In many homes, divorce is caused by the “battle between the sexes.” To understand the problem, one must remember that the modern American woman is freed. During childhood and adolescence(青少年期), the American girl is given freedom and education which is equal to a boy's. After completing school, she is able to get a job and support herself. She doesn't have to marry for financial security. She considers herself an independent, self-sufficient person. She wants a husband whom she can respect, but she doesn't want to be dominated(控制) by him. She wants a democratic household in which she has a voice in making decisions. When a husband and wife are able to share decisionmaking, their marriage is probably closer, stronger, and more satisfying. Otherwise, the couple is likely to wind up in the divorce court.

When a couple gets divorced, the court usually requires the man to pay his former wife a monthly sum of money. If the couple has children, they usually remain with the mother, and the father is expected to pay for their support.

Although divorce is quite common in the United States, 80 percent of those who get divorced remarry. The remarriages allow thousands of people, especially children, to enjoy family life again, but at the same time many troubles have arisen. A well-known American joke tells of a wife calling to her second husband, “Quick, John! Come here and help me! Your children are beating up our chidlren!”

What causes most of the divorce cases in the U.S.A.?

A.Financial trouble in the family.

B.Women's liberation movement.

C.Different attitudes towards children's education.

D.Lack of democratic atmosphere in the household.

What do you know of modern American women, according to the passage?

A.They are overbearing and hardworking.

B.They are more independent than ever.

C.They do not have much say in the household.

D.They respect their husbands, but do not rely on them.

What kind of marriage can be successful?

A.Both the man and woman are financially secure.

B.Husband and wife share housework.

C.Both the man and woman are well-educated.

D.Decisions are made by the man and woman together.

What happens when a couple is divorced, according to the passage?

A.The children become homeless.

B.The man is still responsible for the welfare of his children.

C.Life becomes difficult for the woman and her children.

D.The man, rather than the woman, remarries soon.

In many societies, there is often greater acceptance of light skin than dark skin. Light skin may be seen as a mark of beauty, intelligence and success. These beliefs can lead to social pressure even within the same racial or ethnic group, if some members are darker skinned than others.

   The result is that skin lightening has become a common activity across Africa, Asia and other areas of the world. More and more people with dark skin are using skin-lightening products, even if they may face health risks.

   They believe that having whiter skin will improve their lives. Many people think they will have a better chance of getting a job or marrying into a better family. Or they want to look like what their society generally considers beautiful.

   Some beauty care products and soaps contain chemicals that make skin lighter. This process is also called bleaching. But some of the chemicals are extremely dangerous. One of the chemicals has been linked to kidney (肾) damage and some kinds of cancer. It also causes low birth weight in babies when mothers use it during pregnancy.

   At first, bleaching products make the skin color lighter. But after long-term use they can cause problems. They can even make some skin darker. The chemicals in the products block and break down the natural process that gives color to skin. The skin loses its natural barrier to protect against sunlight. Then the skin can become thick and discolored. Usually the person will use more of the product in an effort to correct the problem, but this only makes it worse.

   Fatimata Ly treats skin conditions in the Senegalese capital，Dakar. Doctor Ly says skin bleaching has become a problem throughout Senegal. She says the chemicals are now more dangerous because they are stronger. Some cases have resulted in blackened fingernails, infections and permanent skin damage.

   And these are not the only risks. Experts say some people who change their skin color suffer emotional damage. They feel regret and sadness. They feel that instead of risking their health, they should have learned to love and accept their skin color as it was.

Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “bleaching”?

A. whitening        B. changing       C. lighting        D. pleasing

Why has the skin lightening become a common activity all over the world?

A. There are many products that can make the dark skin light.

B. Many people with dark skin have no confidence.

C. Relatively speaking, light skin has more advantages over dark skin.

D. People with dark skin are forced by the pressure of their families.

According to the text the following are the risks using the bleaching products EXCEPT________.

  A. blackened fingernails               B. permanent skin damage

  C. emotional damage                  D. a waste of time and money

From the text we can conclude the writer’s attitude toward using the bleaching products is probably ________.

A. supportive        B. positive       C. doubtful       D. negative 

In many cultures white is often associated with something positive. A white-collar job, for instance, is the kind of job many people look for, working with your brain and not your hands.

White has a clean and pure image. That is why doctors, dentists, and nurses usually wear white uniforms. Babies are dressed in white at baptisms（洗礼）and brides wear white wedding gowns at weddings. White in these cases is the symbol of innocence or purity.

Sometimes white is used in expressions that are not good. “Whitewash” is one such expression. At first, “whitewash” meant to paint over something with white paint to make it look better. However, it means something different today: to hide or to cover up mistakes or failures.

