Although the women’s movement and political controversies about such issues and the Equal Rights Amendment and sexual harassment ( 骚扰) suggest that changing sex roles is a recent issue, this is far from the case. Broad trends can be identified over the past hundred years. Women have increased their participation in the labor force from 18% in 1900 to over 50% today, and they give birth to fewer children than women did in the past. In 1910 the birth rate was 30 per 1,000 population; by the 1900s it had declined to 16 per 1,000. These two trends – increasing participation in the labor force and decreasing family size – suggest that major long-term changes have restructured the role expectations of men and women. These changes are complex. The fact that more women are joining the labor force as full-time workers does not mean that a single sex role pattern is emerging。

　　On the contrary, we are living in a period of diverse family patterns. According to Kathleen Gerson, “the domestic woman who builds her life around children and homemaking persists, but she now coexists with a growing number of working mothers and permanently childless women。”

　　Women today face hard choices as they make decisions about work, career, and motherhood. Despite women’s liberation, women still earn less than men in the work place and are still expected to do most of the work in the home. Women work substantially more hours each week in the home and at the workplace than men do. Women are working harder than ever, yet many do not enjoy the benefits of full equality。

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2 上作答。

　　52. The traditional roles for men and women ___。

　　A) are diverse

　　B) are conflicting

　　C) have been changing

　　D) are no longer followed

　　53. Changing sex roles is not a recent issue because ___。

　　A) women have increased their participation in the labor force over the past hundred years

　　B) more and more women are becoming working mothers or childless women

　　C) the conventional image of women has changed beyond recognition

　　D) people have changed their expectations of women in modern society

　　54. The fact that more women are joining the labor force as full time workers mean that ___。

　　A) women are becoming more independent

　　B) the family patterns are becoming diverse

　　C) a single-role pattern is emerging

　　D) women are eager to work

　　55. It’s stated in the last paragraph that ___。

　　A) women today still suffer from inequality in work and life

　　B) women’s liberation has promoted their social status

　　C) the society expects more from women than from men

　　D) women are more capable and diligent than men

　　56. According to this passage, the statement which is NOT true is ___。

　　A) many people still follow the conventional norms of life style

　　B) women today give birth to fewer children than women in the past

　　C) more and more women choose to work rather than to be housewives

　　D) men do as much domestic work as women do at home

　　Passage Two

　　Obesity generally is defined as an accumulation of fat beyond what is considered normal for a person’s age, sex, and body type. In today’s society obesity is considered a disease, not a moral failing. It occurs when energy intake exceeds the amount of energy expended over time. Only in a small minority of cases is obesity caused by such illnesses as hypothyroidism, or the result of taking medications, such as steroids ( 类固醇)， that can cause weight gain。

　　The more a person weighs, the more blood vessels the body needs to circulate blood throughout the body. The heart takes on a heavy burden as it has to pump harder to force the blood flow through so many vessels. As a result, the heart grows in size and blood pressure tends to rise. Obesity is also a factor in osteoarthritis (because of the extra weight placed on the joints)， bone and joint diseases, respiratory ailments, gallbladder disease, complications during pregnancy and delivery, and higher accidental death rate。

　　Obesity can alter hormone levels, affect immune function, and cause impotence in men and reproductive problems in women. Women who are 30% overweight are twice as likely to die of endometrial cancer, and those who are 40% overweight have four times the risk. Obese women also are more likely to incur cancers of the breast, ovaries, and gallbladder. Obese men are more likely to develop cancers of the rectum, colon, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and prostate。

　　Obesity can also cause psychological problems. Sufferers are associated with laziness, failure, or inadequate willpower. As a result, overweight men and women blame themselves for being heavy, thus causing feelings of guilt and depression。

　　Scientific evidence has found an association between BMI (body-mass index) and higher death rates. However, the relative risk of being heavy declines with age. Some researchers have found that data linking overweight and death are inconclusive, while other researchers have found that losing weight may be riskier than dangers posed by extra pounds. Some researchers counter that overweight indirectly contributes to over 300,000 deaths a year。

　　A poll by Shape Up America found that 78% of overweight or obese adults have abandoned dieting as a means of losing weight. Diets do not teach people how to eat properly. They merely restrict food intake temporarily, so when the diet ends, weight gain resumes。

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2 上作答。

　　57. Which of the following expresses the main idea of this passage?

　　A) Obesity puts a burden on the heart。

　　B) Many people are constantly dieting。

　　C) Obesity is considered to be a disease。

　　D) Obesity can lead to many serious health problems。

　　58. According to the passage, _____________________。

　　A) obesity is often related to medications such as steroids

　　B) obesity does not affect a person’s chance of getting cancer

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