Passage A

1. Passage A Passage B Return to Menu

2. Passage A • Think About It • Read About It • Talk About It • Write About It

3. 1. Do you think fathers are as important to children as mothers are? Why or why not? Reference: This is an open-ended question. (Fathers are thought of as important to children as mothers are in terms of their financial and emotional support to the family.)

4. 2. What’s the image of a “good family man”? Reference: A good family man can be considered as one who strives to fulfill his family responsibilities as a husband and father, or who puts his family duties first.

5. 3. A working father as a family bread winner is often too busy to take care of his family. Now people have a negative image of the working father. What do you think of the “working father”? Reference: I think working fathers deserve our recognition and our thanks for what they do.

6. Read About It • Language Points • Content Awareness • Language Focus

7. The Unsung Heroes: What About Working Dads? On our first “date” after our twin daughters were born, my husband and I went to see the movie Toy Story. We enjoyed it, but afterward my husband asked, “Where was the dad?” At first, it seemed petty to criticize an entertaining family movie because of one small point. The more I thought about it, however, the more glaring an omission it seemed. Not only was dad not around, he wasn’t even mentioned —despite the fact that there was a baby in the family, so dad couldn't't have been that long gone. It was as if the presence — or absence — of a father is a minor detail, not even requiring an explanation. This is only one example of the media trend toward marginalizing fathers, which mirrors enormous social changes in the United States. David Blankenhorn, in his book Fatherless America, refers to this trend as the “unnecessary father” concept. We are bombarded by stories about the struggles of working mothers (as opposed to non-working mothers, I suppose). Meanwhile,

8. high proportion of media stories about fathers focus on abusive husbands or deadbeat dads. It seems that the only time fathers merit attention is when they are criticized for not helping enough with the housework (a claim that I find dubious anyway, because the definition of “housework” rarely includes cleaning the gutters, changing the oil in the car or other jobs typically done by men) or when they die. When Mr. Blankenhorn surveyed fathers about the meaning of the term “good family man,” many responded that it was a phrase they only heard at funerals One exception to the “unnecessary father” syndrome is the glowing media attention that at-home dads have received. I do not mean to imply that at-home dads do not deserve support for making this commitment. I only mean to point out the double standard at work when at-home dads

9. are applauded while at-home mothers and breadwinner fathers are given little, if any, cultural recognition. The very language we use to discuss men’s roles (i.e., deadbeat dads) shows a lack of appreciation for the majority of men who quietly yet proudly fulfill their family responsibilities. We almost never hear the term “working father,” and it is rare that calls for more workplace flexibility are considered to be for men as much as for women. Our society acts as if family obligations are not as important to fathers as they are to mothers — as if career satisfaction is what a man's life is all about. Even more insulting is the recent media trend of regarding at-home wives as “status symbols” — like an expensive car — flaunted by the supposedly few men who can afford such a luxury. The implication is that men with at-home wives have it easier than those whose wives work outside the home because they have the “luxury” of a full-time housekeeper. In reality, however, the men who are the sole wage earners for their families suffer a lot of stresses. The loss of a job —

10. or even the threat of that happening — is obviously much more difficult when that job is the sole source of income for a family. By the same token, sole wage earners have less flexibility when it comes to leaving unsatisfying careers because of the loss of income such a job change entails. In addition, many husbands work overtime or second jobs to make more needed money for their families. For these men, it is the family that the job supports that makes it all worthwhile. It is the belief that having a mother at home is important to the children, which makes so many men gladly take on the burden of being a sole wage earner. Today, there is widespread agreement among researchers that the absence of fathers from households causes serious problems for children and, consequently, for society at large. Yet, rather than holding up “ordinary” fathers as positive role models for the dads of tomorrow, too often society has thrown up its hands and decided that traditional fatherhood is at best obsolete and at worst dangerously

11. reactionary. This has left many men questioning the value of their role as fathers. As a society, we need to realize that fathers are just as important to children as mothers are —not only for financial support, but for emotional support, education and discipline as well. It is not enough for us merely to recognize that fatherlessness is a problem — to stand beside the grave and mourn the loss of the “good family man” and then try to find someone to replace him (ask anyone who has lost a father though death if that is possible). We must acknowledge how we have devalued fatherhood and work to show men how necessary, how important they are in their children’s lives.

12. Those fathers who strive to be good family men by being there every day to love and support their families — those unsung heroes — need our recognition and our thanks for all they do. Because they deserve it.

13. The more I thought about it, however, the more glaring an omission it seemed. Paraphrase ? Paraphrase The more I thought about the absence of the father in the movie, the more I became aware of the seriousness of the failure to mention the father.

14. refer to…as…v. —call … as…, regard … as Examples • Don’t refer to your sister as a silly cow! (= Don’t call your sister silly cow.) • The speaker referred to him as an up-and-coming young Democrat.

15. Bombard v. —worry with questions, requests, complaints, etc. Examples • The audience bombarded him with many questions. • I’m not very keen on watching TV, because whenever you turn it on, you are bombarded with a lot of advertisements.

