Traditionally in America, helping the poor was a matter for private charities or local governments. Arriving immigrants depended mainly on predecessors from their homeland to help them start a new life. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several European nations instituted public-welfare programs. But such a movement was slow to take hold in the United States because the rapid pace of industrialization and the ready availability of farmland seemed to confirm the belief that anyone who was willing to work could find a job.

   Most of the programs started during the Depression era were temporary relief measures, but one of the programs Social Security – has become an American institution. Paid for by deductions from the paychecks of working people, Social Security ensures that retired persons receive a modest monthly income and also provides unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and other assistance to those who need it. Social Security payments to retired persons can start at age 62, but many wait until age 65, when the payments are slightly higher. Recently, there has been concern that the Social Security fund may not have enough money to fulfill its obligations in the 21st century, when the population of elderly Americans is expected to increase dramatically. Policy makers have proposed various ways to make up the anticipated deficit, but a long-term solution is still being debated. In the years since Roosevelt, other American presidents have established assistance programs. These include Medicaid and Medicare; food stamps, certificates that people can use to purchase food; and public housing which is built at federal expense and made available to persons on low incomes. Needy Americans can also turn to sources other than the government for help. A broad spectrum of private charities and voluntary organizations is available. Volunteerism is on the rise in the United States, especially among retired persons. It is estimated that almost 50 percent of Americans over age 18 do volunteer work, and nearly 75 percent of U.S. households contribute money to charity.

The Social Security program has become possible thanks to ______.

Câu hỏi liên quan

• With which of the following topics is the passage primarily concerned?

• Ancient education generally focused its efforts on _______.

• According to the passage, biological agents mainly consist of ____________.

ZUNIA12

• This article is about ................

• Normal human beings .................

• It is ............ to write the rules that tell exactly when we should apologize.

• Which of the following can be inferred about Moore's poems?

• According to the passage, when did "the Lord of the Rings" trilogy become popular with young people?

• It can be inferred from the passage that the principal cause of California’s population surge between 1940 and 1950 was ..........

• Learning to write is .................

• The passage suggests that the tsunami resulting from the Krakatoa volcano .....

• What can be inferred about babies from this passage?

• According to this passage, what is a signal?

• The word "innate" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to __________.

• According to the passage, Moby Dick is__________.

• What does the word “depletion” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

• The word "misinterpret" is closest in meaning to ............

• The word “their” in paragraph 3 refers to ______.

• The word formulaic is closest in meaning to___________.

• In the paragraph 2, the word “accomplishments” can be best replaced by ..............