Marriages improve after children grow up and move out，according to an academic s
题型：不详难度：来源：
Marriages improve after children grow up and move out，according to an academic study, which suggests an “empty nest” is not always a bad thing.
Popular wisdom has it that parents’ relationships may suffer once their young fly the coop, because they feel they have lost their purpose in life.However, a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has found that many couples actually feel happier when their children leave home because they are able to enjoy spending time together.
In total,123 American mothers born in the 1930s were tracked for 18 years and asked to rate their satisfaction levels shortly after marrying, when they were bringing up babies, once their children reached their teenage years and finally at age 61, when almost all had “empty nests”．
Although not all said they were happier in general, most claimed their marriages had improved since their children had left home. Researchers believe this is not just because the spouses were spending more time together, but because they were able to enjoy each other’s company more.
One of the participants in the study，which is published in the journal Psychological Science，said：“Once the kids grow up...there’s some of that stress removed...that responsibility removed，so things are a little more relaxed.”
Psychologist Sara Gorchoff，who carried out the investigation，said: “The takehome message for couples with young children is ‘hang in there’．” Her coauthor Oliver John added：“Don’t wait until your kids leave home to schedule quality time with your partner.”
However, Dr Dorothy Rowe，from the British Psychological Society，said the effects of living in an “empty nest” will depend on the parents’ relationship with their children.“If you’re just waiting for them to leave home so you can get on with your life，then of course you’ll be pleased to see them go,” she said, “But if you’ve built your life around your children you’ll be terribly lonely.For some parents，their world falls apart when their children leave.”
小题1:It is commonly believed that___________.| A．marriages improve after children leave home | | B．an “empty nest” is always a happy thing | | C．parents’ relationships may suffer once their young grow up and move out | | D．parents will be pleased after their children leave home |
小题2:When did many couples feel happier according to the study?| A．At age 61, when almost all had “empty nests”. | | B．Shortly after marrying. | | C．Once their children reached their teenage years. | | D．When they were bringing up babies. |
小题3:Marriages improve after children fly the coop not because___________.| A．many couples are able to spend time together | | B．many couples are able to enjoy each other’s company | | C．things are a little more relaxed | | D．many couples needn’t work at all |
小题4:The author of the passage tends to agree that____________.| A．parents should build their life around their kids | | B．parents should schedule quality time with each other before kids leave home | | C．parents’ relationship with their kids has no effect on marriages at all | | D．parents should be pleased to see their kids leave home |
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答案
小题1:C
小题2:A
小题3:D
小题4:B |
解析
试题分析：本文讲述了一些孩子离家以后的空巢老人可能更为开心，文章分析了原因，也提出了不同的观点。
小题1:C 细节题。根据第二段1,2行Popular wisdom has it that parents’ relationships may suffer once their young fly the coop, because they feel they have lost their purpose in life.原来很多人认为孩子离开家以后，父母会感觉很孤单寂寞。故C正确。
小题2:A 推理题。根据第二段2,3行Berkeley, has found that many couples actually feel happier when their children leave home because they are able to enjoy spending time together.可知当孩子离开家的时候，也就是变成空巢家庭的时候，他们会感觉很开心。故A正确。
小题3:D 细节题。根据4,5段Researchers believe this is not just because the spouses were spending more time together, but because they were able to enjoy each other’s company more.和One of the participants in the study，which is published in the journal Psychological Science，said：“Once the kids grow up...there’s some of that stress removed...that responsibility removed，so things are a little more relaxed.”可知ABC三项都是文章中提及的原因，只有D项不是。
小题4:B 细节题。根据文章倒数第二段最后2行Her coauthor Oliver John added：“Don’t wait until your kids leave home to schedule quality time with your partner.”可知B项内容正确。
点评：本文讲述了一些孩子离家以后的空巢老人可能更为开心，文章分析了原因，也提出了不同的观点。
文章基本上是考查细节题，对此类题型考生可以首先从问题中找到关键词，然后以此为线索，运用略读及查阅的技巧在文中迅速寻找这一细节，找到后再把这一部分内容仔细阅读一遍，仔细比较所给选项与文中细节的细微区别，在准确理解细节的前提下，最后确定最佳答案。 |
举一反三
In Yemen, you always see one type of vehicle on the road: the water truck.They travel mountain roads and cross deserts to bring Yemenis the goods more valuable than oil.It is one that only the rich can afford, with the supply regularly being cut off.Others must rely on scarce rain or charity to fight thirst.
