题目内容
The State of Marriage Today
Is there something seriously wrong with marriage today? During the past 50 years, the rate of divorce in the United States has exploded: almost 50%of marriages end in divorce now, and the evidence suggests it is going to get worse, if this trend continues. It will lead to the breakup of the family, according to a spokesperson for the National Family Association. Some futurists predict that in 100 years, the average American will marry at least four times and extramarital affairs(婚外恋) will be even more common than they are now.
But what are the reasons for this, and is the picture really so depressing? The answer to the first question is really quite simple: marriage is no longer the necessity it once was. The practice of marriage has been based for years partly on economic need. Women used to be economically dependent on their husbands as they usually didn’t have jobs outside the home. But with the rising number of women in well-paying jobs, this is no longer the case, so they don’t feel that they need to stay in a failing marriage.
In answer to the second question, the prospects may not be as pessimistic as they seem. While the rate of divorce has risen, the rate of couples marrying has never actually fallen very much, so marriage is still quite popular. In addition to this, many couples now cohabit(同居) and don’t bother to marry. These couples are effectively married, but they do not appear in either the marriage or divorce statistics. In fact, more than 50%of first marriages survive. The statistics are unreliable because there is a higher number of divorces in second and third marriages than in first marriages.
So is marriage really an outdated practice? The fact that most people still get married indicates that it isn’t. And it is also true that married couples have a healthier life than single people: they suffer less from stress and its consequences, such as heart problems, and married men generally consider themselves more satisfied than their single counterparts. Perhaps the key is to find out what makes a successful marriage and apply it to all of our relationships!
65. What does “this is no longer the case” in paragraph two mean?
A. It is not necessary to get married any more.
B. Women do not need a husband any longer.
C. Women are not economically dependent any more.
D. Many wives do well-paying jobs outside home now.
66. Why may the prospects of marriage not be as depressing as it appears?
A. Many people still like to get married.
B. The rate of divorce has actually decreased.
C. many couples would rather cohabit than marry
D. The statistics of divorce is not quite true。
67. How do people usually feel in their marriage life?
A. They are much safer. B. They feel no longer single.
C. They are more satisfied. D. They suffer a lot less.
68. Which of the following about marriage is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. There will be more relationships outside marriage.
B. Many people try to get married again after divorce.
C. Marriage has long been partly an economic need.
D. It is a fact that most people choose to get married.
CACB
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Science can't explain the power of pets, but many studies have shown that the company of pets can help lower blood pressure (血压) and raise chances of recovering from a heart attack, reduce loneliness and spread all-round good cheer.
Any owner will tell you how much joy a pet brings. For some, an animal provides more comfort than a husband/wife. A 2002 study by Karen Allen of the State University of New York measured stress (紧张) levels and blood pressure in people— half of them pet owners —while they performed 5 minutes of mental arithmetic (算术) or held a hand in ice water. Subjects completed the tasks alone, with a husband/wife, a close friend or with a pet. People with pets did it best. Those tested with their animal friends had smaller change in blood pressure and returned most quickly to baseline heart rates. With pets in the room, people also made fewer math mistakes than when doing in front of other companions. It seems people feel more relaxed (放松)around pets, says Allen, who thinks it may be because pets don't judge.
A study reported last fall suggests that having a pet dog not only raises your spirits but may also have an effect on your eating habits. Researchers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital spent a year studying 36 fat people and their equally fat dogs on diet-and-exercise programs; a separate group of 56 people without pets were put on a diet program. On average, people lost about 11 pounds, or 5% of their body weight. Their dogs did even better, losing an average of 12 pounds, more than 15% of their body weight. Dog owners didn't lose any more weight than those without dogs but, say researchers, got more exercise overall-mostly with their dogs - and found it worth doing.
1.What does the text mainly discuss?
A.What pets bring to their owners. |
B.How pets help people calm down. |
C.People's opinions of keeping pets. |
D.Pet's value in medical research. |
2.We learn from the text that a person with heart disease has a better chance of getting well if_________ .
A.he has a pet companion |
B.he has less stress of work |
C.he often does mental arithmetic |
D.he is taken care of by his family |
3.According to Allen, why did the people do better with pets around when facing stressful tasks?
A.They have lower blood pressure. |
B.They become more patient. |
C.They are less nervous. |
D.They are in higher spirits. |
4.The research mentioned in the last paragraph reports that________ .
A.people with dogs did more exercise |
B.dogs lost the same weight as people did |
C.dogs liked exercise much more than people did |
D.people without dogs found the program unhelpful |