In the past, American families tended to be ().

A.quite large.

B.quite small.

C.small.

D.medium-sized.

In the past, American families tended to be quite large. Parents raising five or more children were common. Over the years, the size of the family is becoming smaller. One reason for this is an increase in the cost of living.

Generally children attend schools for more years than they used to, making them financially dependent on their families longer. Moreover, children nowadays are better dressed and have more money to spend on entertainment. The parents are usually responsible for all the expenses. And families are less close than they used to be. More and more American mothers work away from home. The break-up of the family appears when the parents' divorce.

A lot of children in the U. S. live part of their young lives with only one parent. Children grow up feeling unsettled as they are moved between their parents. Single parents often marry other single parents. In this type of family, unrelated children are forced to develop brother or sister relationship.

The situations of many American families today are not good. However, recent signs show that things are getting better. The divorce rate is declining(降低). Perhaps Americans have learned how important families are.

21. In the past, American families tended to be().

A. quite small

B. medium sized

C. quite large

22. To parents who take the responsibility for children's expenses, the cost of living increases because().

A. children attend school for more years

B. children are better dressed and spend more money on entertainment

C. all of the above

23. Children whose parents divorced always feel unsettled because().

A. they are moved between their parents

B. they are forced to develop brother or sister relationship

C. they have little money to spend

24. According to the author, the situations of American families in the future may().

A. get better

B. remain the same

C. become worse

25. The title of the article might be() .

A. American Children

B. American Families

C. American Parents

Part A

Directions: Read the following three texts. Answer the questions on each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1.

In the past, American families tended to be quite large. Parents raising five or more children were common. Over the years, the size of the family has decreased. One reason for this is an increase in the cost of living. On the average, children attend schools for more years than they used to, making them financially dependent on their families longer. Moreover, children nowadays are better dressed and have more money to spend on entertainment. The parents usually take the responsibility for all the expenses. Meanwhile, families are less close than they used to be. More and more American mothers work away from home. The break up of the fatally occurs when the parents divorce. A lot of children in the U. S. live part of their young lives with only one parent. Broken families usually result in problems for children and parents alike. Children blame themselves when their parents separate. They grow up feeling unsettled as they are moved back and forth between parents. Usually one parent is responsible for raising the children. These single parents must care for the children's emotional and psychological needs while also supporting them financially. This is very demanding and leaves very little time for the parent's own personal interests. Single parents often marry other single parents. In this type of family, unrelated children are forced to develop brother or sister relationship. The situations of many American families today are not good. However, recent signs in licate that things are getting better. The divorce rate is declining. The rate of childbirth is rising. Perhaps Americans have learned how important families are.

In the past, American families tended to be______.

A．quite small

B．medium sized

C．quite large

D．small

In the past, American families (16) to be quite large. Parents (17) five or more were common. Over the years, the (18 )of the family has decreased. One reason for this is an increase in the (19) of living (20) the average, children attend schools for more years than they used to, making them (21) dependent on their families longer. Moreover, children nowadays are better (22) and have more money to spend on (23). The parents usually take the responsibility 24 all the expense. Meanwhile, families are less close than they used to be. More and more American mothers 25 away from home.

16.A. tended

B. wanted

C. seemed

D. extended

17.A. breeding

B. raising

C. feeding

D. bringing

18.A. amount

B. number

C. size

D. scale

19.A. level

B. standard

C. wage

D. cost

20.A. On

B. By

C. At

D. From

21.A. finally

B. financially

C. fashionably

D. faintly

22.A. worn

B. wearing

C. dressing

D. dressed

23.A. luxury

B. activity

C. playing

D. entertainment

24.A. at

B. to

C. on

D. for

25.A. are

B. run

C. work

D. separate

Single—parent Families

Today we tell about the major change in the American family．It is the increase in the number of families with only one parent．

_______（1）．One of the reasons for this is the increasing number of women who have children without being married．The United States Census Bureau recently released a new report on the situa-tion．_____ （2）．It said 24 percent of them had at least one child．Almost 4 million unmarried women in the United States are mothers．This is an increase of almost 60 percent in the past 10 years．

