want you to see the place while it’s still daylight.”
The great man – Lou Gregg, president of Modern Pictures, Inc. – escorted his visitor from the magnificent office by a private door and down a private stairway to the avenue, where the glittering car with its glittering chauffeur waited.
“My wife was in town today,” said Gregg as they glided northward, “she was through with her shopping and she hates to be away from the house and the kiddies any longer than she can help. I mean nobody would ever have thought Celia Sayles would turn out to be a sit-by-fire. I mean she still likes a good time, but her home and kiddies come first.”
An hour’s drive brought them to the man’s house.
“Forbes, you may tell Dennis that Mr. Bartlett will spend the night.” He faced the wide stairway and raised his voice. “Sweetheart!” he called.
From above came the reply in contralto: “Hello, sweetheart!”
“Come down, sweetheart. I’ve brought a visitor.”
“All right, sweetheart, in just a minute.”
Gregg led Bartlett into a living room.
“Sit there,” said the host pointing to a balloon-stuffed easy chair, “and I’ll see if we can get a drink. I‘ve got some real old Bourbon that I’d like you to try.”
“Half full! That’s funny!”
“It’s only half full,” repeated Forbes, and went to fetch it. “I’ll have to investigate it,” Gregg told his guest. “I mean this ain’t the first time lately that some of my good stuff has disappeared. When you keep so many servants, it’s hard to get all honest ones. But here’s Celia.”
“I’m so pleased!”
“Mr. Bartlett,” Gregg went on, “is with Mankind, Rolph Doane’s magazine. He is going to write me up, I mean us.”
“No, you mean you,” said Celia. “I’m sure the public is not interested in great men’s wives.”
“I’m sure you are mistaken, Mrs. Gregg,” said Bartlett politely. “You are worth writing up aside from being a great man’s wife.”
“You are a flatterer, Mr. Bartlett,” she returned. “I have been out of the limelight so long that I doubt very much if anybody remembers me. I’m no longer an artist, merely a happy wife and mother.”
“Listen, sweetheart,” said her husband. “One of the servants has been helping himself to this Bourbon. I mean it was a full bottle last night and I had had one little drink out of it. And now it’s less than half full. Who do you suppose has been at it?”
“How do I know, sweetheart?”
“But you and Forbes and I are the only ones that have a key.”
“Maybe you forgot to lock it?”
“I never do. Well, anyway, Bartlett, here’s a go!”
“Doesn’t Mrs. Gregg indulge?” asked Bartlett.
“Only a cocktail before dinner,” said Celia. “Lou objects to me drinking whiskey, and I don’t like it much anyway.”
“I think it coarsens a woman to drink. I mean it makes them coarse.”
“But, sweetheart,” said his wife, “what about Mr. Latham?”
“Gosh! I forgot all about him! I must phone and see if I can call it off. We’re going to have a golf club. I’ll phone and see if I can postpone it.”
“Oh, don’t postpone it on my account!” Mr. Bartlett urged.
“I don’t see how you can postpone it, sweetheart,” said Celia.
“But listen, sweetheart – where are the kiddies? Mr. Bartlett wants to see them.”
“I hope you’ll excuse me running away.”
They were emptying their glasses when Celia returned with two of her little girls.
“The baby’s in bed and I was afraid to ask Hortense to get her up again. But you’ll see her in the morning. This is Norma and this is Grace. Girls, this is Mr. Bartlett.”
“Come, girls,” said their mother. “Kiss Daddy good night and I’ll take you back to Hortense.”
“I’ll take them,” said Gregg. “I’m going upstairs anyway. And you can show Bartlett around. I mean before it gets any darker.”
“And with reason,” said Bartlett.
“It’s wonderful! I call it our love nest. Quite a big nest, don’t you think? Mother says it’s too big to be cosy; she says she can’t think of it as a home. But I always say a place is whatever one makes of it. A woman can be happy in a tent if they love each other. And miserable in a royal palace without love. Don’t you think so, Mr. Bartlett?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“Is this really such wonderful Bourbon? I think I’ll just take a sip of it. And see what it’s like. It can’t hurt me if it’s so good. Do you think so, Mr. Bartlett?”
“I don’t believe so.”
“Well, then, I’m going to taste it and if it hurts me it’s your fault.”
Celia poured a whiskey-glass two-thirds full and drained it at a gulp.
“It is good, isn’t it?” she said. “Of course I’m not much of a judge as I don’t care for whiskey and Lou won’t let me drink it.”
They drank in silence and Celia pressed a button by the door.
“You may take the bottle and tray,” she told Forbes.
Gregg, having changed his shirt and collar, joined them.
“Well,” he said to Bartlett, “have you seen everything?”
“I guess, I have, Mr. Gregg,” lied the guest readily. “It’s wonderful!”
