【Unlocking Word Meanings】
今日の単語・フレーズ
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. adoptive /əˈdɒp tɪv/ (adj.) – describing someone who is adopted or someone who has adopted a child
Example: The government gives assistance to all adoptive parents across the country.
2. union /ˈyun yən/ (n.) – the state of being united
Example: Many people gathered to witness their union in marriage.
3. identical /aɪˈdɛn tɪ kəl/ (adj.) – referring to things or people who look exactly the same
Example: My sister and I have identical earrings.
4. regard /rɪˈgɑrd/ (v.) – to think about something in a specific way
Example: All students and university staff regard him as a medical expert.
5. foster /ˈfɔ stər/ (adj.) – referring to the situation wherein a child is cared for by people he or she is not related to
Example: Children in foster care received high-quality education.
【Article】
ニュース記事
Read the text below.
Adoptive parents from Hesperia, California exchanged rings with their new son to symbolize their union as a family.
Together with their three-year-old adopted child, Todd, Jaime and Arthur Hodge, imitated a marriage ceremony by exchanging rings during their adoption finalization ceremony on November 10, 2015. The couple said the idea of exchanging rings came about because of Todd’s curiosity about their wedding pictures. According to Jaime, 33, and Arthur, 38, the child said that he wanted to have a ring too so he would be married to them.
Nearly 100 children were adopted on that day, but only Todd received a ring from his new parents. Superior Court Judge Lynn Poncin allowed the family’s request to include the exchange of three identical rings bearing the infinity symbol which Jaime ordered prior to the event. Poncin made the adoption official by waving a pink toy magic wand, which she always uses during finalization, and by handing the rings to the Hodge family.
The ceremony was held at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, California. In celebration of National Adoption Month, the annual adoption finalization event happens every November. Aside from this, the ceremony was also done about two weeks before Thanksgiving, which Jaime regarded as the Thanksgiving they have been waiting for.
Todd, who was brought to the foster system because of his biological parents’ inability to care for him, is Jaime and Arthur’s first child. The new parents said that they will keep their foster license open and they expressed their desire to adopt another child in the future, possibly a girl.
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【Viewpoint Discussion】
ディスカッションテーマ
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
· Is foster care common in your country? Why or why not?
· How is adoption done in your country?
Discussion B
· How can a family help improve a child’s growth?
· Describe how children are brought up in your country.
