Generation N is also challenging society’s traditional ideas about love, marriage and

Marriage

Marriage is traditionally conceived to be a legally recognized relationship, between an adult male and female, that carries certain rights and obligations. However, in contemporary societies, marriage is sometimes interpreted more liberally and the phrase 'living as married' indicates that for many purposes it makes no sense to exclude cohabitation. It should be noted, however, that even this more liberal definition usually excludes homosexual couples. Although cohabitation is increasingly accepted, and is now the normal prelude to marriage, people continue to make a distinction between living together and a 'proper' wedding and marriage.

Much recent sociological research, both in Britain and America, has been concerned with the growing fears that marriage as an institution is in decline. These fears stem from two roots, the first being concern for increasing marital breakdown and subsequent divorce, and the second the fact that marriage is going out of fashion, with more people cohabiting and even rearing children outside matrimony. Certainly, divorce is on the increase, and if current divorce-rates in Britain continue then one in three marriages is likely to end in divorce. In recent years, the median age at first marriage has increased and teenage marriages have declined significantly, with a growing proportion, albeit still a small minority, never getting married. At the same time, rates of cohabitation are increasing, with it now being virtually the norm to cohabit before marrying. Moreover, an increasing number of children are conceived and born outside marriage. Looking at these statistics, one might reasonably conclude that the future of marriage looks bleak, but marriage still remains the preferred way of life for the vast majority of the adult population. Even among those whose first marriage fails, a majority are sufficiently optimistic to marry a second time.

Why do people marry? In Western societies, the emotional aspects of marriage are stressed, and what Lawrence Stone calls affective individualism prevails. Choice of a mate is influenced primarily by the desire for a relationship offering affection and love—although, as Peter Berger observes, the "lightning shaft of Cupid seems to be guided rather strongly within very definite channels of class, income, education, racial and religious background". The tendency for people of similar backgrounds to marry (marital homogamy) is strong, but there is no clear understanding of why it occurs, or whether the degree of rigidity in mate selection differs among different social groups. Surprisingly, some recent American research suggests that the higher the class position, the less the homogamy.

Concern with marital success and marital adjustment has played an increasingly prominent part in recent research. As David Morgan suggests, marriage has become "medicalized", with therapists and marriage-guidance counsellors at the ready to tackle marital problems and enhance marital quality. This raises the question of how marital success should be measured. Clearly, stability is not a sufficient indicator, as some couples stay together even though they are totally miserable, whereas others divorce, despite having a relationship that some would envy. A variety of marital quality inventories have been developed and recently it has been recognized that marital quality and marital problems are in fact independent. For example, conflict and arguments may be signs of caring and engagement in some marriages.

Marriages clearly face different problems at different times of the life-cycle, and raising a family, especially for parents of younger children, is associated with high marital strain. Remarriages appear to be at greater risk of breaking up than first marriage, especially when step-children are involved. This may be in part because remarriage is an incomplete institution, in the sense that soci

A．Y

B．N

C．NG

A

In the traditional (传统的) marriage, the man worked at a job to earn money for the family. Most men worked in an office, a factory, or some other places away from the home. Since the man earned the money, he paid the bills (账). The money was used for food, clothes, the house, and other family needs. The man made most of the decisions. He was the boss. In the traditional marriage, the woman seldom worked away from the house. She stayed at home to care for the children and her husband. She cooked meals, cleaned the house, washed the clothes, and did other housework. Her job at home was very important.

In recent years, many couples (夫妇) continue to have a traditional relationship of the kind. The man has a job and earns the money for the family. The woman stays at home and cares for the children and the house. Many Americans are happy with the kind of marriage. But some other Americans have a different impression of marriage and family responsibilities (责任). There are two important differences in male (男性) and female (女性) roles (角色) now. One is that both men and women have many more choices. They may choose to marry or to stay single. They may choose to work or stay at home. Both men and women may choose roles that are comfortable for them.

A second difference in male and female roles is that within marriage many decisions and responsibilities are shared. The husband and wife may choose to have children, or they may not. If they have children, the man take care of them some of the time, all of the time or not at all. The woman may want to stay at home and take care of the children. Or she may want to go to work. Men and women now decide these things together in a marriage. Many married people now share these decisions and the responsibilities of their families.

Which of the following is not true in the traditional marriage?

A. Men worked at a job to earn money for the family.

B. The women made most of decisions.

C. The woman stayed at home to care the children.

D. The man paid the bills.

In the traditional (传统的) marriage, the man worked at a job to earn money for the family. Most men worked in an office, a factory, or some other places away from the home. Since the man earned the money, he paid the bills (账). The money was used for food, clothes, the house, and other family needs. The man made most of the decisions. He was the boss. In the traditional marriage, the woman seldom worked away from the house. She stayed at home to care for the children and her husband. She cooked meals, cleaned the house, washed the clothes, and did other housework. Her job at home was very important.

In recent years, many couples (夫妇) continue to have a traditional relationship of the kind. The man has a job and earns the money for the family. The woman stays at home and cares for the children and the house. Many Americans are happy with the kind of marriage. But some other Americans have a different impression of marriage and family responsibilities (责任). There are two important differences in male (男性) and female (女性) roles (角色) now. One is that both men and women have many more choices. They may choose to marry or to stay single. They may choose to work or stay at home. Both men and women may choose roles that are comfortable for them.

