One obvious reason for this could be that women are putting off having children until they have established careers when they are bound to be less fertile. But it could just as well be a matter of choice. Parents must consider the rising cost of living, combined with economic uncertainty and an increasingly difficult job market. And this trend may continue growing as having an only child becomes more normal, which seems to be the mood on the mothers’ online forum Mumsnet, where one member announced that she “just wanted to start a positive thread about how fab it is to have an only child”.
She had received 231 replies, overwhelmingly in the same upbeat spirit. Parents of only children insist there are plenty of benefits. Nicola Kelly, a writer and lecturer who grew up as an only child and is now a married mother of one, says her 15-year-old son seems more grown-up in many ways than his contemporaries.
Not all products of single-child families are as keen to repeat the experience.In a moving recent account journalist Janice Turner wrote about her own keenness to “squeeze out two sons just 22 months apart”as a reaction to her only-child upbringing．
She was placed on a pedestal by her doting parents, whom she punished with a “brattish, wilful” rejection of everything they stood for. Desperate for a close friend she was repeatedly shattered by rejection and refers to her childhood as being “misery”.
Writer and clinician Dr. Dorothy Rowe, a member of the British Psychological Society, says that we all interpret events in our own individual way and there are some children who no matter what their circumstances feel slighted, while other children see the advantages of their situation．
However, the one part of life that is unlikely to get any easier for only children is when they grow up and find themselves looking after their own parents as they become older.
1. The passage is written with the purpose of ________．
| A．illustrating the strength and weakness of having an only child |
| B．analyzing the reasons why having an only child becomes popular |
| C．presenting us with different opinions about having an only child |
| D．guiding people to look at the same issue from different perspectives |
| A．Nearly half of families intend to have just one child． |
| B．All people don’t stand for the idea of having an only child． |
| C．Some people fail to recognize the advantage of having an only child． |
| D．People brought up in an only child family resist downsizing the family． |
| A．journalist Janice Turner experienced a miserable childhood |
| B．she has a positive attitude towards Janice Turner’s reaction |
| C．it’s necessary for us to look at the event from our own angle |
| D．some are unable to make an objective assessment of their conditions |
| A．It’s normal to see the imperfection in character in only children． |
| B．Mumsnet is an online forum which promotes having an only child． |
| C．Economic development plays a determining role in the family size． |
| D．Only children will have difficulty in attending to their parents． |
相似题推荐
The younger generation (一代人), according to a new survey, can hardly remember the last time of climbing trees or flying kites, as they are kept indoors and short of outdoor experiences.
The survey of 1,000 people found that the current (现在的) generation of 15- to 34-year-olds have fewer memories (记忆) of 12 key countryside activities such as swimming in rivers or going fishing.
The research found that three quarters of the older generation remembered playing games or climbing trees, compared with two thirds of younger adults.
The 55+ generation also had more memories of collecting stones, visiting a farm or pond dipping. Altogether, two thirds of older people had more memories of playing outdoors compared to just over half of the younger generation.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) carried out the study at the start of the school term to stress the growing worry that children are not getting outdoors enough.
The study has found that 82 per cent of people think that schools should provide more outdoor education and most believe nature is still important to children today.
Dr. Mike Clarke, head of the RSPB, said children who are usually kept indoors are easier to get "
"To many people, it would seem clear and unquestionable that an important part of childhood is exploring the world around you. Unfortunately, this is far from the fact and the children are having less time and fewer chances to get close to nature," he said.
"The RSPB has more than a 40-year history in getting children outdoors and is still continuing to play our role. We now need the government and the schools to realize that they should play the most important role in making it possible for all the children to experience, enjoy and benefit (受益) from the outdoor environment."
1. Compared with the current generation, the older generation had ________.
| A．more homework and exercises when they were children |
| B．more memories of wonderful life in the countryside |
| C．fewer memories of taking part in outdoor activities |
| D．fewer chances of going on a visit to the big cities |
| A．spend more time with their kids |
| B．care more about the kids' growth |
| C．let their kids get more outdoor activities |
| D．order the schools to provide outdoor education |
| A．children who often stay indoors |
| B．children who often go outdoors |
| C．all the younger generation |
| D．all the older generation |
| A．all the children can’t get close to nature and aren’t healthy any longer |
| B．outdoor activities are the most important for the current generation |
| C．the RSPB is more important than the government and schools in getting kids outdoors |
| D．the RSPB plays an important role in getting kids outdoors all the time |
【推荐2】Are visible tattoos an invitation to stare at a person? A blog post on LinkedIn titled “But You Asked Me to Stare At Your Tattoos” is causing debate after its author declared that if someone has a visible tattoo, they are inviting attention on themselves.
