任务型阅读 (共10小题;每小题1分,满分10分)
请认真阅读下列短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意:每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。
How to Release Creativity
According to most dictionaries, creativity is the ability to create. However, creativity is more than what is defined by the dictionary. It is an idea, a process, a thought, or a state of mind. One cannot learn to be creative because creativity is natural and unique to each individual. People should know that creativity doesn't equal success. It equals the act of expressing. So, if at first the goal that is aimed for is not achieved, there is no need for worry or frustration.
Creativity can, however, be released by discovery. Some people need encouragement to help release their creativity. There are quite a few ways to release it.
One way to release creativity would be to look for what can inspire you. Looking at the world and admiring the differences in people and places help. Creativity can be drawn from their beauty. A person can touch, taste, smell, hear, and see hundreds of different objects. Aromas from foods, textures of blankets, and sight of unusual objects can all give inspiration.
Many people are too concerned with how things should look. The focus should be on how it actually looks in the raw, to the human eye. Colors and shapes can be distorted(扭曲) by the mere fact that people want others to see it for what it is. It's more difficult for someone to let go of all that and just let their creativity flow, unblocked.
Another way to get creativity flowing is to research what other artists have done or are currently doing. Their cultures and biographies alone can be an inspiration. Examining their works can help some appreciate artistic expression. New techniques can even be drawn from their works.
Some people are even inspired by everyday events, like reading the newspaper or watching the news. Some can take other people's situations and describe how it makes them feel. That is a way to release creativity. Controversial issues, such as war or abortion, can inspire writings like poems. They can be used to express death, loss, or tragedy. General topics such as religion or politics can branch off into many directions, sending creativity into overdrive.
Creativity is not about reaching a goal or being a perfectionist. It's about being, feeling, and taking all that is inside and letting it out in one way or another. Creativity is not always expressed by paintings, drawings, or writings. One's action is the main form to express creativity. Romance, for example, is a form of creativity. Love and emotion are inspired by one person for another. Taking something inside and then putting it back out into the world as another thing is the key of creativity. Knowing and loving someone so much that there is a need to express it is a very natural form of creativity.
Another form of expressing creativity is talking. Some people are more blessed in this area than in more obvious ones, such as painting or drawing. They paint a “word picture”. Speeches can be centered around new ideas and thoughts. It can contain all of one's being and transform it into either simple or complicated words.
Inspiration is vital to creativity. Even if it's only a slight feeling or thought that inspires. Creativity can be released each time attempts are made to use the body as an outlet. Remember that creativity is not an art form, but that it forms art.
Outline | Details |
Writer's understanding of creativity | Creativity is more than just a 1._______ given in the dictionary It is an idea, a process, a thought, or a state of mind It is natural and unique to each individual It equals 2._______ rather than success |
Ways to 3._____ creativity | We can look for what can inspire us through five 4.________ We shouldn't be too concerned with the 5.______ of things We can get creativity flowing by6._______ what other artists have done or are doing and examining their works We can draw inspiration from both everyday events and7.________ issues |
Forms of expressing creativity | Creativity can be expressed by paintings, drawings or8.________actions used 9._______ to show one's knowing and loving someonespeeches containing new ideas and thoughts |
Conclusion | Inspiration is of great10.______ to creativity Art is an expressive form of creativity |
高二英语填空题中等难度题
任务型阅读(共10小题,每小题1分,满分10分)
请认真阅读下列短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入恰当的单词。
注意:每个空格只填一个单词。
Everyone needs a break, and vacations are not meant for serious study. Instead, they’re a great way to take a break and enjoy a good book. The Spring Festival is coming up so this is the perfect time to discuss some great English language literature to take on a long train journey or while you’re hanging out with the family.
Before getting into the recommendations, we need to determine your English reading comprehension level so you don’t pick a book which is so challenging that it’s stressful or so simple that it’s boring.
