Question

   Having a husband means an extra seven hours of housework each week for women, according to a new study. For men, getting married saves an hour of housework a week. “It’s a well-known pattern,” said lead researcher Frank Stafford at University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. “Men usually work more outside the home, while women take on more of the housework.”

   He points out that differences among households (家庭) exist. But in general, marriage means more housework for women and less for men. “And the situation gets worse for women when they have children.” Stafford said.

   Overall, times are changing in the American home. In 1976, women busied themselves with 26 weekly hours of sweeping-and-dusting work, compared with 17 hours in 2005. Men are taking on more housework, more than doubling their housework hours from six in 1976 to 13 in 2005.

   Single women in their 20s and 30s did the least housework, about 12 weekly hours, while married women in their 60s and 70s did the most about 21 hours a week.

   Men showed a somewhat different pattern, with older men picking up the broom more often than younger men. Single men worked the hardest around the house, more than that of all other age groups of married men.

   Having children increases housework even further. With more than three, for example, wives took on more of the extra work, clocking about 28 hours a week compared with husbands’ 10 hours.

45. According to the “well-known pattern” in Paragraph 1, a married man ________.

   A. takes on heavier work            B. does more housework

   C. is the main breadwinner           D. is the master of the house

46. How many hours of housework did men do every week in the 1970s?

   A. About 28                   B. About 26

   C. About 13                    D. About 6

47. What kind of man is doing most housework according to the text?

   A. An unmarried man.            B. An older married man.

   C. A younger married man.        D. A married man with children.

48. What can we conclude from Stafford’s research?

   A. Marriage gives men more freedom.

   B. Marriage has effects on job choices.

   C. Housework sharing changes over time.

   D. Having children means doubled housework.

Answer 1

45. C；46. D；47. A；48. C。

解析：   这篇阅读理解的文字风格诙谐但又实际的描述了一个很普遍的社会问题：男女角色在家庭责任承担上随着时期的不同而发生变化。这是一篇展示社会问题类型的文章。作者通过描绘不同时期的男女---单身---婚后---孩子出生等阶段他们角色和责任承担的改变。

从文字设计上看，影响考生理解完整意思的因素并不多，整篇文章文字比较通顺流畅。难度并不大。

45. 细节理解：a well known pattern 即Men usually work more outside the home, while women take on more of the housework.”

结了婚的男人一般情况下通常工作在外，而女人在家做家务。这道题目的答案C breadwinner 意思是养家糊口的人.,负担家计的人。所以选择C。建议学生们用排除法，可以得到答案。

46. 细节理解―数字题：通过第三段：Men are taking on more housework, more than doubling their housework hours from six in 1976 to 13 in 2005.

47. 细节理解：Men showed a somewhat different pattern, with older men picking up the broom more often than younger men. Single men worked the hardest around the house, more than that of all other age groups of married men. Single men= unmarried men 未婚男士

48.主旨大意：通过全文可以得知：Housework sharing changes over time.家务劳动的承担发生着变化。