Topic:
This article discusses the growing preference for baby girls
in South Korea.
Before reading:
General Knowledge:
- Can you find the country of South Korea on a map? What do you know about this country?
- In some parts of the world, boys have been valued more highly than girls. What are some reasons that this might happen? How can this affect the male-female balance in the population?
- What are some consequences of a much larger number of one gender than another?
Speculate:
- "To have two daughters wins you a gold medal" is a new saying in South Korea. What do you think it means? What does it suggest about South Korean culture?
- Some South Korean parents now hope to have daughters instead of sons. What might they feel is an advantage of having a daughter?
Click on the embedded link below to read the article, hear
the audio report, and see photos on the PRI website. Word count: 952
After reading:
Review and discuss:
- Write a 3-4 sentence summary of this article. Begin your summary with "This article is about…".
- Based on information in the article, what do you think are the biggest differences between the lives and preferences of young mothers now and those of young mothers one or two generations ago?
- Some of the cultural changes in South Korea are attributed to the fact that many people have converted from Buddhism to Christianity. In addition to religious values, what are some other forces that can cause change in a culture? What factors are most likely to influence change in your culture?
- Some South Koreans believe that daughters are better at caring for elderly parents than sons. What do you think about this? Do you agree?
- In your opinion, what was the most interesting thing mentioned in this article? Why?
Reflect and evaluate:
- The article mentions some traditional Buddhist rituals that included different roles for males and females. Can you think of any customs or traditions that are different for men and women where you live? Have these traditions changed over time, or have they stayed the same?
- The article says that women in South Korea still face challenges: pressure to conform to certain beauty standards, harassment, and sexism in the workplace, for example. How does this compare to your own culture? If you are a woman, have you experienced any of these things?
- Is there anything else you'd like to know about this topic? Do you have any questions that weren't answered in the article?
- What vocabulary words were new to you in this article? Make a record of what you have learned.
Join the conversation: add your thoughts about this article
in the comments section below. And don't forget to share this post with your
friends!