_______（3）．In the past，women were expected to marry and remain home with their children．They depended on their husbands to eam money to support the family．Experts say women were pushed into marriage by many pans of American society．_______（4）

______（5）．They say American women have fewer economic reasons for marrying than they did years ago．This is because more women work outside the home today than in the past，and there is less of difference between the earnings of men and women in the United States．Other expert believe there is social and cultural explanation for the increase in unmarried mothers in America．One explanation is that the woman’s rights movement gave many women a new feeling 0f independence．Another explanation is the society is more willing t0 accept unmarried mothers than it did in the past．Un-married mothers and their children no longer live in shame．

A．About 22 percent of American children now live with only one parent．

B．Experts have tried to explain the reasons for the increase．

C．The report included women between the ages of 18 and 44 who have never been married．

D．Experts say this is not true today．

E．A woman’s family expected her to be married，so did religious groups，customs and laws．

F．There has been much debate in the United States about the single—parent family．

第 46 题 请选择（46）处的最佳答案．

Single—parent Families

Today we tell about the m ajor change in the American family．It is the increase in the number of families with only one parent．

（1）．One 0f the reasons for this is the increasing number 0f women who have children without being married．The United States Census Bureau recently released a new report 0n the situa tion． 2）．It said 24 percent of them had at least one child．Almost 4 million unmarried women in the United States are mothers．This is an increase of alnIost 60 percent in the past 10 years．

（3）．In the past，women were expected to marry and remain home with their children．They depended on their husbands to earn money to support the fmnily．Experts say women were pushed into marriage by many parts of Anierican society． （4）．

（5）．They say American women have fewer economic reasons for marrying than they did yearn ago．This is because more women work outside the honle today than in the past，and there is less of difference between the earnings of men and women in the United States．Other experts believe there is social and cultural explanation for the increase in unmarried mothers in America．One expla。nation is that the woman’s rights movement gave many women a new feeling of independence．Another explanation is the society is more willing to accept unnmrried mothers than it（1id in the past．Unmarried mothers and their children no longer live in shame．

A．About 22 percent of American children now live with only one parent．

B．Experts have tried to explain the reasons for the increase．

C．The report included women between the ages of 1 8 and 44 who have never been married．

D．Experts say this is not true today．

E．A woman’s family expected her to be married，so did religious groups，customs and laws．

F．There has been nluch debate in the United States about the single-parent family．

第 46 题 请选择（46）处的最佳答案．

Single—parent Families

Today we tell about the major change in the American family．It is the increase in the number of families with only one parent．

______(1)One of the reasons for this is the increasing number of women who have children without being married．The United States Census Bureau recently released a new report on the situation．——(2)．It said 24 percent of them had at least one child．Almost 4 million unmarried women in the United States are mothers．This is an increase of almost 60 percent in the past 10 years．

______(3)In the past，women were expected to marry and remain home with their children．They depended on their husbands to eam money to suppon the family．Expels say women were pushed into marriage by many parts of Ameficas society．______(4)．

______(5)．Thev say American women have fewer economic reasons for marrying than they did years ago．This isbecause more women work Outside the home today than in the past，and there is less of difference between the earnings of men and women in the United States．Other experts believe there is social and cultural explanation for the increase in unmarried mothers in America．One explanation is that the woman’s rights movement gave many women a new teeling of indeDendence．Another explanation is the society is more willing to accept unmarried mothers than it did in the past．Unmatried mothers and their children no longer live in shame．

A．About 22 percent of American children now live with only one parent．

B．Experts have tried to explain the reasons：for the increase．

C．The report included women between the ages of l 8 and 44 who have never been married．

D．Experts say this is not true today．

E．A Woman’s family expected her to be married，so did religious groups，customs and laws．

F．There has been much debate in the United States about the single—parent family．

common. Over the years, the【38】of the family has decreased. One mason for this is an increase in the【39】of living.【40】the average, children attend schools for more years than they used to, making them【41】dependent on their families longer. Moreover, children nowadays are better【42】, and have more money to spend on【43】. The parents usually take the responsibility【44】all the expenses.

