第四部分：阅读理解

第一节 (共15小题，每小题2分，满分30)

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项中选出最佳选项。

A

Rodney Mace, 35, is married with two young children, and is a part-time teacher of history, “I am constantly surprised by other people’s surprise, when they come to the house and see me cleaning a floor or hanging out the washing. Their eyes open wide at the sight of it! Much of the comment comes form men. But I am even more surprised at the number of women who comment too.”

His wife Jane, an Oxford graduate in modern languages, has a demanding full-time job. She is director of the Cambridge House literacy scheme(扫盲计划) for adults in South London. Her working week involves several evenings and Saturdays, and at these times her husband is in charge of home and family. Apart from this, they share household jobs and employ a child-minder for the afternoons. This enables him to teach two days a week and to do what he considers his principal work: writing. He has written several books and spends much of his time in the Museum Reading Room, cycling there from his home in Brixton.

People ask the Maces if they think their children miss them. One can argue that satisfied parents generally have satisfied children, but in any case the Maces are careful to spare time and energy to play with their children. “And they have now developed relationships with other adults and children.

Before, Rodney Mace worked full-time and Jane only part-time. Then 18 months ago, the director of the literacy scheme left. “It seems to me that Jane was very well suited to do this job. She was very doubtful about it. But I asked her to apply. She did, and she got it.” Jane Mace says that she needed this encouragement, as so many women do.

Did his male ego(男性自我意识) suffer from the change-over? Nothing like that occurred. But he still seems amazed at the way it changed his thinking. “I felt that we were finally going to be partners. I felt enormous relief, I wasn’t avoiding responsibility, but changing it. Our relationship is so much better now. It has been a change for the good for both of us-think for all of us, in every aspect of our lives. I cannot overemphasize(过高强调) that: in every aspect, I think it is necessary that the woman works. The idea of equal partnership is an illusion if one partner doesn’t work.

61. The article is about a couple whose married life is happier because _______.

A. they have a truly equal partnership B. the husband enjoys staying at home

C. they earn more money D. the wife has a full-time job

62. Jane finally decided to apply for her present job because ________.

A. she thought she had better qualification than others

B .her husband had persuaded her to

C. it was very well paid

D .some of her friends encouraged her to

63. It is implied in the passage that ________.

A. the Maces believe a good career is even more important that their family life

B. Rodney’s children are quite happy with their position in the family

C. even capable women sometimes need encouragement from their families

D. the practice of sharing household jobs between husband and wife is common in London

64. We can infer from this passage that a change-over of roles in the family ________.

A. is quite necessary in modern life

B. is probably based on some practical reasons

C. aims mainly at a complete liberation of women

D. shows women are not necessarily inferior(低下) to men

65. Which of the following statements is true?

A. Most Englishmen think that a husband should do more housework than a wife.

B. In London the traditional idea about the sex role at home has been completely changed.

C. Many Englishmen and Englishwomen still believe that women are mainly in charge of home and family.

D. English people believe that men should take more responsibilities for house work.

B

In the 1960s, medical researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed a check-list of stressful events. They appreciated the tricky point that any major change can be stressful. Negative events like “serious illness of a family member” were high on the list, but so were some positive lifechanging events, like marriage. When you take the Holme-Rahe test you must remember that the score does not reflect how you deal with stress (pressure)—it only shows how much you have to deal with. And we now know that the way you handle these events considerably affects your chances of staying healthy.

By the early 1970s, hundreds of similar studies had followed Holmes and Rahe. And millions of Americans who worked and lived under stress worried over the reports. Somehow, the research got boiled down to a memorable message. Women’s magazines ran headlines like “Stress causes illness!” If you want to stay physically and mentally healthy, the article said, avoid stressful events.

But such simplistic advice is impossible to follow. Even if stressful events are dangerous, many-like the death of a loved one-are impossible to avoid. Moreover, any warning to avoid all stressful events is a prescription(处方) for staying away from opportunities as well as trouble. Since any change can be stressful, a person who wanted to be completely free of stress would never marry, have a child, take a new job or move.

The idea that all stress makes you sick also takes no notice of a lot of what we know about people. It supposes we’re all easily hurt and suffering without opposition in the face of adversity(逆境). But what about human initiative(主动性) and creativity? Many come through periods of stress with more physical and mental energy than they had before. We also know that a long time without change or challenge can lead to boredom, and physical and mental strain(紧张).

66. The result of Holmes-Rahe’s medical research tells us ________.

A. the way you handle major events may cause stress

B. what should be done to avoid stress

C. what kind of event would cause stress

D. how to deal with sudden changes in life

67. The studies on stress in the early 1970s led to _______.

A. widespread worry over its harmful effects

B. great pain over the mental disorder it could cause

C. a widespread research into stress-related illness

D. popular avoidance of stressful jobs

68. The score of the Holmes-Rahe test shows ________.

A. how much pressure you are under

B. how positive events can change life

C. how stressful a major event can be

D. how you can deal with life-changing events

69. Why is “such simplistic advice” (Line 1, Para. 3) impossible to follow?

A. No one can stay on the same job for long.

B. No prescription is effective in reducing stress.

C. People have to get married someday.

D. You could be missing opportunities as well.

70. According to the passage people who have experienced ups and downs may become ________.

A. Nervous when faced with difficulties

B. physically and mentally strained

C. more able to deal with adversity

D. indifferent toward what happens to them