Family and Interpersonal Relationships

Maturita topic 1, general part, at Cambridge B2 First level. The specific part of this topic is Networking and Netiquette.

What to talk about

• your family – members, what they are like, what you do together
• types of families today and how the family has changed
• relationships – friends, partners, neighbours, classmates
• conflicts – the generation gap, arguments and how to solve them
• important moments – weddings, birthdays, family celebrations

Model answer

I come from a fairly typical Czech family. I live with my parents and my younger sister in a flat in… My mum works as a nurse and my dad is an engineer. My sister is fifteen and, to be honest, we used to argue a lot when we were younger, but now we get on well – she’s funny and we share the same sense of humour. My grandparents live in a village about thirty kilometres away, so we visit them most weekends. My grandma is the person who holds the family together – every Sunday she cooks a big lunch for everybody.

Families have changed a lot over the last few decades. In the past, several generations often lived together and families were bigger. Today the most common type is the nuclear family – parents and one or two children – but there are also many single-parent families, stepfamilies after divorce, and couples who live together without getting married. People also settle down and start a family much later than their parents did, usually around thirty, because they want to finish their studies and establish a career first.

Apart from family, friendship is very important to me. I’ve got a few close friends whom I’ve known since primary school. A real friend is someone you can rely on, who is honest with you and supports you when you’re going through a hard time. I think it’s normal to fall out with friends sometimes, but if the friendship is strong, you make up quickly.

Of course, there are conflicts in every family. The most typical one is the generation gap – parents and teenagers often see things differently, for example when it comes to going out, money or the time we spend on our phones. In my opinion, the best way to solve conflicts is to talk openly and to try to see the situation from the other person’s point of view.

The most important family celebrations for us are Christmas and birthdays. Last year my grandparents celebrated their golden wedding anniversary and the whole family came together – it was a wonderful day.

Vocabulary

Grammar worth showing

• used to / would for past habits: We used to argue a lot. On Sundays we would visit our grandparents.
• present perfect with for / since: I’ve known her since primary school.
• relative clauses: My grandma, who is seventy, is the person who holds the family together.

Useful phrases

• I’d describe my family as…
• We have a lot in common, although…
• What I appreciate most about her is…
• It depends on the situation, but generally…
• From my point of view, the main reason is…

Speaking practice

Part 1 – about you

Part 3 / 4 – discussion