28 Unit 02 | It’s all relative Listen to sociologist Beryl Stephenson talking about four different types of family. Take notes. Example: single-person family: young professionals, … The expressions below are from the interview. Work in pairs to explain their meanings in the context in which they were used. Then compare your explanations in class. LISTENING 12a 05 b a long-distance relationship b relationship of convenience c childcare d self-sufficient Spot on form: Predicting the future The following three sentences all predict the same future event, but with slightly different meanings. Try to explain the difference. 1 Hazel and Sadie will get married. 2 Hazel and Sadie are about to get married. 3 Hazel and Sadie are bound to get married. Study the expressions in the box and the sentences below. Decide which expressions mean that something is ‘definitely going to happen’ and which ones suggest that something ‘will happen soon or any moment’. 1 Over the next few decades, the percentage of single households in Austria is due to increase. By 2060, they will account for about 41% of all households in the country. 2 Europeans are having fewer children, so Europe’s population is on the verge of reaching a new low. As a result, the societies of EU countries are about to change dramatically. A pessimist is predicting the future of families. Complete the sentences with the correct expressions from the box. The divorce rate is c to rise over the next years. Millions of families are b to split up, and depression among children is s to become a frequent issue. We are on the v of disaster! What would an optimist say? Rewrite the pessimistic prediction from an optimist’s perspective. Are you a pessimist or an optimist? Write your own predictions about the future of families. Which of the four new family types do you think will be the most common in the future and why? Discuss your ideas with a partner. Paired activity: You’re planning a social media video series for young people about different family types. You have 8 minutes to discuss with a partner which family types would be most interesting for your audience to learn more about. Agree on three. traditional families blended families single-parent families families of same-sex parents child-free couples LANGUAGE 13 a b 14 a b c SPEAKING 15 16 + infinitive + noun or gerund be sure to be set to be certain to be due to be about to be bound to be on the brink of be on the verge of be on the point of Strategies box Remember to keep the context in mind. It’s not about which family type you like or dislike, but which one might be most interesting for your audience to hear about. Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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