Stepfamilies are commonplace in the United States and their number continues to grow. While stepfamilies differ widely in their make-up， they all consist of a parenting couple and children， one or more of whom is of a previous union. Such combinations of his kids， her kids， and then， possibly， kids of the new union make for complicated and often trying difficulties， more challenging than those of traditional families.

Since stepfamilies involve more people and， consequently， more potential problems from the start than do childless new marriage， it is wise for the couple to do some careful planning prior to (＝before) marriage. Not only do the prospective(预期的) marital partners need agreement about their own carriers， life goals， finance and special interests， they must also prepare for new relationship with their children and attempt to accommodate their individual needs and feelings. Furthermore， there are often the rights of other relatives to consider.

As for any family， the basic ingredient(成分) of a successful stepfamily are affection， kindness and mutual(相互的) respect. However， love alone is not enough. Certainly love is the cornerstone upon which the foundation of any family is built， but there are also many other important ingredients involved in building a successful stepfamily.

Surveys reveal that successful families regard the ability to communicate openly as the most important factor in their success. Communication is what keeps families on track and functioning as a unit. Although healthy communication is easier for some people than for others， this skill can be learned and improved. Healthy communication involves speaking clearly and listening carefully.

By their very nature， stepfamilies often are complicated by past events that give rise to ambivalent(矛盾的) loyalties， lingering(持久的) hurts， fears， feelings of guilt and unrealistic dreams. The difficulties that arise within the stepfamilies are human and understandable. However， there are ways to confront(面临) and resolve them. For example， support groups and professional counselors(法律顾问) are available in most communities to provide help and guidance when communications stopped and problems seem overwhelming(压倒性的).

Planning and building a stepfamily is not a responsibility to take lightly. It can be a very trying and， at times， seemingly impossible effort. Many potential troubles can arise and threaten to destroy the stepfamily. Nevertheless， meeting and mastering these special challenges can bring unexpected satisfactions and rewarding depths of family closeness and affection.

According to the passage， there are 　　　　 in the United States.

A.no stepfamilies

B.more stepfamilies than ever before

C.fewer stepfamilies than ever before

D.fewer stepfamilies than traditional ones

Which of the following can help avoid the potential problems arising in a stepfamily？

A.The pursuit of the same careers.

B.Professional interventions(干涉).

C.The development of special interests.

D.Careful planning before the marriage.

Many people believe that 　　　　 contributes most to the building of a successful stepfamily.

A.everlasting loyalties

B.open communication

C.kindness and mutual respect

D.persistent(持久稳固的) affection

It is natural for a stepfamily to be 　　　　.

A.unrealistic

B.complicated

C.ambivalent

D.guilty

According to the author， planning and building a stepfamily is 　　　　.

A.impossible         

B.satisfying and rewarding

C.discouraging and frustrating

D.a difficult and trying experience

　　Alex Harley was born in the northeast of New York in 1921, but he spent most of his early life with his mother's family in southern Tennessee. His grandmother told him stories about their family. Their history, she said, began with Toby. He was a slave from Africa and his name was Kunta.

　　Alex Harley went to school and then to college. In 1939, he joined the US coastguard. As he was a black his job was to wait on table and wash dishes. In his spare time, be learned to write stories. He served in the coastguard for 20 years. After he retired（退休）, he put all his time into writing.

　　Alex Harley remembered the stories his grandmother had told him. He began to study his family history. After a lot of research, Harley decided that Toby was probably Kunta Kinte of the West African Mandingo people, who was caught near the village of Juffure on the Gambia River. He was sold as a slave in Annapolis, Maryland in 1767. Then Harley made a trip to Gambia and talked with a history expert in Juffure. The African historian made his conclusion stronger.

　　Alex Harley wanted to tell the experiences of the black people in 18th-and-19th-century America. He spent 10 years researching and writing his family story for the book Roots. It was published in 1976. It won a special Pulitzer Prize. A few years later, a film series（连续剧）based on Harley's book was shown on American television.

(1) Choose the right order of the events given in the passage.

a. He made a trip to Gambia.
b. Alex Harley knew the stories about their family.
c. Kunta lived near the Gambia River.
d. Harley retired from the US coastguard.
e. Toby was sold as a slave.
f. He began to study his family history.
A．e,c,b,f,d,a.	B．c,e,b,d,f,a.
C．e,b,d,c,a,f.	D．e,b,d,e,a,f.

(2) When did Harley learn to write stories?

[　　]

A．Before 1959.	B．After 1921.
C．Before 1939.	D．After serving in the army.

(3) Which conclusion did he draw after doing a lot of research?

[　　]

A．Toby was a history expert.

B．Toby's hometown was near the Gambia River.

C．Toby was an African historian.

D．Toby's hometown was Annapolis.

(4) Which of the following might have happened after watching Roots on TV?

[　　]

A．Every American began to talk about their family history.

B．None of Americans began to talk about their family history.

C．Many Americans became interested in researching their family History.

D．Only the black people became interested in researching their Family history.

　　In 1837, at the age of seventeen, Florence Nightingale decided to become a nurse, which horrified her whimsical（多奇想的）mother. In those days nurses were little more than door-keepers, and hospitals were pits of squalor（污秽）and neglect. Nightingale pressed on, and in 1853 she became superintendent（院长）of a small London hospital. She went on to the Crimea when war broke out there between Britain and Russia. She established the first of what we know as war hospitals: sanitary（卫生）, safe and stocked with supplies. Her tireless ministrations（照顾，照料）to the wounded soldiers made her famous all over the world.

　　Following the war Nightingale avoided fame and continued to train nurses, ever battling against what she herself declared“a commonly received idea... that it requires nothing but a disappointment in love or incapacity in other things, to turn a woman into a good nurse.”ince 1921 her birthday--May 12--has been the centerpiece of National Hospital Week, observed in British and American hospitals with special exhibitions, workshops and publicity drives.

(1)Florence Nightingale was born on ______.

[　　]

(2)The underlined word“it”efers to ______.

[　　]

A．turning a woman into a doctor

B．turning a woman into a good nurse

C．avoiding fame

D．continuing to train nurses

(3)The word“observed”n the second paragraph means ______.

[　　]

(4)Why did Florence Nightingale become well-known all over the world?

[　　]

A．She was one of the best nurses then.

B．Her skills of operations were the most wonderful and successful.

C．She always looked after the wounded soul and heart.

D．She was superintendent of London Hospital.

(5)Why did Florence Nightingale want to become a nurse?

[　　]

A．The author did not give the reason.

B．Florence Nightingale would like to become famous by attending the wounded of battles.

C．She wanted to take good care of the sick.

D．She was not able to do anything but become a nurse.