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Washingtom,April4-The United States has more than 90millon families for the first time ,but each contains fewer people on average than ever ,the Census Bureau(统计局) reported today.
The 90,031,000 families in the United States averaged 2.64 members each as of last July 1. ―The reason is, in effect, changes in the age structure,‖ explained Campbell Gibson, a population researcher for the bureau. Most Americans born in the great explosion of births after World War II are mow in their 20‘s and 20‘s when they are most likely to set up families, he said.
The fact that many are doing so increased the number of families from 80.4million in 1980 to 88.8 million in 1986 and past the 90 million mark last summer . At the same time, the average number of people per family dropped from 2.75 in 1935 to 2.65 in 1986 and then to 2.64,Mr Gibson said.
By comparison, the 1970 Census found the average family contained 3.15 people Families averaged more than four people in 1939 and more than five in 1880. The growing number of ever- smaller families is still going on, but Mr Gibson pointed out that family growth was mot the same as population increase in the 1970‘s. The same age factors (因素) that are increasing the number of families also happened then, but in the 1970‘s the proportion(比例) of families in each age group was also growing .
That has not continued in the 1980‘s for a number of possible reasons, Mr Gibson said.
For example, in the 1880‘s more young people have chosen to remain home with their parents instead of setting up housekeeping on their own ,as many did in the 1970‘s. This could be caused by the increasing cost of housing, he said. Delays in marriage while was not the only factor for the family changes.
1.The smaller figure of families reported here is ______.
A.1980 B. 80,400,000 C. 2.64 D. 90 milion
2.How did Mr Gibsin explain the reason of the increase in families? ______
A.About 9.96million new families have been set up since 1980.
B.All the big families were split into smaller ones.
C.There is a great number of young people who are newly married.
D.There was a great explosion of births during the present Second World War.
3.What is the reporter‘s attitude (态度) toward the present situation?______
A.peopAle should get married at a later age .
B. The average number of family numbers should be 2.64.
C.It‘s not clear in the report.
D.Young people should set up housekeeping on their own ,as many did in the
1970‘s.
4. From the last paragraph we may infer that _____.
A.delay in marriage will not help the number of families
B.Delay in marriage is the major factor of the family changes
C.The writer felt sorry that many young people now delay their marriages
D. There must be some other factors which have led to the slower family growth in the 1980‘s.
