И. А. Фомченкова, Н. А. Шайдорова
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VIII. In Britain, people can get married at 16 if their parents agree. They can marry at 18 without their parents’ agreement. What age can people marry in your country? Is it right or wrong to get married young? In your opinion, what is the ideal age to get married? IX. What is an “arranged marriage”? in which countries or cultures is this type of marriage common? Do you know anyone who has had an arranged marriage? Read about it. Sarita and Ranjit Sharma talk about their arranged marriage How was the marriage arranged? Sarita: I was studying in America at the time. A friend of my family told us there was this man living in Britain who was looking for a suitable girl. My dad liked the sound of him. We made some enquiries – his education, what he did, that kind if thing. The news was very encouraging. Ranjit was a good catch. Ranjit: the first I knew about Sarita was the day before she arrived here! My father organized the whole thing. I was happy to meet Sarita but I knew I could always say no if I didn’t think we’d be right together. What was your first impression of each other? Sarita: Good. Although there wasn’t a great surge of attraction, I remember thinking, “He seems nice.” The atmosphere that day was quite intense because our families were watching us, so Ranjit suggested we go out for a drink on our own. Ranjit: I liked Sarita. I found her attractive, but there wasn’t that spark you get if you see someone you fancy at a party. It was more mental attraction. How did you decide on each other? Sarita: We met up three more times over the two weeks before I returned to America – by then I’d decided that Ranjit was right for me. Ranjit: There was pressure from my family after first meeting. I’d seen three girls before Sarita, but she was the first I was interested in. so I said yes after those first three meetings. Do you love each other now? Sarita: Yes we do. I couldn’t pinpoint an exact time when love began, but it was about two years into theу relationship. Ranjit: Love came into our relationship after a while. I didn’t wake up one morning and think, “I love this woman.” The love we now have is warm, deep and lasting. liked the sound of him – liked what she heard about Ranjit a good catch – a good person to marry for reasons of social status a great surge – a sudden, powerful feeling spark – emotional flash fancy – find attractive pressure – strong persuasion lasting – going to continue for a very long time X. Why do you think Sarita and Ranjit’s parents like the system of arranged marriages? What is your opinion of arranged marriages? Vocabulary tasks
1. Are new defence weapons credulous or credible? 2. Do creditable or credible people deserve esteem? 3. Which words complete: complimentary or complementary? 4. Would you like to have matrilineal or matrimonial happiness? 5. If a person is naïve and credulous, can he (or she) be called gullying or gullible?
If people WED or ARE WED or if one person WEDS another, they are married. The form wed as well as wedded is used as the Past Participle. The native wed is nowadays falling into restricted use, but it is favoured by the popular press (it occurs in tabloids and informal broadcast news). E.g. Supermodel Claudia Schiffer has ditched her boy friend to wed Prince Albert of Monaco, it was claimed last day. WEDDING is an official ceremony at which two people get married, especially one with a religious service and a party or a special meal afterwards. MARRIAGE and WEDLOCK have the meaning of the state of being married. But wedlock is old-fashioned, and applies to marriage as a legal relationship. E.g. a child, born in/out of wedlock. MATRIMONY is a formal word. It applies to the religious sacrament of marriage and stress the rights and obligations of the marriage state. E.g. the bonds of holy matrimony. Most names of forms of this social institution are used with the word marriage. E.g. cross marriage, plural marriage, marriage of convenience. Besides it is marriage that is widely used in most word combinations with verbs: to contract, to annul, to take smb in, to make/refuse an offer of, to propose, to seek smb’s hand in, to announce, to break up, to dissolve. III. Use these words in the sentences of your own.
