Americans are less inclined to get married than at any time in US history, posing social and public-policy dilemmas（困境）and the threatening to dissolve the “glue” that connects fathers to their children, experts say.

A report released by the US National Marriage Project found “a rather weakening of the institution（制度）of marriage” in America. The researchers said the US marriage rate has never been lower, births to unmarried women have skyrocketed, the divorce rate remains high and Americans’ marriages are less happy than in the past.

“There is no known society that has got along without marriage and has done a decent（体面的）job in rearing and sponsoring the next generation,” said Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, US National Marriage Project co-director.

The crumbling（崩溃）of the institution of marriage should not be viewed as a kind social trend with no costs to society at large, added the project’s other co-director, David Popenoe.

US government statistics cited（援引）in the Rutgers report detail a crisis（危机）in marriage whose origins can be traced back about 40 years. The report, citing census data（调查统计）,said the marriage rate has quickly reduced by a third since 1960. It said there were about 73 marriages per 1,000 unmarried women aged 15 and up in 1960. In 1996, the last year for which such figures were available, the rate was about 49 per 1,000.

Popenoe said the US marriage rate now has dropped below a previous historic low recorded at the turn of the century. He said several factors have something to do with the trend. One is that Americans are delaying marriage until they are older.

In 1960, the median age for first marriages was 20 for women and 23 for men. In 1997, with many college-educated Americans delaying marriage until their 30s, the median age rose to 25 for women and 27 for men, the report said.

“The later the marriage, by and large, the lower the (overall) marriage rate in the long run. In other words, people delay too long and then they decide not to marry after a while,” Popenoe said.

In addition, many American women, particularly black women, are giving birth and raising children without getting married.

In 1960,5.3 percent of all US babies were born to unwed mothers, according to government statistics. In 1997,32 percent of all babies were born to unmarried women－and a startling 69 percent of black babies had unwed mothers.

The percentage of US children living without their father present also has ballooned. In 1960, nine percent of children lived in a single－parent household. Last year, 28 percent of all children and 55 percent of all black children lived with a single parent. Children in single－parent households overwhelmingly live with their mothers, with fathers absent.

64.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A.Children in Single－Parent Families. 

B.Experts’ Prediction of Birthrate for the Next Decade.

C.Babies Born out of Wedlock Presents Problems.

D.Americans Seem Less Inclined to Get Married Nowadays.

65.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A.Experts fear that the low marriage rate will pose grave social problems.

B.Researchers have found out that divorce rate has skyrocketed lately.

C.The current marriage rate is the lowest ever since the turn of the century.

D.Experts believe that delay in marriage will more likely make a person dismiss the idea of getting married.

66.Which of the following is closest in meaning to “inclined”?

A.likely.  B.encouraged.  C.happy.  D.optimistic.

67.Which of the following can NOT be inferred from the figures provided in the passage?

A.In the United States, more couples are experiencing marital crises than there used to be in the 1970s.

B.The later the first marriage, the happier the marriage will be.

C.More and more people are giving birth to children without getting married.

D.More children are living in a single－parent household than there used to be.

Weekend getaways and romantic dinners used to be sweet escapes from the daily working life. Nowadays, vacations are often interrupted by the ding of an instant message on a wireless laptop. That’s not news to modern workers, many of whom may just be getting back from a long winter break during which they worked more than in years past. One-fifth of Americans carry a laptop on vacation. Countless more carry cell phones, many of which can be used to check company e-mail.

And why not? With wireless coverage extending, staying connected is simple. Recently, JetBlue Airways announced a trial of free e-mail and instant messaging services for passengers on one of its aircraft. Other airlines are expected to follow suit. But there’s a hidden cost to companies: employee burnout. Using work cell phones and checking company e-mail at the poolside is not a vacation.

“If I were a manager, I would insist that my employees leave their cell phones at work during their vacation and not check their e-mail while away ,” said Dov Eden, an organizational psychologist. “In the long run, the employee will be better rested and better able to perform his or her job.”

A nine-year study of more than 12,000 middle-aged men at high risk of heart disease showed that participants who vacationed more had a lower risk of dying than the vacation-deprived(剥夺的). In a nationwide survey, nearly half of the 2,000 adults questioned said stress has increased in the past five years, with 75 percent ranking money and work as the leading causes of stress.

One way to beat work stress could be to work from home or another remote location. This alternative work arrangement is a win-win set-up. Telecommuting（远程办公）has an overall beneficial effect, because the arrangement provides employees with more control over how they do their work. Telecommuters reported more job satisfaction, less stress and improved work-family balance.

