269
TV Ratings
Children in the United States watch from one to five hours of television every day. / That’s a lot of television! / Teachers and parents don’t like a lot of the children’s television programs. / They think a lot of these programs are not suitable for children. / For this reason, every television program in America has a rating. / The ratings tell parents about the program. / Parents can check the ratings in the newspaper and this gives parents a choice. / TV-G programs are suitable for all ages, and families watch them together. / TV-Y programs are suit- able for children 2-6, and they don’t frighten children. / TV-PG programs are suitable for some children, but they can frighten children. / Some parents watch these programs with their children. / Then, they can answer their children’s questions. / TV-14 programs are suitable for children 14 and older. / TV-MA programs are for adults, 17 and older. / They are not suitable for children. / 268
The Functions of the Family
The family fulfills a number of roles, / such as providing education and recreational activities. / Yet there are several major functions performed by the family. / First, unlike the young of animals, / human infants need constant care and economic security. / In all cultures, the family assumes ultimate responsibility for the protection of children. / Second, parents monitor a child's behavior / and transmit the values and language of a Culture to the child. / Third, ideally, the family provides members with warm and intimate relationships / and helps them to feel satisfied and secure. / Unlike other institutions, the family is obliged to serve the emotional needs of its members. / Finally, family resources affect children's ability to pursue certain opportunities / such as higher education and specialized study. / It is apparent, then, that the family has been assigned / at least four vital functions within human societies. /
267 Stress
As the pace of life continues to increase, / we are fast losing the art of relaxation. / Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, / it is hard to slow down. / But relaxation
is essential for a healthy mind and body. / Stress is a natural part of everyday life. / In fact, it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be. / A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation. / It is only when the stress gets out of control / that it can lead to poor performance. / The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individ- ual. / Some people are not afraid of stress, / others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. / Since we cannot remove stress from our lives, / we need to find ways to deal with it. / 266 Laws
Before laws were written, there was no sure way / of knowing what was permitted and what was forbid- den. / One judge might apply one set of rules to a case / while another judge might apply completely different rules to a similar case. / It all depended on the personal judgment of one person. / Today we follow the custom of recording our laws. / Rules passed by our lawmakers are printed and avail- able for everyone to see. / Unless laws are publicly available, / we do not regard
them as binding. /
Each of us is subject to many different sets of laws. / Some laws say what is permitted, such as how fast you may drive. / Other laws say what is required, such as paying a federal income tax. / Still other laws say what is prohibited, such as smoking in elevators. / In the United States, federal laws apply to everyone / and state laws apply to activities within each state. / 265
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day is one of the most truly American holidays in the United States/and is most closely connected with the earliest history of the country. / In 1620, the settlers, or Pilgrims, sailed to America on the May Flower, /seeking a place where they could have freedom of worship. /After a two-month tempestuous voyage they landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts in the icy November. / During their first winter, over half of the settlers died of starvation or epidemics. / Those who survived began sowing in the first spring. / All summer long they waited for the harvests with great anxiety,
/knowing that their lives and the future existence of the colony/depended on the coming harvest. / Finally the fields produced a rich yield beyond expectations. /And therefore it was decided/that a day of thanksgiving to the Lord be fixed. / Years later, a President of the United States proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day every year. / The celebration of Thanksgiving Day has been observed on that date until today. 264
The Father and His Sons
A father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarreling among themselves. / When he failed to heal their disputes, / he determined to give them a practical illustration of disunion; /and for this purpose he told them to bring him a bundle of sticks. /When they had done so, he placed the faggot into the hands of each of them in succession, /and ordered them to break it in pieces. /They tried with all their strength, and were not able to do it. /He next opened the faggot,/took the sticks separately, one by one,/and again put them into his sons' hands, upon which they broke them easily. /He then addressed them in these words: /
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