China’s government is worried about the fact that fewer people are getting married and having children. They are trying to encourage young people to get married and have kids, but many young Chinese are choosing not to because the economy is not doing well, there are not enough jobs, and what society expects from them is changing. The government has tried to make marriage and having children more appealing by giving rewards to young brides and making it harder for couples to get divorced, but people are not happy with these efforts.

Some experts say that the government doesn’t really understand why young people are making these choices, especially women. They think that the government’s efforts are not genuine and that the officials themselves don’t feel the same pressures. There are two groups of single people in China: women in cities and men in rural areas. Men in rural areas have to worry about things like finding a good job and paying a lot of money to get married, while women in cities feel pressure from society and don’t agree with what society expects from them.

Women in cities feel like they have more choices now and that they don’t have to have children if they don’t want to. They also think that there is a double standard when it comes to men and women in relationships, with women having to do more housework and take care of the kids. The government has not tried to address these issues in their campaigns to promote marriage and having children.

Young Chinese people are pushing back against the pressure from society and the government. They feel like they are the last generation that has to deal with these expectations. The declining marriage and birth rates in China show that young people care more about their own happiness and making their own choices than following traditional expectations.

Original news source: China’s matchmaking mums have a powerful ally: The Party (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Write a series of statements about marriage, societal expectations, and government policies on the board. Students must stand along a line in the classroom that represents a spectrum of opinions, from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.” After each statement, invite students to share why they positioned themselves at that point on the spectrum.

– News Reporter Role-play
Instructions: Divide the class into groups of three. One student is the news reporter, one is a government official, and the third is a young Chinese person. Using information from the article, the reporter interviews the other two characters about the declining marriage and birth rates in China. Encourage the interviewees to express their character’s perspectives based on the article.

– Mind Map
Instructions: On the board, write “Marriage and Childbearing in Modern China” in the center. Ask students to work in pairs to create a mind map on a piece of paper, branching out with reasons, consequences, and feelings associated with the topic, using information from the article. They can add any new vocabulary or phrases they learned from the text.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to write a short paragraph predicting how they think China’s demographic situation will change in the next 20 years. They should use modal verbs of probability (might, could, will, etc.) and base their predictions on the trends mentioned in the article. After writing, students share their predictions with a partner and discuss.

– Synonym Challenge
Instructions: Write down some key terms from the article on the board (e.g., encourage, genuine, pressure, expectations, declining, etc.). Students work in pairs to come up with as many synonyms as they can for each term. They can use their phones or dictionaries. Afterward, discuss the nuances in meaning of the different synonyms they found.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What concerns does the Chinese government have regarding its population’s marriage and birth rates?
2. What reasons do many young Chinese have for not wanting to get married or have children?
3. How has the Chinese government tried to make marriage and having children more attractive to young people?
4. What do some experts believe about the government’s understanding of young people’s choices, particularly women’s?
5. What are the main concerns for men in rural areas and women in cities regarding marriage?
6. How do women in cities feel about their choices and societal expectations?
7. What issues has the government not addressed in its campaigns to promote marriage and having children?
8. What does the declining marriage and birth rates in China signify about the priorities of young people?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

China’s (1)______ is worried about the fact that fewer people are getting married and having (2)______. They are trying to (3)______ young people to get married and have kids, but many young Chinese are choosing not to because the economy is not doing well, there are not enough jobs, and what society expects from them is changing. The government has tried to make marriage and having children more appealing by giving rewards to young (4)______ and making it harder for couples to get divorced, but people are not happy with these efforts.

Some experts say that the government doesn’t really (5)______ why (6)______ people are making these choices, especially women. They think that the government’s efforts are not genuine and that the officials themselves don’t feel the same pressures. There are two groups of single people in China: women in (7)______ and men in (8)______ areas. Men in rural areas have to worry about things like (9)______ a good job and paying a lot of money to get (10)______, while women in cities feel pressure from (11)______ and don’t agree with what society expects from them.

Women in cities feel like they have more choices now and that they don’t have to have children if they don’t want to. They also (12)______ that there is a double standard when it comes to men and women in relationships, with women having to do more housework and take care of the kids. The government has not tried to address these issues in their campaigns to (13)______ (14)______ and having children.

