3. If women find fulfillment through work outside the home,_____.

　　 A. they are more likely to dominate their marriage partners

　　 B. their husbands are expected to do more housework

　　 C. their marriage ties can be strengthened

　　 D. they tend to put their career before marriage

2. It is said in the passage that when the economy slides_____.

　　 A. men would choose working women as their marriage partners

　　 B. more women would get married to seek financial security

　　 C. even working women would worry about their marriages

　　 D. more people would prefer to remain single for the time being

1. The word “portend” (Line 2, Para.1) is closest in meaning to“_____”.

　　 A. defy　 B. signal　 C. suffer from　 D. result from

4. Which is NOT the problem in rural areas?

　 A. The income gap

　 B. The inadequate application of science and technology

　 C. The supply of major agricultural products

　 D. China's urbanization

第39天

A

　　 Some futurologists have assumed that the vast upsurge(剧增)of women in the workforce may portend a rejection of marriage. Many women, according to this hypothesis, would rather work than marry. The converse(反面)of this concern is that the prospects of becoming a multi-paycheck household could encourage marriage. In the past, only the earnings and financial prospects of the man counted in the marriage decision. Now, however, the earning ability of a woman can make her more attractive as a marriage partner. Data show that economic downturns tend to putting off marriage because the parties cannot afford to establish a family or are concerned about rainy days ahead. As the economy comes to life, the number of marriages also rises.

The increase in divorce rates follows to the increase in women working outside the home. Yet, it may be wrong to jump to any simple cause-and-effect conclusions. The impact of a wife’s work on divorce is no less cloudy than its impact on marriage decisions. The realization that she can be a good provider may increase the chances that a working wife will choose divorce over an unsatisfactory marriage. But the reverse is equally plausible(似是而非的). Tensions grounded in financial problems often play a key role in ending a marriage. By raising a family’s standard of living, a working wife may strengthen her family’s financial and emotional stability.

Psychological factors also should be considered. For example, a wife blocked from a career outside the home may feel caged in the house. She may view her only choice as seeking a divorce. On the other hand, if she can find fulfillment through work outside the home, work and marriage can go together to create a stronger and more stable union.

Also, a major part of women’s inequality in marriage has been due to the fact that, in most cases, men have remained the main breadwinners. A working wife may rob a husband of being the master of the house. Depending upon how the couple reacts to these new conditions, it could create a stronger equal partnership or it could create new insecurities.

3. How much is spent on agriculture, rural areas and farmers the previous year?

　 A. 431.8 billion yuan　 B. 511.9 billion yuan　

　 C. 351.7 billion yuan　 D. 80.1 billion yuan

2. Can you infer the meaning of the underlined words in paragraph 5?

　 A. be made full use of

　 B. be made little use of

　 C. be not made full use of

　 D. be made good use of

1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

　 A. Because of the rapidly rising rural incomes, the income gap between China's rural and urban residents will disappear this year.

　 B. The net income of rural residents in different regions is the same.

　 C. The government has taken measures to develop the economy in the rural areas.

　 D. Because of the rapidly rising rural incomes, the supply of major agricultural products is enough.

4. When the athletes won the game, ______.

　 A. They were awarded immediately after the competition.

　 B. They were awarded twice. The first, immediately after the competition; the second, on the last day of the game.

　 C. They were awarded on the last day of the game.

　 D. They were awarded on the last day of the game or immediately after the competition.

　B

　　 The income gap between China's rural and urban residents(居民) has continued to widen during the past few years in spite of rapidly rising rural incomes, Agricultural Minister Sun Zhengcai said here on Wednesday.

　　 The income ratio(比率) between urban and rural residents was 3.28:1 in 2006, against 3.23:1 in 2003, said Sun in his report on the promotion of building a new countryside in 2007. Sun also said the net income of rural residents in different regions also varied widely. The income gap is only one of several problems in rural areas, according to Sun's report. While listing the achievements in rural areas in recent years, Sun believed that rural development still followed behind urban development.

　　 "We have bigger pressure to ensure the supply of major agricultural products such as grain," he said. "China's urbanization(都市化) has been speeded up and more rural residents have gone to urban areas," he said.

　　 "In this case, more agricultural producers become farm produce consumers, which created more pressure for supply," he said.

　　 Another problem facing China's agricultural development is inadequate application of science and technology.

　　 "Only 30 percent of scientific and technological achievements have been applied to agricultural production, which is 40 percentage points lower than developed countries," he said.

　　 Despite increased government spending in rural areas, the infrastructure(基础下部组织) is still poor and easily hit by disasters.

　　 According to Sun, the government spent 431.8 billion yuan ($59.15 billion) on agriculture, rural areas and farmers this year, an increase of 80.1 billion yuan over the previous year.

　　 China set aside 11.38 billion yuan to promote a new rural cooperative medical care system and 27.98 billion yuan to support the new compulsory education mechanism in rural area to ensure that all citizens shared the fruits of China's reform and opening-up, Sun said.

3. Can you guess the meaning of this word “herald” in the passage?

　 A. the author　 B. the headmaster　 C. the announcer　 D. the manager

2. Which one is TRUE according to the passage?

　 A. Zeus is the founder of the Olympic Games.

　 B. The ancient stadium in Olympic were used as training sites for the athletes in the 10th century.

　 C. The Olympic Games have much to do with the religion.

　 D. The Olympic victor would receive a golden medal.