Passage 4

Some futurologists have assumed that the vast upsurge（劇增）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 marriages.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 postpone marriage because the parties cannot afford to establish a family or are concerned about rainy days ahead.As the economy rebounds，the number of marriages also rises.

Coincident with the increase in women working outside the home is the increase in divorce rates.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.Tensions grounded in financial problems often play a key role in ending a marriage.Given high unemployment，inflationary problems，and slow growth in real earnings，a working wife can increase household income and relieve some of these pressing financial burdens.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.With higher earning capacity and status occupations outside of the home comes the capacity to exercise power within file family.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.

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

A.defyB.signalC.suffer fromD.result from

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

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

4.One reason why women with no career may seek a divorce is that______.

A.they feel that they have been robbed of their freedom

B.they are afraid of being bossed around by their husbands

C.they feel that their partners fail to live up to their expectations

D.they tend to suspect their husbands’loyalty to their marriage

5.Which of the following statements can best summarize the author’s view in the passage？

A.The stability of marriage and the divorce rate may reflect the economic situation of the country.

B.Even when economically independent，most women have to struggle for real equality in marriage.

C.In order to secure their marriage women should work outside the home and remain independent.

D.The impact of the growing female workforce on marriage varies from case to case.

參考譯文

一些未來學家認為，勞動力中女性人數的激增預示著她們將拒絕婚姻。根據這種假說，許多女性寧愿工作也不愿意結婚。與這種說法相反的是家庭中多人賺錢會鼓勵婚姻。過去，只有男性的報酬和經濟前景在決定結婚時被考慮。現在，婦女的賺錢能力使她成為更有吸引力的婚姻伴侶。數據顯示經濟低迷會延緩婚姻，因為兩個人負擔不起組建一個家庭，或者擔心結婚后的困難日子。當經濟復蘇時，結婚的數量也會上升。

與婦女在外工作人數增加巧合的是離婚率的增加，然而簡單地據此得出任何的因果結論都可能是錯誤的。婦女工作對離婚的影響并不比其對決定結婚的影響小。意識到自己能夠供養自己或許會增加職業婦女在遇到不滿意的婚姻時選擇離婚的可能性，不過與此相反的結論也同樣正確。經濟問題上的壓力常常是婚姻終結的重要原因。面對高失業率、通貨膨脹、實際收入的低增長時，工作的妻子能增加家庭收入，減輕經濟壓力。在提高家庭生活水平時，工作的妻子能促進家庭的經濟和情感的穩定性。

心理因素同樣也應該被考慮。比如，當妻子不外出工作，就會感到待在家里如同被關在籠子里似的。她可能認為自己唯一能逃脫的選擇就是離婚。相反，如果她能在家庭外的工作中找到滿足的話，工作和婚姻能一起創造一個更堅固穩定的組合。

當然，女性在婚姻中不平等地位的一個主要原因是：多數情況下，男性依然是家庭收入的主要來源。由于在外工作，賺錢能力和社會地位提高，成員在家庭中的權力也相應增加。工作的妻子可能取代丈夫成為一家之主。新的形勢創造出更平等的夫妻關系還是帶來新的不安定因素取決于夫妻雙方對新形勢的反應。

解題之路

1.選B。此類題目正確率很低，這與平時閱讀過度依賴字典和不重視語篇分析有關。解答此類題目時應對上下文之間的邏輯關系進行分析。portend在第一句，答案所依據的解題線索一般會在后文中。一、二兩句的意思是：一些未來學家提出一個假設，勞動力中婦女的劇增可能預示著對婚姻的拒絕。根據這個假設，許多婦女將寧愿工作而不愿意結婚，我們可以推導出勞動力中婦女的劇增與拒絕婚姻是因果關系，所以選B.signal顯示、預示。A.defy藐視，公然反抗；C.suffer from因……而遭罪；D.result from源于、是因為，顛倒了因果關系，如果改成result in就可以了。

2.選D。本題是問當經濟下滑時會出現什么情況？根據題干中的economy slides定位到文章第一段的倒數第二句，有數據表明……（Data show that…，為考點）。本句的意思是：有數據表明，經濟下滑會使婚姻延期，因為雙方沒有經濟能力建立一個家庭或者是擔心未來經濟拮據的日子。所以選D.more people would prefer to remain single for the time being更多的人會選擇暫時單身，remain single for the time being=postpone marriage，推遲結婚就是暫時保持單身。這里命題者所使用的替換非常巧妙，屬于正話反說。A.men would choose working women as their marriage partners男人會選擇職業婦女作為結婚對象，干擾源在上一句the earning ability of a woman can make her more attractive as a marriage partner，與本題所設置的條件when the economy slides沒有關系，偏離考點；B.more women would get married to seek financial security更多的婦女將會結婚以尋求經濟的保障；C.even working women would worry about their marriages甚至職業婦女也會對她們的婚姻擔心；B、C都無信息支持，是無中生有。