Young (15)______ people are pushing back against the pressure from society and the government. They feel like they are the last generation that has to deal with these expectations. The declining marriage and birth rates in China show that young people care more about their own happiness and making their own (16)______ than following traditional expectations.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What do you think are some reasons people in your country might choose not to get married or have children?
2. How would you feel if your government tried to encourage you to get married and have kids?
3. Do you think it’s fair for governments to give rewards to people for getting married or having children? Why or why not?
4. What kind of pressures do you think young women face in your society when it comes to marriage and children?
5. Do you think there is a double standard for men and women in relationships in your culture? Can you give an example?
6. How important do you think it is to have a good job before getting married or starting a family?
7. What does the term “double standard” mean to you, and have you seen it in action?
8. Do you think people should have children only if they want to, or are there other factors to consider?
9. How would you handle the pressure from society or family to follow traditional expectations like marriage and having kids?
10. What are some ways that you think the government could genuinely help young people with their concerns about marriage and family life?
11. Do you agree that happiness and personal choice should be more important than following traditions? Why or why not?
12. Have you noticed any changes in what society expects from young people regarding marriage and family in your own country?
13. What is your opinion on the idea that one generation might be the last to deal with certain societal expectations?
14. Do you think it’s important for a country to have a high birth rate? Why or why not?
15. Can you think of any other solutions for a country that is worried about declining marriage and birth rates?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. married
2. children
3. economy
4. jobs
5. divorced
6. genuine
7. pressures
8. expectations

Meanings:
(a) Young people that a man and woman have together
(b) The work that people do to earn money
(c) When something is real and not fake
(d) When a married couple decides to end their marriage
(e) The way a country’s money and businesses are doing
(f) What people think you should do or how you should act
(g) When two people have a wedding and become partners for life
(h) The stress and demands that people feel from society or others
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why is the Chinese government worried about fewer people getting married and having children?
(a) The economy is not doing well and there are not enough jobs.
(b) They want to encourage young people to focus on their careers.
(c) They want to reduce the population in China.
(d) They believe marriage and having children are outdated traditions.

2. What has the government done to make marriage and having children more appealing?
(a) Encouraging young people to focus on their education.
(b) Giving rewards to young brides and making it harder to get divorced.
(c) Providing financial incentives for couples who have children.
(d) Promoting the benefits of being single and childless.

3. Why are some experts critical of the government’s efforts?
(a) They think the government should focus on other issues instead.
(b) They believe the government should not interfere in personal matters.
(c) They believe the government’s efforts are not genuine.
(d) They think the government’s efforts are too expensive.

4. Which group of single people in China faces different pressures?
(a) Men in cities and women in rural areas.
(b) Women in cities and women in rural areas.
(c) Women in cities and men in rural areas.
(d) Men in cities and men in rural areas.

5. Why do women in cities feel pressure from society?
(a) They believe there is a double standard when it comes to men and women in relationships.
(b) They feel like they have more choices now and don’t have to have children.
(c) They think the government’s efforts to promote marriage and having children are ineffective.
(d) They feel like they are the last generation that has to deal with these expectations.

6. What issue has the government not addressed in their campaigns?
(a) The declining marriage and birth rates in China.
(b) The pressure women in cities feel from society.
(c) The lack of job opportunities in rural areas.
(d) The double standard between men and women in relationships.

7. What do the declining marriage and birth rates in China show?
(a) Young people care more about their own happiness and making their own choices.
(b) The government’s efforts to promote marriage and having children are successful.
(c) Traditional expectations are still important to young people in China.
(d) The economy is doing well and there are plenty of job opportunities.

8. What is the main reason young Chinese people are choosing not to get married and have children?
(a) They believe marriage and having children are outdated traditions.
(b) The government has made it too difficult to get married and have children.
(c) They are too focused on their careers and education.
(d) They care more about their own happiness and making their own choices.

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The government has attempted to make marriage and having children more appealing through rewards for young brides and stricter divorce regulations, but these efforts have not been well-received.
2. The government is trying to encourage young people to get married and have kids, but many are choosing not to due to economic concerns and societal expectations.
3. There are no two groups of single people in China: women in cities and men in rural areas, each facing similar pressures.
4. Women in cities also feel there is no double standard in relationships, with men having to do more housework and childcare.
5. The Chinese government is concerned about the decreasing number of people getting married and having children.
6. Some experts believe that the government does not fully understand why young people, especially women, are making these choices.
7. Young Chinese people are conforming to societal and governmental pressure, prioritizing traditional expectations over their own happiness and personal choices.
8. Women in rural areas feel they have more choices now and do not feel obligated to have children.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Why are young people in China hesitant to get married and have children?
2. What actions has the Chinese government taken to try to make marriage and having kids more attractive?
3. According to the article, why do experts believe the government’s efforts are not working?
4. What are some of the differences between the pressures faced by women in cities and men in rural areas in China?
5. How are young Chinese people responding to the pressures from society and the government regarding marriage and having children?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What concerns does the Chinese government have regarding its population’s marriage and birth rates?
The Chinese government is worried because not as many people are getting married or having kids, which can be a problem for the country’s future.