If you’re at the beginner level, there are two options: reading a children’s book or reading a book that you’ve read in Chinese translation. This will help you get over any unfamiliar words or phrases, since you’re already familiar with the story. If you’re at the intermediate level, popular books like pop fiction, mysteries and thrillers are good options, as they’ll be guaranteed page turners and that will increase the possibility of your getting all the way through the book. For advanced readers, science fiction, classic works of literature or contemporary prize winners (Booker, Nobel, Pulitzer) are good options.
The most important thing is to pick a book that you’re really interested in. When I pick up a new book in Chinese, the first few chapters are always really hard to get through, as I have to get accustomed to the way the individual author uses the language. But after the first few chapters, things get a lot easier, especially if I get involved in the story. Some of my favorite Chinese-language eye candy are books that are series like Brothers by Yu Hua or The Dancer by Hai Yan. I like them because there’s always a lot of action and story development to keep me involved, which helps me make it through those first few chapters.
Another great way to keep yourself motivated over the holiday is to find a friend who’s interested in reading the same book. You can make goals that you both want to achieve and discuss plot lines or vocabulary issues with each other by SMS or e-mail. I’m currently doing that with my friend Laura. We’ve been doing this since we were classmates in Chinese at college.
Some quick recommendations: Harry Potter, start with the first book and go on from there; the Narnia series; anything by US writer Michael Crichton or British writer Agatha Christie; and if you like horror, US writer Stephen King is always unusual and fun. But really you should just find a topic or author that you’re interested in, and the rest will go from there. Happy reading!
-from 21st Century (January 21, 2009)
Title | Enjoy English language literature on vacation |
Theme | Find a good book to read on your (71)▲ to a distant place. |
(72)▲ of proper books | ●Beginners may pick a children’s book or a book whose story is (73) ▲ to them.●Poplar books might make it (74) ▲ for intermediate-level readers to read them from cover to cover.●Science fiction, classic works of literature or contemporary prize winners may be (75)▲ for advanced readers. |
Ways to keep up your (76)▲ for reading | ●Choose a book that is interesting enough to keep you involved in the story and help get through some difficult (77)▲ . ●Read along with a friend a book you both feel interested in and (78)▲ views on plot lines or vocabulary to achieve your common goals. |
Books (79) ▲ | ●Harry Potter series ●Narnia series ●Works by Michael Crichton ●Works by Agatha Christie ●(80)▲ fiction by Stephen King |
高二英语其他题简单题查看答案及解析
任务型读写. 请认真阅读下列短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入恰当的单词。注意:每个空格只填一个单词。(共10小题;每小题1分,满分10分)
If you are asked to chair a meeting, remember the following six golden rules for meeting management.
1. Always start the meeting on time
If you begin on time, group members who show up late will realize the value of time. Beginning on time reflects the skill as an effective time manager and sets an example for others to follow.
2. Select a note-taker or arrange to have the meeting audio-taped
You may need to refer back to an issue that was discussed during the meeting at a later date. Good record-keeping is a sign of a good meeting manager as well.
3. Learn to listen
So many times we think we are going to say and, in the process, block out important points that other group members may be contributing. Additionally, we often hear only what we want to hear, rather than really listen to other people. Meetings that are characterized by effective listening are successful meetings.
4. Keep the discussion on track
Many times important issues can get sidetracked in a meeting, especially when everyone has a different opinion about the topic. If an unexpected conflict develops once the meeting is in progress, either appoint a subcommittee to look into the problem, or ask the participants involved in the conflict to meet with you after the meeting. Doing so will help keep the discussion on track and minimize (减少) the chances of wasting participants’ time of great value.
5. Give everyone an opportunity to be heard
Some people tend to control meetings, whereas others wait to be asked their opinions. As the leader of the meeting, you need to keep an open mind and make sure everyone feels welcome to contribute and express ideas without criticism.
6. End on time
If you said the meeting would last no longer than one hour, make sure the meeting lasts for only one hour. Running late with a meeting makes members late for other appointments, increases the chances that the members will mentally leave the meeting and reduces your reliability as an effective meeting manager.
