Thedeclineinmoralstandards—whichhaslongconcernedsocialanalysts—hasatlastcapturedtheattentionofaverageAmericans.AndJeanBethkeElshtain,forone,isglad.

Thefactthatordinarycitizensarenowstartingtothinkseriouslyaboutthenation’smoralclimate,saysthisethicsprofessorattheUniversityofChicago,isreasontohopethatnewideaswillcomeforwardtoimproveit.

Butthechallengeisnottobeunderestimated.MaterialismandindividualisminAmericansocietyarethebiggestobstacles.“Thethoughtthat‘I’minitforme'hasbecomedeeplyrootedinthenationalconsciousness,”Ms.Elshtainsays.

Someofthiscanbeattributedtothedisintegrationoftraditionalcommunities,inwhichneighborslookedoutforoneanother,shesays.Withtoday’sgreatermobilityandwithsomanycouplesworking,thosebondshavebeenweakened,replacedbyagreateremphasisonself.

Ina1996pollofAmericans,lossofmoralitytoppedthelistofthebiggestproblemsfacingtheU.S.AndElshtainsaysthepubliciscorrecttosensethat:datashowthatAmericansarestrugglingwithproblemsunheardofinthe1950s,suchasclassroomviolenceandahighrateofbirthstounmarriedmothers.Thedesireforahighermoralstandardisnotalamentforsomenonexistent“goldenage”,Elshtainsays,norisitawishfullongingforatimethatdeniedopportunitiestowomenandminorities.Mostpeople,infact,favorthelesseningofprejudice.

Moraldeclinewillnotbereverseduntilpeoplefindwaystocounterthematerialisminsociety,shesays.“Slowly,yourecognizethatthethingsthatmatterarethosethatcan’tbebought.”

41.ProfessorElshtainispleasedtoseethatAmericans________.

A.haveadaptedtoanewsetofmoralstandards.

B.arelongingforthereturnofthegoodolddays

C.haverealizedtheimportanceofmaterialthings

D.areawakeningtotheloweringoftheirmoralstandards

42.ThemoraldeclineofAmericansocietyiscausedmainlyby________.

A.itsgrowingwealthB.theself-centerednessofindividuals

C.underestimatingtheimpactofsocialchanges

D.theprejudiceagainstwomenandminorities

43.Whichofthefollowingcharacterizesthet