Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage. It is well known that some cultures prefer sons to daughters. In contrast, surveys have revealed that some people would rather have a daughter than a son. Apparently, each of these preference has its explanation in the local culture . Around the world , people who prefer sons have similar reasons .In many countries , sons are valued because they can work and contribute to the family income . Also , sons will be able to support their parents when the parents are old . In some cultures , sons are important because they enable the family name to continue for another generation . This is because the wife in these cultures takes her husband’s family name , and more or less “belongs ”to the husband’s family . In addition , having a daughter can sometimes cause difficult for a family . In India , for example , having a daughter can be a burden because the family has to pay a dowry when the girl gets married . Generally ,people think traditional cultures are the ones in which boys are preferred . Research seems to support this belief . However , according to a survey conducted in 2000, people in the Czech Republic , Lithuania , Portugal , and the Caribbean prefer to have daughters . The researchers said that parents in these societies do not need to have the same economic situation that exists in other countries , so they do not need to have a son to help make money . Instead , families in these countries want daughters for emotional reasons . Many mothers think they will have a better relationship with a daughter than a son , for example . In addition ,they think daughters will take better care of them when they are old . In Japan , a similar trend has emerged . This might come as a surprise to some , because only one generation ago , the Japanese favored sons . In 1982 , over half of Japanese couples surveyed would want a boy if they could have only one child . A survey done in 1997 , on the other hand , found that 75 percent wanted a girl ! Some Japanese couples say they want to have daughters because they think daughters are cuter and easier to raise . Japanese couples also worry about being taken care of when they are old . If they have to live with their children when they are very old , many Japanese parents would want to live with a daughter . “A sons wife would be a stranger and harder to ask for help ,” one Japanese mother said . Critics warn that preference for a daughter is just as bad as preference for a son . “Instead of valuing children for the social roles they are expected to fill , parents must learn to value children as individuals ,” critics say . when that is the case, parents will be equally pleased with a son or daughter . Questions: Critics maintain that children should be treated by their parents as ___.