Multiracial Families
In Western culture, a typical family usually consists of a couple with their biological children. But some couples can’t have their own children for different reasons and they choose to build a family through adoptions. Infertility is the main reason why men and women want to adopt children. Some couples have compassion for poor parentless children and adopt them for humanitarian reasons. Some believe that it is more responsible to take care of indigent children than to give birth to their own children. Some have to resort to adoption because of health problems.
Adoption isn’t just for childless people. Many families have biological children and choose to adopt as well. There are millions of children in the world in need of loving families and permanent homes.
Nowadays the growing number of men and women adopt children from other countries including Third World countries. In recent decades international adoptions have become increasingly popular. International
There are still many people who are skeptical about adoption. Some people are concerned about the genetic quality of adopted children and they believe that adoptees are predisposed to drug and alcohol problems as well as to behavior problems. Some adopted children have histories of maltreatment, physical and sexual abuse. Other people think that the absence of biological ties complicates parent-child relationships.
The mass media is the primary source of information about adoption and it plays a role in the increased interest in international adoptions. Every time a Hollywood celebrity adopts a child, there is a great increase in enquires from people wishing to adopt. Among the celebrities who have adopted children from abroad are Josephine Baker, Mia Farrow, Dan Marino, Sharon Stone, Ewan McGregor, Meg Ryan, James Caviezel, and Julie Andrews. In the 2000s, the
couples Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt and Madonna/Guy Ritchie drew public attention by adopting several children from Third World countries.In 2002, Jolie adopted her first child, seven-month-old Maddox Chivan. The star decided to apply for adoption after she had visited Cambodia twice. Jolie adopted a six-month-old girl from Ethiopia, Zahara Marley in 2005. In 2006 the famous actress gave birth to a daughter, Shiloh Nouvel, in Swakopmund, Namibia. In 2007, Jolie adopted a three-year-old boy from Vietnam, Pax Thien. Jolie gave birth to twins, a boy, Knox Leon, and a girl, Vivienne Marcheline in Nice, France in 2008. In her interview for People Magazine Angelina Jolie has said, ‘Most of the night I just thought about how quickly I want to adopt again. It’s a very special thing. There’s something about making a choice, waking up and travelling somewhere and finding your family. … There are so many wonderful places. There are many parts of Asia, Africa, South America, so sooner or later I’ll end up everywhere, I’m sure.’
In 2006 Madonna decided to adopt a boy named David Banda Mwale from Malawi. The procedure was complicated by the fact that Malawian law requires prospective parents to reside in Malawi for one year before adopting. There was a storm of controversy as some people were sure that Madonna’s application received special status because of her celebrity. The adoption was finalized in 2008.
Many families who adopt children should understand that love is not enough to make their family united and happy. They should also respect their children’s cultural heritage and teach them the history, traditions and language of their native country.
Adoption has quite an impact on modern society changing its structure and people’s attitude to racial barriers. Adam Pertman, an adoption expert, has said, ‘Suddenly there are Jews holding Chinese cultural festivals at synagogues, there are Irish people with their African American kids at St Patty’s Day. This affects whole communities, and as a consequence our sense of who we are, what we look like, as a people, as individual peoples. These are profound lessons that adoption is teaching us.’
1. Read the following sentences and circle TRUE or FALSE: 1) In Western culture, a typical family usually consists of a couple with their biological children. T|F|
2) Infertility is the main reason why men and women want to adopt children. T|F|
3) Adoption is only for childless people. T|F|
4) In recent decades international adoptions have lost popularity. T|F|
5) The Chinese have adopted more than 200,000 children from overseas in the past 15 years. T|F|
6) The mass media is the primary source of information about adoption T|F|
7) Adoption has quite an impact on modern society. T|F|
2. Complete each sentence (A-H) with one of the endings (1-8): A. There are millions of children in the world
B. Nowadays the growing number of men and women
C. Most adopted children
D. Some adopted children have histories of
E. Every time a Hollywood celebrity adopts a child,
F. In the 2000s, the couples Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt and Madonna/Guy Ritchie
G. Angelina Jolie decided to apply for adoption after she
H. Madonna’s adoption was complicated by the fact that
1. there is a great increase in enquires from people wishing to adopt.
