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Test Seven
SECTION A MINI-LECTURE
In this section, you will hear a mini-lecture. You will hear the lecture ONCE ONLY. While listening, take notes on the important points. Your notes will not be marked, but you will need them to complete a gap-filling task after the mini-lecture. When the lecture is over, you'll be given two minutes to check your notes, and another 10 minutes to complete the gap-filling task. Now listen to the mini-lecture.
In today's lecture, I'll talk about the American families from the following five aspects: family structures, the emphasis on individual freedoms, the role of the child, equality in the family, and family values.
First, family structures. What is the typical American family like? If Americans are asked to name the members of their families, family structure becomes clear. Married American adults will name their husband or wife and their children, if they have any, as their "immediate family". If they mention their father, mother, sisters, or brothers, they will define them as separate units, usually living in separate households. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are considered "extended family." Traditionally, the American family has been a nuclear family, consisting of a husband, wife and their children, and living in a house or apartment. Grandparents rarely live in the same home with their married sons or daughters, and uncles and aunts almost never do.
Second, the emphasis on individual freedom. Americans view the family as a group whose primary purpose is to advance the happiness of individual members. The result is that the needs of each individual take priority in the life of the family. In contrast to that of many other cultures, the primary responsibility of the American family member is not to advance the family as a group, either socially or economically, nor is it to bring honor to the family name. This is partly because the United States is not an aristocratic society. Family name and honor are less important than in aristocratic societies, since equality of opportunity regardless of birth is considered a basic American value. Moreover, there is less emphasis on the family as an economic unit because the American family is rarely self-supporting. Relatively few families maintain self-supporting family farms or businesses for more than one generation. A farmer's son, for example, is very likely to go on to a college, leave the family farm, and take an entirely different job in a different location. The American desire for freedom from outside control clearly extends to the family. Americans do not like to have controls placed on them by other family members. They want to make independent decisions and not be told what to do by grandparents or uncles or aunts. For example, both American men and women expect to decide what job is best for them as individuals. Indeed, young Americans are encouraged by their families to make such independent career decisions. What would be best for the family is not considered to be as important as what would be best for the individual.
Third, the role of the child. The American emphasis on the individual, rather than the group, affects children in a contradictory way. On the one hand, it may cause them to get more attention and even have more power than they should. On the other hand, because most children have mothers who are working outside the home, they may not get enough attention from either parent. Worse yet, parents who feel guilty for not having enough time with their children may give them more material things to compensate for the lack of attention. Studies show that both parents are now spending less time with their children, due to work habits and a busy lifestyle. In general, American families tend to place more emphasis on the needs and desires of the child and less on the child's social and family responsibilities. In the years after World War Two, so much stress has been placed on the psychological needs of children that the number of experts in this field has increased enormously. Some Americans believe that the emphasis on the psychological needs of the individual child have been carried too far by parents and experts alike. Although Americans may not agree on how best to nurture and discipline their children they still hold the basic belief that the major purpose of the family is the development and welfare of each of its members as individuals.
The next point I'd like to talk about is equality in the family. Along with the American emphasis on individual freedom, the belief in equality has had a strong effect on the family. There is much more social equality between parents and children than in most aristocratic societies or societies ruled by centuries of tradition. This can be witnessed in arguments between parents and their children, and in the considerable independence granted to teenagers. Children are given a lot of freedom and equality in the family so that they will grow up to be independent, self-reliant adults.
Last, the family values. Daniel Yankelovich, based on a survey, reports that there are 11 points that a majority of Americans agree on "family values". He classifies six of them as "clearly traditional". They are respecting one's parents, being responsible for one's actions, having faith in God, respecting authority, married to the same person for life, and leaving the world in better shape. The other five are "a blend of traditional and newer, more expressive values". They are giving emotional support to other members of the family, respecting people for themselves, developing greater skill in communicating one's feelings, respecting one's children, and living up to one's potential as an individual. The ideal of the American family is group cooperation to help achieve the fulfillment of each individual member, and shared affection to renew each member's emotional strength. Families can be viewed as similar to churches in this regard. Both are seen by Americans as places where the human spirit can find refuge from the highly competitive world outside and renewed resources to continue the effort.
By this, we are now coming to the end of today's lecture. Thank you for your attention.