He put his hand on her shoulder, but she drew back.
“I must run up and dress,” she said.
“Well, I’ll leave you,” said Gregg when they were in the living room once again. “I mean the sooner I get started, the sooner I’ll be back. It’s too bad you have to drink alone.”
“It is too bad, Mr. Bartlett,” she said when Gregg had gone, “that you have to drink alone. I feel like I wasn’t being a good hostess to let you do it. In fact, I refuse to let you do it. I’ll join you in just a little wee sip.”
She mixed two life-sized high-balls and handed one to her guest.
“Now we’ll turn on the radio and see if we cannot stir things up. There! Now! This is better! Let’s dance. Well, you are an old cheese to make me dance alone!” There was no affectation in her voice now and Bartlett was amazed at her unlabored grace as she glided around the big room.
“But it’s no fun alone,” she complained. “Let’s shut the damn thing off and talk.”
“I love to watch you dance,” said Bartlett.
“Yes, but I’m no Pavlova,” said Celia as she silenced the radio. “And besides, it’s time for a drink.”
“I’ve still got more than half of mine.”
“Well, you had that wine at dinner, so I’ll have to catch up with you.” She poured herself another high-ball and began the task of catching up.
“What I can’t understand is how you can be sober and me so high.”
“You are not used to it.”
“Not used to it! That’s the cat’s pajamas! Say, I’m like this half the time, see? If I wasn’t, I would die!”
“What does your husband say?”
“He doesn’t say because he doesn’t know. See, Bartlett? There’s night when he is out and there’s a few nights when I’m out myself! And there’s other nights when we are both in and I pretend I’m sleepy and go upstairs. See? But I don’t go to bed. See? I have a little party by myself. See? If I didn’t, I would die.”
“What do you mean, you would die?”
“You’re dumb, Barker! You may be sober, but you’re dumb! Did you fall for all that apple sauce about the happy home and the contented wife? Listen Barker – I’d give anything to never see him again.”
“Don’t you love him any more? Doesn’t he love you? Or what?”
“Love! I never did love him! I didn’t know what love was! And all his love is for himself!”
“How did you happen to get married?”
“I was a kid; that’s the answer. A kid and ambitious. See? He was a director then and he got stuck on me and I thought he’d make me a star. See, Barker? I married him to get myself a chance. And now look at me!”
“I’d say you are fairly well off.”
“Well off, am I? I’d change places with the scum of the earth just to be free! See, Barker? And I could have been a star without any help if I’d realized it. I had the looks and I had the talent. I fought at first. I told him marriage didn’t mean giving up my art, my life work. But it was of no use. He wanted a beautiful wife and beautiful children for his beautiful home. Just to show off. See? I’m a part of his Chattels. See, Barker? I’m just like his big diamond or his cars or his horses. You go back to your magazine tomorrow and write about our love nest. See, Barker?”
“Did you ever think of a divorce?”
“Did I ever think of one? Listen – but there’s no chance. See, Barker? And the others are just as bad as him. Like fat old Morris, the hotel man that everybody thinks he’s a model husband. But come on, Barker. Let’s have a drink. I’m running down.”
“I think it’s about time you were running up – upstairs,” said Bartlett. “If I were you, I’d try to be in bed and asleep when Gregg gets home.”
“You’re right, Barker. And after this drink I’m going to do just as you say. And tonight you can help me out by telling him I had a bad headache.”
Left alone, Bartlett thought a while, then read and finally dozed off. He was dozing when Gregg returned.
“Well, well,” said the great man, “did Celia desert you?”
“It was perfectly all right, Mr. Gregg. She had a headache and I told her to go to bed.”
“I see you consoled yourself with some of the Bourbon. I mean the bottle doesn’t look as full as it did.”
“I hope you’ll forgive me for helping myself so generously,” said Bartlett. “I don’t get stuff like that every day.”
“Well, what do you say if we turn in? We can talk on the way to town tomorrow. Though I guess you won’t have much to ask me. I guess you know all about us. I mean you know all about us now.”
“Yes, indeed, Mr. Gregg. I’ve got plenty of material if I can handle it.”
Celia had not put in an appearance when Gregg and his guest were ready to leave the house next day.
“She always sleeps late,” said Gregg. “I mean she never wakes up early. But she’s later than usual this morning. Sweetheart!” he called up the stairs.
“Yes, sweetheart,” came the answer.
“Mr. Bartlett leaving now. I mean he is going.”
“Good-by, Mr. Bartlett. Please forgive me for not being down to see you off.”
“You’re forgiven, Mrs. Gregg. And thanks for your hospitality.”
“Good-bye, sweetheart!”
“Good-bye, sweetheart!”
(by W.S. Maugham)
Exercises