1000-English-Collocations-

Lesson 1 - Family Let's begin our study of collocations by learning some common expressions about the family. Your parents and siblings (brothers and sisters) are your immediate family- and your extended family includes all your relatives-uncles, cousins, great-aunts, etc. You can use a family tree to diagram the relationships among your family members. A person who is related to you by a long series of connections can be called a distant relative. If you're lucky, you have a loving family or a close-knit family-these expressions refer to a family that has good relationships, where everyone loves each other and helps each other. If you were raised in a loving family, then you probably had a carefree childhood- that means you had nothing to worry about when you were young. On the other hand, a family in which the relationships are bad or unhealthy can be called a dysfunctional family. If the children experience abuse, poverty, or problems with the law, we can say they had a troubled childhood. Perhaps the parents went through a bitter divorce-that means a separation in which there were bad/angry feelings between the husband and wife. It's also possible to have a messy divorce, with a prolonged legal battle involving lots of conflicts about the separation of the former couple's assets (money and possessions). The decisions about the separation of assets are made in the divorce settlement. A family in which there are divorces or separations is sometimes called a broken home. Sometimes the mother and father fight over custody of the children - that refers to who has the primary responsibility of caring for the kids. A judge can grant joint custody - that means the ex-husband and ex-wife share the responsibility - or sole custody to only one parent. For example, a judge might award sole custody to the mother, and the father has to pay child support - regular payments to help with expenses for the kids. If it was a mutual divorce/separation - that means the ex-husband and ex-wife agreed to separate without fighting - then they will probably stay on good terms with each other (meaning to have a polite relationship without conflicts). If a woman gets pregnant without being married or in a relationship, then she will become a single mother. Some women in this situation choose to have an abortion, and others prefer to give the baby up for adoption. The time when the baby is planned to arrive is called the due date - you can also say the baby is due in mid-October, for example. After the woman has the baby (or gives birth to the baby), the baby is given to the adoptive parents, who will raise the child or bring up the child as if it was their own. Sometimes, when the adopted child is older, he or she tries to find their birth mother (biological mother). Here are some key terms and concepts related to family structures and dynamics: 1. **Immediate Family**: This includes your parents and siblings (brothers and sisters). 2. **Extended Family**: This encompasses all your relatives, such as uncles, cousins, and great-aunts. 3. **Distant Relative**: Refers to a person who is related to you by a long series of connections. 4. **Loving Family**: Describes a family with good relationships, where everyone loves and supports each other. 5. **Close-Knit Family**: Similar to a loving family, indicating strong bonds and close relationships within the family. 6. **Carefree Childhood**: Refers to a childhood without worries or concerns. 7. **Dysfunctional Family**: Describes a family with unhealthy or problematic relationships. 8. **Troubled Childhood**: Refers to a childhood marked by abuse, poverty, or other difficulties. 9. **Bitter Divorce**: A separation characterized by negative or angry feelings between the spouses. 10. **Messy Divorce**: Involves a prolonged legal battle and conflicts over the division of assets. 11. **Divorce Settlement**: The decisions made regarding the division of assets during a divorce. 12. **Broken Home**: Refers to a family where there have been divorces or separations. 13. **Custody**: Refers to the primary responsibility for caring for children after a divorce or separation. 14. **Joint Custody**: When both parents share the responsibility for caring for the children. 15. **Sole Custody**: When only one parent has the primary responsibility for the children. 16. **Child Support**: Regular payments made by one parent to help with the expenses of raising the children. 17. **Mutual Divorce/Separation**: When the ex-spouses agree to separate amicably without conflicts. 18. **Single Mother**: A woman who is raising a child on her own, without a partner. 19. **Adoption**: The process of legally taking on the responsibility for and raising a child as one’s own. 20. **Birth Mother**: Refers to the biological mother of an adopted child. ΣLesson1 |Family