Passage: When a child reaches adolescence, there is apt to be a conflict between the parents and the child,…
Passage: When a child reaches adolescence, there is apt to be a conflict between the parents and the child, since the latter considers himself to be by now quite capable of managing his own affairs, while the former are filled with parental solicitude, which is often a disguise for love of power. Parents consider, usually, that the various moral problems which arise in adolescence are peculiarly their province. The options they express, however, are so dogmatic that the young seldom confide in them, and usually go their own way in secret.
Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the above passage?
Parents in general may not be of much help when children are on their way to becoming adults.
When children reach adolescence, involvement of parents in their lives is unnecessary.
Modern-day nuclear families are not capable of bringing up children properly.
In modern societies, adolescents tend to be stubborn, disobedient and careless.
Solution
Option (a) is correct: the central idea is that parents' dogmatic, controlling attitudes lead adolescents to conflict and secrecy, so parents may not be of much help as children grow into adults. Option (b) is too absolute. Option (c) introduces nuclear families not mentioned. Option (d) labels adolescents negatively, which the passage does not. Hence (a) best reflects the central idea.