Принц на белом коне Весной 2004 года число самых завидных женихов планеты заметно уменьшилось. Три принца – датский, испанский и голландский связали себя брачными узами. Избранницей голландского принца стала Мэйбл Висе Смит – красавица блондинка с хищным профилем, получившая от средств массовой информации прозвище «невеста насилия». Этот странный и немного жутковатый эпитет закрепился за ней после сенсационных публикаций в голландской прессе. В них говорилось, что Мэйбл некогда состояла в интимной связи с наркобароном Клаасом Бруинсмой, компания которого, помимо торговли наркотиками, была замешана в заказных убийствах. Клаас погиб во время одной из криминальных разборок. Свое знакомство с Клаасом Бруинсмой невеста принца признала, но факт интимных отношений отрицала. Голландское правительство не одобрило этот брак, заявив, что для утверждения помолвки влюбленная пара предоставила официальным инстанциям «неполную и неверную информацию». Но принц Йохан, являющийся третьим по праву наследования голландского престола, сделал выбор в пользу возлюбленной, отказавшись от потенциальной возможности занять голландский трон. За Йоханом сохраняется титул принца Оранского-Нассау. Брак, заключенный с Висе Смит считается морганатическим, что означает, что жена принца титул принцессы иметь не будет. Морганатические браки случались и раньше. В 19 столетии другой принц Нассау - Николай-Вильгельм, женился против воли родных. А его избранницей стала дочь Пушкина Наталья, получившая титул графини Меренберг. В 1936 году в Англии Эдуард VIII отказался от короны ради разведенной американки миссис Симпсон. Неодобрение брака официальными властями никак не повлияло на настроение Йохана и Мэйбл, сияющих улыбками на свадебной церемонии. Похоже, молодая жена пока что с успехом компенсирует принцу потерянный навсегда шанс стать королем Голландии. Свадьба принца Датского носила совсем другой характер. Она получила одобрение царствующих семейств и вызвала бурный восторг народа. Невеста 36-летнего принца Фредерика австралийка Мэри Дональдсон понравилась всем, в том числе и бизнесменам, которые, мгновенно оценив ситуацию, сделали на романтичной истории любви неплохие деньги. Они создали сетевую игрушку “Saving Princess Mary”, где любимчик датчан красавец принц Фредерик, спасает прелестную Мэри, лихо уворачиваясь от прожорливых тасманских крокодилов. Избранница датского принца по происхождению шотландка. Родилась на острове Тасмания. Ее отец – профессор математики, а приемная мать – британская писательница Сьюзен Муди (родная мать Мэри умерла, когда та была еще ребенком). С Фредериком она познакомилась во время Олимпиады в Сиднее, на вечеринке, устроенной в честь победы датских гандболисток. Роман протекал в традициях современности – переписка по электронной почте, долгие телефонные переговоры. Когда же возлюбленные оценили серьезность своих отношений, Мэри переехала в Лондон, а затем в Данию, где стала работать консультантом в датском отделении Microsoft. Мэри выучила датский и в тонкостях освоила этикет королевского двора. Связывая себя брачными узами с иностранкой, Принц датский следует семейной традиции. Его младший брат Йоахим уже женат на англичанке, родившейся в Гонконге. А королева Маргарет II вышла замуж за французского дипломата, графа Анри де Ляборде, который в результате брака стал принцем Хенриком. До обручения принцу Фредерику приписывались романы с известными фотомоделями. Впрочем принц не просто светский плейбой. Он получил блестящее образование, закончив факультет политологии Гарвардского университета, и отслужил полный срок десантником-парашютистом. Церемония венчания состоялась в старинном соборе Девы Марии. На торжества были приглашены представители королевских домов, среди гостей был и наследник испанского трона принц Астурийский Филиппе вместе со своей невестой Летисией Ортис, свадьба которых состоялась вскоре после торжеств. 36-летний испанский принц Филиппе помимо «штатского» образования прошел курс военных академий трех родов войск. А его личная жизнь, как у каждого истинного представителя династии Бурбонов, протекала довольно бурно. До встречи с Ортис у принца было несколько романов. Один из них, с норвежской моделью Евой Санум, вызвал недовольство в Испании, жители которой еще не достигли такого уровня терпимости, чтобы одобрить брак принца с особой, участвующей в показах нижнего белья. С Летисией Ортис, телеведущей, принц познакомился у друзей. И 31-летняя Летисия пришлась по душе взыскательным испанцам. Она обаятельна, красива, трудолюбива и умна. Ранее невеста принца состояла в браке с Альфонсо Герреро, но развелась. А так как с бывшим мужем она не венчалась, то по представлениям католической церкви, этот брак не считается