UNIT 1: THE GENERATION GAP

Exercise 18: Fill in each blank with one suitable word.

by differences generational younger

comparison history because to
A generation gap
A generation gap is a popular term used to describe big (1) differences between people of a younger
generation and their elders. This can be defined as occurring "when older and (2) younger
people do not understand each other (3) because of their different experiences, opinions, habits and behavior."
Although some (4) generational differences have existed throughout
(5) history, during this era differences between the two generations grew significantly in (6) comparison with
previous times, particularly with respect (7) to such matters as musical tastes, fashion, drug use, culture and
politics. This may have been magnified (8) by the unprecedented size of the young Baby Boomer generation,
which gave it unprecedented power, influence, and willingness to rebel against social norms.

Exercise 7: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or
phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Fathers in today families are spending more time with their children than at any point in the past 100 years.
(86) ________ the number of hours the average woman spends at home with her children has declined since the
early 1900s, as more and more women enter the workforce, there has been a decrease in the number of children per
family and an increase in (87) _______ attention to each child. As a result, mothers today in the United States, (88)
_________ those who work part- 0r full-time, spend almost twice as much time with each child as mothers did in the
1920s. People (89) _______raised children in the 1940s and 1950s typically report that their own adult children and
grandchildren communicate far better with their kids and spend more time (90) _________ with homework than they
did. America’s children are also safer today than they’ve (91) __________ been. An infant was four times more likely
to die in the 1950s than today. A parent then was 27 per cent more likely to lose an older teen (92) _______ death. If
we look back over the last millennium, we can see that families have always been diverse. In each period, families
have solved one set of problems only to face new (93) ______ . What works for a family in one economic and cultural
setting doesn’t work for a family in another. What’s helpful (94) _________ one stage of a family’s life may be (95)
_________at the next stage. If there is one lesson to be (96) _______from the last millennium of family history, it’s
that families always have to (97) _______ with a changing world.
(Source: Adapted/rom U.S. Society and Values)
86. A. Although B. However C. Unless D. Besides
87. A. isolated B. individual C. unique D. single
88. A. adding B. counting C. taking D. including
89. A. whom B. which C. who D. when
90. A. helping B. to help C. help D. on help
91. A. never B. already C. ever D. just
92. A. in B. for C. to D. with
93. A. challenger B. challenges C. challenging D. challenged
94. A. at B. for C. in D. by
95. A. destruction B. destroying C. destroyed D. destructive
96. A. drawing B. drawn C. draw D. drew
97. A. put up B. live up C. go up D. catch up

Exercise 9: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to
each of the questions.

1
 In American, although most men still do less housework than their wives, that gap has been halved since
the 1960s. Today, 41 per cent of couples say they share childcare equally, compared with 25 percent in 1985.
Men’s greater involvement at home is good for their relationships with their spouses, and also good for their
children. Hands-on fathers make better parents than men who let their wives do all the nurturing and childcare.
They raise sons who are more expressive and daughters who are more likely to do well in school – especially in
math and Science.
In 1900, life expectancy in the United States was 47 years, and only four per cent of the population was 65
or older. Today, life expectancy is 76 years, and by 2025, it is estimated about 20 per cent of the U.S, population
will be 65 or older. For the first time, a generation of adults must plan for the needs of both their parents and their
children. Most Americans are responding with remarkable grace. One in four households gives the equivalent of a
full day a week or more in unpaid care to an aging relative, and more than half say they expect to do so in the next
10 years. Older people are less likely to be impoverished or incapacitated by illness than in the past, and have
more opportunity to develop a relationship with their grandchildren.
Even some of the choices that worry people the most are turning out to be manageable. Divorce rates are
likely to remain high, and in many cases marital breakdown causes serious problems for both adults and kids. Yet
when parents minimize conflict, family bonds can be maintained. And many families are doing this. More non-
custodial parents are staying in touch with their children. Child-support receipts are rising. A lower proportion of
children from divorced families are exhibitive problems than in earlier decades. And stepfamilies are learning to
maximize children’s access to supportive adults rather than cutting them off from one side of the family.
(Source: Adapted from U.S. Society and Values)

103. Which of the following can be the most suitable heading for paragraph 1?
A. Men’s involvement at home B. Benefits of men’s involvement at home
C. Drawbacks of men’s involvement at home D. Children studying math and Science

104. Nowadays, _____ of men help take care of children.

A. 50%          B. 41%                C. 25%                     D.20%

105. According to the writer, old people in the USA _______ .

A. are experiencing a shorter life expectancy
B. receive less care from their children than they used to
C. have better relationships with their children and grandchildren
D. may live in worst living conditions

106. Which of the following is NOT true about divorce rates in the USA?
A. they will still be high.
B. they can cause problems for both parents and children.
C. more problems are caused by children from divorced families.
D. children are encouraged to meet their separate parents.

107. The word “equivalent” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________ .

A. comparable            B. opposed            C. dissimilar           D. contrasting

108. The word “manageable” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _______ .

A. difficult            B. challenging        C. demanding        D. easy

109. The word “this” in the paragraph 3 refers to_________ .

A. getting divorced                              B. minimizing conflict
C. causing problems to kids              D. maintaining bonds

110. According to the writer, the future of American family life can be ________ .
A. positive              B. negative                  C. unchanged             D. unpredictable