Meanwhile, families are less close than they used to be. More and more American mothers【45】away from home. The break-up of the family occurs when the parents【46】. A lot of children in the USA. live part of their young lives with only one parent. Broken families usually result【47】problems for children and parents alike. Children blame themselves when their parents separate. They grow up feeling【48】as they are moved【49】between parents. Usually one parent is responsible for raising the children. These single parents must care for the children's emotional and psychological【50】while also supporting them financially. This is very demanding and【51】very little time for the parent's own personal【52】. Single parents often marry other single parents. In this type of family, unrelated children are【53】to develop brother or sister relationship. The situations of many American families today are not good. However, recent signs【54】that things are getting better. The divorce rate is【55】. The rate of childbirth is rising. Perhaps Americans have learned how important families are.

(66)

A．tended

B．wanted

C．seemed

D．extended

Single—parent Families

Today we tell about the major change in the American family．It is the increase in the number of families with only one parent.

____(1)．One of the reasons for this is the increasing number of women who have children without being married．The United States Census Bureau recently released a new report on the situation．____(2)．It said 24 percent of them had at least one child．Almost 4 million unmarried women in the United States are mothers．This is an increase of almost 60 percent in the past 10 years．

____(3)．In the past，women were expected to：marry and remain home with their children．They depended on their husbands to earn money to support the family．Experts say women were pushed into marriage by many parts of American society．____(4)．

____(5)．They say American women have fewer economic reasons for marrying than they did years a90．This is：because more women work outside the home today than in the pasl，and there is less of difference between the earnings of men and women in the United States．Other experts believe there is social and cultural explanation for the increase in unmarried mothers in America．One explanation is that the woman’s rights movement gave many women a new feeling of independence．Another explanation is the society is more willing to accept unmarried mothers than it did in the past．Unmarried mothers and：their children no longer live in shame．

选项：

A．About 22 percent of American children now live with only one parent．

B．Experts have tried to explain the reasons for the increase．

C．The report．included women between the ages of l8 and 44 who have never been married．

D．Experts say this is not true today．

E．A woman’s family expected her to be married，so did religious groups，CUstoms and laws．

F．There has been much debate in the United States about the single—parent family。

根据以上材料回答下面问题：

第 61 题 ____(1)．One of the reasons for this is the increasing number of women who have children without being married．

American Dreams

There is a common response to America among foreign writers:the US is a land of extremes where the best of things qre just as easily found as the worst.This is a cliche(陈词滥调).

In the land of black and white,people should not be too surprised to find some of the biggest gaps between the rich and the poor in the world.But the American Dream offers a way out to everyone.(46) No class system or govemment stands in the way.

Sadly,this old argument is no longer true.Over the past few decades there has been a fundamental shift in the structure of the American economy.

The gap between the rich and the poor has widened and widened.(47)

Over the past 25 years the median US family income has gone up 18 per cent.For the top 1 per cent,however,it has gone up 200 per cent.Twenty-five years ago the top fifth of Americans had an average income 6.7 times that of the bottom fifth.(48)

Inequalities have grown worse in different regions.In California,incomes for lower class families have fallen by 4 per cent since 1969.(49) This has led to an economy hugely in favor of a small group of very rich Americans.The wealthiest 1 per cent of households now control a third of the national wealth.There are now 37 million Americans living in poverty.At 12.7 per cent of the population,it is the highest percentage in the developed world.

Yet the tax burden on America’s rich is falling,not growing.(50) There was an economic theory holding that the rich spending more would benefit everyone as a whole.But clearly that theory has not worked in reality.

A.Nobody is poor in the US.

B.The top 0.01 per cent of households has seen its tax bite fall by a full 25 percentage points since 1980.

C.For upper class families they have risen 41 per cent.

D.Now it is 9.8 times.

E.As it does so,the possibility to cross that gap gets smaller and smaller.

F.All one has to do is to work hard and climb the ladder towards the top.