Passage 4

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 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.

参考译文

一些未来学家认为，劳动力中女性人数的激增预示着她们将拒绝婚姻。根据这种假说，许多女性宁愿工作也不愿意结婚。与这种说法相反的是家庭中多人赚钱会鼓励婚姻。过去，只有男性的报酬和经济前景在决定结婚时被考虑。现在，妇女的赚钱能力使她成为更有吸引力的婚姻伴侣。数据显示经济低迷会延缓婚姻，因为两个人负担不起组建一个家庭，或者担心结婚后的困难日子。当经济复苏时，结婚的数量也会上升。

与妇女在外工作人数增加巧合的是离婚率的增加，然而简单地据此得出任何的因果结论都可能是错误的。妇女工作对离婚的影响并不比其对决定结婚的影响小。意识到自己能够供养自己或许会增加职业妇女在遇到不满意的婚姻时选择离婚的可能性，不过与此相反的结论也同样正确。经济问题上的压力常常是婚姻终结的重要原因。面对高失业率、通货膨胀、实际收入的低增长时，工作的妻子能增加家庭收入，减轻经济压力。在提高家庭生活水平时，工作的妻子能促进家庭的经济和情感的稳定性。

心理因素同样也应该被考虑。比如，当妻子不外出工作，就会感到待在家里如同被关在笼子里似的。她可能认为自己唯一能逃脱的选择就是离婚。相反，如果她能在家庭外的工作中找到满足的话，工作和婚姻能一起创造一个更坚固稳定的组合。

当然，女性在婚姻中不平等地位的一个主要原因是：多数情况下，男性依然是家庭收入的主要来源。由于在外工作，赚钱能力和社会地位提高，成员在家庭中的权力也相应增加。工作的妻子可能取代丈夫成为一家之主。新的形势创造出更平等的夫妻关系还是带来新的不安定因素取决于夫妻双方对新形势的反应。

解题之路

1.选B。此类题目正确率很低，这与平时阅读过度依赖字典和不重视语篇分析有关。解答此类题目时应对上下文之间的逻辑关系进行分析。portend在第一句，答案所依据的解题线索一般会在后文中。一、二两句的意思是：一些未来学家提出一个假设，劳动力中妇女的剧增可能预示着对婚姻的拒绝。根据这个假设，许多妇女将宁愿工作而不愿意结婚，我们可以推导出劳动力中妇女的剧增与拒绝婚姻是因果关系，所以选B.signal显示、预示。A.defy藐视，公然反抗；C.suffer from因……而遭罪；D.result from源于、是因为，颠倒了因果关系，如果改成result in就可以了。

2.选D。本题是问当经济下滑时会出现什么情况？根据题干中的economy slides定位到文章第一段的倒数第二句，有数据表明……（Data show that…，为考点）。本句的意思是：有数据表明，经济下滑会使婚姻延期，因为双方没有经济能力建立一个家庭或者是担心未来经济拮据的日子。所以选D.more people would prefer to remain single for the time being更多的人会选择暂时单身，remain single for the time being=postpone marriage，推迟结婚就是暂时保持单身。这里命题者所使用的替换非常巧妙，属于正话反说。A.men would choose working women as their marriage partners男人会选择职业妇女作为结婚对象，干扰源在上一句the earning ability of a woman can make her more attractive as a marriage partner，与本题所设置的条件when the economy slides没有关系，偏离考点；B.more women would get married to seek financial security更多的妇女将会结婚以寻求经济的保障；C.even working women would worry about their marriages甚至职业妇女也会对她们的婚姻担心；B、C都无信息支持，是无中生有。

3.选C。本题问如果妇女通过在外工作找到满足感，会怎么样？根据题干中的if/fulfillment定位到文章第三段的最后一句：如果她能够通过在外工作获得满足，那么工作和婚姻会一起创造一个更强大的、更稳定的联盟。所以应该选C.their marriage ties be can strengthened他们的婚姻纽带会得到加强。原文中的形容词“stronger”转化为选项中的动词“strengthen”，对于这类同义转述，应注意揣摩。A.they are more likely to dominate their marriage partners她们更加可能控制他们的婚姻对象，尽管最后一段提到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为一家之主，但dominate一词用得太过，而且也不符合本题所设置的条件If women…the home，偏离了考点；B.their husbands are expected to do more housework预计她们的丈夫会做更多的家务活，文章没有提到她们的丈夫会有什么变化，无信息支持；D.they tend to put their career before marriage她们可能会将职业置于比婚姻更优先的地位，也无信息支持。

4.选A。本题是例证、原因考点。根据关键词with no career/seek a divorce定位到第三段的第二句和第三句，两句之间是因果关系。本题还考查了同学们对形象用法的理解。第二句意思为，如果妇女没有职业待在家中，她们会觉得像关在笼子里一样。所以应该选A.they feel that they have been robbed of their freedom他们觉得被剥夺了自由。B.they are afraid of being bossed around by their husbands她们害怕被丈夫呼来喝去；C.they feel that their partners fail to live up to their expectations她们觉得丈夫没有能够符合她们的期望；D.they tend to suspect their husbands’loyalty to their marriage她们可能怀疑丈夫对婚姻的忠诚。三个干扰项都是无中生有，文中无信息支持。

