Read the text on fairy tales and gender stereotypes. Some words are missing. Change the wordar brackets to form the missing word for each gap (1-9). Write your answers in the spaces provided.
The first one (0) has been done for you.
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Fairy tales and gender stereotypes
In The Little Mermaid, who provides Ariel with shelter and a future life of luxury and
(O
- (happy)? Prince Eric. In Cinderella, who brings her out of rags and into riches?
Prince Charming. Seeing a common trend? Fairy tales are part of our (1).
_ (culture) history.
We read them for (2) .
(enjoy), but they also provide us with role models. Do we really want
to teach young children that women are weak and helpless until they can be (3) -
- (save)
by a man? Shouldn't we be challenging these (4)
- (worry) gender roles to keep children more
(5).
(interest)?
Popular books and movies mean we grow up learning from the characters we idolise*, but these stereotypes are (6).
- (disturb) and they don't reflect modern life. A closer study of the themes and
characters in children's pop culture is needed. Some stories have made female characters more (7).
- (power), like Mulan, but unfortunately the stories that support the idea of strong women are
often (8).
- (popular). If we want to get children more (9)
- (excite) about stories that balance
male and female roles so that women are not at a disadvantage, then the tales of castles and princesses may need a little tweaking.