When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom. I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.
But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.
There are numbers of reasons for the fall – off. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult that ever.
In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.
Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 25 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Face book or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire, to be able to grab the keys and go.
Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy not to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”
Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?
【小题1】We can infer from the first paragraph that .A．Driver’s Ed classes allowed teens to know what maturity wasB．getting a driving license at 16 was a must for American teensC．16 was considered an age when one could get his driver’s licenseD．teens could drive on the road without taking Driver’s Ed classes【小题2】What does the passage mainly talk about?A．Desire to drive on the road declines among American teens.B．Getting a license costs much more than ever before.C．Social networking sites are changing the life of American teens.D．American teens are being more responsible than ever.【小题3】Michelle’s Wei’s example is used to explain .A．why American teens are crazy about digital social lifeB．what social networking websites are bringing to American teensC．to what degree the Internet is affecting the American car cultureD．what the Internet does to help teens to get a driving license【小题4】 The last paragraph is reminding the readers that .A．the Internet has a bad effect on the teen’s social lifeB．teens should keep a balance in choosing their lifestyleC．actual contacts can be replaced by talking on lineD．face-to-face friendship is always the best choiceC
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(答案→)C
解析：本文叙述了美国年轻人考驾照比例的下降，文章分析了具体的原因。
【小题1】细节题。根据文章第一段16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom. I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.可知16岁是可以考驾照的年龄。故C正确。
【小题2】主旨大意题。根据文章第二段But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.可知现在美国年轻人取得驾照的比例在下降，并分析了具体的原因。故A正确。
【小题3】推理题。根据文章倒数第二段Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy no to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”可知现在很多的年轻人都是通过网络进行交流的，这对考驾照也有一定影响，他们不必要开车去见朋友了，通过网络交流就可以了。故C正确。
【小题4】细节题。根据Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?说明作者建议我们有平衡的生活，故B正确。