I. Task 6

Listening Aids

divorce (adj.): legally end one's marriage to (sb.)

expand (v.): become larger in size, number, or amount, or make sth. become larger

split (v.): divide or separate sth. into different parts or groups, or be divided into different parts or groups

widow (v.): (be widowed) if someone is widowed, their husband or wife has died

This passage is about the changing of American family structure.

A. Choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences.

1) With the industrialization of American society, the _____ family became more common.

    a) extended            b) nuclear            c) blended

2) At present, nearly one out of every _____ marriages in the United States ends in divorce.

    a) two            b) three            c) four

3) Now one in _____ americans lives alone.

    a) three            b) four            c) five

4) Currently, there is a(n) _____ in the number of childless marriages.

    a) increase            b) decrease            c) don't know

B. Complete the following sentences iwth what you hear on the tape.

1) The American ______________ is in the __________ of __________. There _____________________ mainly two types of families: _____________ and ______________.

2) Then as _________________ changed and the economy __________ from _____________________ to ____________, people were ____________ to move to different parts of the country for ________________. These moves _________________ the extended family.

3) Now besides these two types of ____________________ groupings, the word "___________" is being _____________ to include a variety of ______________________________.

C. Complete the definitions below according to what you hear on the tape.

1) the extended families most often include _______________________________________.

2) The nuclear families usually consisit of __________________________________________.

3) The blended families occur when ________________________________________________.

II. Task 7

In this task, you'll hear a passage about the differences between Japanese men and women before and after they get married.

A. Fill in the following chart with a "√" mark in corresponding columns according to the information given on the tape.

	Men	Women	Both
Study subjects like history or English
Study engineering
Go to university to get good jobs
Look for a good job because they want a good husband
Look for a good job because they want to be successful
Work for a lifetime
Work up to ten years
Get married by twenty-seven
Cook the meals
Look after the children
Go out for a drink after work
Come home by four o'clock in the afternoon

B. Choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences.

1) Japanese women often go to university to study _____.

    a) medicine            b) science            c) arts

2) There may be _____ women in engineering classes of thirty or forty students.

    a) three or five            b) two or four            c) one or two

3) Men do NOT wnt to work for a big company to _____.

    a) look for a wife            b) earn a lot of money            c) support a family

4) Nowadays Japanese women begin to look for a job because they _____.

    a) want to compete with men            b) like it

    c) hope to find a good husband

5) A few years after Japanese women get married, they often _____.

    a) work in the same company

    b) find a better job in another company

    c) stay at home and look ater everything

6) after Japanese men get married, they often _____.

    a) prepare the meal            b) look after the children

    c) go out for a drink after work

7) Japnese women can go back to work _____.

    a) after their children are born

    b) when their old company wants them back

    c) after their children have grown up

III. Task 8

Listening Aids

booze-up (n.): (BrE infml) a party where people drink a lot of alcohol

bride-to-be: a woman who is going to be married soon

frown (v.): make an angry, unhappy, or confused expression, maivng your eyebrows together

vowe: (also marriage/ wedding vows) the promises one makes during one's wedding

In this dislogue, four people are talking about marriage and divorce in England.

A. Choose the best answer to complete each of the following sentences.

1) "Taking their vows" means _____.

    a) getting married            b) getting divorced            c) getting engaged

2) "We basically suit each other very well" mean _____.

    a) we like each other

    b) we're completely similar to each othr

    c) we get along with each other

3) When Sue says that she and her husband are "loath to lose their freedom just yet", she means _____.

    a) they hate the idea of having children

    b) they want to enjoy their freedom for a few more years, but they may consider having some kids later

    c) they are revolted by the idea of giving up their freedom

4) If a person is frowned upon by society, he/ she is _____.

    a) criticized severely by society            b) ridiculed by people

    c) disapproved of by society

5) When asked about how people get married in England, Geth is talking about _____.

    a) people born in London only

    b) people whose family are all living in London.

    c) people living in London with their parents and relatives living elsewhere in Britain

6) At a registry office you need a minimum of _____.

    a) the bride and bridegroom plus four other people

    b) the bride and bridegroom and two other people

    c) the bride and bridegroom only

7) Geth thinks that young people in London often live together _____.

    a) because they are afraid of marriage

    b) with the intention to get married eventually

    c) without thinking of ever getting married

8) Chris thinks divorce is _____.

    a) more difficult for men            b) more difficult for women

    c) now considered quite acceptable by society

B. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F) according to the tape.

[    ] 1) In Geth's opinion, people usually go back to where their parents live to get married.

[    ] 2) It is a tradition for all the relatives and friends to have a drink together ater the wedding ceremony.

[    ] 3) Marriage in a registry office takes longer than in a church.

[    ] 4) Home ties are more restrictive in London than in the country.

[    ] 5) In Geth's opinion, people who live in London can do more or less as they please.

[    ] 6) Geth thinks divorce is more likely if people have been living together before getting married.

[    ] 7) Sue's marriage is unsuccessful because she and her husband havelittle in common.

[    ] 8) Sue and her husband loathe the ide of having children.

[    ] 9) Divorced women sometimes find it diffcult to get married.

[    ] 10) The technical dificulties are the only problems in getting a divorce.

IV. Listen to or watch two pieces of materials selected from Himalaya app. EACH WEEK. 

Write down:    1) new words and expressions

                        2) the main idea within 50 words for each one

V. Viewing for Fun - BBC: Exploring China: A Culinary Adventure

【注】keknet.com（可可英语）/ tingclass.net（听力课堂）里有中英解释和mp3