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)
π Vocabulary:
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.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
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.
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.
The government is giving rewards to young couples and making it harder to get a divorce to make marriage and having kids seem better.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
China's is worried about the fact that fewer people are getting married and having . They are trying to 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 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 why 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 and men in areas. Men in rural areas have to worry about things like a good job and paying a lot of money to get , while women in cities feel pressure from 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 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 and having children. Young 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 than following traditional expectations.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
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
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π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
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