Families, Babies, and Clones

Advanced ESL Reading and Writing
Santa Monica College
Eric H. Roth

Reading assignment: what do you call a Clone? LA Times, Aug 24, 2001

1. Who is the oldest person in your family? The youngest?
2. How many children did you parents have?
3. Do you have a favorite sibling? Why?
4. Who(m) do you feel closest to in your family? Why?
5. Do you resemble anyone in your family? Can you describe him or her?
6. What are some things that you learned from your family?
7. Does your family celebrate any occasions or holidays? Which? How?
8. When does your extended family get together?
9. What are nuclear families? Extended families?
10. Do you know any twins?
11. Do you know somebody who is an only child?
12. Do you know anyone who is adopted?
13. What are some possible advantages of being a twin? Disadvantages?
14. What are some possible advantages of being an only child?
15. What are some possible advantages of being adopted? Disadvantages?
16. What are some possible advantages of a big family? Disadvantages?
17. Have families changed in the last 100 years? How?
18. What is a baby shower? Are they common in your native country?
19. Are there some common gifts for pregnant women?
20. Where are babies usually born in your country?
21. Do many women have natural childbirth?
22. Who usually delivers babies?
23. How do some mothers know the sex of their baby before giving birth?
24. What is a father’s role during pregnancy? During birth?
25. Who usually helps take care of the new baby?
26. Is abortion banned in your country?
27. What are some activities forbidden in your country by law?
28. What made Dolly the sheep famous?
29. Have you read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley?
30. What is a “Faustian bargain?” Can you give an example?
31. Why does human cloning horrify some people?
32. Why does human cloning appeal to some people?
33. Do you think human cloning is inevitable? Why?

 

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