Advice on how to 1.________ a meeting
Rules | Reasons |
Start the meeting on time. | 2.________ the skill and set an example. |
Select a note-taker or 3.________ the meeting. | Need to refer to an issue4.________ |
Learn to listen. | Listen5.________ to make sure it is a successful meeting. |
Keep the6.________ on track | Minimize the chances of wasting participants’ 7.________ time. |
Give everyone an 8.________ to be heard | Make everyone feel 9.________ to speak. |
End on time. | 10.________ your reliability. |
高二英语填空题中等难度题查看答案及解析
第二卷 非选择题(两部分,共35分)
第四部分:任务型阅读(共10小题;每小题1分,满分10分)
请认真阅读下列短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入最恰当的单词。
注意:每个空格只填一个单词。请将答案写在答题卡上相应的横线上。
It is said that English speakers fall into three groups: those who have learnt it as a mother tongue, those who have learnt it as a second language through exposure(显露) in a society where it is spoken, and those who are forced to use it for administrative(管理的), professional or educational purposes.
This third group, along with the supremacy(至高地位) of English in the business world, has created a fast development in institutions offering English for business. However, the average business person, while happily accepting the challenge, does not have any idea how long the process may take.
Duncan Ford, a specialist in language teaching theory, partly puts the blame on misleading publicity and says that you have to think in terms of hundreds of hours while people still think learning a language is a three-hour-a-week job.
According to him, the key is lots of variety of the activities similar to the happiness of the class. The communicative way has replaced the old–fashioned note-taking method and for those people who think that a couple of hours with the latest CD-ROM is not to replace for English classes, they should think again. While seen as a useful back-up, they are not teacher replacement.
Learning English for a Special Purpose
Classification of English speakers | English speakers are 71 up of three groups: Those who have learnt it as a mother 72 ; Those who have learnt it as a second language in society; Those who are forced to use it for a special 73 . |
The present situation of English for 74 | Even though the third group has made institutions which offer English for business 75 fast, the average business people don’t 76 how long the process may take. |
Specialist’s opinion in learning English | It takes long to learn English-hundreds of hours 77 of three hours a week. Language learners should take part in classroom 78 where they can 79 with others as much as possible. English classes can’t be 80 by CD-ROMs. |
高二英语其他题简单题查看答案及解析
第二卷(非选择题,共两大题,35分)
第四部分任务型阅读(共10小题,每小题1分,满分10分)
请认真阅读下列短文, 并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意: 每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题纸上相应题号的横线上。
The Internet is making the world smaller and changing every aspect of our lives. The impact of this, in my opinion, will be strongly felt in the field of education. There are three reasons for this.
First, the Internet provides equal opportunities for all students, as long as they can get access to it. In the traditional form of education, students who get higher marks in examinations may enter a good school, and those who do not, have to enter a relatively less good one. With the Internet, every student is provided with access to the same educational materials, so they have equal opportunities to improve themselves. In that case, the general quality of education will be highly improved in our country.
Second, the Internet presents a challenge to teachers. Traditionally, teachers have controlled education. With the Internet, a student may choose any teacher’s instruction as he wishes. Faced with this, a teacher is likely to try his best to improve his instruction to be attactive and this will in turn improve the educational quality of our country.
Last but not least, the Internet makes education more convenient for students. A student can learn at any time he likes and, at the same time, he can save the money spent on tuition and board. All of these may lead to a revolution in education.
It is true that the Internet may still remain out of the reach of some people and maybe less amicable (友好的) than human teachers. But the point is that the Internet is sure to accelerate the development of education in our country.
Theme | The Internet is strongly affecting 71. _________. | |
72. _________ for this | 1) All students are 73. _________ with equal opportunities by the Internet, as long as they can have 74. _________ to the Internet. | In this way, our country’s education will be of high 78. _________. |
2) With the Internet, education becomes a little bit 75. _________ to teachers. Teachers have to try to improve their instruction to 76. _________ more students to his classes. | ||
3) The Internet brings 77. _________ to the students and helps them save some money. | ||
Conclusion | Though the Internet is 79. _________ the reach of every person and it is not so amicable, it will make education 80. _________ faster. |
高二英语其他题简单题查看答案及解析
任务型阅读 (共10小题;每小题1分,满分10分)
请认真阅读下列短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意:每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。
How to Release Creativity
According to most dictionaries, creativity is the ability to create. However, creativity is more than what is defined by the dictionary. It is an idea, a process, a thought, or a state of mind. One cannot learn to be creative because creativity is natural and unique to each individual. People should know that creativity doesn't equal success. It equals the act of expressing. So, if at first the goal that is aimed for is not achieved, there is no need for worry or frustration.
