ENS

Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.

Lesson Info

Type
Social Post
Level
3 / B1
Published
Title
Wife Says "No" to Staying Home
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/smposts/wife-says-no-to-staying-at-home/

Lesson Content

Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio

Understanding: Read the Comments, Why Did They Post?, True or False, Put Events in Order, Multiple Choice

Language: Vocab Match

Use It: Discussion Builder, Discussion Questions

Answers

Why do some parents choose to stay home with their children while others keep working?

Angry woman pointing and yelling in a bright living room, one hand on her hip, wearing a gray tank top, beige cardigan, and jeans.
Marcus made his wife angry.

Vocab List

Expecting (v.) — Waiting for a baby to be born.
Offended (adj.) — Feeling hurt or angry because of something someone said or did.
Dropout (n.) — A person who leaves school before finishing.
Servant (n.) — A person who works in another person's home doing cleaning and cooking.
Receptionist (n.) — A person who answers phones and greets visitors at a business.
Dinner (n.) — The main meal in the evening.
Housework (n.) — Cleaning, cooking, and other jobs done at home.
Hated (v.) — Disliked very much.
Reading

My wife and I are expecting our first baby. I am 29, and she is 25. I have a good job and make about $180,000 a year.

My wife is a college dropout. She works as a receptionist at a bakery company. She has worked there for three years. She earns about $18 per hour.

My wife already does most of the housework. While I am at work, she cleans the house and cooks dinner. She chooses to do this. I never ask her to do everything. I try to help, but the work is usually done before I get home.

Last night at dinner, she was talking about her job. She said she hated it. I suggested that maybe she could be a stay-at-home mom. She already does the housework, and she will be a mother soon.

She looked offended. She told me she would never stay home all day to be my "servant." She was angry at me for suggesting it.

I thought I was being helpful. Am I wrong?

Wife Says "No" to Staying Home

Level 3 Social
Warm-up → or → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

Angry woman pointing and yelling in a bright living room, one hand on her hip, wearing a gray tank top, beige cardigan, and jeans.
Marcus made his wife angry.
Poster
Marcus

My wife and I are expecting our first baby. I am 29, and she is 25. I have a good job and make about $180,000 a year.

My wife is a college dropout. She works as a receptionist at a bakery company. She has worked there for three years. She earns about $18 per hour.

My wife already does most of the housework. While I am at work, she cleans the house and cooks dinner. She chooses to do this. I never ask her to do everything. I try to help, but the work is usually done before I get home.

Last night at dinner, she was talking about her job. She said she hated it. I suggested that maybe she could be a stay-at-home mom. She already does the housework, and she will be a mother soon.

She looked offended. She told me she would never stay home all day to be my "servant." She was angry at me for suggesting it.

I thought I was being helpful. Am I wrong?

Read the Comments

Read the Comments

  • DirectDad

    I think you made a mistake. You should not tell your wife what to do. That was not a good idea.

    This comment

    c. Criticizes him for telling his wife what to do
  • GentleAdvice

    I think you meant well. It sounds like you wanted to help your family. Maybe talk to her again and explain your feelings.

    This comment

    a. Recognizes he was trying to help and suggests talking to her again
  • ConcernedFriend

    What about your relationship? This could become a big problem if you don't talk about it soon.

    This comment

    b. Warns that the conflict could damage the relationship
  1. a. Recognizes he was trying to help and suggests talking to her again
  2. b. Warns that the conflict could damage the relationship
  3. c. Criticizes him for telling his wife what to do

Speaker: American Female  Duration: 1:09  YouTube

Listen Closely

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

My wife and I are (1) our first baby. I am 29, and she is 25. I have a good job and make about $180,000 a year.

My wife is a college dropout. She works as a (2) at a bakery company. She has worked there for three years. She earns about $18 per hour.

My wife already does most of the (3) . While I am at work, she cleans the house and cooks (4) . She chooses to do this. I never ask her to do everything. I try to help, but the work is usually done before I get home.

Last night at dinner, she was talking about her job. She said she (5) it. I suggested that maybe she could be a stay-at-home mom. She already does the housework, and she will be a mother soon.

She looked (6) . She told me she would never stay home all day to be my "servant." She was angry at me for suggesting it.

I thought I was being helpful. Am I wrong?

Listen and Fill Gaps

Loading listening activity...

Discussion Builder

  1. Q: Why did his wife feel offended? Can you understand her reaction?

    A:
Use It

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. Q: Why did his wife feel offended? Can you understand her reaction?

    A: I can understand her reaction his suggestion made it seem like he did not respect her job or choices.

    because / unless / although / if

    I can understand her reaction because his suggestion made it seem like he did not respect her job or choices.

  2. Marcus says his wife already does most of the housework. she cleans the house and cooks dinner while he is at work.

    But, / I think, / For example, / Also,

    Marcus says his wife already does most of the housework. For example, she cleans the house and cooks dinner while he is at work.

  3. They are expecting a baby soon. it is important for them to talk about work and childcare plans.

    To me, / For example, / Also, / So,

    They are expecting a baby soon. So, it is important for them to talk about work and childcare plans.

Discussion Questions
  1. Did Marcus make a good suggestion? Why or why not?
  2. Why did his wife feel offended? Can you understand her reaction?
  3. What advice would you give Marcus?
  4. Did your parents both work? Or did one of them stay home?
  5. Do you think it is better for one parent to stay home with a baby?
  6. Is one income enough, or do most families need two incomes?
  7. How can couples share housework fairly?
  8. What are the benefits and challenges of being a stay-at-home parent?

Discussion Questions

  1. Did Marcus make a good suggestion? Why or why not?
  2. Why did his wife feel offended? Can you understand her reaction?
  3. What advice would you give Marcus?
  4. Did your parents both work? Or did one of them stay home?
  5. Do you think it is better for one parent to stay home with a baby?
  6. Is one income enough, or do most families need two incomes?
  7. How can couples share housework fairly?
  8. What are the benefits and challenges of being a stay-at-home parent?

Answers Wife Says "No" to Staying Home / Level 3

Read the Comments:

  1. DirectDad: c. Criticizes him for telling his wife what to do
  2. GentleAdvice: a. Recognizes he was trying to help and suggests talking to her again
  3. ConcernedFriend: b. Warns that the conflict could damage the relationship

Listening: (1) expecting, (2) receptionist, (3) housework, (4) dinner, (5) hated, (6) offended

Why Did They Post?: He wants to know whether his suggestion to his wife was reasonable or offensive.

True or False:

  1. True. Marcus earns about $180,000 a year while his wife earns about $18 per hour as a receptionist.
  2. False. The text says she is a college dropout, which means she did not finish.
  3. False. Marcus says he never asks her to do everything. She chooses to do the housework.
  4. False. She looked offended and was angry at Marcus for suggesting it.

Multiple Choice: b, c, c, c

Put Events in Order:

  1. His wife started working as a receptionist at a bakery company.
  2. Marcus and his wife found out they were expecting their first baby.
  3. At dinner, his wife said she hated her job.
  4. Marcus suggested she could be a stay-at-home mom.
  5. His wife became angry and said she would not be his "servant."

Vocabulary:

  1. Expecting: Waiting for a baby to be born.
  2. Dropout: A person who leaves school before finishing.
  3. Receptionist: A person who answers phones and greets visitors at a business.
  1. Housework: Cleaning, cooking, and other jobs done at home.
  2. Offended: Feeling hurt or angry because of something someone said or did.
  3. Servant: A person who works in another person's home doing cleaning and cooking.

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Example. 3) Result.

  1. because
  2. For example,
  3. So,

eslnewsstories.com