Question

　　It is not often realized that women held a high place in southern European societies in the 10th or 11th centuries． As a wife, the woman was protected by the setting up of a dowry or decimum． The purpose of this was to protect her against the danger of desertion or being left alone by her husband, but in reality what it was to do in the social and family life of the time was much more important． The decimum was the wife’s right to receive a tenth of all her husband’s property． And more than just a right: she enjoyed a real power of decision, equal (or the same as) to that of her husband． There is not any degree of difference between the positions of' law of the husband and those of the wife．

　　The wife shared in the management of her husband’s personal property, but the opposite was not always true． Women seemed perfectly prepared to defend their own inheritance, wealth received from their own parents, against husbands who tried to do something more than the laws allowed them to do, and in this situation they showed a fine fighting spirit． Marlia Vivas, a Catalan woman of Barcelona, was one of the examples． Having agreed with her husband Miro to sell a field she had received from her parents, for the needs of the household, she insisted on compensation, i．e． her husband had to pay back for what she had lost． None being offered, she succeeded in dragging her husband to the lawyer to have a contract or agreement drawn up giving her a piece of land from Miro’s personal wealth gained from his father． The unfortunate husband had to agree, as the contract says ,“for the sake (= cause) of peace ．” Either through the dowry or through being angry , the Catalan wife knew how to win herself , within the surroundings of the family , a powerful economic position ．

1 ． A decimum was 　　　　 ．

A． the wife’s inheritance from her father

B． a gift of money to the new husband

C． a written contract

D． the wife’s right to receive one-tenth of her husband’s property

2． In the society described in the passage, the law position of the wife in marriage was 　　　　 ．

A． higher than that of her husband

B． lower than that of her husband

C． the same as that of her husband

D． higher than that of a single woman

3． What compensation did Maria Vivas get for the field?

A． Some of the land Miro had inherited．

B． A tenth of Miro’s land．

C． Money for household expenses or spendings．

D． Money from Miro’s inheritance．

4． Could a husband sell his wife’s inheritance?

A． No, never． B． Yes, whenever he wished to,

C． Yes, if she agreed． D． Yes, if his father-in-law agreed．

5． Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a result of the dowry system?

A． The husband had to share the power of decision in marriage．

B． The wife was protected from desertion．

C． The wife gained a powerful economic position．

D． The husband was given control over his wife’s property．

Answer 1

答案：D;C;A;C;D
解析：

要准确概括本语篇的主旨，必须了解关键词语，而其中的关键词dowry or decimum 都是生疏词汇；只有善解生词词义的考生才能顺利完成此题。

提示：

话题：阅读“文化背景话题”的技巧。重点：概括主旨、细节捕捉。