The Joy of Living Alone More and more Americans are living alone.Some live alone because of divorce or the death of a partner. __________ （46） Accordingto a recent U.S. census （人口普查）,25 percent of all householdsin the U.S. are made up of just one 'person.This is a dramatic change fromthe extended families of just a couple of generationS'ago. The typical person living alone is neitherold nor lonely. __________ （47） The majority of these people have chosen to livealone. They are responding to decreasing social pressure to get married and havea family. It's now socially acceptable, even fashionable,to live alone. As people get better jobs and become financially independent, itbecomes possible for them to maintain a one-person household. __________ （48） However,people who do get married are marrying at a later age and divorcing more often. The number one reason given by most peoplefor living alone is that they simply enjoy doing what they want when they want todo it. 'Living alone is a Iuxury,' says Nina Hagiwara, 38. 'Once you do it, you can'tever go back to living with others.' David C'Debaca, 46, agrees. __________（49） Children think that being grown up means beingable to do exactly as they please.__________ （50） The chance to discover whetherthat freedom is as wonderful as it sounds is a chance more and more Americans aretaking.