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Big Families

Big Families

Date: Apr 03 2009

Themes: Family

Grammar: The Unreal Past

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Recently, an American woman named Nadya Suleman gave birth to octuplets. Octuplets! That’s eight babies. And she already had 6 other children at home. Can you imagine how exhausted you’d be if you were a single mother with 14 children?

Nadya and her brood may be an extreme example, but lots of people want to have big families. For one thing, having more kids means more chances that at least one of them will turn out OK. But children are also a lot of work. And from diapers to college tuition, each one comes with a high price tag. According to one estimate, it costs an average American family over $250,000 to raise a child!

Marni is surprised that Ella wants to have a lot of children. Listen to them talk about the ideal family size.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Ella

Ella

Marni:  So that woman who recently had 8 babies, it’s made me really think about the nature of big families and how it’s pretty unnecessary in this day and age to have that many children.

Ella:  Well, I don’t know, like, it could work. I mean, we have an overpopulation problem. But if I have kids, I think I want four.

Marni:  Four. Really.

Ella:  Well, okay. So, one would be an only child. Two, what would happen if they hated each other? There’s a problem there. Then you have three, there’s the whole “I’m the middle, I’m the youngest.” So four would be just right.

Marni:  So you really think that four is the perfect amount?

Ella:  Yeah, I just, I’ll figure the finances later. But I don’t know, it’d be fun!

Marni:  Fun? But really, you have to think about the expense of it. And like you said, there is an overpopulation problem. We don’t need four children in this day and age. People used to have big families to do farm work and stuff like that, and that’s pretty much non-existent.

Ella:  I’ll live on a farm.

Marni:  You’ll live on a farm. OK. So, if you really want four children do you think maybe you’d consider the Brad and Angelina Jolie route, adopting and having your own?

Ella:  Yeah, totally! Maybe half my own and the other half help some other kids that need help.

Marni:  OK…

Ella:  Yeah, I’m open to anything.

 

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Discussion

Farmers used to need lots of children to help out around the farm. But Marni thinks it’s unnecessary in modern society to have a big family. When you think about overpopulation and how many unwanted children there are in this world, having lots of children can seem like a pretty selfish thing to do.

But Ella is sure that she wants to have four kids. She thinks four is the perfect number to avoid sibling rivalry and make sure that all the kids get along. She isn’t worried about how much it would cost to raise four kids. But she is worried about overpopulation, so maybe she’ll adopt two of the four kids.

Are you part of a big family or a small family? How many kids do you have or want to have?

 

Comments

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fly_fly@live.cn

China

I don'tl like kids. So i dont wanna any child.

09:38 AM Apr 03 2009 |

ladushka

ladushka

Ukraine

I want to have 4 children too, i think we are dorn to give birth to to other people!Smile

08:41 AM Apr 03 2009 |

natashama07

China

I have a younger sister and brother,we always get along well with each other,and now we're apart in 3 different cities,I miss them so much!I'd like to have 3 babies also,2 boys and a girl,that will be perfect for me,I think i was absolutely affected by "The Growing Pains".

08:18 AM Apr 03 2009 |

kukuka

kukuka

Ukraine

it's not about expenses, juts these days we, women, are not reproductive machines. We pay taxes, we make a career, we participate in political and economic and social life, we want to travel, to develop our skills, to fulfill our dreams. I don't know, i think one is good enogh. It's my opinion, so please don't teach me to live. 

07:53 AM Apr 03 2009 |

zhzloverzy

zhzloverzy

China

I am chinese-born,our family just have only one kid who is me!..

07:00 AM Apr 03 2009 |

lukahlukah

Philippines

Number of kids should be in proportion to the family’s wealth and the parents’ amount of time. It’s complicated to raise children. Especially to deal with them on their teenage years when most of their time they spend with friends and media. Never an easy job.

06:34 AM Apr 03 2009 |

nghiemhoa

Viet Nam

it is really selfish when you want to have a big family nowaday, you must think about the overpopulation, the environment, the resource more and more become exhaust, hi, but in future, i want to have three children.At present my family has three children and i think it is a valid number, two is quite few, four is quite multiple so three is perfect number

 

06:19 AM Apr 03 2009 |

terry2009

terry2009

Germany

i have a sister, she is older than me 2 years. when i was young, we are always conflict each other. now,i live this city far away from her,i miss her very much.
i want have 2 kids ,one boy ,one girl.

05:48 AM Apr 03 2009 |

mukashi

mukashi

Myanmar

It is hard to believe that the american women has brood. I cannot imagine her daily life with her 14 children as single mother. For me I have only one younger brother. When I was young I had wanted elder brother and sister . But at present I satisfy my life as a elder sisiter. I am open to this situation. I love my younger brother and believe he also.

05:44 AM Apr 03 2009 |

prakash.fca

India

I have four brothers and 1 sister; I am the younger in my family

05:33 AM Apr 03 2009 |

rikkizhao

China

In my family, I'm a single boy. In my childhood, I'm very lonely.No body can play with me when I was at home. So I need two baby.

03:57 AM Apr 03 2009 |

lizhimin

China

I have a elder sister.she is 12 years olderthan me. Maybe you think it is so uncommom.I just want to say she is loving me very much.I think sister is our best friend, we should love her like love youself.

01:37 AM Apr 03 2009 |

lizhimin

China

I have a elder sister.she is 12 years olderthan me. Maybe you think it is so uncommom.I just want to say she is loving me very much.I think sister is our best friend, we should love her like love youself.

01:37 AM Apr 03 2009 |

queenbee24

queenbee24

Philippines

In this time of recession, its very unpractical to have many kids. I'm from a small family but my parents had a hard time raising us because of financial instability. Prices and tuition fees are skyrocketing, the economy is getting worse and a lot of people are loosing their jobs. If you love yourself and if you don't want your kids to suffer in the future, choose to have a small family. Being responsible starts with deciding whats best for you.

12:35 AM Apr 03 2009 |

André Lopes

Brazil

I prefer a small family, because I take care with over population and with the cost to raise a big family. Then, I want to have just one child.

 

12:53 AM Mar 27 2009 |

Ripo

Ripo

China

One is OK.It would be hard for me to raising more kids as it would cost much a lot and I couldn't afford it.

12:34 AM Mar 27 2009 |

André Lopes

Brazil

I wouldn't have a big family, because many children mean expend a lot of money. If you want to have more than two children, you will need a job  with a high budget that give you a good salary and a good structure familiar. One child is enough for me.  

12:33 AM Mar 27 2009 |

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