Text 3 During the past generation, the American middle－class family that once could coun

Text3

Duringthepastgeneration，theAmericanmiddle-classfamilythatoncecouldcountonhardworkandfairplaytokeepitselffinanciallysecurehasbeentr ansformedbyeconomicriskandnewrealities.Nowapinkslip，abaddiagnosis.oradisappearingspousecanreduceafamilyfromsolidlymiddleclasstonewlypoorinafewmonths.

Injustonegeneration，millionsofmothershavegonetowork，tr ansformingbasicfamilyeconomics.Scholars，policymakers，andcriticsofallstr ipeshavedebatedthesocialimplicationsofthesechanges，butfewhavelookedatthesideeffectfamilyriskhasrisenaswell.Today'sfamilieshavebudgetedtothelimitsoftheirnewtwo-paycheckstatus.Asaresulttheyhavelosttheparachutetheyoncehadintimesoffinancialsetback-aback-upearner（usuallyMom）whocouldgointotheworkforceiftheprimaryearnergotlaidofforfellsick.This“added-workereffect”couldsupportthesafetynetofferedbyunemploymentinsuranceordisabilityinsurancetohelpfamiliesweatherbadtimes.Buttoday，adisruptiontofamilyfortunescannotlongerbemadeupwithextr aincomefromanotherwise-stay-at-homepartner.

Duringthesameperiod，familieshavebeenaskedtoabsorbmuchmoreriskintheirretirementincome.Steelworkers，airlineemployees，andnowthoseintheautoindustr yarejoiningmillionsoffamilieswhomustworryaboutinterestr ates，stockmarketfluctuation，andtheharshrealitythattheymayoutlivetheirretirementmoney.Formuchofthepastyear.PresidentBushcampaignedtomoveSocialSecuritytoasavings-accountmodel，withretireestr adingmuchoralloftheirguaranteedpaymentsforpaymentsdependingoninvestmentr eturns.Foryoungerfamilies，thepictureisnotanybetter.Boththeabsolutecostofhealthcareandtheshareofitbornebyfamilieshaverisen-andnewlyfashionablehealth-savingsplansarespreadingfromlegislativehallstoWal-Martworkers，withmuchhigherdeductiblesandalargenewdoesofinvestmentr iskforfamilies‘futurehealthcare.Evendemographicsareworkingagainstthemiddleclassfamily，astheoddsofhavingaweakelderlyparent-andalltheattendantneedforphysicalandfinancialassistancehavejumpedeightfoldinjustonegeneration.

Fromthemiddle-classfamilyperspective，muchofthis，understandably，looksfarlesslikeanopportunitytoexercisemorefinancialresponsibility，andagooddealmorelikeafrighteningaccelerationofthewholesaleshiftoffinancialriskontotheiralreadyoverburdenedshoulders.Thefinancialfallouthasbegun，andthepoliticalfalloutmaynotbefarbehind.

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31.Today'sdouble-incomefamiliesareatgreaterfinancialriskinthat

[A]thesafetynettheyusedtoenjoyhasdisappeared.

[B]theirchancesofbeinglaidoffhavegreatlyincreased.

[C]theyaremorevulnerabletochangesinfamilyeconomics.

[D]theyaredeprivedofunemploymentordisabilityinsurance.