действительным и принц женился на незамужней (развод католиками не признается). Для Герреро брак его бывшей жены обернулся неожиданной удачей – после известия о помолвке с принцем Филиппе, его единственный роман, до этого не пользовавшийся успехом, мгновенно смели с прилавков. Свадьба стоила испанской казне 22 миллиона евро и носила поистине всенародный характер. Повсюду проводились бесплатные концерты, а церемония венчания из кафедрального собора Альмудена транслировалась в прямом эфире по телевидению. Невеста, имеющая опыт выступлений в прямом эфире, держалась гораздо непринужденней жениха, который, надевая ей обручальное кольцо, забыл слова и был вынужден обратиться к шпаргалке. Дождь, ливший в этот день, не мог никому испортить настроение, тем более, что это прекрасная примета для начала семейной жизни. Жители Мадрида веселились во всю силу пылкого испанского темперамента. Приглашенные на банкет во дворец Прадо тоже получили немалое удовольствие. В приготовлении ужина приняли участие лучшие кулинары. Свадебный торт был два метра высотой и 170 килограммов весом. «Петербургская свадьба» Июль/ Сентябрь 2004 FAMILY PROBLEMS Before you read
II. Do you think it is a good idea to discuss practical details with your future wife/husband before you get married? Why/why not? Make a list of points that you would include in a marriage contract. Reading tasks
At a record rate. US couples are calling it quits - and more will do so in years ahead as home life feels the stress of social change. Divorce and remarriage - what some family experts call ‘serial marriages’ and others describe as ‘throwaway marriages’ - have become part of the fabric of American society and are spreading fast. Today, 21 per cent of all US married couples have divorce somewhere in the background of one partner or another or both. Divorces are becoming so common that the senior demographer of the Census Bureau's population division has estimated that among today's 30-year-old wives, 1 out of every 3 marriages has been or will be dissolved by divorce. In fact, unless something is done to curb the causes of divorce, more than 40 per cent of all marriages may end in dissolution. At present, it is estimated that 1 marriage out of 4 ends in divorce. And in 80 per cent of the cases, both partners will remarry. The projections were that in 1975 more than a million couples would probably divorce - pushing the rate to more than 20 per 1.000 for the first time in history. Even the divorce binge right after World War II pushed the rate only to 17.9 divorces per 1,000 married women, a record that stood unchallenged for more than a quarter of a century. After the postwar period, divorces reached their lowest rate in 1958, with 8.9 divorces per 1.000 married women. One factor in sudden rise in the divorce rate during the past few years is a lag in marriages. This epidemic of divorce is bringing enormous economic and social change to the United States. Lawyers by the thousands across the US are finding the divorce court an ever more profitable place of business. Such lawyers charge anywhere from $ 350 for representing both partners in an uncontested case to $ 5,000 or more for each partner in a contested case. Years may be needed to pay off the resulting debt. When a divorce is granted, the former partners become two households. And, according to one estimate, the two can look forward to a 25 percent reduction in the standard of living they maintained as a couple. For the man, divorce can mean months, even years of alimony and child-support payments - though most men eventually fall behind in these payments. For the woman, divorce may mean finding a job for a pay which often averages only three fifths of that of a man. More than 10 million children are now living with only one parent and 2 out of 3 of these are the product of divorce or separation. Broken homes, where diminished parental guidance and discipline are a strong possibility, are often cited as a factor in the nation’s rising juvenile delinquency, which climbed by 144 per cent from 1960 to 1973 as measured by arrests. Family counselors acknowledge, however, that divorce is only one fact of contributing to juvenile delinquency and that and that most delinquents come from homes with both parents still living together. Even sharper questions are being raised about the impact of raising divorce rates on the family as a basic institution of society. Traditional minded Americans view the divorce phenomenon as bleakly as they do the tendency of many people to live together without marriage vows. To traditionalists - including many younger Americans—marriage is still monogamy, binding together husband and wife “till death