5 The Changing American Family

Americans nowadays are marrying at an earlier age than their parents and grandparents did. And these early marriages are placing new responsibilities on young people, especially on boys. By the time young men reach high school, they are supposed to decide on their careers, to work hard to prepare for them and to spend enough time with girls to assure an early marriage.

On the other hand, this lowering of the age of responsibility has not been all for the bad. It is hard on the young, but the homes which these young people are building are good homes. In all the history of civilization, never have fathers taken such good care of their children as today. The children born so close together to these young parents have a warm and valuable family life. The responsibilities shared by husband and wife put a brake on divorce. Boys can learn directly from their fathers, as girls have always learned directly from their mothers.

The home in which young people live is designed to make family living pleasant and easy. There are appliances in the kitchen -refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines - to make housework easy. There are books to read, a pile of records and a record player, radios, television - all these for the family to enjoy. So is the automobile at the door.

The work that goes into making of such a home, however, is tremendous. Neither the home nor the things in it are fully paid for. The young wife often works so that they can get started on the payment of their debts. The high standard of family life in America also means a high standard of work.

Questions:

1. Why do young people nowadays have more responsibilities than their parents and grandparents had?

2. What are the advantages of marrying early?

3. What makes family living pleasant and easy today?

4. Why do young people nowadays have to work so hard?

6 House and Home

A person’s home is as much a reflection of his personality as the clothes he wears, the food he eats and the friends with whom he spends the time. Depending on personality, how people see themselves and how they allow others to see them most have in mind an "ideal home". But in general, and especially for the students or new wage earners, there are practical limitations of cash and location on the way of achieving that idea.

Cash shortage, in fact, often means that the only way of getting along when you leave school is to stay at home for a while until things improve financially. There are obvious advan­tages to living at home: personal laundry is usually done along with the family wash, meals are provided and you pay a minimum rent for it if any at all.

On the other hand, much depends on how a family gets on. Do your parents like your friends? Are you prepared to be tole­rant when your parents ask where you are going in the evening and what time you expect to be back?

If you don't like the idea of living with the family the possibilities are well-known to you already. You can find a good landlady and rent a room till you make enough money to buy a flat or a house of your own.

Questions:

1. How do people usually choose their home?

2. What are the limitations on the way to finding an "ideal home"?

3. What makes young people stay at home when they leave school?

4. What are the advantages of living at home?

5. Why don’t young people like living with their parents?

6. What can you do if you don’t like the idea of living with your family?