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Unit 3 This is my sister. 文化背景知识介绍 广东省教育厅教研室 1. There are many nontraditional families in the United States. Currently, children are being raised by single or divorced parents, guardians, parents of different religions or races, adoptive parents and so on. Almost one half of all marriages end in divorce and almost one third of families with children under 18 are single parent families. 4 children out of 100 do not live with either parent. 2. In a traditional family, children often call their parents Dad and Mom. They may talk to others about their parents using my father, my mother, my dad, or my mom. Children call their siblings by their first (given) names. They may talk to others about their siblings using their first (given) names or by my (little / big or younger / older) brother / sister. There is just one word in English for sibling (brother or sister) and just one word for brother and sister. In Chinese, of course, we have many different words for older sister, younger sister, etc. In the same way, there is just one English word for grandmother and grandfather. If we want to clarify that we mean our mother's mother (and not our father's mother), we might say maternal grandmother (or paternal grandmother for father's mother). However, this is a little bit formal and not very common. 3. Traditionally, children will leave home when they go to college and live in a dormitory on campus or in apartment housing located near the college. In order to save money, however, some young adults live at home with their parents while attending a local college. At the time that the young person wants more independence and has enough money, he moves away from home. It is quite unusual for someone to only move out of their parent home when they get married. As Americans do not usually live in extended families, most parents do not live with their children when they become senior citizens. Senior citizens sometimes live in retirement communities for people of similar age. Many retirement communities organize activities for senior citizens and can provide security. (责任编辑：admin) |