The United States has historically had higher rates of marriage than those of other industrialized countries. The current annual marriage 56 in the United States—about 9 new marriages for every 1,000 people—is 57 higher than it is in other industrialized countries. However, marriage is 58 as widespread as it was several decades ago. 59 of American adults who are married 60 from 72 percent in 1970 to 60 percent in 2002. This does not mean that large numbers of people will remain unmarried 61 their lives. Throughout the 20th century, about 90 percent of Americans married at some 62 in their lives. Experts 63 that about the same proportion of today’s young adults will eventually marry.

　　The timing of marriage has varied 64 over the past century. In 1995 the average age of women in the United States at the time of their first marriage was 25. The average age of men was about 27. Men and women in the United States marry for the first time an average of five years later than people did in the 1950s. 65 , young adults of the 1950s married younger than did any previous 66 in U.S. history. Today’s later age of marriage is 67 the age of marriage between 1890 and 1940. Moreover, a greater proportion of the population was married (95 percent) during the 1950s than at any time before 68 . Experts do not agree on why the “marriage rush” of the late 1940s and 1950s occurred, but most social scientists believe it represented a 69 to the return of peaceful and prosperity after 15 years of severe economic 70 and war.

　　56. A. rate B. ratio C percentage D. poll

　　57. A. potentially B intentionally C. randomly D.substantially

　　58 A. not any longer B. no more C. no longer D. not any more

　　59 A. A proportion B. The proportion C. The number D. A number

　　60 A. declined B .deteriorated C deduced D demolished

　　61 A past B passing C throughout D through

　　62 A period B level C point D respect

　　63 A project B plan C promise D propose

　　64 A unexpectedly B irregularly C flexibly D consistently

　　65 A Beside B However C Whereas D Nevertheless

　　66 A descendants B ascendants C population D generation

　　67 A according to B in line with C based D caused by

　　68 A and after B or after C or since D ever since

　　69 A refusal B realization C response D reality

　　70 A repression B aggression C restriction D depression

　　答案：

　　56.A. 57.D . 58.C. 59.B. 60. A. 61. C. 62. C. 63. A. 64.C. 65. B.. 66.D . 67. B . 68 .C. 69.C 70.D