Workbook UNIT 1 - Family matters
Exercise
11
Read the text and answer the questions.
Solution
- The writer finds it strange that large families are becoming more common in Europe, especially considering that historically, Catholic countries have had smaller families.
- According to Amanda, the key to successfully running a large family is organization, particularly in planning meals and managing household tasks like laundry.
- Amanda first understood that her family was 'big' when their fourth child was born and she realized that having four children was considered unusual.
- Strangers react by counting the number of children and asking questions like "Are they all yours?" when they see the family.
- The family is unable to afford certain luxuries like new clothes for themselves and holidays.
- Amanda finds it difficult to be alone because she's so accustomed to sharing herself with her family all the time. She mentions that she starts to miss her children when they're not around, and she feels like she's forgotten how to enjoy her own company.