Question

【题目】 Just ask any new parent: Adding a baby to a household can also add stress to a career. Now，a new study backs that up with some astonishing numbers: After science，technology，engineering，and mathematics（STEM）professionals become parents，43%of women and 23% of men switch fields，transition（转变）to part-time work，or leave the workforce entirely.

Many researchers and parents already knew that STEM can be unwelcoming to parents，particularly mothers. But“the considerable departure was astonishing，”says Erin Cech，an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and lead author of the study，published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. For both genders，“the proportions were higher than we expected. ”

The surprisingly high reduction rate for men also highlights that“parenthood in STEM is not just a mothers'issue；it's a worker issue，”Cech says. She hopes that the findings“might motivate changes，"such as more paid parental leave from both government and employers and policies that better support flexible work time without a tight routine. “We are not suggesting that people who want families should avoid STEM；that's not the solution，”she emphasizes.

By 2018，78% of new fathers were still working in STEM，the vast majority full time. For new mothers，68% were still in STEM，but only 57% worked full time. For professionals without children，on the other hand，84% of men and 76% of women were predicted to still be working in STEM full time in 2018. For the new parents across all fields，16% of women were working part-time and 15% had left the workforce，as compared with just 2% and 3%，respectively，for men. These sharp differences make clear that，even though the reduction rate for fathers is higher than expected，mothers still face particular career challenges.

【1】What makes many STEM employees change their jobs?

A. Worrying about their family.B. The attraction of part-time jobs.

C. Being tired of the former jobs.D. The heavy burden at home and work.

【2】Which statement may Erin Cech agree with?

A. Working at home may be a popular choice.

B. Increasing welfare may keep STEM parents.

C. People with families should leave STEM.

D. STEM professionals should obey the rules.

【3】How many new mothers among the labor force worked full time in 2018?

A. 69%.B. 76%

C. 57%.D. 31%.

【4】What does the author want to stress by listing the sharp differences?

A. Too many fathers leave STEM.B. It's hard for mothers to make a balance.

C. STEM jobs are no longer popular.D. It's impossible to have a successful career.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】B

【3】A

【4】B

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。主要内容是以STEM为例，阐述了家庭和工作给女性们带来的巨大压力，女性（尤其是新妈妈）全职比例与男性相较较低。

【1】推理判断题。根据第一段的Just ask any new parent: Adding a baby to a household can also add stress to a career. 给家里添个孩子也会给职业生涯增加压力。由此可推知，是家庭和工作的重担让STEM员工改变了他们的工作，故选D。

【2】推理判断题。根据第三段的She hopes that the findings “might motivate changes，"such as more paid parental leave from both government and employers and policies that better support flexible work time without a tight routine.Cech希望这些发现“可能”会激励变化，比如来自于政府和雇主的更多带薪产假等政策、更好地支持没有严格常规要求的灵活的工作时间等政策。由此可以推知Erin Cech可能会同意“增加福利可以留住STEM”这个观点，故选B。

【3】细节理解题。根据第四段的For the new parents across all fields，16% of women were working part-time and 15% had left the workforce，as compared with just 2% and 3%，respectively，for men.在所有领域的新父母们，16%的女性是兼职工作，15%的人离职，由此可以推算出，在2018年全职工作的新母亲所占比率为100%-（16%+15%）=69%，故选A。

【4】推理判断题。根据最后一段的These sharp differences make clear that，even though the reduction rate for fathers is higher than expected，mothers still face particular career challenges. 这些明显的差异表明，即使父亲的复位率高于预期，母亲仍然面临特定职业的挑战。由此可知，作者想通过列举这些明显的差异来强调母亲们很难做到平衡，故选B。