5.选D。本题问作者的观点。作者在文中的语气基本保持中立，只在最后一句表达了自己的观点。因此应该选D.The impact of the growing female workforce on marriage varies from case to case妇女工作人数的不断增多对于婚姻的影响是不尽相同的。A.The stability of marriage and the divorce rate may reflect the economic situation of the country婚姻稳定和离婚率可能反映了国家的经济状况。尽管文中提到经济对婚姻的影响，但并不是作者的观点；B.Even when economically independent，most women have to struggle for real equality in marriage即使经济独立，大部分妇女仍然必须为婚姻中的真正平等而斗争。文中无信息支持；C.In order to secure their marriage women should work outside the home and remain independent为了确保婚姻稳固，妇女应该外出工作并保持独立。文中无信息支持。

词汇精解

futurologist n.未来学家

assume vt.假定，设想，采取，呈现，认为

vast adj.巨大的，广阔的，大量的

upsurge n.高潮，剧增

workforce n.工人总数，劳动力

portend vt.预示

unsatisfactory adj.令人不满意的，不得人心的

tension n.紧张，不安，牵力，压力

financial adj.财政的，金融的

unemployment n.失业，失业人数

inflationary adj.通货膨胀的

earnings n.所得，收入

rejection n.拒绝

downturn n.低迷时期，下滑

postpone vt.延迟，推迟，使延期

party n.党，党派，（共同参加工作或活动的）队，组，群，一方

establish vt.设立，安置，建立

ahead adj.向前的，在前面的impact n.碰撞，冲突，效果，影响

divorce n.脱离，离婚

cloudy adj.多云的，阴天的，阴沉的

realization n.实现，意识到

provider n.供应者，养家者，提供者

chance n.机会，偶然性，运气，可能性

household n.一家人，家庭，家族

income n.收益，所得，收入

relieve vt.援助，救济，解除，减轻

pressing adj.急迫的，紧迫的

burden n.担子，负担

capacity n.容量，地位，才能，能力

status n.状况，情形，身份，地位

occupation n.占有，职业

exercise vt.行使，执行

couple n.一对，一双，夫妇

equal adj.相等的，均等的，胜任的，平等的

partnership n.合伙，配对，伙伴关系

insecurity n.不安全，不稳定，不稳定因素

难句解析

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

【参考译文】一些未来学家认为，劳动力中女性人数的激增预示着她们将拒绝婚姻。

【结构分析】这是一个主从复合句，主句的主语是Some futurologists，谓语是have assumed，之后的that…marriage是宾语从句，该从句的主语是the vast upsurge，谓语是may protend，宾语是a rejection of marriage，in the workforce是women的后定语。

【知识链接】assume that认为……；rejection of marriage拒绝婚姻

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.

【参考译文】数据显示经济低迷会延缓婚姻，因为两个人负担不起组建一个家庭，或者担心结婚后的困难日子。

【结构分析】这是一个主从复合句，可以切分为：（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，其中的分隔号内是that引导的从句，作show的宾语，该从句的主语是economic downturns，谓语是tend to postpone，宾语是marriage；第二部分是because引导的原因状语从句，由or连接的两个句子构成，最后的ahead是rainy days的后定语。

【知识链接】tend to do趋向于……；afford to do负担起……；be concerned about关注；rainy day拮据的日子

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

【参考译文】妇女工作对离婚的影响并不比其对决定结婚的影响小。

【结构分析】这个句子的难点是A is no less…than B结构，即：A和B都不……；on divorce和on marriage decisions分别是work和impact的后定语。

【知识链接】A is no less…than B一样都……；impact on对……的影响

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.

【参考译文】意识到自己能够供养自己或许会增加职业妇女在遇到不满意的婚姻时选择离婚的可能性。

【结构分析】这是一个主从复合句，可以切分为：The realization（that she can be a good provider）may increase the chances（that a working wife will choose divorce over an unsatisfactory marriage）。括号外是主句，即：The realization…chances，第一个括号内是realization的同位语从句，第二个括号内是chances的同位语从句，over…marriage是比较状语。

【知识链接】working wife职业女性；choose…over…宁选……不选……

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

【参考译文】经济问题上的压力常常是婚姻终结的重要原因。

【结构分析】这是一个简单句，主干是Tensions…play a key role，过去分词短语grounded…problems是主语的后定语，in...marriage是地点状语。

【知识链接】be grounded in基于……；play a key role in…在……起关键作用

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.

【参考译文】面对高失业率、通货膨胀、实际收入的低增长时，工作的妻子能增加家庭收入，减轻经济压力。

【结构分析】Given…earnings是原因状语，Given是介词，in real earnings是growth的后定语；主干结构是a working wife can increase…and relieve…，即由and连接的两个并列句。

【知识链接】high unemployment高失业率；inflationary problem通货膨胀问题；household income家庭收入；financial burden经济负担

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

【参考译文】由于在外工作，赚钱能力和社会地位提高，成员在家庭中的权力也相应增加。

【结构分析】这是一个完全倒装句，主语是the capacity…family，不定式to exercise power是capacity的后定语，within file family是范围状语；谓语是comes，With…the home是伴随状语。

【知识链接】status occupation显示地位的工作；outside of the home家庭之外；exercise power实施权力；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.

【参考译文】新的形势创造出更平等的夫妻关系还是带来新的不安定因素取决于夫妻双方对新形势的反应。

【结构分析】句子的主干是it could create…or it could create…insecurities，现在分词短语Depending upon…conditions是方式状语，其中的how…conditions是介词upon的宾语从句，介词短语to these new conditions是方向状语。

【知识链接】depend upon依靠；react to对……做出反应