2. What reasons do many young Chinese have for not wanting to get married or have children?
Young Chinese don’t want to get married or have kids because the economy is tough, there aren’t enough jobs, and what people expect from them is changing.

3. How has the Chinese government tried to make marriage and having children more attractive to young people?
The government is giving rewards to young couples and making it harder to get a divorce to make marriage and having kids seem better.

4. What do some experts believe about the government’s understanding of young people’s choices, particularly women’s?
Experts think the government doesn’t really get why young people, especially women, are deciding not to marry or have kids, and that the government’s efforts aren’t really helping.

5. What are the main concerns for men in rural areas and women in cities regarding marriage?
Men in rural areas worry about jobs and the cost of getting married, while women in cities feel pressure from society and don’t like what’s expected of them.

6. How do women in cities feel about their choices and societal expectations?
Women in cities feel like they have more options now and don’t have to have kids if they don’t want to. They also see a double standard in how men and women are treated in relationships.

7. What issues has the government not addressed in its campaigns to promote marriage and having children?
The government hasn’t talked about the unfair expectations for women to do more at home and with kids, and the pressures city women face.

8. What does the declining marriage and birth rates in China signify about the priorities of young people?
The lower marriage and birth rates show that young people care more about being happy and making their own choices than doing what’s traditionally expected.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) government
(2) children
(3) encourage
(4) brides
(5) understand
(6) young
(7) cities
(8) rural
(9) finding
(10) married
(11) society
(12) think
(13) promote
(14) marriage
(15) Chinese
(16) choices
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. married
Answer: (g) When two people have a wedding and become partners for life

2. children
Answer: (a) Young people that a man and woman have together

3. economy
Answer: (e) The way a country’s money and businesses are doing

4. jobs
Answer: (b) The work that people do to earn money

5. divorced
Answer: (d) When a married couple decides to end their marriage

6. genuine
Answer: (c) When something is real and not fake

7. pressures
Answer: (h) The stress and demands that people feel from society or others

8. expectations
Answer: (f) What people think you should do or how you should act
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why is the Chinese government worried about fewer people getting married and having children?
Answer: (a) The economy is not doing well and there are not enough jobs.

2. What has the government done to make marriage and having children more appealing?
Answer: (b) Giving rewards to young brides and making it harder to get divorced.

3. Why are some experts critical of the government’s efforts?
Answer: (c) They believe the government’s efforts are not genuine.

4. Which group of single people in China faces different pressures?
Answer: (c) Women in cities and men in rural areas.

5. Why do women in cities feel pressure from society?
Answer: (b) They feel like they have more choices now and don’t have to have children.

6. What issue has the government not addressed in their campaigns?
Answer: (d) The double standard between men and women in relationships.

7. What do the declining marriage and birth rates in China show?
Answer: (a) Young people care more about their own happiness and making their own choices.

8. What is the main reason young Chinese people are choosing not to get married and have children?
Answer: (d) They care more about their own happiness and making their own choices.
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The government has attempted to make marriage and having children more appealing through rewards for young brides and stricter divorce regulations, but these efforts have not been well-received. (Answer: True)
2. The government is trying to encourage young people to get married and have kids, but many are choosing not to due to economic concerns and societal expectations. (Answer: True)
3. There are no two groups of single people in China: women in cities and men in rural areas, each facing similar pressures. (Answer: False)
4. Women in cities also feel there is no double standard in relationships, with men having to do more housework and childcare. (Answer: False)
5. The Chinese government is concerned about the decreasing number of people getting married and having children. (Answer: True)
6. Some experts believe that the government does not fully understand why young people, especially women, are making these choices. (Answer: True)
7. Young Chinese people are conforming to societal and governmental pressure, prioritizing traditional expectations over their own happiness and personal choices. (Answer: False)
8. Women in rural areas feel they have more choices now and do not feel obligated to have children. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