16. Meanwhile, a high proportion of media stories about fathers focus on abusive husbands or deadbeat dads. Paraphrase At the same time, we are exposed to a lot of stories in media which depict men as husbands who mistreat their wives or as fathers who are good for nothing. Paraphrase ? proportion —relation of one thing to another in quantity, size, etc. Examples • The proportion of men to women in the population has changed in recent years. • His reputation bore no proportion to his merit.

17. One exception to the “unnecessary father” syndrome is the glowing media attention that at-home dads have received. Paraphrase ? Paraphrase The media have paid special attention to at-home dads, which is an exception to the “unnecessary father” tendency in society.

18. fulfill v. —perform, carry out, accomplish Examples • He had fulfilled many of his youthful ambitions before he was fifty. • The administration failed to fulfill its promises to revive the economy of the country.

19. and it is rare that calls for more workplace flexibility are considered to be for men as much as for women. Paraphrase People seldom consider giving as much flexibility about where one can work to men as to women. Paraphrase ? flexibility n. —state of willing to easily change to adapt to new conditions. Examples • He has enough flexibility to cope with the job. • A man devoid of imaginative flexibility could not be a successful actor.

20. supposedly ad. —as believed, as it appears Examples • Supposedly she is a rich woman., but no one knows for sure. • He went home to his father supposedly to help him.

21. by the same token ad. —in the same way; for the same reason Examples • We are grateful to you for giving us shelter for the night. By the same token, we should like to thank your wife for all her kindness. • Since she was born in a very rich family she had never seen such poverty before, and by the same token she could not quite believe that the children could not go to school.

22. … when it comes to …ad. —when it concerns… Examples • When it comes to politics, I’m an absolute outsider. • When it comes to mathematics, I’m completely at sea.

23. entailv. —involve; make necessary Examples • This job would entail exceptional competence in computers. • The flood relief effort will entail great expense by the local government.

24. take onv. —undertake, charge oneself with; assume responsibility for; employ Examples • My doctor says I’m too tired and has advised me not to take on any more work. • In order to support the family, he has to take on some extra work. • They took her on as a secretary in the company.

25. at largead. —in general Examples • Did the people at large approve of the government’s decision? • The country at large is hoping for great changes, which probably would not materialize.

26. Yet, rather than holding up“ordinary” fathers as positive role models for the dads of tomorrow, too often society has thrown up its hands and decided that traditional fatherhood is at best obsolete and at worst dangerously reactionary. Paraphrase Instead of offering “ordinary” fathers as good examples for fathers of the future, society has too often given up its efforts and come to think that traditional fatherhood is at best out of date and at worst against social progress. Paraphrase ?

27. Yet, rather than holding up“ordinary” fathers as positive role models for the dads of tomorrow, too often society has thrown up its hands and decided that traditional fatherhood is at best obsolete and at worst dangerously reactionary. hold up…asv. —show or offer…as (an example, a model, etc.) Examples • He was held up as an example to every student. • Grandfather always held up his youngest son as a model of diligence.

28. Yet, rather than holding up“ordinary” fathers as positive role models for the dads of tomorrow, too often society has thrown up its hands and decided that traditional fatherhood is at best obsolete and at worst dangerously reactionary. Throw up one’s handsv. —admit that one cannot succeed; surrender Examples • The enemy soldiers threw up their hands in horror when the tanks first appeared in front of their trenches. • It is very courageous of him not to throw up his hands and admit failure when the shop went bankrupt.

29. Yet, rather than holding up“ordinary” fathers as positive role models for the dads of tomorrow, too often society has thrown up its hands and decided that traditional fatherhood is at best obsolete and at worst dangerously reactionary. at (the) worstad. —if one thinks of it in the worst way Examples • He’s a fool at best, and at (the) worst he’s a criminal. • At the worst, they can say they didn’t see what happened.

30. devaluev. —cause or be responsible for a lessening of value or quality Examples • Lots of people tried to devalue the great writer’s work, all in vain. • We shall have to devalue our currency soon if we don’t want to see a sharp drop in our exports.

31. strivev. —struggle hard Examples • He strove for recognition as an abstract artist. • He is persistently and energetically striving to carry out his plans.

32. Content Awareness • Read and Think(Ex. 2) • Read and Complete(Ex. 3)

33. Ex. 2 Answer the following questions with the information you obtain from the passage. 1. What message does the author want to convey by mentioning the omission of the father in the movie “Toy Story”? Reference: The author wants to point out that in the U.S. there is a trend toward regarding fathers as less important or necessary.

34. Ex. 2 Answer the following questions with the information you obtain from the passage. 2. What’s the author’s attitude towards the criticism of fathers for not doing much to help with the housework ? Reference: She doesn’t agree. She finds the accusation dubious.

35. Ex. 2 Answer the following questions with the information you obtain from the passage. 3. What does the “double standard at work” (Para. 4) refer to ? Reference: It refers to the two different standards used to evaluate the work of at-home dads on the one hand and that of at-home mothers and working dads on the other, which reflect the social and cultural prejudice against the latter.

