B1 – Intermediate
Almost everyone belongs to a family. We can’t imagine to exist without someone else who cared for us when we were young. We need a family.
What else is the meaning of family to you? The following article lets you know the response of other teens and young adults about how their families make them happy.
Read the article below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.
What makes teens and twenty-somethings happy? According to a survey, spending time with family made people in this age group the most happy. Time with friends came in second place, and time with a boyfriend or girlfriend came in third place. Almost no one said money brought happiness.
Seventy-three percent said that a good relationship with their parents made them feel good. In addition, when they looked for a role model, almost half of the people who took the questionnaire mentioned one of their parents. Moms ranked higher than dads, though.
Some of the discoveries were less positive. White people generally felt happier than black people or Hispanics in all economic categories. And as for stress, kids had a 10% higher rate than adults. Younger respondents said school stressed them out the most. Older people were worried about jobs and finances.
The survey also wanted to know whether today’s youth will remain happy in the future. Sixty-two percent of teens believed the future will bring more happiness. However, they also expect to have a more difficult life than their parents.
Source: headsupenglish.com
Discussion Questions:
- What are the top three things that make you happy? Why are they the most important things to you?
- Who is your role model in life? Why do you look up to them?
- What are some things that worry or stress you out? Why are you stressed out by this?
- Do you think the future will bring more happiness for everyone? Why or why not?
- Do you agree or disagree that we could have a more difficult life than our parents? Elaborate on your stand.
10 replies on “Happiness Is… Family?!”
What are the top three things that make you happy? Why are they the most important things to you?
Spending time with my family is what makes me happy the most. Spending time with my friends also makes me happy. Traveling is something that makes me happy two, so traveling with my family or friends is in the top of my list.
Who is your role model in life? Why do you look up to them?
My role model is my father. I think he is a good person and I also like how he faces the problems in like. I would like to look like him.
What are some things that worry or stress you out? Why are you stressed out by this?
Having to do tasks in job in rush without having enough time to think is something that stress me a lot. Also, thoughts about losing my job and not having enough money to pay my bills, make me feel stressed out sometimes.
Do you think the future will bring more happiness for everyone? Why or why not?
Somentimes I think about bad things that could happen and it gets me anxious. Hoever, other times I see the future as an oportunity to improve.
Do you agree or disagree that we could have a more difficult life than our parents? Elaborate on your stand.
I don’t agree, at least in my case. I think that my parents had to face difficult times and they storved to provide their children an easier life.
You did a very good job answering the discussion questions for this lesson.
See how you can revise these sentences:
Until your next entry!
1. The top three things that make me happy are my family, my friends and my job. The reason is that families are important because they give us unlimited love, people around you whom you can always count on, whom you can always share your problems, whom you can play with all the time. Friends give us emotional support and job because I need money to do the things I like as travel, sport…
2. My role model when I was a child was my mother, because she was a good mother, good friend, good daughter and good wife.
3. Some things that worry or stress me out are bad health, problems in my family, no have a job…
4. I don’t know if the future will bring more happiness for everyone. It is not easy to know. I think the most important thing in the heath.
5. I disagree that we could have a more difficult life than our parents. We have more facilities and opportunities.
Thank you very much for leaving your answers to this lesson’s discussion questions. You did a very good job!
Here is a sentence you can revise:
Thank you for doing your very best in your every entry.
1. What makes a family successful? Why do you think so?
I believe that in a family, communication and respect are very important. Communication between family member is important for can know how your parent be, and respect because you have to respect all opinions and their way of being.
2. Were you happy as a child?
Yes, I had all I needed. Good family, good friends, clothes, food and educations. My parents worked hard for can give me all this.
3. Many people think the future will be more difficult. What do you think?
I dont’t think so. For example, my grandma lived in a years of war. For example, in a Spanish Civil War or in a Second World War. Nowadays, we have many confortabilities.
4. Who was your role model as a child? Why?
My role model when I was a child was my father, because he is a good man, good father, good friend, good son and good husband. Today it still is.
5. If you won $1,000,000, would you be happy? Why/not?
I don’t believe it. I might have a better house or car, but, I think that have a good job or a good relationship with my family and friends is more important.
Thank you so much for taking the time answering this lesson’s discussion questions. We are looking forward to your next comments!
Please take a look at how you can improve this sentence:
Communication between family member is important for can know how your parent be, and respect because you have to respect all opinions and their way of being.
Until your next entries then!
1. What makes a family successful? Why do you think so?
I think a good communication is the key of healthy relationships. A good communication give us the chance to get support when we need it or cherish a success.
2. Were you happy as a child?
Yes, I was a happy child. I had a loving family, good friends and my mother always encourage me to pursuit my dreams.
3. Many people think the future will be more difficult. What do you think?
For sure I have more difficulties in my life than my parents had, the time that I live is very different than my parents.
4. Who was your role model as a child? Why?
My role model is my bellowed aunt Rachel. She is a wonderful woman, independent with strong convictions of what she wants for her life. Don’t get me wrong I love my parents very much, but my aunt is also my best friend.
5. If you won $1,000,000, would you be happy? Why/not?
I will be so happy, because my husband and I live far from our families and with that kind of money we can buy a house for my mother and one for my mother in-law near to us.
Thanks again for taking time in answering this lesson’s discussion questions. You are doing a very good job. Keep going with it.
Just some minor revisions you need to do in the following sentences:
I think a good communication is the key of healthy relationships.
Agood communication give us the chance to get support when we need it or cherishasuccess.1. What makes a family successful? Why do you think so?
For me, in a family is very important the closeness because if they have a good communication between them, their union are stronger and this family will know to fight to future problems.
2. Were you happy as a child?
I remember my first ages with love, specially when I lived in the building where my grandfather worked like a concierge. Yes, in this part of my life, I was happy.
3. Many people think the future will be more difficult. What do you think?
I think the same. In a moment in our life, when you grow and mature, you start to know a new and relevant situations in the life.
The world, the society, the technology, etc are change and is difficult to get used to this changes.
4. Who was your role model as a child? Why?
I didn’t grow with a role model. I growed with a values, love, teaching and another situations that they were relevants to create my personality and thoughts.
5. If you won $1,000,000, would you be happy? Why/not?
Not but it’s true that this money help me to forget a lot of life problems.
You gave it your best answering the questions. Well done.
Here are a few corrections on your answer to question # 4: