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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on American Mothers
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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U.S. Mothers Older and Better Educated (6th May, 2010)

A new survey has found American mothers are changing. They are older and better educated than they were 20 years ago. The Pew Research Center interviewed 1,000 mothers. It says more women are going to college and leaving it later to have children. The researchers also discovered that 41 per cent of births are outside of marriage. Other statistics show big changes in U.S. society. In 1990, one in 11 new mothers was over 35; today, that figure is one in seven. In 1990, 41 percent of mothers had a college education; today, it is 71 percent.

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The world is changing quickly. People from 100 years ago would be shocked. The family is also becoming very different. Women in all rich countries are choosing to marry later. Many women do not want to get married at all. Today’s women say they want to have fun before starting a family. Women who go to college often say their career is more important than having children. Is this a good or bad thing? Maybe it will reduce overpopulation in the world. No one really knows yet how this will change the world.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	American mothers	a.	1,000 mothers
2	The Pew Research Center interviewed	b.	of marriage
3.	leaving it later	c.	big changes
4.	41 per cent of births are outside	d.	in seven
5.	Other statistics show	e.	are changing
6.	today, that figure is one	f.	to have children

Paragraph 2

1.	The world is changing	a.	reduce overpopulation
2	choosing	b.	knows yet
3.	Today’s women say they want	c.	to marry later
4.	their career is more important	d.	quickly
5.	Maybe it will	e.	to have fun
6.	No one really	f.	than having children

LISTENING GAP FILL

A ______________________ American mothers are changing. They are older and better ______________________ were 20 years ago. The Pew Research Center interviewed 1,000 mothers. It says more women are going to college ______________________ to have children. The researchers also discovered that 41 per cent of births ______________________ marriage. Other statistics show big changes in U.S. society. In 1990, ______________________ mothers was over 35; ______________________ one in seven. In 1990, 41 percent of mothers had a college education; today, it is 71 percent.

The world ______________________. People from 100 years ago would be shocked. The family is also becoming very different. Women in all rich countries are ______________________ later. Many women do not want to ______________________. Today’s women say they want to have fun before starting a family. Women ______________________ often say their career is more important than having children. Is this a good or bad thing? Maybe it will ______________________ in the world. No one really knows ______________________ change the world.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

A new survey (1) ____ found American mothers are changing. They are older and better educated than they were 20 years ago. The Pew Research Center interviewed 1,000 mothers. It (2) ____ more women are going to college and leaving it later to have children. The researchers also discovered that 41 per cent of births are (3) ____ of marriage. Other statistics show big changes in U.S. society. In 1990, one in 11 new mothers (4) ____ over 35; today, that figure is one in seven. In 1990, 41 percent of mothers had a college education; today, (5) ____ is 71 percent.

The world is changing quickly. People from 100 years ago (6) ____ be shocked. The family is also becoming very different. Women in all rich countries are (7) ____ to marry later. Many women do not want to get married (8) ____ all. Today’s women say they want to have fun before starting a family. Women who go to college (9) ____ say their career is more important than having children. Is this a good or bad thing? Maybe it will reduce overpopulation in the world. No one really knows (10) ____ how this will change the world.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	have	(b)	having	(c)	has
2.	(a)	saying	(b)	says	(c)	say
3.	(a)	outside	(b)	outdoors	(c)	outer
4.	(a)	were	(b)	be	(c)	was
5.	(a)	they	(b)	it	(c)	these
6.	(a)	would	(b)	will	(c)	were
7.	(a)	choice	(b)	choosing	(c)	chose
8.	(a)	by	(b)	from	(c)	at
9.	(a)	over	(b)	off	(c)	often
10.	(a)	yet	(b)	still	(c)	already

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	A new seyrvu
2.	eewitvdiren 1,000 mothers
3.	vlniaeg it later
4.	births are sioduet of marriage
5.	big hsacgne in U.S. society
6.	that regufi is one in seven
Paragraph 2
7.	changing lcikyqu
8.	becoming very neiertfdf
9.	rntsagit a family
10.	their erarec is more important
11.	rdueec overpopulation
12.	No one alylre knows

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	very different. Women in all rich countries are choosing to marry later. Many women do not want to get
( )	say their career is more important than having children. Is this a good or bad thing? Maybe it will
( 1 )	A new survey has found American mothers are changing. They are older and better educated than they were
( )	married at all. Today’s women say they want to have fun before starting a family. Women who go to college often
( )	outside of marriage. Other statistics show big changes in U.S. society. In 1990, one in 11 new mothers was over
( )	reduce overpopulation in the world. No one really knows yet how this will change the world.
( )	35; today, that figure is one in seven. In 1990, 41 percent of mothers had a college education; today, it is 71 percent.
( )	The world is changing quickly. People from 100 years ago would be shocked. The family is also becoming
( )	20 years ago. The Pew Research Center interviewed 1,000 mothers. It says more women are going to
( )	college and leaving it later to have children. The researchers also discovered that 41 per cent of births are

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	ago they were Better 20 educated years than.
2.	going says to more college women are It.
3.	outside cent are marriage per births of 41 of.
4.	in changes big show statistics Other society . U.S.
5.	is Today one , in that seven figure.
6.	be 100 shocked years ago People would from.
7.	family The different very becoming also is.
8.	married at all Many women do not want to get.
9.	starting family Have before a fun.
10.	really one No yet knows.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about motherhood for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. MOTHERHOOD: Search the Internet and find more information about motherhood. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about motherhood. Include imaginary an interview with a very young mother and an older mother. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the head researcher. Ask him/her three questions about the survey. Give him/her three of your opinions on motherhood. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on American Mothers (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)