A second difference in male and female roles is that within marriage many decisions and responsibilities are shared. The husband and wife may choose to have children, or they may not. If they have children, the man take care of them some of the time, all of the time or not at all. The woman may want to stay at home and take care of the children. Or she may want to go to work. Men and women now decide these things together in a marriage. Many married people now share these decisions and the responsibilities of their families.

Which of the following is not true in the traditional marriage?

A．Men worked at a job to earn money for the family.

B．The women made most of decisions.

C．The woman stayed at home to care the children.

D．The man paid the bills.

Changes in Marriage and Family

More surprising, perhaps, than the current difficulties of traditional marriage is the fact that marriage itself is alive and thriving. As Skolnick notes, Americans are a marrying people, relative to Europeans, more of us marry and we marry at a younger age. Moreover, after a decline in the early 1970s, the rate of marriage context. some 80 percent of divorced individuals remarry. Thus, marriage remains, by far, the preferred way of life for the vast majority of people in our society.

What has changed more than marriage is the nuclear family. Twenty-five years ago, the typical American family consisted of a husband, a wife and two or three children. Now, there are many marriages in which couples have decided not to have any children. And there are many marriages where at least some of the children are from the wife's previous marriage' or the husband' s, or both. Sometimes these children spend all of their time with one parent from the former marriage; sometimes they are shared between the two former spouses(配偶)。

Thus, one can find every type of family arrangement. There are marriages without children: marriages with children from only the present marriage;marriages with "full- time" children from both the present and former marriages: marriages with "full-time" children from the present marriage and "part-time" children from former marriages. There are stepfathers, stepmothers, half-brothers and half-sisters. It is not all 'that unusual for a child to have four parents and eight grandparents! These are enormous changes from the traditional nuclear family. But even so, even in the midst of all this, there remains one constant: most Americans spend most of their adult lives married.

第 57 题 By calling Americans marrying people the author means that_____

A．Americans are more traditional at than Europeans

B．Americans expect more out of marriage than Europeans

C．there are more married couples in U.S.A．than in Europe

D．more of Americans, as compared with Europeans,prefer marriage and they accept it at a younger age

The passage is mainly about .

A．the boss role of man in the traditional marriage

B．the changes of male and female roles in marriage

C．the important role that woman plays in the marriage nowadays

D．the traditional marriage which many Americans still have today

More surprising, perhaps, than the current difficulties of traditional marriage is the fact that marriage itself is alive and【B1】. As Skolnick notes, Americans are a marrying people:【B2】to Europeans, more of us marry and we marry at a younger age.【B3】, after a decline in the early 1970s, the【B4】of marriage in the United States is now【B5】. Even the divorce rate needs to be taken in this pro-marriage context: some 80 percent of【B6】individuals remarry.【B7】, marriage remains by far the preferred way of life for the vast majority of people in our remarry.

What has changed more than marriage is the nuclear family. Twenty-five years ago, the【B8】American family consisted of a husband, a wife, and two or three children.【B9】, there are many marriages in which couples have decided not to have any children. And there are many marriages where at【B10】some of the children are from the wife's【B11】marriage, or the husband's, or both. Sometimes these children spend all of their time with one parent from the【B12】marriage;【B13】they are shared between the two former parents.

Thus, one can find every type of family arrangement. There are marriages【B14】children; marriages with children from only the【B15】marriage; marriages with "full time" children from both the present and former marriage;【B16】with "full-time" children from the present marriage and "part time" children from former marriages. It is not all that【B17】for a child to have four parents and eight grandparents! These are【B18】changes from the traditional nuclear family.【B19】even so, even in the midst of all this,【B20】one constant: most Americans spend most of their adult lives married.

【B1】

A．surviving

B．thriving

C．booming

D．existing

More surprising, perhaps, than the current difficulties of traditional marriage is the fact that marriage itself is alive and【B1】. As Skolnick notes, Americans are a marrying people:【B2】to Europeans, more of us marry and we marry at a younger age.【B3】, after a decline in the early 1970s, the【B4】of marriage in the United States is now【B5】. Even the divorce rate needs to be taken in this pro marriage context: some 80 percent of【B6】individuals remarry.【B7】, marriage remains by far the preferred way of life for the vast majority of people in our remarry.

What has changed more than marriage is the nuclear family. Twenty-five years ago, the【B8】American family consisted of a husband, a wife, and two or three children.【B9】, there are many marriages in which couples have decided not to have any children. And there are many marriages where at【B10】some of the children are from the wife's【B11】marriage, or the husband's, or both. Sometimes these children spend all of their time with one parent from the【B12】marriages;【B13】they are shared between the two former parents.

Thus, one can find every type of family arrangement. There are marriages【B14】children; marriages with children from only the【B15】marriages; marriages with "full-time" children from both the present and former marriage;【B16】with "full-time" children from the present marriage and "part-time" children from former marriages. It is not all that【B17】for a child to have four parents and eight grandparents! These are【B18】changes from the traditional nuclear family.【B19】even so, even in the midst of all this,【B20】one constant: most Americans spend most of their adult lives married.

【B1】

A．surviving

B．thriving

C．booming

D．existing