71. According to the first paragraph, Americans carry a cell phone or a laptop on vacation mainly to        .

A. entertain themselves                       B. keep in touch with their family

C. check company emails                           D. tell their managers about their experiences

72. What does the underlined phrase “employee burnout” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. Employees become very angry.          B. Employees get extremely tired

C. Employees leave the company.        D. Employees demand a pay rise.

73. We can learn from the last paragraph that        .

A. companies have more control over telecommuters

B. telecommuting is good for both companies and employees

C. employees will work more slowly if they work at home

D. telecommuting can reduce the company’s stress

74. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. In the past, people on vacation were seldom interrupted by work.

B. Dov Eden agrees with JetBlue Airways’ announcement.

C. Many airlines have been providing their passengers with instant service.

D. Most people are under stress because they have no vacation to relax.

75. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. How to spend your holidays  B. The modern vacation: fully wired, totally ruined

C. Modern life with cell phones  D. Telecommuting-----a win-win set-up

Every weekend, many Americans drive around looking for things to buy. They are taking part in an unusual kind of outdoor treasure hunt: the yard sale (旧货出售). In some parts of the country, such a sale might be called a garage sale or a moving sale. Whatever the name, the activity is the same. People sell things they no longer want.
The sellers put a paid announcement in a local newspaper. It tells when and where the yard sale will take place. It lists some of the things to be sold. Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house. Then they sit all day waiting for someone to take them home. Usually, the seller puts a price on each object at a yard sale. However, that price can almost always be negotiated (谈判).
Serious buyers also spend time getting ready for yard sales. They collect the newspaper announcements. Then they make lists of the sales they want to attend.
Most people who go to yard sales are not looking for anything special. They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy bargaining over prices, even if they may hold their own yard sale to sell all the things they have bought.
To other people, yard sales are simply a way to have fun. In some communities, they are important social gatherings. Other people say yard sales help the environment. Old things are re-used instead of being thrown away.
In any case, yard sales are very popular in America. Hunting for unusual items is a sport for some people. For others, it is a way of life.
59 What can’t you get to know about the yard sales announced in a local newspaper?
A.When to attend the yard sale.
B. Where to attend the yard sale.
C. What is to be sold at the yard sale.
D. The prices of the things to be sold at the yard sale.
60 Before a yard sale, the sellers need to do all the following things EXCEPT ______.
A. putting a paid announcement in a local newspaper
B. bargaining over the prices with the buyers
C. putting the price of each object
D. carrying all the things to be sold out of the house early in the morning
61 Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. A yard sale can also be called a garage sale or a moving sale.
B. The sellers need to pay for putting an announcement in a local newspaper.
C. The sellers collect the newspaper announcements before the yard sales.
D. The prices for the items to be sold at a yard sale can be negotiated.
62.Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned as the reason why yard sales are very popular in America?
A. People can buy something special at yard sales.
B. People can buy something they really want.
C. People can enjoy bargaining over prices.
D. People regard yard sales as social gatherings.

Every weekend, many Americans drive around looking for things to buy. They are taking part in an unusual kind of outdoor treasure hunt: the yard sale (旧货出售). In some parts of the country, such a sale might be called a garage sale or a moving sale. Whatever the name, the activity is the same. People sell things they no longer want.

The sellers put a paid announcement in a local newspaper. It tells when and where the yard sale will take place. It lists some of the things to be sold. Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house. Then they sit all day waiting for someone to take them home. Usually, the seller puts a price on each object at a yard sale. However, that price can almost always be negotiated (谈判).

Serious buyers also spend time getting ready for yard sales. They collect the newspaper announcements. Then they make lists of the sales they want to attend.

Most people who go to yard sales are not looking for anything special. They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy bargaining over prices, even if they may hold their own yard sale to sell all the things they have bought.

To other people, yard sales are simply a way to have fun. In some communities, they are important social gatherings. Other people say yard sales help the environment. Old things are re-used instead of being thrown away.

In any case, yard sales are very popular in America. Hunting for unusual items is a sport for some people. For others, it is a way of life.

59 What can’t you get to know about the yard sales announced in a local newspaper?

A.When to attend the yard sale.

B. Where to attend the yard sale.

C. What is to be sold at the yard sale.

D. The prices of the things to be sold at the yard sale.

60 Before a yard sale, the sellers need to do all the following things EXCEPT ______.

A. putting a paid announcement in a local newspaper

B. bargaining over the prices with the buyers

C. putting the price of each object

D. carrying all the things to be sold out of the house early in the morning

61 Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. A yard sale can also be called a garage sale or a moving sale.

B. The sellers need to pay for putting an announcement in a local newspaper.

C. The sellers collect the newspaper announcements before the yard sales.

D. The prices for the items to be sold at a yard sale can be negotiated.

62.Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned as the reason why yard sales are very popular in America?

A. People can buy something special at yard sales.

B. People can buy something they really want.

C. People can enjoy bargaining over prices.

D. People regard yard sales as social gatherings.