Question

Dear Amy, My in-laws are all the products of failed marriages, so there are blood relatives and step relatives to deal with on both sides of the aisle. For years, my in-laws have told my children that my wife’s stepmother’s grandchildren are their cousins. This alone is not true, since these kids are only involved in our lives due to marriage. I just keep talking to my kids and explaining to them the way the family tree works and that these kids are not their cousins. At one point, my oldest son got mad and told one of these kids that he was not his real cousin, and then my in-laws confronted my son about what he said. They were apparently upset about it. Amy, I am not going to create a world that does not exist. They are stuck on taking in these kids that have zero actual blood relation to them at all. I stand my ground on this, and my wife just thinks that I am being an ass. Your thoughts? Disturbed Dad

Disturbed Dad, Before you spend the rest of your life carefully studying a family tree at every potluck dinner, remember that “family” isn’t some exclusive club that you get to join by having two or more of the same biological relatives. People in highly functioning and inclusive families will tell you that all you have to do to be a part of any family is to be considered part of the family. This means being included, regardless of your biological status, and reveling in relationships that are auntlike, grandparent-like or cousinlike. It is wise to explain truthfully all of these many and varied relationships to your children, but to use loaded terms like “real family” only underlines your emotional ignorance about relationships. Your in-laws are doing a wonderful thing accepting these children, so put down the genealogy chart and apologize. After all, if we follow your logic, then your in-laws shouldn’t be accepting you as family either; you aren’t related to them by blood, so you aren’t their “real family.” The good news is, if you continue to treat your wife’s family this way, you won’t have to worry about keeping the blood relatives and the step-relatives in this family straight — given your lack of good manners, these family members might disregard you in favor of someone who is more open, accepting and inclusive. Amy

1.The Disturbed Dad’s in-laws were upset because _______.

A. they all had failed marriages    B. they knew of the Dad’s thoughts

C. one of the grandsons got mad    D. some kids had no blood relation

2.What’s Amy’s attitude towards the Disturbed Dad’s opinion?

A. Objective.    B. Negative.

C. Doubtful.    D. Cautious.

3.Amy may agree that _______.

A. the Dad shouldn’t be narrow-minded about the family tree

B. it’s necessary to consider biological relationships in a family

C. the Dad shouldn’t be accepted as family by their in-laws

D. it’s good news for the family members to disregard the Dad

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.A

【解析】本文是两封信，父亲受困于再婚的关系处理中，写信向女儿Amy求助。女儿Amy对父亲狭隘的家族观点不太赞同，要父亲不能只从血缘看问题。

1.B推理判断题。根据第一封信第四段At one point, my oldest son got mad and told one of these kids that he was not his real cousin, and then my in-laws confronted my son about what he said. They were apparently upset about it.可知，他们不高兴的原因是知道父亲的想法，父亲不认为与他们是一家人。故选B。

2.B推理判断题。根据第二封信最后一段最后一句given your lack of good manners, these family members might disregard you in favor of someone who is more open, accepting and inclusive.可知，艾米对父亲不安的看法是负面的，即认为父亲不对。故选B。

3.A推理判断题。根据第二封信第二段中This means being included, regardless of your biological status, and reveling in relationships that are auntlike, grandparent-like or cousinlike. It is wise to explain truthfully all of these many and varied relationships to your children,可知，艾米可能会同意父亲不应该对家庭树有狭隘的态度。故选A。