The magazine columnist Jeff Haden writes that while in a meeting recently, he met a man with a full sleeve tattoo. After looking at his body art for “a couple of seconds”, the man asked Haden, “Would it be easier if you just took a picture?” Haden goes on to write, “You have this huge, colorful, incredibly eye-catching tattoo. And you’re wearing a shirt with unusually short sleeves. It’s like you’re paraphrasing Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men: ‘You want me to see your tattoo. You need me to see your tattoo.’”
But not everyone who has a visible tattoo thinks about it when getting dressed in the morning, replied some commenters. For those with tattoos, they often become a part of the person. “For most people who have had their tattoos, it isn’t something that you think about with any frequency. I don’t even notice it as ‘different’. It’s just a part of you - like grey hair or a large nose.” Writes Kristen Stine. “People say to me ‘What’s that?’, pointing at my arm. I often get flustered expecting to see a bug when I look down. However, I just see my arm.”
Still others agree with Haden and say that visible tattoos have no place in the workplace. “If you don’t want people to stare, wear a long sleeve shirt in this air-conditioned office. Clearly you want people to stare,” writes Mike Avelar.
Haden closes his piece with the following: “Make a statement with your apparel, your tattoos, your piercings or your actions. I think it’s great. Just don’t get mad when people look for a bit longer than usual… and occasionally even stare. That must be your intention. After all - you invited us to.”
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．The introduction of a magazine. |
| B．A hot debate about tattoos. |
| C．The bad effects of tattoos. |
| D．The blog of Jeff Haden. |
| A．more discussion should be made about tattoos |
| B．people with tattoos hope to attract attention |
| C．people with tattoos shouldn’t take pictures |
| D．it’s improper for people to get tattoos |
| A．people needn’t worry about tattoos |
| B．people with tattoos should cover them |
| C．tattoos have become important for him |
| D．he didn’t pay much attention to tattoos |
| A．Air-conditioned offices are fit for people with tattoos. |
| B．People shouldn’t show tattoos in the workplace. |
| C．It’s reasonable for people to have tattoos. |
| D．People with tattoos should be blamed. |
【推荐3】Another year, another Nobel snub for every screenwriter there is. The Nobel Prize began in 1901, and 120 years later, no writer whose primary work is for the screen has been awarded the top literary prize on earth.
In some ways, this makes sense. When the first Nobels were awarded, movies were still a new art form. Even now, film and screenwriting generally aren’t taken as seriously as their more honored literary cousins.
But in other regards, screenplays are among the most-consumed forms of literature in existence, and movies are increasingly considered an outstanding art form. Moreover, the Swedish Academy’s Nobel Prize Committee has signaled its interest in awarding nontraditional forms of literature.
Of course, many writers who’ve won Nobel Prizes also wrote screenplays, but none of those honorees worked first and foremost as screenwriters. William Faulkner, for example, wrote dozens of movies for Hollywood studios, but he was cited by the Swedes specifically for his “powerful and artistically unique contribution to the modern American novel”. Kazuo Ishiguro, likewise an occasional screenwriter, was singled out for his “novels of great emotional force”. Even Peter Handke, whose literature award is the closest the Swedish Academy uses to honor a screenwriter, was recognized as one of the greatest novelists of his generation.
Some have argued screenwriting is simply too cooperative an art form for the Nobels to honor a single “author” of a film, especially since dialogue can be improvised by the actors on set. But fiction can also be wildly cooperative. It seems strange for screenwriters alone to be dismissed completely on this ground.
Perhaps it still comes down to seriousness. The Nobel Prize in Literature has changed over the years. No longer can it award writers without fear of criticism — either for being too obscure, or too crowd-pleasing, or too controversial, or otherwise just plain disappointing. People would roll their eyes if a lowly screenwriter won the most renowned literary award in the world.
