九年级英语阅读A篇专项练习

Los Angeles Redondo Beach house

M2ATK designed this unique container house for an artist. It’s

fully equipped with heating and cooling, a kitchen and bathroom. On

1. Compared to traditional houses, container houses are _________.

A. easier to maintain

C. more comfortable to live in

2. What can be learned about Amsterdam’s Keetwonen complex?

For centuries across the world, moms have been homemakers while dads have been breadwinners (负担家计的人). However, a recent report shows a milestone (里程碑) change in the social roles of mothers and fathers.

The new findings, from the US government’s Current Population Survey, show more women in the workplace and fewer stay-at-home mothers in the country.

For the first time, American women have passed men in getting college degrees since more women than men went to college in the 1980s, according to the survey. Among adults aged 25 and older, 10.6 million US women have master’s degrees or higher, compared to 10.5 million men. When it comes to finishing college, about 20.1 million American women have bachelor’s degrees. The number for men is nearly 18.7 million. The gap of more than 1.4 million has remained steady in recent years. American women first passed men in bachelor’s degrees in 1996.

Women’s educational achievements are giving them greater chances for a wider choice of jobs. This is contributing to a change in traditional gender roles at home and work.

The new “Mr. Moms” include Todd Krater, 38, of Lakemoor, Illinois. He has been a stay-at-home dad for the past seven years to his three sons after his wife, who earned a master’s business degree, began to succeed in her career as a software expert.

Krater said he found it difficult adjusting at first and got little support from other mothers at school events. In his blog, “A Man among Mommies”, Krater encourages other fathers to take a larger role in child care and says he now feels happy to see more dads at the park, library and school.

“What was once an uncommon sight of a dad with the kids during the day is becoming more and more common,” said Krater. “But many still feel the pressure of gender roles and feel if they don’t make money they are somehow less of a man.”

Jeremy Adam Smith, author of the 2009 book The Daddy Shift, believes that more stay-at-home dads will appear.

“In the long term, the numbers of Mr. Moms are just going to keep going up,” Smith said.

1. Why are there more and more working women according to the article?

A. Men are more willing to stay at home to care for kids.

B. Better education provides opportunities for women to find better jobs.

C. Women are gradually expected to be breadwinners.

D. Men are no longer earning a higher salary than women.

2. In Krater’s opinion, what stops men from staying at home?

A. The prospect of being laughed at by people.

B. The sense of losing position at home.

C. The embarrassment of being with moms.

D. The feeling of being less of a man.

3. Which of the following statements is WRONG?

A. It may be difficult for men to be a home father at first.

B. American women didn’t pass men in bachelor’s degrees until 1996.

C. It is uncommon to see fathers with their children during the day.

D. The gap between men and women has been decreasing in recent years.

4. What is the main point of the article?

A. To encourage mothers to work and fathers to stay at home.

B. To analyze the causes of a heated social problem.

C. To argue the case for mothers earning a higher salary.

D. To report on a change in the roles of fathers and mothers.