Young drivers are over-represented in alcohol--related driving accidents. In recent years, people aged 16 to 24 were involved in 28 percent of all alcohol--related driving accidents, although they make up only 14% of the U. S. population. Young people are also over--represented in drinking driver injuries and deaths. Even when their blood alcohol contents (BACs) are not high, young drinkers are involved in driving accidents at higher rates than older drivers with similar BACs.
Fortunately, driving accidents have been declining among young people, just as they have among the general population. And deaths associated with young drinking drivers (those 16 to 24 years of age) are down, having dropped 47% in a recent 15--year period.
In contrast to popular belief, drinking among young people is dropping and has been doing so for many years. For example, statistics demonstrate that within a period of about 20 years, the proportion of American high school seniors who have ever consumed alcohol is down 13%；the proportion of those who have consumed alcohol within the previous year is down 15%.
Exaggerating the degree of drinking problems of young people may create an unexpected problem. When young people go to college falsely believing that most others are drinking heavily, then they may try to follow suit. Thus, those who exaggerate the problem of alcohol abuse actually contribute to the problem and make it worse. However, when students find out that most others don’t drink as much as they incorrectly believed, they are very likely to drink less and even give up. So, honest accuracy rather than dishonest exaggeration is the most effective way to reduce alcohol abuse and the problems it causes.
60. We can learn from the first paragraph that ____.
A. in the U. S. people aged 16 to 24 caused half of the alcohol--related driving accidents
B. young drinkers are more likely to cause accidents than adult drinkers
C. young drinkers are able to keep calm when their BACs are not high
D. people aged 16 to 24 make up a quarter of the U. S. population
61. It can be inferred from Para. 3 that ____.
A. high school seniors turn to alcohol to get rid of their pressure
B. it’s a fact that young people are drinking more nowadays
C. the number of high school students in the U. S is dropping
D. most people believe more and more young people are becoming addicted to drinking
62. The underlined phrase “follow suit” in the last paragraph means ____.
A. stop drinking
B. wear the same suit as others do
C. start drinking
D. hate what others do
63. Which of the following statements does the author agree to?
A. Driving should be forbidden among people aged 16 to 24.
B. Many young people in the U. S. are acting totally irresponsibly.
C. The drinking problems of young people are turning for the better.
D. Students will stop drinking if they believe most others are drinking heavily.
