Contemporary American society has a variety of markers of entrance into adulthood. 2
There are legal definitions: at 17 , young people may enlist in the armed forces; at age 18 , in most states, they may marry without their parents' permission; at 18 to 21 (depending on the state), they may enter into binding contracts. 3
Using sociological definitions, people may call themselves adults when they are self-supporting or have chosen a career, have married or formed a significant relationship, or have founded a family. 4
There are also psychological definitions. 5
Cognitive maturity is often considered to correspond with the capacity for abstract thought. 6
Emotional maturity may depend on such achievements as discovering one's identity, becoming independent of parents, developing a system of values, and forming relationships. 7
Some people never leave adolescence, no matter what their chronological age. 1. The main idea is expressed in sentence A. 1 . B. 2 . C. 3 . 2. The paragraph is made up of a series of A. types of adults. B. definitions of adulthood. C. stages of adulthood. 3. The second major detail of the paragraph is introduced in sentence A. 3 . B. 4 . C. 5 . 4. Sentence 4 contains A. the main idea. B. a major supporting detail. C. a minor supporting detail. 5. Sentences 5-7 contain A. major supporting details. B. minor supporting details.