In many homes, divorce is caused by the “battle between the sexes”．To understand the problem，one must remember that modem American woman is freed．During childhood and youth，the American girl is given freedom and education which is equal to a boy's．After completing school，she is able to get a job and support herself．She doesn’t have to marry for financial security．She considers herself an independent，self-sufficient person．She wants a husband whom she can respect．She wants a democratic（民主的）household in which she has a voice in making decisions．When a husband and wife are able to share decision making，their marriage is probably closer, stronger, and more  satisfying．Otherwise，the couple is likely to wind up in the divorce court．

When a couple gets divorced，the court usually requires the man to pay his former wife a monthly sum of money．If the couple has children，they usually remain with the mother, and the father is expected re pay for their support．

  Although divorce is quite common in the United States，80 percent of those who get divorced remarry．The remarriages allow thousands of people，especially children， to enjoy family life again，but at the same time many．troubles have arisen．A well-known American joke tells of a wife calling to her second：husband；‘‘Quick，John! Come here and help me! Your children are bring up our children!'’

1．What does the passage mainly discuss?

    A．Financial trouble in the family

    B．Different attitudes between husband and wife towards children’s education

    C．Women's liberation movement

    D．Lack of democratic atmosphere in the household often leads to divorce

2．What do you know of modern American women according to the passage?

      A．They are overbearing．

      B．They are more independent than ever before．

      C．They do not have much to say in the household．

      D．They respect their husbands，but do not listen to them．

3．What happens when a couple is divorced according to the passage?

    A．The children become homeless．

    B．The man is still held responsible for the welfare of his children．

    C．Life becomes difficult for the women and her children.

    D．The man,．rather than the woman，remarries soon．

4．What does the well-known joke suggest?

    A．Remarriages often end up in failure．

    B．Children are unhappy in the new family．

    C．The mother is not respected by the stepchildren,

    D．Remarriage causes new troubles in the household．

At 3:30 a.m. Pearl Carlson was shaken awake by a forceful pull. King, the family dog, was trying to pull her out of bed.Then she smelled smoke and heard the sound of fire from her parent's room. Pearl's screams awaked her mother， Fern and father, Howard, who had recently been in hospital for lung disease. Helping Howard to a first-floor window, Fern told him to climb out, then ran to her daughter.

Still inside, King appeared at Pearl's window, making squeaking (短促尖叫) sounds. When running toward Pearl's bedroom, Fern realized her husband hadn't yet escaped. She made her way back through the smoke and flames, following King's sound to where Howard lay semiconscious (半昏迷) on the floor. Fern helped him get outside. King came out only after both were safe.

As day dawned, the Carlsons saw that King's paws were badly burned, and his entire body was burned too. His chain collar had gotten so hot that it burned his throat, making it impossible for him to bark (叫) normally. Only after the seven-year-old dog refused food did they find pieces of wood in his mouth and realize that King, who slept outside, had bitten through a wood door to warn his family.

1. Who was King in this story?

A. The family sore                               B. The family daughter.

C. The family dog.                               D. The master.                              

2. According to the story, the first one who was completely out of danger could be          . 

A. Howard                   B. Fern                 C. Pearl and Fern                 D. Pearl

3. After reading this story, we've learnt that the following statements could be reasonable except               .

A. the dog made a big hole in the door

B. the dog awoke mother first

C. the dog was the last one to escape from the burning room

D. the dog was badly burned , hurt and not able to eat

4. From this story it can be inferred that              .

A. Pearl loves her parents very much

B. Howard is the best man of the family

C. the woman loves her children more deeply than her husband

D. the dog is man's best friend