Question

3．One in three American children now live with only one parent．（33）Even though/Even ifthe traditional family of Japan is strong，divorce still went up quickly between 1980 and 1995．（34）Whatis more important is that the nature of the family is changing．In Sweden and Denmark，around half of all babies are now born to unmarried parents，and in the United Kingdom and France more than a third．
Families are getting smaller．The average Turkish family had seven members in 1970； today it has only five．And in Spain and Italy，（35）wherefamilies were always traditionally large，the birthrate was the lowest in the developed world in 1995．This fall in the birthrate is due to the fact that，as more women have careers，they are waiting longer and longer （36）to start（start） a family．The age （37）at whichthe average woman has her first baby is now 28 in Western Europe，and it is getting later．
So the nuclear family is clearly changing，but is it in danger of （38）disappearing（disappear） completely？
The truth is （39）thatit is still too early to tell．In some countries these patterns are actually reversing．In the United States，Scandinavia and the United Kingdom，the birthrate is rising once more； and in Denmark，for example，marriage is becoming more popular again．In the United States，the divorce rate in fact fell （40）by10 per cent between 1980 and 1990，and it is continuing to fall．

Answer 1

分析 本文作者通过分析目前世界上一些国家家庭成员的构成状况以及有些国家家庭成员减少的原因，得出了以下结论：核心家庭显然正在发生改变，但是它并不会完全消失；最后，作者陈述了得出以上结论的原因：首先，在美国，斯堪的纳维亚和英国，出生率曾一度在上升；在丹麦，婚姻正变得越来越受欢迎；另外，事实上，美国在1980和1990之间，离婚率下降了百分之十，并且还在持续下降着．

解答 答案：
33．Even though/Even if   考查让步状语从句中的从属连词     本句的意思是：尽管日本的传统家庭很稳固，但在1995到1980年间，离婚率仍在快速上升；故填Even though/Even if  
34．What   考查连接代词   本句的意思是：更重要的问题是，家庭的本质正在改变；此处用来引导主语从句，由于该从句中缺少主语，意为：…的（问题）；故填what   
35．where     考查关系副词     根据句意以及空缺处之前的逗号可知，本句是非限定性的定语从句；由于先行词Spain and Italy在该从句中作地点状语；故用where
36．to start      考查固定短语     固定短语wait to do sth．意为：等着去做某事；故填to start     
37．at which     考查关系代词    本句是定语从句；先行词the age在 该从句中作介词at 的宾语；故填at which    
38．disappearing    考查动名词    此处在句中作介词of的宾语；故用动名词disappearing
39．that    考查表语从句中的连接词     此处用在系动词is之后，引导的是表语从句；由于该从句中不缺少任何成分，故填连接词that
40．by    考查固定短语     固定短语fall by意为：下降了…；故填by

点评 本题主要考查了各种语法在短文中的具体运用．做本题时，需要在正确理解短文的前提下，逐句分析句意以及所考查到的语法现象；因此在平时的学习中，应熟练掌握各种语法知识，其中包括词法，句法，各种时态语态以及虚拟语气等．