阅读理解

Happybirthday!Dobirthdaysreallymakepeoplehappy?Ofcoursetheydo.Birthdayscelebratethedaywewereborn.What'smorethatextracandleonthecakerepresentsanotheryearofgrowthandmaturity(成熟)—orsowehope.Weallliketoimaginethatwe'regettingwiserandnotjustalder.Mostofusenjoyobservingthemiracleofgrowthinothersaswell.Forinstanceseeingourchildrendevelopandlearnnewthingsmakesusfeelproud.ForAmericanslikepeopleinmostculturesgrowingupisawonderfulprocess.Butgrowingold?That'sadifferentstory.Growingoldisnotexactlypleasantforpeopleinyouth-orientedAmerican.MostAmericansliketolookyoungactyoungandfeelyoung.Astheoldsayinggoes“You'reasyoungasyoufeel.”Olderpeoplejokeabouthowmanyyearsyoungtheyareratherthanhowmanyyearsold.Peopleinsanecountriesvaluetheagedasasourceofexperienceandwisdom.ButAmericanaseemtofavorthosethatareyoungoratleast“youngatheart”.ManyolderAmericansfindthe“goldenyears”tobeanythingbutgolden.Economically“seniorcitizens”oftenstrugglejusttogetby.Retirement—typicallyatage65—bringsasharpdecreaseinpersonalincome.SocialSecurityBenefitsusuallycannotmakeupthedifference.Olderpeoplemaysufferfrompoornutrition(营养)medicalcareandhousing.Someevenexperienceagediscrimination.

IronicallytheelderlypopulationinAmericaisexpandingfast.Why?Peoplearelivinglonger.Fewerbabieserebeingborn.Themiddle-aged“babyboomers”arerapidlyenteringtheranksoftheelderlysoAmericamaysoonbeaplacewherewrinkles(皱纹)are“in”.Marketingexpertsarealreadyfocusingonthisgrowinggroupofconsumers.Andevennowtheelderlyhaveagreatdealofpoliticalpower.

Acommonstereotype(模式化的形象)ofolderAmericanaisthattheyareusually“putaway”innursinghomesandforgottenabout.Actuallyonlyabout5percentliveonacmetypeofinstitution(慈善机构).

Morethanhalfofthose65orolderlivewithornearatleastoneoftheirchildren.Thevastmajorityadtheelderlylivealoneandtakecareofthemselves.

InspiteofchallengestheyfaceAmericansintheir“twilightyears(暮年)”generallyrefusetoweuponlife.Theyfindavarietyofwaystokeepthemselvesactive.Tohelpthemstayinshapeth