Experts say Yemen is going to be the first country in the world to run out of water.The capital, Sanaa, will run out of drinking water as early as 2025，says a report by the World Bank.
Hannan, an 18yearold from Lahej, said that only the rich could prepare for cuts in supply.“In a good week we’ll have a water supply all week but then the following week there will be water only for a day or two, ” she said.
She and her husband, a factory worker, pay 3,000 riyals (99 yuan) for a week’s supply of water from a touring water truck when the taps run dry.With an income of only 20,000 riyals (660 yuan) a month，this means the family often spend half their money on water.
“There are a lot of people who can’t afford it and they have to rely on their neighbors to help，” she said.
The average person in Yemen survives on onefifth of what the World Health Organization considers to be enough water.
In Taiz, in the south，tap water is available only once every 45 days.In the mountainous Malhan district in the north，women and children climb a 1,500m mountain to collect water from a spring, often in the small hours to avoid long queues.
Yemen is located in Southwest Asia，bordering the Arabian and Red Sea.Yemeni people have lived on scarce water supplies for thousands of years but that problem has been made serious by conflict in the area，the fastgrowing population and the use of water to grow a drug called qat.With one of the world’s highest rates of population growth—3.46 percent, Yemen is the poorest Arab country.
The government is considering desalinating (淡化) seawater，but this would be expensive and it may now be too late.The only other solution is to cut down on farming, but that means importing even more food.
小题1:The passage aims to________.| A．analyze the reasons why Yemen lacks water | | B．suggest some solutions to the water issue in Yemen | | C．present how serious the water problem is in Yemen | | D．encourage the world to help Yemenis who are suffering from water shortages |
小题2:When Hannan said that only the rich could prepare for cuts in supply，she meant that________.| A．rich people drank more water than the poor | | B．rich people could buy water from the water trucks if there was a water supply cut | | C．she had a rich neighbor who often helped her during water supply cuts | | D．the rich were not affected by water supply cuts |
小题3:Which of the following may be a reason why Yemen is short of water?| A．The country has had no rain for a long time. | | B．The population of Yemen is growing fast. | | C．The government has failed to reduce farming. | | D．People can’t afford the water from government water trucks. |
小题4:The best title for the passage is “________”．| A．Never take water for granted | | B．The water truck—the commonest sight in Yemen | | C．The first country to run out of water in the world | | D．No water for Yemen |
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56yearold becomes 1st woman to swim Atlantic
(AP)－Jennifer Figge pressed her toes into the Caribbean sand, excited and exhausted as she touched land this week for the first time in almost a month. Reaching a beach in Trinidad, she became the first woman on record to swim across the Atlantic Ocean—a dream she"d had since the early 1960s,when a stormy transAtlantic (飞越大西洋) flight got her thinking she could wear a life vest and swim the rest of the way if needed.
The 56yearold left the Cape Verde Islands off Africa"s western coast on Jan.12,2009, swimming 19 out of 25 days battling waves of up to 30 feet.The distance from Cape Verde to Trinidad is about 700 miles.Crewmembers are still computing exactly how many miles she swam.
The original plan was for her to swim to the Bahamas—a distance of about 2,100 miles—but inclement (恶劣的) weather forced her to change her plans and she arrived at Trinidad on Feb.5.She now plans to swim from Trinidad to the British Virgin Islands,ending her voyage at the Bitter End Yacht Club in late February.