Even so, it seems silly to give that explanation in 2021, when you can discover some of the year’s best writing on your TV After all, as film director Alfred Hitchcock once said, “To make a good film, you need three things: the scrip, the scrip, and the script.” And certainly, there have been good—great—films in the past 12 decades. Nobel recognition of their writers is long overdue.
1. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．No screenwriter has been awarded the Nobel Prize. |
| B．Few literary prizes recognize the efforts of screenwriters. |
| C．Screenwriters have stayed as backstage heroes for a long time. |
| D．The Nobel Prize fails to consider screenplays as literary works. |
| A．To awaken readers’ passion for literature. |
| B．To make a comparison among literary giants. |
| C．To show each writer’s contribution to literature. |
| D．To stress their role as screenwriters was overlooked. |
| A．A decline of excellent screenplays. | B．The late start of the movie industry. |
| C．A lack of seriousness in screenwriting. | D．The difficulty in identifying honorees. |
| A．Screenwriting came into existence long before movie did. |
| B．People would feel it annoying to award Nobel Prize to screenwriting. |
| C．Screenwriting as well as fiction has long been rejected in Nobel Prize. |
| D．Screenwriting has been awarded Nobel Prize in Literature several times. |
| A．Screenplays have improved a lot over the years. |
| B．Good screenplays can still be found on television. |
| C．The script determines the stand or fall of a movie. |
| D．Good screenwriters should receive Nobel recognition. |
【推荐1】Take a look at your fingers. Would you believe me if I told you that the length of your fingers in relation to one another can predict your personality? I know that it sounds like one of those silly tests you see on Facebook, but I have to admit that it was spot-on for me.
Look at your three middle fingers of your left hand. Is your index finger（食指）longer than your ring finger? Is your ring finger longer than your index finger? Or are the two the same length?
Category 1: A longer ring finger. If your ring finger is longer than your index finger, research shows that you’re likely a charming type, and you can probably talk yourself out of any situation. Others often find this personality type irresistible and will go to great lengths to help you. You’re more likely to take risks, and you’re good at problem-solving. People in this category make great engineers, soldiers and crossword-puzzle solvers.
Category 2: A longer index finger. If your index finger is longer than your ring finger, chances are you are full of confidence — possibly even to the point of being over-confident and too proud. You are not necessarily introverted（内向的）,but you do enjoy time to yourself especially when you’re trying to complete a project. You are a determined go-getter who can make things happen, but you may be shy when it comes to taking the first step in building up a friendship. You are also probably happy with what you have, but you’re always wishing for more.
Category 3: The two are the same length. If your index finger and ring finger are roughly the same length, you are likely to avoid conflict at all costs and seek to keep the peace in your relationships. You are well-organized, faithful and sympathetic. But deep down under all of that caring and peace-loving, you also have a fiery core（暴躁的本质）and can lash out（猛然怒斥） unexpectedly when you’re pushed too far.
How well did these descriptions match your personality? I was surprised at the accuracy（准确性）in my case.
1. What does the passage mainly tell us?| A．Never believe the silly tests on Facebook |
| B．The length of fingers can reveal personality |
| C．Why your fingers are not of the same length. |
| D．How to find out about one’s personality accurately. |
| A．Very funny. | B．Quite easy. | C．Exactly correct | D．Completely strange. |
| A．cautious | B．catching | C．hard-working | D．warm-hearted |
| A．They are always satisfied with what they have. |
| B．They always feel confident and never feel shy. |
| C．They are not welcome most of the time. |
| D．They prefer to be left alone when working on a project. |
| A．The sweet talker | B．The self-important- one. |
| C．The introvert. | D．The peacemaker. |
【推荐2】In the ancient walled city of Sana’a, mud skyscrapers rise high into the sky. The towering structures are built entirely out of earth and decorated with striking geometric patterns. The local mud architecture is so unique that the city has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
“As an outstanding example of architecture reflecting the spatial characteristics of the early years, the city in its landscape has an extraordinary artistic and pictorial quality,” UNESCO writes in its description of Sana’a. “The buildings also demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship in the use of local materials and techniques.”
Even though the buildings in Sana’a are thousands of years old, they remain “terribly contemporary”, says Salma Samar Damliyi, co-founder of the Mud Brick Architecture Foundation. The ancient structures are still inhabited today and most remain private residences. Damliyi says it is easy to see why these mud buildings have not lost their appeal — they are well-insulated(绝缘的)，sustainable and extremely adaptable for modern use. “It is the architecture of the future,” says Damliyi.