36. Ex. 2 Answer the following questions with the information you obtain from the passage. 4. Why does the author compare at-home wives to expensive cars? Reference: Because to many, at-home wives, like expensive cars, sound like a luxury for ordinary people. Not every one can afford to have an at-home wife just as not every one can afford to buy an expensive car.

37. Ex. 2 Answer the following questions with the information you obtain from the passage. 5. Why do many men question the value of their roles as fathers? Reference: Because there is a social trend to devalue fatherhood and to demand that fathers give up their traditional roles as family supporters.

38. Ex. 3 Choose the best answer to each question based on the information you obtain from the passage. 1. We can conclude from the passage that ________________. A) fathers play a more important role in American families B) fathers are generally thought of as unnecessary by media in the U.S. C) fathers are often criticized for being irresponsible for their families D) fathers usually earn more than mothers 1. We can conclude from the passage that ________________. A) fathers play a more important role in American families B) fathers are generally thought of as unnecessary by media in the U.S. C) fathers are often criticized for being irresponsible for their families D) fathers usually earn more than mothers

39. Ex. 3 Choose the best answer to each question based on the information you obtain from the passage. 2. What is the traditional image of fathers in American media? A) abusive husbands or deadbeat dads B) good family men C) wage earners D) household helpers 2. What is the traditional image of fathers in American media? A) abusive husbands or deadbeat dads B) good family men C) wage earners D) household helpers

40. Ex. 3 Choose the best answer to each question based on the information you obtain from the passage. 3. The author's purpose in writing this article is _____________. A) to show how her husband is unfairly treated B) to reveal how working fathers are insulted C) to criticize American wives for looking down upon their husbands D) to appeal to the society to recognize the value of working fathers 3. The author's purpose in writing this article is _____________. A) to show how her husband is unfairly treated B) to reveal how working fathers are insulted C) to criticize American wives for looking down upon their husbands D) to appeal to the society to recognize the value of working fathers

41. Ex. 3 Choose the best answer to each question based on the information you obtain from the passage. 4. We can infer from the passage that the author seems to _________. A) approve of at-home wives B) disapprove of at-home dads C) be in favor of men as the sole wage earners D) disapprove of men as the sole wage earners 4. We can infer from the passage that the author seems to _________. A) approve of at-home wives B) disapprove of at-home dads C) be in favor of men as the sole wage earners D) disapprove of men as the sole wage earners

42. Ex. 3 Choose the best answer to each question based on the information you obtain from the passage. 5. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A) There is a media trend which regards fathers as unnecessary. B) At-home dads have received more media attention than working fathers. C) The majority of men don’t take full responsibility for supporting their families. D) Working dads are often neglected by society at large. 5. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage? A) There is a media trend which regards fathers as unnecessary. B) At-home dads have received more media attention than working fathers. C) The majority of men don’t take full responsibility for supporting their families. D) Working dads are often neglected by society at large.

43. Language Focus • Vocabulary (Ex. 4) • Phrases(Ex. 5) • Read and Translate(Ex. 6) • Read and Simulate(Ex. 7)

44. Ex. 4 Fill in the blanks with the words or expressions given below. Change the form where necessary. applaudmirrorentailstriveconsequently supposedlydevalueflexibilityobligationfulfill 1. Taxes are an __________ which may fall on everybody. • obligation 2. We __________ the authority's decision no to close the hospital. • applauded

45. Ex. 4 Fill in the blanks with the words or expressions given below. Change the form where necessary. applaudmirrorentailstriveconsequently supposedlydevalueflexibilityobligationfulfill 3. The doctor's instructions must be ____________ exactly; the sick man's life depends on it. • fulfilled 4. Do these opinion polls really ________ what people are thinking? • mirror

46. Ex. 4 Fill in the blanks with the words or expressions given below. Change the form where necessary. applaudmirrorentailstriveconsequently supposedlydevalueflexibilityobligationfulfill 5. I prefer to think of memorization as a stepping-stone to _____________. • flexibility 6. She tended to ___________ the work done by her staff. • devalue

47. Ex. 4 Fill in the blanks with the words or expressions given below. Change the form where necessary. applaudmirrorentailstriveconsequently supposedlydevalueflexibilityobligationfulfill 7. The history of train transport has partly been a history of ____________ for greater efficiency. • striving 8. He took on the new post without having the faintest idea of what it ____________. • entailed

48. Ex. 4 Fill in the blanks with the words or expressions given below. Change the form where necessary. applaudmirrorentailstriveconsequently supposedlydevalueflexibilityobligationfulfill 9. He is __________ one of the greatest experts in the field. • supposedly 10. Absolute secrecy is essential. ____________, the fewer who are aware of the plan the better. • Consequently

49. Ex. 5 Complete the following sentences with phases or expressions given below. Change the form where necessary. 1. This period is usually ______________ the post-war period. • referred to as 2. It would be a setback _____________ if we were denied use of their software. • at best

50. Ex. 5 Complete the following sentences with phases or expressions given below. Change the form where necessary. 3. We make people mentally old by retiring them, and we may even __________________ make them physically old. • by the same token 4. I know that the public ________________ aren’t interested in this issue. • at large