haiyennguyenthi75 3/13/2025 10:57:56 AM

Learning to Love

How would you feel if your parents chose your partner?

In some cultures, parents choose a future husband or wife for their children and then organize a wedding. The reasons for these arranged marriages are complicated, but they’re usually connected with status, traditions and money. This affects some young people in Britain, but they don’t all agree with the practice.

‘I want to wait until the time is right.’

‘There’s a girl I like. I’ve known her since August, when we met on holiday. I’m not thinking of telling my parents yet because it’s nothing serious, but I’m not sure that they will understand if I bring a girlfriend home. I think that there may be a problem in the future. My parents come from a country where families choose a partner for their sons and daughters. They introduced me a girl “from a good family” recently. I hadn’t met her before, so she came to our house with her mother and father. It was a very formal occasion because they all think that this girl will be my future wife, but we didn’t have anything in common. I’m sixteen and I don’t want to get married to anyone at the moment. I want to wait until the time is right and choose my future partner myself. It’s difficult because I respect my parents and I don’t want to upset them.’

Harry, aged 16

‘All relationships require commitment.’

T used to think that “love” marriages were better than arranged marriages, but I’ve changed my mind recently. I’ve met people who are happy in arranged marriages. Maybe they weren’t in love when they got married, but with time they’ve learned to love and respect their partners. On the other hand, some people who are in “love” marriages split up. They’ve been with their partners for years, but they fall out and their marriages end in failure. I think a relationship needs commitment. Love isn’t enough on its own. The couple must be understanding and patient and build up their relationship over time. People can’t just fall in love, get married and hope that everything will perfect forever. That only happens in films.’

Samina, aged 17

1. In an arranged marriage, the parents of the future couple organize the wedding.

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2. Harry hasn’t told his parents about the girl he met on holiday.

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3. Harry got on well with the girl his parents introduced him to.

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4. Harry wants to get married when the time is right.

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5. Samina thinks that arranged marriages don’t work as well as love marriages.

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6. Samina thinks that a relationship needs more than love for it to last.

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7. Samina says that perfect relationships only exist in films.

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9. UNIT 9. Social issues