Architects around the world are reviving (复兴) raw-earth construction as they seek to construct sustainable buildings that can resist extreme weather events such as flash floods and intense heat. Could this ancient form of architecture influence the design of our future homes?
The construction industry accounts for 38% of global carbon dioxide emissions. The building sector has an important role to play if the world is to meet the goal of reaching net zero by 2050. Concrete, a common modern construction material, has a huge carbon footprint. Replacing concrete with less polluting materials is critical to achieving our climate goals, scientists warn.
The ancient material, mud, could be the perfect sustainable alternative to concrete, according to Damliyi. Constructing with mud has a very low impact on the environment and the material itself is fully recyclable, she says. “If you want to pull down a wall or change the design, you can recycle all the materials.” An added bonus is that mud buildings are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This reduces the need for air conditioning units, which consume large amounts of electricity and contain refrigerants that comprise greenhouse gas emissions. Mud structures are also incredibly strong and resistant to extreme weather, such as heatwaves, floods and droughts, which scientists say will become more frequent and intense as temperatures continue to rise.
Therefore, people who wish to live in a modern, comfortable home should consider one made of mud. Overall, it makes for highly advanced as well as sustainable design.
1. According to the first two paragraphs, buildings in Sana’a are “unique” because ________ .| A．they are tall and tower over the entire city |
| B．their geometric patterns create artistic feelings |
| C．they are beautifully crafted with local resources |
| D．their fascinating history has attracted many tourists |
| A．They can reduce the chance of extreme weather events. |
| B．They can be ideal for sustainable future construction. |
| C．They might produce lots of greenhouse gas emissions. |
| D．They might cause substantial temperature changes. |
| A．mud might be an important solution to the climate crisis |
| B．the mud buildings in Sana’a are no longer suitable to live |
| C．rebuilding mud construction would take great efforts |
| D．mud becomes the favourite material of architects |
| A．The Historic Cities that Mark Human Civilization |
| B．The Construction Industry that Threatens Climate Goals |
| C．The Modern Architecture that Survives Extreme Weather |
| D．The Ancient Material that Makes for Future House Designs |
【推荐3】Why do men die earlier than women? The latest research makes it known that the reason could be that men's hearts go into rapid decline when they reach middle age.
The largest study of the effects of ageing on the heart has found that women's longevity may be linked to the fact that their hearts do not lose their pumping power with age.
"We have found that the power of the male heart falls by 20--25 percent between 18 and 70 years of age,”said the head of the study, David Goldspink of Liverpool John Moores University in the UK.
"Within the heart there are millions of cells that enable it to beat. Between the age of 20 and 70，one-third of those cells die and are not replaced in men,”said Goldspink. "This is part of the ageing process."
What surprises scientists is that the female heart sees very little loss of these cells. A healthy 70-year-old woman's heart could perform almost as well as a 20-year-old one's.
"This gender difference might just explain why women live longer than men,”said Goldspink.
They studied more than 250 healthy men and women between the ages of 18 and 80，focusing on healthy persons to remove the confusing influence of disease.
The team has yet to find why ageing takes a greater loss on the male heart, said Goldspink.
The good news is that men can improve the health of their heart with regular exercise. Goldspink stressed that women also need regular exercise to prevent their leg muscles becoming smaller and weaker as they age.
1. The underlined word“longevity" in the second paragraph probably refers to ______.| A．health | B．long life | C．ageing | D．effect |
| A．men's heart cells | B．women's ageing process、 |
| C．the gender difference | D．hearts and long life |
| A．women have more cells than men when they are born |
| B．women can replace the cells that enable the heart to beat |
| C．the female heart loses few of the cells with age |
| D．women never lose their pumping power with age |
| A．enable your heart to beat much faster |
| B．find out the reason for ageing |
| C．exercise regularly to keep your heart healthy |
| D．prevent your cells from being lost |
| A．the reason why ageing takes a greater loss on the male heart has been found out |
| B．scientists are on the way to finding out why the male heart loses more of the cells |
| C．the team has done something to prevent the male from suffering the greater loss |
| D．women over 70 could lose more heart cells than those at the age of 20 |