3.選C。本題問如果婦女通過在外工作找到滿足感，會怎么樣？根據題干中的if/fulfillment定位到文章第三段的最后一句：如果她能夠通過在外工作獲得滿足，那么工作和婚姻會一起創造一個更強大的、更穩定的聯盟。所以應該選C.their marriage ties be can strengthened他們的婚姻紐帶會得到加強。原文中的形容詞“stronger”轉化為選項中的動詞“strengthen”，對于這類同義轉述，應注意揣摩。A.they are more likely to dominate their marriage partners她們更加可能控制他們的婚姻對象，盡管最后一段提到A working wife may rob a husband of being the master of the house工作的妻子可能使丈夫不再成為一家之主，但dominate一詞用得太過，而且也不符合本題所設置的條件If women…the home，偏離了考點；B.their husbands are expected to do more housework預計她們的丈夫會做更多的家務活，文章沒有提到她們的丈夫會有什么變化，無信息支持；D.they tend to put their career before marriage她們可能會將職業置于比婚姻更優先的地位，也無信息支持。

4.選A。本題是例證、原因考點。根據關鍵詞with no career/seek a divorce定位到第三段的第二句和第三句，兩句之間是因果關系。本題還考查了同學們對形象用法的理解。第二句意思為，如果婦女沒有職業待在家中，她們會覺得像關在籠子里一樣。所以應該選A.they feel that they have been robbed of their freedom他們覺得被剝奪了自由。B.they are afraid of being bossed around by their husbands她們害怕被丈夫呼來喝去；C.they feel that their partners fail to live up to their expectations她們覺得丈夫沒有能夠符合她們的期望；D.they tend to suspect their husbands’loyalty to their marriage她們可能懷疑丈夫對婚姻的忠誠。三個干擾項都是無中生有，文中無信息支持。

5.選D。本題問作者的觀點。作者在文中的語氣基本保持中立，只在最后一句表達了自己的觀點。因此應該選D.The impact of the growing female workforce on marriage varies from case to case婦女工作人數的不斷增多對于婚姻的影響是不盡相同的。A.The stability of marriage and the divorce rate may reflect the economic situation of the country婚姻穩定和離婚率可能反映了國家的經濟狀況。盡管文中提到經濟對婚姻的影響，但并不是作者的觀點；B.Even when economically independent，most women have to struggle for real equality in marriage即使經濟獨立，大部分婦女仍然必須為婚姻中的真正平等而斗爭。文中無信息支持；C.In order to secure their marriage women should work outside the home and remain independent為了確保婚姻穩固，婦女應該外出工作并保持獨立。文中無信息支持。

詞匯精解

futurologist n.未來學家

assume vt.假定，設想，采取，呈現，認為

vast adj.巨大的，廣闊的，大量的

upsurge n.高潮，劇增

workforce n.工人總數，勞動力

portend vt.預示

unsatisfactory adj.令人不滿意的，不得人心的

tension n.緊張，不安，牽力，壓力

financial adj.財政的，金融的

unemployment n.失業，失業人數

inflationary adj.通貨膨脹的

earnings n.所得，收入

rejection n.拒絕

downturn n.低迷時期，下滑

postpone vt.延遲，推遲，使延期

party n.黨，黨派，（共同參加工作或活動的）隊，組，群，一方

establish vt.設立，安置，建立

ahead adj.向前的，在前面的impact n.碰撞，沖突，效果，影響

divorce n.脫離，離婚

cloudy adj.多云的，陰天的，陰沉的

realization n.實現，意識到

provider n.供應者，養家者，提供者

chance n.機會，偶然性，運氣，可能性

household n.一家人，家庭，家族

income n.收益，所得，收入

relieve vt.援助，救濟，解除，減輕

pressing adj.急迫的，緊迫的

burden n.擔子，負擔

capacity n.容量，地位，才能，能力

status n.狀況，情形，身份，地位

occupation n.占有，職業

exercise vt.行使，執行

couple n.一對，一雙，夫婦

equal adj.相等的，均等的，勝任的，平等的

partnership n.合伙，配對，伙伴關系

insecurity n.不安全，不穩定，不穩定因素

難句解析

1.Some futurologists have assumed that the vast upsurge of women in the workforce may portend a rejection of marriage.

