The birthrate in the United States is currently
A. starting to drop because more couples are waiting to have children
B. rising sharply due to returning soldiers starting new families
C. rising sharply due to the abundance of women at the child-bearing age
D. dropping because more women are entering the workforce and there is less of a want for large families
E. Both (A) and (D) are correct.
Answer: (E) The U.S. birthrate is starting to drop now with more couples waiting longer to have children and more women entering the work force, and there is less of a want for larger families. (A) is true but is not the best choice because (D) is also correct. (B) is incorrect. The only time the birthrate rose sharply due to returning soldiers was during the post-World War II "baby boom," which lasted about 15 years into the early 1960s. (C) is incorrect because the birthrate is simply not rising sharply. This is affected by the fact that there is not an abundance of women at the childbearing age. (D) is true, but not the best answer because (A) is also correct.