5．A few years ago it was popular to speak of a generation gap，a disagreement between young people and their elders．Parents said that children did not show them proper respect and obedience （服从），while children complained （抱怨） that their parents did not understand them at all．What had gone wrong？Why had the generation gap suddenly appeared？Actually the generation gap has been around for a long time．Many people argue that a gap is built into the fabric （结构） of our society．
One important cause of the generation gap is the chance that young people have to choose their own ways of life．In more traditional societies，when children grow up，they are expected to live in the same area as their parents，to marry people that their parents know and agree to，and to continue the family occupation （职业）．In our society，young people often travel great distances for their education，move out of the family home at an early age，marry or live with people whom their parents have never met，and choose occupations different from those of their parents．
In our easily changing society，parents often expect their children to do better than they did：to find better jobs，to make more money，and to do all the things that they were unable to do．Often，however，the strong desire that parents have for their children are another cause of the disagreement between them．Often，they discover that they have very little in common with each other．
Finally，the speed at which changes take place in our society is another cause of the gap between the generations．In a traditional culture，elderly people are valued for their wisdom，but in our society the knowledge of a lifetime may become out of date overnight．The young and the old seem to live in two very different worlds，separated by different skills and abilities．
No doubt，the generation gap will continue to be a feature （特点） of American life for some time to come．Its causes are rooted in the freedom and changes of our society，and in the rapid speed at which society changes．
5．The main idea of the first paragraph is thatB．
A．the generation gap suddenly appeared
B．the generation gap is a feature of modern social life
C．people can reduce the generation gap
D．many critics argue over the nature of the generation gap
6．The word"around"in Paragraph 1meansB．
A．on all sides B．in existence C．in every direction D．near
7．In American society，young people oftenD．
A．depend on their parents to make a life
B．stay with their parents in order to get a chance for higher education
C．seek the best advice from their parents
D．have very little in common with their parents
8．Which of the following statements is true according to the passage？C
A．Parents should be strict with their children．
B．The younger generation should value the older generation for their wisdom．
C．The generation gap is partly caused by the older generation．
D．The generation gap does not exist in American society．
分析 文章讲述了现代社会的普遍现象代沟问题，分析了代沟问题的主要原因．
解答 BBDC
5．B 主旨大意题．本段最后一句Many people argue that a gap is built into the fabric（结构）of our society．从语篇层次考虑，文章最后一段第一句No doubt，the generation gap will continue to be a feature（特点）of American life for some time to come．意义相同．选B．
6．B 词义理解题．联系上下文，我们可以得知，作者认为这种"代沟"已经存在了很长时间．选B．
7．D 细节题 从"they discover that they have very little in common with each other"得知，美国的年轻人和他们的父母几乎没有什么共同点，故选 D．
8．C 推理题．联系全文，我们知道作者认为，出现"代沟"是因为父母的思想跟不上时代．选C．
点评 阅读理解首先要能基本读懂文章，然后再根据问题，在文章中去找到相应的依据，研究相关信息句给出准确的答案．
