An “Average” Family

 

Vocabulary

include	bowling	meet/met/met
picnic	socialize	bachelor’s degree
enjoy	furniture	accounting
knit	finance	degree (2)
local	suburb	elementary school
attend	yard (2)	grow/grew/grown
shrub	involve	bachelor
paint	activity	excursion
dine	activity	education
mall	factory	high school
busy	science	middle-class

 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Introduction

Meet Bob Franklin. He is 44 years old and married to Linda Pearson Franklin, 42. They have two children, a girl and a boy, a dog and two cats.

Together, the family lives in a middle-class home in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio.

Education and Career

Bob has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and works as a financial manager at a furniture factory.

With university degrees in education, Linda teaches general science at their local high school. Their older daughter attends the same school, while the younger son attends an elementary school.

After Work

After work, Bob and Linda like to work in their garden. They grow flowers and shrubs in the front yard, and vegetables in the back.

Later they cook and have dinner together. The children then do their homework, while Bob reads books and Linda paints pictures or knits.

About once a week, Bob goes bowling with his friends. There they talk about business and socialize. Linda is sometimes involved with after school programs and excursions.

Weekends

On weekends, the Franklins often visit their friends for coffee or dinner. The children play with each other. Other times they will have a picnic at a park.

Other family activities include going to the movie theater, shopping at the mall or dining at a restaurant.

Though Bob and Linda are busy, they enjoy being together as a family.
 
 

 

Questions

1. Are Bob and Linda young, middle-aged or old?

2. What is Linda’s maiden name?

3. The family lives in the city center. True or false?

4. Are Bob and Linda university educated?

5. They like plants. Is this right or wrong? What are their hobbies?

6. Mrs. Franklin only sees her students during school hours. Is this correct or incorrect?

7. Do the Franklins only stay home on Saturdays and Sundays?

 

A. Are the Franklins an “average” family? Describe the “average” family.

B. What are some typical “middle-class” professions and occupations?

C. What do people usually do after work?

D. On weekends, do people go out? Where do they go?

E. Has family life been changing over the decades?

F. What will family life be like in the future?