The most
recent government census statistics reveal that only about one third of all
current American families fits the traditional mold of two parents and their
children, and another third consists of married couples who either have no children
or have none
still living at
home.
An analysis of the remaining one
third of the population reveals that about 20 percent of the total number of
American households are single people, the most common descriptor being women
over sixty-five years of age. A small percentage, about 3 percent of the total,
consists of unmarried people who choose to live together; the rest, about 7
percent, are single parents, with at least one child.
There are
several easily identifiable reasons for the growing number of single-parent
households. First, the sociological phenomenon of single-parent households
reflects changes in cultural attitudes toward divorce and also toward unmarried
mothers. A substantial number of adults become single parents as a result of
divorce. In addition, the number of children born to unmarried women who choose
to keep their children and rear them by themselves has increased dramatically.
Finally, there is a small percentage of single-parent families that have
resulted from untimely death. Today, these varied family types are typical and,
therefore, normal.
In
addition, because many families live far from relatives, close friends have
become a more important part of family life than ever before. The vast majority
of americans claim that they have people in their lives whom they regard as
family although they are not related. A view of family that only accepts the
traditional nuclear arrangement not only ignores the reality of modern american
family life, but also undervalues the familial bonds created in alternatives
family arrangements. Apparently, many americans are achieving supportive
relationships in family forms other than the traditional one.
The
nuclear family, consisting of a mother, father, and their children, may be more
an American ideal than an American reality.
1. Which of the following is the main topic of
the passage?
C. The
current American family
D. The ideal family
C.
The current American family
D. The ideal
family
2. The word current in paragraph 2 could best
be replaced by which of the following?
A. Typical C. perfect
B.
Present D. Traditional
3. The word none in paragraph 2 refers to ?
A. parents C. couples
B.
children D. Families
4. How many single people were identified in
the survey?
A. One third of the
total surveyed
B. One fourth of the
total surveyed
C.
One fifth of the total surveyed
D. Less than one tenth of the total surveyed
5. Who generally constitutes a one-person
household?
A. A single man in his twenties
B. An elderly man
C. A single woman in her late sixties
D. A divorced
woman
6. The word undervalues in paragraph 4 is
closest in meaning to?
A. does not appreciate
B. does not know about
C. does not include
D. does not understand
7. The passage discusses all of the following
reasons for an increase in single-parent households EXCEPT
A. a rising divorce rate
B. death of one of the parents
C. increased interest in parenting by
fathers
D. babies born
to single women
8. With which of the following statements would
the author most probably agree?
A.There have always been a wide
variety of family arrangements in the United States
B. Racial, ethnic, and
religious groups have preserved the traditional family structure
C.The ideal American family is the best structure
D. Fewer married couples are having children
Problem
9 Agreement –
Indefinite Subject and
Verb
Remember
that the following subjects
require a singular verb.
anyone; anything; each; either; everyone; everything; neither; no one; nothing; what; whatever; whoever.
The
following subjects require either a singular or a plural verb depending on a qualifying phrase or
other context from the sentence:
all; any; some; the rest.
Avoid
using plural verbs with singular subjects, and singular verbs with plural
subjects.
Examples
:
Incorrect: Everyone who majors in architecture and fine
arts study History of Art 450.
Correct : Everyone
who majors in architecture and fine arts studies History of Art 450.
Incorrect: Either of these buses go past the university.
Correct : Either
of these buses goes past the university.
Incorrect: Anyone who wish to participate in the state
lottery may do so by purchasing a ticket at
store that displays the official lottery seal.
Correct : Anyone
who wishes to participate in the state lottery may do so by purchasing a ticket at store that displays the
official lottery seal.
Incorrect
: Neither Canada nor Mexico require that
citizens of the United States have passports.
Correct : Neither
Canada nor Mexico requires that citizens of the United States have passports.
Incorrect: The first two problems are very difficult,
but the rest is easy.
Correct : The
first two problems are very difficult, but the rest (of the problems) are
easy.
Problem
10 Agreement –
Collective Subject and Verb
Remember
that the following collective subject agree with singular verbs:
audience;
band; chorus; class; committee; faculty; family; group; majority; orchestra;
police public; series; staff; team; variety; 2,3,4 … dollars; 2,3,4, … miles.
Remember
that the following subject agrees with a plural verb: people
Avoid
using plural verbs with singular subjects and singular verbs with plural
subjects.
Note: In
certain cases, to express the separate nature of individuals in a
group, the writer may use a plural verb with the collective subjects.
Examples
:
Incorrect: Twenty dollars are the price.
Correct : Twenty
dollars is the price.
Incorrect: Many people is coming to the graduation.
Correct : Many
people are coming to the graduation.
Incorrect: An audience usually do not applaud in a
church.
Correct : An
audience usually does not applaud in a church.
Incorrect: Four miles are the distance to the office.
Correct : Four
miles is he distance to the office.
Incorrect: The staff are meeting in the conference room.