Her journey came a decade after French swimmer Benoit Lecomte made the first known solo transAtlantic swim,covering nearly 4,000 miles from Massachusetts to France in 73 days.No woman on record had made the crossing.
Figge wore a red cap and wet suit,with her only goodluck charm (护身符) underneath:an old,red shirt to guard against chafing (磨痛),signed by friends,relatives and her father,who recently died.The other cherished (珍惜) possession she kept onboard was a picture of Gertrude Ederle,an American who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel.“We have a few things in common,”Figge said,“She wore a red hat and she was of German descent (血统).We both talked to the sea,and neither one of us wanted to get out.”
小题1:When did Jennifer Figge want to swim across the Atlantic Ocean？| A．After she reached a beach in Trinidad. | | B．After she pressed her toes into the Caribbean sand. | | C．After her stormy transAtlantic flight in the early 1960s. | | D．After her graduation from a university. |
小题2:Jennifer Figge had to change her plans .| A．because she wanted to shorten her voyage | | B．because of bad weather conditions | | C．because she wanted to end her voyage in late February | | D．because she wanted to set a new world record |
小题3:When did Benoit Lecomte probably make the first known solo transAtlantic swim？| A．In 1999. | B．In 1988. | C．In 1978 . | D．In 1968. |
小题4:For what purpose did Jennifer Figge keep a photo of Gertrude Ederle？| A．Figge would like to follow her example. | | B．She had the same red cap as Figge always wore. | | C．Figge also wanted to swim across the English Channel. | | D．They were both born in Germany. |
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For many blind people, computers are inaccessible. It can cost $1,000 to purchase “screen reader” software, but two blind computer programmers from Australia have solved this problem.
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) graduate James Teh and business partner Michael Curran developed a free, open-source program, called NVDA, which provides a voice to read the words on a computer screen as the cursor(光标) moves over them. NVDA won the blind inventors an award in the grand final program of the ABC’s New Inventors, which aired on September 23. They took home the award for an invention that “might make a real difference to people’s lives or the environment.”
“A sighted person takes for granted that they can sit down at any computer and use it,” Mr Teh said. “We really are in the information age — everything is online these days. So access to computers for the blind is very important, which is why we wanted our software to be free.”
Mr Teh, who majored in software engineering at QUT, said blind students typically didn’t have the money to purchase “screen reader” technology, at the time in their life when they most needed it. Now NVDA could be downloaded on to anyone’s personal computer free of charge.
“It can also be copied to a USB stick, which can be used on any PC at school or university, with no installation required,” he said.
Mr Teh and Mr Curran have drawn on their own experience as blind computer users to develop a product which has some unique features. For example, as the mouse moves up and down the screen, a sound becomes higher and lower to let you know where the cursor is located.
NVDA has been translated into 27 languages, thanks to volunteer translators. To date, there have been over 50,000 downloads.
Mr Teh and Mr Curran have been working on the project since 2006. They worked on their product without any pay for two years. When Mozilla offered some funding in 2008, Mr Teh was able to quit his day job and work full-time developing NVDA.
小题1:NVDA won an award in the program of the ABC’s New Inventors because it _____.| A．causes no harm to the environment | B．influences people’ s lives | | C．is aiming at blind people | D．is easy to use |
小题2:Why did James Teh and Michael Curran want their software to be free?| A．They got funding from Mozilla. | | B．They belonged to a volunteer group. | | C．They wanted to help the blind. | | D．They wanted people to give up “screen reader” software. |
小题3:What do we know about Teh and Curran?| A．They are studying at QUT. | B．They are good at translating. | | C．They know how the blind feel. | D．They began to develop NVDA in 2008. |
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The city of Rome has passed a new law to prevent cruelty to animals. All goldfish bowls are no longer allowed and dog owners must walk their dogs,
"The civilization of a city can be measured by this," said Monica Cirinna, the councilor(议员 ) behind the new law.
