In today's lecture, I'll talk about the American families from the following five aspects: family structures, the emphasis on individual freedoms, the role of the child, equality in the family, and family values. First, family structures. What is the typical American family like? If Americans are asked to name the members of their families, family structure becomes clear. Married American adults will name their husband or wife and their children,if they have any, as their "immediate family". If they mention their father, mother, sisters, or brothers, they will define them as separate units, usually living in separate households. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are considered "extended family." Traditionally, the American family has been a nuclear family,consisting of a husband, wife and their children, and living in a house or apartment. Grandparents rarely live in the same home with their married sons or daughters, and uncles and aunts almost never do. extended


在今天的讲座中，我会从以下五个方面谈一谈美国家庭：家庭结构、对个人自由的追求、孩子在家庭中充当的角色、家庭平等以及家庭价值观。首先来看看美国家庭的结构，即：美国典型家庭是怎么样的？只要你询问美国人的家庭成员，他们的家庭结构也就显而易见了。已婚的成年人会将他们的丈夫或妻子，以及子女（如果有的话）称为直接家庭成员。而当他们提到自己的父母和兄弟姐妹，他们就会分别介绍，因为他们分开住。叔叔、婶婶、堂兄弟、祖父母等则被称为大家庭中的成员。传统的美国家庭通常是由丈夫、妻子和子女组成的核心家庭，他们居住在同一所房子或公寓。祖父母很少和自己已婚的成年子女住在一起。而叔叔、婶婶等几乎都没有和这些成年子女住在一起。