Creativity can, however, be released by discovery. Some people need encouragement to help release their creativity. There are quite a few ways to release it.
One way to release creativity would be to look for what can inspire you. Looking at the world and admiring the differences in people and places help. Creativity can be drawn from their beauty. A person can touch, taste, smell, hear, and see hundreds of different objects. Aromas from foods, textures of blankets, and sight of unusual objects can all give inspiration.
Many people are too concerned with how things should look. The focus should be on how it actually looks in the raw, to the human eye. Colors and shapes can be distorted(扭曲) by the mere fact that people want others to see it for what it is. It's more difficult for someone to let go of all that and just let their creativity flow, unblocked.
Another way to get creativity flowing is to research what other artists have done or are currently doing. Their cultures and biographies alone can be an inspiration. Examining their works can help some appreciate artistic expression. New techniques can even be drawn from their works.
Some people are even inspired by everyday events, like reading the newspaper or watching the news. Some can take other people's situations and describe how it makes them feel. That is a way to release creativity. Controversial issues, such as war or abortion, can inspire writings like poems. They can be used to express death, loss, or tragedy. General topics such as religion or politics can branch off into many directions, sending creativity into overdrive.
Creativity is not about reaching a goal or being a perfectionist. It's about being, feeling, and taking all that is inside and letting it out in one way or another. Creativity is not always expressed by paintings, drawings, or writings. One's action is the main form to express creativity. Romance, for example, is a form of creativity. Love and emotion are inspired by one person for another. Taking something inside and then putting it back out into the world as another thing is the key of creativity. Knowing and loving someone so much that there is a need to express it is a very natural form of creativity.
Another form of expressing creativity is talking. Some people are more blessed in this area than in more obvious ones, such as painting or drawing. They paint a “word picture”. Speeches can be centered around new ideas and thoughts. It can contain all of one's being and transform it into either simple or complicated words.
Inspiration is vital to creativity. Even if it's only a slight feeling or thought that inspires. Creativity can be released each time attempts are made to use the body as an outlet. Remember that creativity is not an art form, but that it forms art.
Outline | Details |
Writer's understanding of creativity | Creativity is more than just a 1._______ given in the dictionary It is an idea, a process, a thought, or a state of mind It is natural and unique to each individual It equals 2._______ rather than success |
Ways to 3._____ creativity | We can look for what can inspire us through five 4.________ We shouldn't be too concerned with the 5.______ of things We can get creativity flowing by6._______ what other artists have done or are doing and examining their works We can draw inspiration from both everyday events and7.________ issues |
Forms of expressing creativity | Creativity can be expressed by paintings, drawings or8.________actions used 9._______ to show one's knowing and loving someonespeeches containing new ideas and thoughts |
Conclusion | Inspiration is of great10.______ to creativity Art is an expressive form of creativity |
高二英语填空题中等难度题查看答案及解析
任务型阅读 (共10小题;每小题l分, 满分l0分)
请认真阅读下列短文, 并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意: 每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题纸上相应题号的横线上。
You might think body language is universal. After all, we're the same species, right? But basics like what is considered a polite greeting and definitions of "personal space" vary widely from culture to culture. Americans, for instance, are considered rather reserved in the way they greet friends, and they define personal space more broadly than most other cultures. Knowing how another culture's basic body language differs from yours may be of use next time you travel internationally.
Mind how you meet and greet. Americans and Canadians, male and female, tend to greet each other with a nice firm handshake. In Asian countries, the polite form of greeting is to bow, and the lower you bow, the deeper respect you have for the person you are bowing to. In Spain, Portugal, Italy and Eastern Europe, men kiss each other on the cheek.
