The Smith Family Now Has a Bean-Pole Structure That It

The Smith family now has a bean-pole structure that it did not have a few decades ago. Knowing that, you can predict that which of the following is true?

A) Smith family relationships tend to last less time these days than they did in earlier times.
B) The Smith family is more diverse now than it was in earlier times.
C) There are fewer older members in the Smith family today than there were in earlier times.
D) There are more siblings to share in the care of the older generation than there were in earlier times.