A “white elephant” is another example of white used in a negative way. In ancient Thailand, a white elephant was regarded as a sacred animal, but it was very expensive to keep. The kings of those days presented a white elephant to the people they wanted to ruin. Once they received this holy, royal animal as a gift, they were not allowed to sell or kill it. Today, a “white elephant” means something that is big, useless, and unwanted. In America, when people want to get rid of their furniture or clothes, they often have a “white elephant sale”.

The text is mainly about________.

    A. the meanings of white in English culture  

B. the history of some English idioms

    C. some interesting customs in English culture

    D. some useful English words and expressions

Which expression has an historical background ?

    A. White-wash.                           B. White-collar.

C. White elephant.                         D. White elephant sale.

In which statement does “white” have a negative meaning?

A. A boy is dressed in white at baptisms.     

B. A bride wears a white wedding gown.

C. A man whitewashes his crime.        

D. A girl finds a white collar job.

From the text we can learn that _______.

   A. a white-elephant sale is useful to the poor    

B. the white color is important in our daily life

   C. a white-collar job used to be easy to get

   D. expressions with white have different meanings

The author develops the text mainly by ______.

A. analyzing its cause and effect

B. providing typical examples

C. comparing different ideas

D. following the time order

In many cultures white is often associated with something positive. A white-collar job, for instance, is the kind of job many people look for, working with your brain and not your hands.

White has a clean and pure image. That is why doctors, dentists, and nurses usually wear white uniforms. Babies are dressed in white at baptisms（洗礼）and brides wear white wedding gowns at weddings. White in these cases is the symbol of innocence or purity.
Sometimes white is used in expressions that are not good. “Whitewash” is one such expression. At first, “whitewash” meant to paint over something with white paint to make it look better. However, it means something different today: to hide or to cover up mistakes or failures.
A “white elephant” is another example of white used in a negative way. In ancient Thailand, a white elephant was regarded as a sacred animal, but it was very expensive to keep. The kings of those days presented a white elephant to the people they wanted to ruin. Once they received this holy, royal animal as a gift, they were not allowed to sell or kill it. Today, a “white elephant” means something that is big, useless, and unwanted. In America, when people want to get rid of their furniture or clothes, they often have a “white elephant sale”.
【小题1】The text is mainly about________.

A．the meanings of white in English culture

B．the history of some English idioms

C．some interesting customs in English culture

D．some useful English words and expressions

【小题2】Which expression has an historical background ?

A．White-wash.	B．White-collar.
C．White elephant.	D．White elephant sale.

【小题3】In which statement does “white” have a negative meaning?

A．A boy is dressed in white at baptisms.

B．A bride wears a white wedding gown.

C．A man whitewashes his crime.

D．A girl finds a white collar job.

【小题4】From the text we can learn that _______.

A．a white-elephant sale is useful to the poor

B．the white color is important in our daily life

C．a white-collar job used to be easy to get

D．expressions with white have different meanings

【小题5】The author develops the text mainly by ______.

A．analyzing its cause and effect

B．providing typical examples

C．comparing different ideas

D．following the time order

In many cultures white is often associated with something positive. A white-collar job, for instance, is the kind of job many people look for, working with your brain and not your hands.
White has a clean and pure image. That is why doctors, dentists, and nurses usually wear white uniforms. Babies are dressed in white at baptisms（洗礼）and brides wear white wedding gowns at weddings. White in these cases is the symbol of innocence or purity.
Sometimes white is used in expressions that are not good. “Whitewash” is one such expression. At first, “whitewash” meant to paint over something with white paint to make it look better. However, it means something different today: to hide or to cover up mistakes or failures.
A “white elephant” is another example of white used in a negative way. In ancient Thailand, a white elephant was regarded as a sacred animal, but it was very expensive to keep. The kings of those days presented a white elephant to the people they wanted to ruin. Once they received this holy, royal animal as a gift, they were not allowed to sell or kill it. Today, a “white elephant” means something that is big, useless, and unwanted. In America, when people want to get rid of their furniture or clothes, they often have a “white elephant sale”.
【小题1】The text is mainly about________.

A．the meanings of white in English culture

B．the history of some English idioms

C．some interesting customs in English culture

D．some useful English words and expressions

【小题2】Which expression has an historical background?

A．White-wash.	B．White-collar.
C．White elephant.	D．White elephant sale.

【小题3】In which statement does “white” have a negative meaning?

A．A boy is dressed in white at baptisms.

B．A bride wears a white wedding gown.

C．A man whitewashes his crime.

D．A girl finds a white collar job.

【小题4】From the text we can learn that _______.

A．a white-elephant sale is useful to the poor

B．the white color is important in our daily life

C．a white-collar job used to be easy to get

D．expressions with white have different meanings

【小题5】The author develops the text mainly by ______.

A．analyzing its cause and effect

B．providing typical examples

C．comparing different ideas

D．following the time order