10 Spotlight Oil the USA

Future of the Family

Is the American family in trouble7 People point
|67%
to the divorce rate, to the fact that working
mothers might have less time with their chil-
dren, and to the "generation gap," or the
problems that parents and children some-
27% times have understanding each other, Experts
say, however, that the family is as strong as
1955 1990 ever. Family is still at the center of most peo-
ple's lives.
Percentage of Mothers in the Workforcewith Children Under 18

CU 46%
under 20 Discussion Points
3
5%
The passage describes several ways in
20-24 1 which the American family is changtng. Are
1
5%

25-29
1970 | | 3
% 1% families in your country changing? If so.
are the changes similar to the changes in
r U
3
0% 2
8%
/0 the United States?
30-34
12 % A
What do you think the perfect family is like?
For example, how many children should
over 35 1990
there be? Should both parents work? Should
Women's Age When Having Their First Child the grandparents live with the ^amily?

The Educational System

Education is for everyone,
Elementary School Through
High School
There are three basic levels in the U.S. edu-
cational systemelementary school, which
usually goes from kindergarten to sixth grade;
junior high school, from seventh through
eighth or ninth grade; and high school, from
ninth or tenth through twelfth grade. Chil-
dren are required to be in school from the
ages of 7 though 16.
About 90 percent of all children attend
public school, which is free. The remaining
10 percent go to private schools, which often
are associated with a religion. About half of
all private schools are Catholic.
In the United States, education is mainly
the responsibility of state and local govern-
ments, rather than the national government.
The amount of money spent on education
varies considerably from state to state. The
subjects studied also vary somewhat. The
school year usually runs from September to
June.
At the high school level there are some
specialized schools, including schools that
emphasize vocational subjects like business or
auto mechanics. Most high schools, however,
are general schools. High school students are
often involved in non-academic activities that
their school offersfor example, in drama
clubs, sports teams, or the school newspaper.
 lnti'oduction 11

Advanced Schooling
Many students, upon finishing high school,
choose to continue their education. Com-
munity colleges, also known as junior col-
leges, offer two-year programs. They are pub-
lic schools and the tuition costs are usually
low. Colleges and universities have four-vear
programs leading to a bachelor's degree (as
well as, in many cases, further programs lead-
ing to higher degrees). These schools may be
public or private: private schools cost a lot
more. U.S. colleges and universities have many
students from around the world, especially
from Asia. There are many' theories about where the
problems lie. Some think that students have
Trends in Education too many "electives," or courses they choose,
and too few courses in basic subjects. Others
Many' more Americans than ever before are think students watch too much TV and do too
finishing high school and college. More than little homework. Everyone agrees the prob-
20 percent of all adults have finished college, lems must be addressed.
and more than 75 percent have finished high
school.
Although the number of years of school- Write
ing is going up, there are signs that the quality What are some differences between the ed-
of education may be going down. This is of ucational system in the United States and
great concern, especially since education is the educational system in your country? Read
considered crucial to the American ideal that the passage again and then write a paragraph
each person should achieve all that he or she describing some of the main differences.
can.

Culture , reuLsi , ,
teE Sports
n
The United States is an international center
of culture. Its major cities (like New York, Bos-
ton. Washington. Chicago. San Francisco, and
Los Angeles) regularly host many concerts, art
exhibitions, lectures, and theatrical perfor-
mances. And on a smaller scale, the same is
true of smaller cities. Some of the world's
greatest museums, orchestras, theaters, and
concert halls are located in the United States.
Performances and exhibitions are usually very
well attended. Tickets can be hard to get, de-
spite their high prices! Many cities also have
large communities of artists, actors, dancers,
and musicians.
The national and state governments, as
well as private organizations, have tradition-
ally supported the arts with money. Recently, The New York Philharmonic