2. in need of loving families and permanent homes.
3. maltreatment, physical and sexual abuse.
4. had visited Cambodia twice.
5. Malawian law requires prospective parents to reside in Malawi for one year before adopting.
6. adopt children from other countries including Third World countries.
7. come from Ethiopia, China, Russia, Guatemala, South Korea and other countries.
8. drew public attention by adopting several children from Third World countries.
3. Choose 1-2 phrases from each paragraph in order to summarize its contents
4. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Explain your point of view Taking care of indigent children is more responsible than giving birth to your own children.
The absence of biological ties complicates parent-child relationships.
People who adopt children should respect their cultural heritage and teach them the history, traditions and language of their native country.
Celebrities’ money and influence make the process of adoption easier and faster.
Any family willing to adopt a child must be helped and encouraged by the government.
5. Answer the questions 1) Why do many people choose to build a family through adoptions?
2) Why have international adoptions become increasingly popular in recent decades?
3) Why are many people skeptical about adoption?
4) Why do you think many celebrities adopt children from abroad?
5) How did Angelina Jolie explain her wish to adopt needy children? Do you approve of her deeds?
6) Why did David’s adoption by Madonna cause controversy?
7) What effect does adoption have on modern society?
8) What is your personal attitude to adoption, including international adoption? Would you like to adopt a needy child from abroad? Why?
6. Fill in the table and organize a discussion International Adoption
PROS…………
CONS………..
7. Read the quotations below. Choose any quotation and comment on it – ‘Too many children in foster care are falling through cracks. Be a hero, take the time learn about adoption today.’ (Bruce Willis)
– ‘Children make your life important.’ (Erma Bombeck)
– ‘Children are all foreigners.’ (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
– ‘Children are our most valuable natural resource.’ (Herbert Hoover)
– Every child should have a caring adult in their lives. And that’s not always a biological parent or family member. It may be a friend or neighbor.’ (Joe Manchin)
– ‘We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body.’ (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
– ‘Parentage is a very important profession, but no test of fitness for it is ever imposed in the interest of the children.’ (George Bernard Shaw)
– ‘To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others.’ (Pope John Paul II)
Read the article below. Discuss the major problem touched in it. What are the reasons for some people’s cruel attitude to adopted children? US continues to investigate all facts pertaining to the death of a Russian six-year-old boy who had been adopted by an American family about a month ago.
Police has already determined that Alex Pavlis (named after his foster parents) has died as a result of a craniocerebral wound from a dull object. 911 doctors discovered traces of brutal physical abuse on the child’s body. They immediately informed the police. The boy was hospitalized right away Unfortunately, it was too late. He died on Friday, December 19th. The Pavlis were unable to conceive. Therefore, they decided to adopt Alex along with his five-year-old sister about a month ago. The family managed to find a private agency in Russia specializing in international adoptions. A representative from the Department of Children and Family Services has stated in his interview to CNN that Irma Pavlis had been preparing to become a mother for a long time. She devoted an entire year to studying Russian language. Department’s employees claimed that everything was done in strict accordance with all necessary legal formalities. One month later, the new foster mom has confessed in physically abusing her child. She has also confessed in hitting him on the head. Irma Pavlis has been bailed out for $3 million. According to the defendants, she confessed in killing the boy. Her lawyer however disputes such statement. According to him, Pavlis was simply incapable of killing the child. After undergoing two unsuccessful pregnancies, Irma Pavlis was extraordinary happy to adopt two Russain children. “There was little rational discipline in the children’s upbringing,” stated Pavlis’ lawyer Stewart Goldberg. Irma Pavlis is scheduled to appear in court in January. In the meantime, the Department of Children and Family Services is working on transferring guardianship of Alex’s little sister to another family.
(from english. pravda. ru, 23.12.2003)
A. Give the definitions of the following words.
– adoption
– infertility
– humanitarian
– indigent
– maltreatment
– controversy
– application
– heritage
B. Read the text ‘Multiracial Families’ and say if you would like to have such kind of family.
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