英美概况社会生活 Social Life.ppt

Social Life Chapter I The Family British society is based on family life and the family is a self-contained economic and social unit with mother, father and children living together alone in their own house. So marriage signifies the beginning of a new and independent family and means a great deal in British life. 1. Marriage In terms of marriage no child can marry below the age of sixteen, whether with or without the parents’ consent. Between 16 to 18 the parents’ content is necessary. But over the age of 18 the parents’ consent is unnecessary. Nowadays it is quite normal for a girl of 16 to go out with a boyfriend. If they are together for a long time and know each other well, they will invite each other to their house to meet their parents on the basis of “going steady”. The first step towards the wedding is an engagement ring which is placed on the third finger of the girl’s left hand. For the wedding, many British couples go to church to have the ceremony, no matter whether they are religious or not. For the church ceremony the girl is usually dressed in a long white dress and attended by her close relatives and friends. The bride and bridegroom make considerable promises of loyalty to each other, but first of all the vicar(教区牧师) will ask them whether each is willing to marry the other. The bride is given away by a close relative to her husband, usually by her father, which indicate that the bond of marriage is stronger than any previous family bonds, stronger than the bond between the bride and her mother. After the wedding there is always a reception of a light meal to which all the relatives and friends are invited. 2. Meals British meals are an important element in family life, because British meals have a great effect on family life when the family members sit together round the table at definite time. Visits at meal time are impolite. They do not expect you to be invited to share the meal. Breakfast Breakfast is of