The greatest recent changes have been in the lives of women. During the twentieth century there was an unusual shortening of the time of a woman’s life spent in caring for children. A woman marrying at the end of the 19th century would probably have been in her middle twenties, and would be likely to have seven or eight children, of whom four or five lived till they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which custom, chance and health made it unusual for her to get paid work. Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman’s youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty-five and is likely to take paid work until retirement at sixty. Even while she has the care of children ,her work is lightened by household appliances(家用电器)and convenience foods.

This important change in women’s way of life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women’ s economic position. Even a few years ago most girls left school at the first opportunity and most of them took a full-time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school-leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age ,and though women tend to marry younger ,more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Many more after wads, return to full or part-time work.Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with both husband and wife accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfaction of family life, and with both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money and running the home, according to the abilities and interest of each of them.

10.We are told that in an average family about 1990________.

A.many children died before they were five

B.the youngest child would be fifteen

C.seven of eight children lived to be more than five

D.four or five children died when they were five

11.When she was over fifty, the late 19th century mother________.

A.would expect to work until she died

B.was usually expected to take up paid employment

C.would be healthy enough to take up paid employment

D.was unlikely to find a job even if she is now likely

12.Many girls, the passage says, are now likely to ________.

A.marry so that they can get a job

B.leave school as soon as they can

C.give up their jobs for good after they are married

D.continue working until they are going to have a baby

13.According to the passage,it is now quite usual for women to ________.

A.stay at home after leaving school

B.marry men younger than themselves

C.start working again later in life

D.marry while still at school

D

Any mistake made in the printing of a stamp raises its value to stamp collectors. A mistake on one inexpensive postage stamp has made the stamp worth a million and a half times its original value.

The mistake was made more than a hundred years ago in the British colony of Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean. In 1847 an order for stamps was sent to a London printer-Mauritius was to become the fourth country in the world to issue stamps.

Before the order was filled and delivered, a ball was planned at Mauritius’ Government House, and stamps were needed to send out the invitations. A local printer was instructed to copy the design for the stamps. He accidentally inscribed the words“Post Office” instead of“Post Paid” on the several hundred stamps that he printed.

Today there are only twenty-six of these misprinted stamps left fourteen One Penny Orange-Reds and twelve Two Penny Blues. Because of the Two Penny Blue’s rareness and age, collectors have paid as much as $16 800 for it.

14.Over a century ago, Mauritius ________.

A.was an independent country        B.belonged to India

C.was one of the British colonies

D.was a small island in the Pacific Ocean

15. The mistake on the stamps was made ________.

A.in Mauritius        B.at Mauritius Government House

C.in a post office     D.in London

16. Stamp collectors have paid ?16 800 for ________.

A. fourteen One Penny Orange-Reds    B. twelve Two Penny Blues

C. one One Penny Orange-Red         D. one Two Penny Blue

E