The horse and carriage is a thing of the past, but love and marriage are still with us and still closely interrelated. Most American marriages, (1) first marriages uniting young people, are the result of mutual attraction and affection (2) than practical considerations.
In the United States, parents do not (3) marriages for their children. agers begin dating in high school and usually find mates through their own academic and social (4) .
(5) young people feel free to choose their friends from (6) groups, most choose a mate of similar (7) .
This is due in part to parental guidance. Parents cannot (8) spouses (配 偶 ) for their children, but they can usually (9) choices by voicing disapproval of someone they consider unsuitable.
(10) , marriages between members of different groups (interclass, inteith, and interracial marriages) are (11) probably because of the greater mobility of today’s youth and the fact that they are (12) by fewer prejudices than their parents. Many young people leave their hometowns to attend college, serve in the armed forces, (13) pursue a career in a bigger city.
Once away from home and family, they are more (14) to date and marry outside their own social group.
In mobile American society, inter- class marriages are neither (15) nor astoni- shing. Inteith marriages are (16) the rise, especially between Protestants (基督 教徒) and Catholics (徒). On the other hand, interracial marriages are still very (17) . It can be difficult for interracial couples to find a place to live, maintain friendships, and (18) a family. Marriages between people of different national (19) (but the same race and religion) have been commonplace here (20) colonial times.