I feel bereft since my daughters moved abroad. How can we be close again?

This is a list of key vocabulary and expressions from the article in order of how useful they are. The student must choose 6 items from the list to study in the lesson.

Abroad

Eventually

To consider (doing) something

To wonder

To sound good/ interesting/ strange etc.

To assume (something)

To be overwhelmed

To adore (someone/ something)

I don’t want them to see me crying

To raise (someone)

To occur

In the meantime

If this were possible (shorter, more frequent calls) they wouldn’t become such a ‘thing’.

Fairly

Grief

To feel for someone

To heal

Hence

To trigger

To take (something/ someone) for granted

To come across (as something)

To hold out

To berate

Along the lines (of something)

To be bereft (of something)

15 conversation-provoking questions related to the article.

1.       How does the mother describe her problem?

2.       What advice does Annalisa provide?

3.       Do you think her two daughters are bad daughters?

4.       Do you think the mother should be honest about her feelings to her daughters?

5.       Do you think the mother should just move to one of the countries where her daughter lives?

6.       Did you feel guilty when you first moved abroad?

7.       Do you think having grandchildren is important for older people?

8.       Is it important for you to maintain very close contact with all of your family members, all of the time?

9.       How did you feel when you first left home?

10.     What would be your dream retirement?

11.     Did you spend a lot of time with your grandparents?

12.     Is living in a multi-generational household a good idea?

13.     Do you like using video calls to keep in touch with people?

14.     Did you have lots of fights and arguments with your family when you were younger?

15.     Did you want to spend time with your family when you were a teenager?