us do part.” But others take a more tolerant view of divorce as an inevitable by-product of many external factors - including the women's rights drive, the so-called sexual revolution, the strains of urban living and the decline of religion as an inhibiting force. Furthermore, it is pointed out the high rate of remarriage after divorce might be a sign of the continuing strength of marriage and family. However much moral judgments differ, it is broadly conceded that divorce is moving toward the status of “normal” in the thinking of Americans. In a poll conducted recently 60 per cent of the women interviewed said they regard divorce as an acceptable solution for marriage failure, while only 20 per cent said they did not. Steve W., who directed the poll noted: «Marriage may march on, but many marriages do not and divorce is now accepted by a 3-to-l margin as a solution for an unsuccessful marriage." Can the divorce explosion be curbed? Because the incidence of divorce is especially high among persons in their teens, some sociologists see hope in the fact that a growing proportion of first-time marriages are occurring at later ages. The percentage of women, who remain single until they are 20 to 24 years old, increased by two fifths between 1960 and 1974, according to the Census Bureau. Yet increased maturity at marriage so far has not curbed the divorce explosion as hoped. Instead, counselors find that today’s brides and grooms enter marriage in more skeptical frames of mind than their predecessors did, and are more willing to call it quits. Young wives who are contributing to the family income are asserting a new independence in marriage, which causes friction in many instances. Many States are making divorce easier. Already, 23 States have adopted some form of ‘no-fault divorce’, making it possible for couples to split without the necessity for one partner to be saddled with the legal blame. To avoid breakups, more and more couples are seeking the help of ministers, physicians, marriage counselors and sex therapists. Often, however, couples delay seeking help until it is too late to save the marriage. Some authorities say the best way to curb the rising divorce rate is to-do a better job of preparing young people for marriage before the ceremony. Some educators feel that high schools should require students to take courses on marriage and family matters. The Oregon State legislature considered a bill to require premarital counseling before the issuance of a wedding license. And the Massachusetts legislature recently debated a proposal allowing couples to sign contracts spelling out the terms of their marriage. At the same time, some counselors take the position that not all marriages are worth saving and that more attention needs to be paid to helping the couples in failed marriages to pan with minimum complications. Along that line, the University of Wisconsin at its extension social-services center is offering a course on the emotional financial and legal problems during and after divorce. But it will be longtime, say social scientists, before Americans find a way to reduce divorce rates - or to cope satisfactorily with the strains that divorce represents in family life. call it quits – stop working; here divorce dissolve – bring to, come to an end (e.g. to dissolve a marriage) binge - here. a period of excessive growth lag – go too slow uncontested case - a divorce case in which both partners are willing to divorce without any claims on each other. Ant. contested case child-support payments - amounts of money which a divorced husband agrees to pay to his ex-wife to raise his children; alimony - money paid by a man to his former wife after a legal separation or divorce family counselors - an office of counselors who give advice on family matters - matters of making up a family quarrel, bridging a gap between husband and wife, etc. the women's rights drive-an equivalent to a women's liberation movement (women's lib) - a campaign for equal women's rights in economic and social life the incidence of divorce - the rate of divorce curb – control (a horse) by means of a chain or leather strap passing under a horse’s jaw “no-fault divorce” - a divorce case in which neither husband nor wife are found guilty
a) the family living standard? b) women going out to work? c) juvenile delinquency? 3. What views are taken by the Americans of the divorce phenomenon (traditional-minded. more tolerant)? 4. What can be done to curb the divorce explosion? 5. Do marriage counselors agree on the view that all marriages are worth saving? 6. How can you explain the title of the article? |
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