【參考譯文】一些未來學家認為，勞動力中女性人數的激增預示著她們將拒絕婚姻。

【結構分析】這是一個主從復合句，主句的主語是Some futurologists，謂語是have assumed，之后的that…marriage是賓語從句，該從句的主語是the vast upsurge，謂語是may protend，賓語是a rejection of marriage，in the workforce是women的后定語。

【知識鏈接】assume that認為……；rejection of marriage拒絕婚姻

2.Data show that economic downturns tend to postpone marriage because the parties cannot afford to establish a family or are concerned about rainy days ahead.

【參考譯文】數據顯示經濟低迷會延緩婚姻，因為兩個人負擔不起組建一個家庭，或者擔心結婚后的困難日子。

【結構分析】這是一個主從復合句，可以切分為：（Data show//that economic downturns tend to postpone marriage//）（because the parties cannot afford to establish a family or are concerned about rainy days ahead）。第一部分是主句，其中的分隔號內是that引導的從句，作show的賓語，該從句的主語是economic downturns，謂語是tend to postpone，賓語是marriage；第二部分是because引導的原因狀語從句，由or連接的兩個句子構成，最后的ahead是rainy days的后定語。

【知識鏈接】tend to do趨向于……；afford to do負擔起……；be concerned about關注；rainy day拮據的日子

3.The impact of a wife’s work on divorce is no less cloudy than its impact on marriage decisions.

【參考譯文】婦女工作對離婚的影響并不比其對決定結婚的影響小。

【結構分析】這個句子的難點是A is no less…than B結構，即：A和B都不……；on divorce和on marriage decisions分別是work和impact的后定語。

【知識鏈接】A is no less…than B一樣都……；impact on對……的影響

4.The realization that she can be a good provider may increase the chances that a working wife will choose divorce over an unsatisfactory marriage.

【參考譯文】意識到自己能夠供養自己或許會增加職業婦女在遇到不滿意的婚姻時選擇離婚的可能性。

【結構分析】這是一個主從復合句，可以切分為：The realization（that she can be a good provider）may increase the chances（that a working wife will choose divorce over an unsatisfactory marriage）。括號外是主句，即：The realization…chances，第一個括號內是realization的同位語從句，第二個括號內是chances的同位語從句，over…marriage是比較狀語。

【知識鏈接】working wife職業女性；choose…over…寧選……不選……

5.Tensions grounded in financial problems often play a key role in ending a marriage.

【參考譯文】經濟問題上的壓力常常是婚姻終結的重要原因。

【結構分析】這是一個簡單句，主干是Tensions…play a key role，過去分詞短語grounded…problems是主語的后定語，in...marriage是地點狀語。

【知識鏈接】be grounded in基于……；play a key role in…在……起關鍵作用

6.Given high unemployment，inflationary problems，and slow growth in real earnings，a working wife can increase household income and relieve some of these pressing financial burdens.

【參考譯文】面對高失業率、通貨膨脹、實際收入的低增長時，工作的妻子能增加家庭收入，減輕經濟壓力。

【結構分析】Given…earnings是原因狀語，Given是介詞，in real earnings是growth的后定語；主干結構是a working wife can increase…and relieve…，即由and連接的兩個并列句。

【知識鏈接】high unemployment高失業率；inflationary problem通貨膨脹問題；household income家庭收入；financial burden經濟負擔

7.With higher earning capacity and status occupations outside of the home comes the capacity to exercise power within file family.

【參考譯文】由于在外工作，賺錢能力和社會地位提高，成員在家庭中的權力也相應增加。

【結構分析】這是一個完全倒裝句，主語是the capacity…family，不定式to exercise power是capacity的后定語，within file family是范圍狀語；謂語是comes，With…the home是伴隨狀語。

【知識鏈接】status occupation顯示地位的工作；outside of the home家庭之外；exercise power實施權力；file family按序排列的家庭

8.Depending upon how the couple reacts to these new conditions，it could create a stronger equal partnership or it could create new insecurities.

【參考譯文】新的形勢創造出更平等的夫妻關系還是帶來新的不安定因素取決于夫妻雙方對新形勢的反應。

【結構分析】句子的主干是it could create…or it could create…insecurities，現在分詞短語Depending upon…conditions是方式狀語，其中的how…conditions是介詞upon的賓語從句，介詞短語to these new conditions是方向狀語。

【知識鏈接】depend upon依靠；react to對……做出反應