ibunka TB_U9

Answers to COMPREHENSION 3 (textbook p.61)

7 Jennifer, Canadian, homemaker, lives in Japan I get the impression that mothers in Japan are expected to devote all of their time and energy to their children. It seems that they almost stop being individuals while they are raising their children, and only get their life back when the kids leave the nest. But maybe it’s less true of the younger generation.

TRUE FALSE

→ Jennifer thinks that many Japanese mothers don’t put enough energy into their parenting. □

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8 Rick , New Zealander, teacher, lives in Japan I have always been struck by how much some Japanese parents pamper their children. I see my wife’s relatives sleeping in the same bed as their kids, preparing their meals, even letting them choose the family dinner menu. I sometimes worry that these children will never learn any responsibility.

TRUE FALSE

→ Rick believes that parents shouldn’t let children choose what to have for dinner.

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9 Rick , New Zealander, teacher, lives in Japan But once they leave the house, these same kids are amazingly mature. Many small children walk by themselves to school, and carry out many duties in their classrooms, such as serving lunches and cleaning the school. This gap between indulgence and discipline is pretty startling for many Westerners I’ve spoken to.

TRUE FALSE

→ Seeing young children clean their own schools was surprising to Rick.

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Extra Discussion Questions 1. What kinds of rules would you have if you had children? What kinds of things do you think are important for them to learn or do? 2. Do you think co-sleeping is, overall, good or bad for a child? Why? 3. Have you ever been surprised by the way children in a foreign culture behave? What kinds of things are surprising, from your point of view?

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UNIT 9 | COMPREHENSION