B2 – Upper Intermediate
Americans are getting married later than ever before, but waiting to settle down can still be nerve-wracking. Will you ever find the right person? Will you be able to have kids?
Read the article below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.
For the first time in US history, traditional marriage isn’t the preferred living choice in most houses. Recent data shows that 50.2 percent of American families weren’t married. That figure, 56.8 million, is a large decrease from six years ago. At that time, married couples made up 52 percent of the 105.5 million households.
Single women headed more than 14 million households, while single men ran another 5 million. There was a large number of “non-family households,” which means unmarried, gay or heterosexual couples living together.
The change could mean significant changes in every part if American life in the future. For example, there could be changes in family law or national politics. In the short term, however, it shows the failed efforts of conservatives, despite their focus on traditional marriages and families.
Douglas Beshavor, a sociologist with the American Enterprise Institute, suggested that short-term relationships and unmarried couples who live together would be more common for years to come. As a result, people will find themselves more alone than ever before. Both parents will work, so there will be fewer siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles. America will move towards a society even more focused on the individual.
“Change is in the air,” Beshavor said. But will it be positive or negative?
Source: headsupenglish.com
Discussion Questions:
1. What are the marriage rates in your country? Are the rates increasing or decreasing?
2. Why do you think less people are getting married in America?
3. Do you think marriage rates all over the world will eventually go down? Why/not?
4. What do you think will happen if there are more unmarried people?
5. Would you recommend young people to live together first before getting married?