Correct : The
staff is meeting in the conference room.
Problem
11 Agreement – Noun
and Pronoun
In all patterns, there must be
agreement of noun and pronoun.
Avoid
using a pronoun that does not agree in number with the noun to which it refers.
Examples
Incorrect: If you want to leave a message for Mr. and
Mrs. Carlson, I will be glad to take them.
Correct : If
you want to leave a message for Mr. and Mrs. Carlson, I will be glad to
take it.
Incorrect: All is interested in mathematics and their
applications.
Correct : All
is interested in mathematics and its applications.
Incorrect: It is easier to talk about a problem than to
resolve them.
Correct : It
is easier to talk about a problem than to resolve it.
Incorrect: Although their visas will expire in June,
they can have it extended for three months.
Correct :
Although their visas will expire in June, they can have them
extended for three months.
Incorrect : In spite of its small size, these cameras
take very good pictures.
Correct :
In spite of their small size, these cameras take very good
pictures.
Problem
12 Agreement – Noun
and Pronoun
In all
patterns, there must be agreement of subject pronoun and possessive pronoun
that refer to the subject.
Subject
Pronoun Subject Pronoun
I my
You your
he his
she her
it its
we our
you your
they their
Remember
that it refers to a small baby. Avoid using it’s instead of it
is.
Examples
:
Incorrect: Those of us who are over fifty years old
should get their blood pressure checked regularly
Correct : Those
of us who are over fifty years old should get our blood pressure
checked regularly.
Incorrect: Our neighbors know that when they go on
vacation, we will get its mail for them.
Correct : Our
neighbors know that when they go on vacation, we will get their
mail for them.
Incorrect: A mother who works outside of the home has to
prepare for emergencies when she
can not be there to take care of
your sick child.
Correct : A
mother who works outside of the home has to prepare for emergencies when she
can not be there to take care
of her sick child.
Incorrect: Wine tends to loose their flavor when it has
not been properly sealed.
Correct : Wine
tends to loose its flavor when it has not been properly sealed.
Incorrect: Optimal equipment on a car can add several
hundred dollars to it’s resale value when
You trade it in.
Correct :
Optimal equipment on a car can add several hundred dollars to its
resale value when
You trade it in.
Problem
13 Agreement – Impersonal Pronoun
In all
patterns, there must be agreement of impersonal pronoun in a sentence.
Remember
that for formal writing, it is necessary to continue using the impersonal
pronoun one throughout a sentence. For more informal writing, he or
his may be used instead of one or one’s to refer to a
previous use of the pronoun one.
Avoid
using you, your, they or their to refer to the impersonal pronoun
one.
Examples
:
Incorrect: At a large university, one will almost always
be able to find a friend who speaks your language.
Correct : At a
large university, one will almost always be able to find a friend who speaks one’s
language.
or
At a large university, one will almost
always be able to find a friend who speaks his language.
Incorrect: If one knew the facts, you would not be so
quick to criticize.
Correct : If one
knew the facts, one would not be so quick to criticize.
or
If one knew the facts, he
would not be so quick to criticize.
Incorrect: In order to graduate, one must present their
thesis thirty days prior to the last day of
classes.
Correct : In
order to graduate, one must present one’s thesis thirty days prior
to the last day of classes.
or
In order to graduate, one
must present his thesis thirty days prior to the last day of classes.
Incorrect
: Regardless of one’s personal beliefs,
you have the responsibility to report the fact as impartially
as possible.
Correct :
Regardless of one’s personal beliefs, one have the
responsibility to report the fact as impartially
as possible.
or
Regardless of one’s personal
beliefs, he has the responsibility to report the fact as impartially
as possible.
Incorrect: If one does not work hard, you cannot expect
to succeed.
Correct : If one
does not work hard, one cannot expect to succeed.
or
If one does not work hard, he
cannot expect to succeed.
Problem
14 Agreement
– Subject and Appositive
# In all
patterns, there must be agreement of the subject and the appositive, an explanatory phrase that follows the
subject.
# Avoid
using a noun or pronoun in the appositive
that does not agree in number with
the subject to which it refers.
Examples
:
Incorrect: The people in my class, mostly international
student, are very friendly.
Correct : The
people in my class, mostly international students, are very
friendly.
Incorrect: The final exam, essay tests, will be given
during the last week of classes.
Correct : The
final exam, an essay test, will be given during the last week of
classes.
Incorrect: We didn’t sleep because of Jan’s dog, a
little poodle puppy that missed their mother.
Correct : We
didn’t sleep because of Jan’s dog, a little poodle puppy that
missed its mother.
Incorrect: I haven’t seen my cousins, now a young woman,
for many years.
Correct : I
haven’t seen my cousins, now young women, for many years.
Incorrect: The notes that I took, some of it with
extensive drawings, are missing from my folder.
Correct : The
notes that I took, some of them with extensive drawings, are
missing from my folder.
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