One forecaster knew that predictions about the future would always be subject to significant errors. In 1957, H.J. Rand of the Rand Corporation was asked about the year 2000, "Only one thing is certain," he answered. "Children born today _______. "
A. the stock market had its worst losses ever
B. will have reached the age of 43
C. the article was written in 1958
D. Cities of the future would not be crowded
E. the prediction of the future is generally accurate
F. future study is still a new field
Key:CDFAB
PASSAGE 15
Marriage and Children
Many single Americans today are waiting longer to get married. Some women and men are delaying marriages and family ___(1)___; others want to become more established in their chosen profession. Most of people eventually will marry. One survey showed that only 15 percent of all single adults in the United States want to stay single. Some women become more interested in getting married and starting a family as they enter their 30s.
One positive result may come from ___(2)___. People who get married at later ages have fewer divorces. Along with the decision to wait to marry, couples are also waiting longer before they have children, ___(3)___. Rearing a child in the United States is costly.
Some couples today are deciding not to have children at all. In 1955, only one percent of all women expected to have no children. Today more than five percent say they want to remain childless. The ability of a couple to choose ___(4)___ means that more children ___(5)___ are very much wanted and loved.
EXERCISE:
A) whether they will have children
B) sometimes in order to be more firmly established economically
C) no matter how late they marry
D) men and women marrying late
E) who are born in the United States
F) because they want to finish school or start their careers