13. Reading Skills Comprehension: Adoption

Adoption

Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow them:

Adoption means establishing a bond between a couple (the adopters) and a child (the adoptee) which is legal, socially and morally equivalent to that between parents and their biological children. The adoptive couples assume the same rights and responsibilities in relation to the child as in a biological relationship and so does the adopted child towards his adoptive parents.

Adoption has been prevalent in India since ancient times. However, until the recent past, it has been mainly to fulfil the needs of the parents, i.e. to have a male child to perform the last rites or to acquire an heir to inherit the family name and property. Childless couples or those without a male child usually adopted a child from their own extended family or at least belonging to their own caste and community. The child’s needs were secondary, although usually, a strong parent-child bond did develop.

Today, when a couple decides to adopt, the above reasons continue to be a major motivating factor. Almost equally potent is the desire to avoid the stigma attached to barrenness. However, more couples are now having reservations about adopting a child whose parents are known to them and are instead seeking children about whose background they may have little or no information. This is to avoid divided loyalties and possible interference in the care and upbringing of the child they adopt.

While India continues to have a high birth rate, there are also thousands of couples who are childless. In their desperation to become parents, they go from pillar to post and frequently spend thousands of rupees in trying out various methods like in vitro fertilisation, which still have a very low success rate Many approach hospitals and private nursing homes and with the active assistance of medical and other staff, obtain unwanted children born therein , often clandestinely. Unfortunately, not many people seem to be aware of the existence of destitute children in institutions, languishing for want of a loving home, or that there are competent child welfare organisations which can help them to fulfil their desire for a child at the same time ensuring that their interests and those of the child are fully protected from all angles, including the important aspect of confidentiality. Details about such organisation are available with the State Department of Directorate of Social Welfare, and couples seriously considering adoption would do better to approach only such organisations rather than depending on the dubious and unreliable assistance of unauthorized persons in hospitals and nursing homes.

Questions

1. Adoption means establishing a bond between the adopters and …………..

2. The adopted child assumes the same rights ………………as in a biological relationship in hospitals.

3. The child’s needs are ………….

4. There is a strong desire to avoid the stigma attached………….

5. Couples are now having reservations about adopting a child whose parents are……………

6. They seek children about whose backing round they may have little or ………….

7. Many approach hospitals to obtain unwanted children born therein, often …………

8. Couples seriously considering on ………….assistance of unauthorized persons in hospitals.

Answers

1.the adoptee

2. and responsibilities