1."Family"isofcourseanelasticword.ButwhenBritishpeoplesaythattheirsocietyisbasedonfamilylife,theyarethinkingof"family"initsnarrow,peculiarlyEuropeansenseofmother,fatherandchildrenlivingtogetheraloneintheirownhouseasaneconomicandsocialunit.Thus,everyBritishmarriageindicatesthebeginningofanewandindependentfamily—hencethetremendousimportanceofmarriageinBritishlife.Forboththemanandthewoman,marriagemeansleavingone'sparentsandstartingone'sownlife.Theman'sfirstdutywillthenbetohiswife,andthewife'stoherhusband.Hewillbeentirelyresponsibleforherfinancialsupport,andshefortherunningofthenewhome.Theirchildrenwillbetheircommonresponsibilityandtheirsalone.Neitherthewife'sparentsnorthehusband's,northeirbrothersorsisters,auntsoruncles,haveanyrighttointerferewiththem—theyaretheirownmasters.ReadersofnovelslikeJaneAustin's"PrideandPrejudice"willknowthatinformertimesmarriageamongwealthyfamilieswasarrangedbythegirl'sparents,thatis,itwastheparents'dutytofindasuitablehusbandfortheirdaughter,preferablyarichone,andbyskillfulencouragementtoleadhimeventuallytoasktheirpermissiontomarryher.Untilthattime,thegirlwasprotectedandmaintainedintheparents'home,andthefinancialreliefofgettingridofhercouldbeseenintheirgivingthenewlymarriedpairasumofmoneycalledadowry.Itisverydifferenttoday.Mostgirlsoftodaygetajobwhentheyleaveschoolandbecomefinanciallyindependentbeforetheirmarriage.Thishashadtworesults.Agirlchoosesherownhusband,andshegetsnodowry.1.Whatdoestheauthormeanby"Familyisofcourseanelasticword"?BA.Differentfamilieshavedifferentwaysoflife.B.Differentdefinitionscouldbegiventotheword.C.Differentnationshavedifferentfamilies.D.Differenttimesproducedifferentfamilies.2.ForanEnglishfamily,thehusband'sdutyis___________.CA.supportingthefamilywhilethewife'sisfinancialB.defendingthefamilywhilethewife'sisrunningthehomeC.financialwhilethewife'sisrunningthehomeD.independentwhilethewife'sisdependent3.Everythingisdecidedinafamily_________.AA.bythecoupleB.withthehelpoftheirparentsC.bybrothersandsistersD.withthehelpofauntsanduncles4.Whatistrueconcerningthebook"PrideandPrejudice"?CA.Itisthebestbookonmarriage.B.Itisahandbookofmarriage.C.ItgivesquitesomeideaofEnglishsociallifeinthepast.D.Itprovidesalotofinformationofformer-timewealthyfamilies.5.WithregardtomarriageinBritain,present-daygirlsdifferfromformer-timegirlsin_______.CA.therighttogetmarriedB.moreparentalsupportC.choosinghusbandsD.socialposition2.Americancitiesaresimilartoothercitiesaroundtheworld.Ineverycountry,citiesreflectthevaluesoftheculture.Citiescontaintheverybestaspectsofasociety:opportunitiesforeducation,employment,andentertainment.Theyalsocontaintheveryworstpartsofasociety:violentcrime,racialconflict,andpoverty.Americancitiesarechanging,justasAmericansocietyischanging.AfterWorldWarII,cityresidentsbecamewealthier,moreprosperous.Theyhadmorechildren.Theyneededmorespace.Theymovedoutoftheirapartmentsinthecitytobuytheirownhomes.Theyboughthousesinthesuburbs,areasnearacitywherepeoplelive.Theseareareaswithoutmanyofficesorfactories.Duringthe1950stheAmerican"dream"wastohaveahouseinthesuburbs.Nowthingsarechanging.Thechildrenofthepeoplewholeftthecitiesinthe1950sarenowadults.They,unliketheirparents,wanttoliveinthecities.Manyyoungprofessionals,doctors,lawyers,andexecutives,aremovingbackintothecity.Manyaresingle;othersaremarried,butoftenwithoutchildren.Theypreferthecitytothe...
