My Daughter

James Mitford: My wife and I only had the one child. It might have been nice to have a son, but we didn't plan a family. We just had Amy. I see her as my best friend. I think she'd always come to see me first if she had a problem. We have the same sense of humour, and share interests. I don't mind animals, but she's completely obsessed with them, and she has always had dogs, cats, horses, and goldfish in her life.

We were closest when she was about four, which I think is a lovely age for a child. They know the parents best, and don't have the outside contacts. She must have grown up suddenly when she went to school, because I remember her growing away from her family slightly. Any father who has a teenage daughter comes across an extraordinary collection of people, and there seemed to be an endless stream of strange young men coming through our house. By the time I'd learned their names they'd gone away and I had to start learning a new lot. I remember I told her off once in front of her friends and she didn't talk to me for days afterwards.

I wanted more than anything else for her to be happy in what she was doing, and I was prepared to pull strings to help her on her way. She went to a good school, but that didn't work out. She must have upset somebody. When she left she decided she wanted to become an actress so I got her into drama school. It wasn't to her liking so she joined a theatre group and began doing bits and pieces in films. She was doing well, but then gave it up. She probably found it boring. Then she took up social work, and finally went to work for a designer and he became her husband. And that's really the story of her life. She must be happy with him - they're always together.

We have the same tastes in books and music, but it takes me awhile to get used to new pop songs. I used to take her to see the opera, which is my big passion, but I don't think she likes it very much. She doesn't come with me anymore.

I don't think she's a big television watcher. She knows when I'm on, and she might watch, but I don't know. It's not the kind of thing she tells me.

We're very grateful for Amy. She's a good daughter as daughters go. We're looking forward to being grandparents. I'm sure she’ll have a great son.

Decide which of the statements are true and which are false. Mark + the true statements - the false ones.

1. James Mitford and his wife had one child.
2. Amy is his best friend.
3. James is completely obsessed with animals and his daughter doesn't mind them.
4. In James' opinion they were closest when she was five.
5. His daughter grew up suddenly.
6. James didn't meet his teenage daughter's collection of strange young people visiting their house.
7. He was prepared to pull strings to help his daughter on her way.
8. Father and daughter have the same tastes in books and music, but she doesn't like opera very much.
9. Amy is not a big television watcher.
10. Her parents are looking forward to being grandparents.

Unit Four