What can we infer from the figures about the American h……
第三篇
Changes in the American
Family How much change has really occurred in the American
family and what are the implications of these changes First, the household size
has changed greatly since 1790. From 1790 to 1978 the mean family size was cut
in half from 5.79 persons to 2.81 persons. In 1790 almost 63 percent of all
persons lived in the households of five or more people. By 1978 the size
accounted for a little over 14 percent of all households. By the
end of the 19th century a majority of Americans were living in urban areas, and
the family was very much influenced By the rapid development of
industrialization. With the arrival of immigrants, the urban population was
increasingly heterogeneous(由不同成分组成的). This challenges the exclusiveness of any
single family pattern. In the 20th century, the ideal American
family consisted of a husband and wife living with dependent children. They
lived in a household of their own provided for by the husband’s earnings.
The wife was responsible for emotional maintenance of the marriage and for
raising the children and running the household. The major change
in the family in this century has been due to married women entering the work
force. This, at least for periods of time, has taken the woman out of her
full-time involvement in the home. Of all husband and wife families about 40%
have both in the work force at any given time. In the past the
identity of the individual was submerged in the family. In general, reputation
in the community came from the family. Today, however, whatever individuals
achieve is usually assessed on its own merit, and family has little relevance.
Individuals make it or don’t make it essentially on their own. A
sociologist describes another way in which the American family has changed.
Today, in the Western world, the major burdens that are a part of the family
system are emotional ones. But in the 19th century the family was much more
involved with economic needs and tasks; family and relatives were valued for
providing assistance during crisis.
What can we infer from the figures about the American household size in the first paragraph
A．In the 20th century, there are some families without children. B．Most of the families in the 19th century had five or more children. C．More and more Americans tend to live with their parents after marriage. D．Fourteen percent of the U.S. families now have five or more children:
