A few years ago it was fashionable to speak of the generation gap in America, adivision between young people and their elders. Parents complained thatchildren did not show them proper respect and obedience, while childrencomplained that their parents did not understand them at all. What had gonewrong? Why had the generation gap suddenly appeared? Actually, the generationgap has been around for a long time. Many critics argue that itis built into the fabric of our society. One important cause of the generation gap is the opportunity that young people haveto choose their own life style. In some more traditional societies, whenchildren grow up, they are expected to live in the same area as their parents,to marry people that their parents know and approve of, and often to continuethe family occupation. In our society, young people often travel greatdistances for their education, move out of the family at an early age, marry orlive with people whom their parents have never met, and choose occupations differentfrom those of their parents. In our upwardly mobile society, parents often expect their children to do betterthan they did: to find better jobs, to make more money, and to do all thethings that they were unable to do. Often, however, the ambitions that parentshave for their children are another cause of the division between them. Often,they discover that they have very little in common with each other. Finally, the speed at which changes take place in our society is another cause of thegap between the generations. In a traditional culture, elderly people arevalued for their wisdom, but in our society the knowledge of a lifetime maybecome obsolete overnight. The young and the old seem to live in two verydifferent worlds, separated by different skills and abilities. No doubt, the generation gap will continue to be a feature of American life forsome time to come. Its causes are rooted in the freedoms and opportunities ofour society, and in the rapid pace at which society changes. 1. The main idea of the first paragraph is that __________. A) the generation gap suddenly appeared B) the generation gap is a feature of American life C) how people can reduce the generation gap D) many critics argue over the nature of the generation gap 2. The word "around" in Paragraph 1 means __________. A) on all sides B) in every direction C) near D) in existence 3. Which one is NOT the cause of the generation gap? A) Young people like to choose their own life styles. B) American society is changing very fast. C) Parents place high hopes on their children. D) Modern education makes them think differently. 4. In American society, young people often __________. A) rely on their parents to make a life B) stay with their parents in order to get an opportunity for higher education C) seek the best advice from their parents D) have very little in common with their parents 5. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? A) Parents should be more tolerable towards their children. B) The younger generation should value the older generation for their wisdom. C) The generation gap is partly created by the elder generation. D) The generation gap should be avoidable in American society.