"It"s good to do whatever we can for our animals who in exchange for a little love fill our existence with their attention," she told a Rome newspaper.
The newspaper reported that round bowls don"t give enough oxygen for fish and may make them go blind.
"Rome has tried to protect fish more than anywhere else in the world. It stands out for recognizing that fish are interesting animals who deserve our respect and compassion every bit as much as dogs and eats and other animals,” said Karin Robertson, a director of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Last year a law was passed in Italy that gives people who desert pets big fines (罚款) and prison sentences. Since then local governments have added their own animal protection rules.
The northern city of Turin passed a law in April to give pet owners fines of up to $ 598 if they do not walk their dogs three times a day.
The new law in Rome also says that owners mustn"t leave their dogs in hot cars or cut their dogs" tails to make them look lovelier. The law also gives legal recognition to the "cat ladies" who feed homeless cats. The cats live all over the city from ancient ruins to modem office car parks.
小题1:The new law passed in Rome will .| A．help improve fishing environment | | B．guarantee better conditions for goldfish | | C．stop people from catching goldfish | | D．discourage keeping goldfish at home |
小题2:People in Rome believe that the civilization of a city can be judged by its .| A．exchanges with" other cities | | B．protection for ancient ruins | | C．awareness of animal protection | | D．recognition of animal lovers |
小题3:The underlined word" compassion" in Paragraph 5 is the closest in meaning to .| A．pity | B．praise | C．support | D．popularity |
小题4:People may break the law in Turin if they| A．keep their dogs or cats in cars | | B．feed homeless animals in car parks | | C．raise their cats near ancient ruins | | D．shut their dogs home all day long |
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BERLIN （AP）----A tiger escaped its enclosure at Cologne Zoo in western Germany on Saturday and killed a female keeper before being shot dead by the zoo"s director, police said．
The tiger slipped through a passage between the enclosure and a neighboring storage building, where it fatally attacked the 43-year-old keeper, said police spokesman Stefan Kirchner．
"It appears the gate wasn"t properly shut," Kirchner told The Associated Press．
The zoo was evacuated and a SWAT （特警） team was called in, police said．But before it arrived, the zoo"s director managed to kill the tiger by climbing onto the storage building and shooting it through a skylight using a rifle．
Kirchner said it was unlikely that members of the public had witnessed the incident. "This is the darkest day of my life," the zoo"s director, Theo Pagel, was quoted as saying by Cologne newspaper Express．
The paper said on its website that the Siberian tiger was a 4-year-old male called Tltai that came to Cologne Zoo from an animal park in England．In November it fathered three cubs with a 7-year-old Siberian tiger called Hanya, according to the zoo"s website．
Police said the zoo reopened after Saturday"s incident, which occurred around noon．However, a planned late-night opening of the zoo has been canceled．
Cologne Zoo is one of the oldest in Germany．It was founded in 1860 and houses some 10,000 animals consisting of more than 700 different species．
小题1:Which of the following can be the best title of the news text?| A．Tiger Escapes, Kills Keeper in German Zoo | | B．Tiger Escapes in German Zoo, Shot Dead | | C．German Zoo Keeper Shot Escaped Tiger | | D．People Killed in Oldest Zoo in German |
小题2:According to the police, what was the direct reason for the incident?| A．The zoo keeper was a new hand． | | B．A gate was not closed appropriately. | | C．The zoo had neglected the secret passage. | | D．It was very dark when the incident happened. |
小题3:What did the zoo do after the incident?| A．They honored the killed person in a way. | | B．They paid SWAT for their timely help. | | C．They returned the tiger’s three cubs to England. | | D．They called off the late-night opening. |
小题4:How did the zoo director feel after the incident?| A．Proud. | B．Disappointed. | C．Sad. | D．Angry. |
小题5:What can we learn about Cologne Zoo?| A．It keeps a large variety of species. | | B．It is one of the largest in German. | | C．It has a history of more than 700 years. | | D．No such incident has happened before. |
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