Prime Time 7/8, Writing, Arbeitsheft

78 Key Topic 1 (Key) Facts and opinions a) 1. O, 2. F, 3. O, 4. F, 5. F b) Passages expressing facts • It’s possible that the family doesn’t “blend” because the children have moved out on their own and are starting their own families. • Otherwise, it makes life a little tougher for the grandchildren, who don’t understand why some of the grandparents are not accepted equally. • Once the divorced mum and dad start dating again, they are each looking not only for a spouse, but also a stepparent for their children. • In reality, there are some families that never get along. • We may have children that have our personality or children that have personalities completely different from ours. • There are days when we may not like their behaviour or actions, but we still love them. Passages expressing opinions • That’s OK, as long as there is respect for the new stepparent, as their parent’s spouse. • These adult children are limiting the love these stepparents can have for them and for their children, but it is their own choice. • It does make dating more difficult, but it is certainly necessary to understand if your new love is interested in getting to know your children, love them and spend time raising them with you. A parent should only marry someone who will be a good stepmum/ stepdad to his or her children. • Some parents forget that they should give their stepchildren the same treatment that they would want for their own children from their new spouses. Each parent should treat each child in the home (whether biological or step) equally and fairly. House rules need to be established and followed by all. There should be consequences, enforced by the biological parent, if these house rules and guidelines are not met. It should be unacceptable for a child to treat a stepsibling or stepparent with disrespect or rudeness. • I don’t think it’s the children’s fault; it’s the parents’ fault. It’s the parents’ responsibility to communicate their expectations for the newly blended family, reminding their children that everyone should treat each other with respect, everyone is loved and special in this house, and to treat their stepfamily the way they themselves want to be treated. If the parents don’t communicate these guidelines, then the children don’t know how to act and feel it’s OK to have a constant “war” going on. • I don’t believe personality differences have a part in the blending process. As parents, we love our children as soon as they are born, immediately and automatically. • It doesn’t matter; we love them just the same. • In summary, I do believe that any family can get along – yes, ANY blended or stepfamily – no matter how different, as long as the parents are devoted to each other and determined to be the best parents they can be to all of the children in their home. Structuring vocabulary: Love a) positive: affair (starting a new relationship), couple, engagement, marriage, romance, to be in love with, to fall in love with, understanding negative: affair (ending a relationship), to divorce, to fall out with, to separate, to split up b) acquaintance, contact, to be introduced to, to come across, to encounter, to get to know people, to meet by chance, to meet people, to run into c) 3. Getting to know someone: How to give advice 1. A parent should only marry someone who will be a good stepmum/stepdad to his or her children. (line 25) 1  1 1 Lösungen bei allen fehlenden Tasknummern: Individuelle Schüler/innenantworten 2  3  Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigen um des Verlags öbv