8 | can talk about families A Why do families argue? Whats it about your own flesh and blood? I've got two sisters. They used to fight like cat and dog when they were kids, and there's little love lost between them now. But as soon as an outsider criticizes either of them, they immediately close ranks and turn on them. It’s abit the same with me and ry wife. When we'e together we argue, but when we're apart, were miserable as sin, How do you account for that? I guess living on top of each other doesn't help, and I'm sure we take each other for granted a lot ofthe time, But families are strange! era your own flesh and blood person or people that you are related to. fight like cat and dog (of two people) afien have angry fights. there's|ittle/no love lost between them = they don't like each other. close ranks If people close ranks, they join together to protect themselves, especially when they are being criticized. turn onsb attack sb suddenly and unexpectedly. (as) miserable as sin 1NF used to emphasize that sb is very unhappy. account for sth be the explanation or cause of sth. take sb for granted be so accustomed to sb that you don't appreciate them, erie They live on top of each other. = very close to each other (which often causes problems) He gets commission on top of his salary. = in addition to his salary. ‘The books were piled on top of one another. = on, over, or covering one another. 1 Replace the words in italics with an idiom or phrasal verb that keeps a similar meaning. 1 When she left him, he was so unhappy. In addition to all the family problems, he’s split up with his girlfriend. You can't abandon them: they're members of your family. She suddenly attacked me for no reason. His surname’ different from his brother's. How do you explain that? Living so close to one another is a problem. My brothers argue bitterly all the time. They don't like each other. eVounun 2 Complete the sentences. 1 Isittrue we fight more with our own and blood? if so, why? 2 Did you ever fight like cat and with any of your brothers or sisters! 3. Doyou think members of your family would close if criticized? 4 Do you ever feel your family are living on of each other? 5 Have any members of your farnily ever turned you? If'so, why? 6 Doyouever any of your family for granted? If so, who? 2 ABOUT YOU Write your own answers to Exercise 2 in your notebook, or talk to another student. 24 PeopleB Being a middle child Middle child syndrome Being the middle child ofthree can result in ‘middle-child syndrome. ‘The firstborn often gets the most attention and is put on a pedestal: the last to be born isthe baby and tends to get away with murder. ‘The middle child, though, can feel neglected, squeezed out by their siblings, and starved of attention. Some studies have backed this up. suggesting that middle children who feel left out may distance themselves from others and become loners. It isimportant, therefore, that parents make a point of lavishing attention on the middle child and praising their achievements, And on the positive side, studies show that the middle child is often more creative and artistic than the others. CEST I resultin sth cause a particular situation to happen. put sb ona pedestal admire sb so much that you do not see their faults. get away with murder _ryF do whatever you want without being stopped or punished. squeeze sb out (usually passive) Ifsb is squeezed out, they are no longer included in sth that they were previously involved in. starve sh/sth of sth (usually passive) Ifyou are starved of sth, you do not have enough of sth that you need. back sth/sb up. support sth/sb; say that what sb says or writes is true, leave sb out not include sb. distance yourself from sth become less involved or connected with sth. makea pointofdoingsth —makea special effort to do sth. lavish sth on sb give alot, often too much, of sth to sb. 4 One word is missing, Where does it go? Write it at the end. Itcan result { serious problems. in They lavish far too much money their children. There’ a danger that they will their son on a pedestal. Shes very naughty; they let her get with murder. Since the divorce, he's distanced from his family. No wonder the child was unhappy; she was of attention. Try to point of praising your middle child's creati auawnasy 5 Complete this story of one middle child. It true that the firstborn is put ona (1) and the third child gets away with (2) but in my case it didn't (3) in me becoming an underachiever. Quite the opposite, made a @, of ensuring that I wasn't squeezed (5) or (6) ofattention. In fact, I craved attention and fought really hard to excel n everything, I became an overachiever. Now I don't fel lefi(7) by my parents. Wehave a very good relationship and I feel they (8) me up in everything I do, Mind you, they still (9) ‘more attention on my: younger sister than me, But I don't mind that now. 6 ABOUT YOU Are you the middle child of three, or do you know any middle children? If so, is there any truth in what the text says? Write in your notebook, or talk to another student. People 25