Be careful about eye contact. In America, intermittent(断断续续的) eye contact is preferable in a conversation--unless it's someone you care deeply for. In Middle Eastern countries, intense prolonged(持久的) eye contact is the norm, and the person you're speaking with will move very close to you to maintain it. The Japanese, on the other hand, consider it an invasion of privacy, and rarely look another person in the eye.
Americans, in general, smile when they meet or greet someone. Koreans, however, think it's rude for adults to smile in public--to them, smiling in public is a sign of embarrassment.
Don't point. Most Americans think nothing of pointing at an object or another person. Native Americans consider it extremely rude to point with a finger, and instead they point with their chin. It's also rude to point with a finger in China; the polite alternative is to use the whole hand, palm facing up.
Give the right amount of space. In Asian cultures, particularly China, the concept of personal space (generally defined in America as a three-to-four-foot circle for casual and business acquaintances) is nearly nonexistent. Strangers regularly touch bodies when standing in line for, say, movie tickets. People in Scandinavian countries, on the other hand, need more personal space than we do.
Title: How to (71)_______ Body Language in Different Cultures
Items | In America | In some Asian countries |
Meeting and greeting | Both male and female have a (72)_______ to greet each other with a nice firm handshake. | It’s polite for people to bow when they meet and greet. |
Eye contact | People (73)_______ to make an intermittent eye contact in a conversation. | Considering intense prolonged eye contact unacceptable, Japanese won’t look another person in the eye. |
Smiling | It’s normal for Americans to smile when they meet and greet. | In Korean, people seldom smile in public because it represents (74)_______. |
Pointing | Most Americans often point at an object or another person (76)_______ native Americans. | Chinese always try to (75)_______ pointing with a finger because it’s a rude manner. |
Personal space | Americans (77)_______ to keep a three-to-four-foot distance when they are with casual and business acquaintances. | It’s almost (78)_______ in China. |
(79)_______ | People behave great differently in different culture and knowing the differences of body language may be (80)_______ when you travel abroad. |
高二英语其他题简单题查看答案及解析
任务型阅读(共10小题;每小题1分,满分10分)
请认真阅读下列短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词.注意:每个空格只填1个单词.请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上.
Living in a foreign country is fun, but it isn’t always easy. There are many differences between cultures and although some of these differences are unimportant, they can cause a lot of embarrassment. I spoke to a few foreign friends about how they experienced culture shock in China.
Aubin arrived two months ago from Europe to take part in a language programme in Shanghai. Before he left, he was actually taught the differences between European and Chinese cultures, including everything from table manners to classroom behavior. However, some things have still taken him by surprise. For example, he couldn’t understand why waiters did not want to accept the tips he gave them after meals in restaurants. I had to explain to him that people don’t usually tip in China and that this comes from the Confucian idea that one must avoid accepting any undue(不适当的) income.
Another friend, Julia, came to Guangzhou from London to teach at a language school. After a month, she told me that she was really let down by her students. I asked her why and she told me that they were so quiet that she was the only person talking in class and it felt like the children were punishing her by making her talk to the walls! I explained to her that the children were simply respectful, but she said that it would be more respectful if they answered her questions.
And it is not only the West and the East that have cultural differences. Even Korea and China, two countries that are very close to each other, have differences too. “I thought Chinese and Korean people were similar in some ways,” said my friend Ji-Hyun in perfect Chinese, “but I was wrong. In ancient times the Chinese used to take their shoes off before entering a house. They don’t do that anymore, but Korean people still do! I keep getting that wrong even though I’ve been here for five years!”
Luckily, whether we take our shoes off or not, or leave unnecessary tips, the world still runs perfectly. In my opinion, cultural differences should simply be seen as a way of making life interesting. Imagine how boring it would be if we all did everything in exactly the same way! Learning to understand and respect differences is, after all, what life is all about.
(注意:请将该题的答案填写到答题卷对应的空格上!)
Living with differences | |
Theme | People will meet a 1._____ culture while living in a foreign country, which can make them feel 2._____. |
3._____ of foreign friends in China | Aubin couldn’t understand why waiters 4._____ to accept the tips he gave them after meals in restaurants. |
Julia felt really 5._____ because no one talked in class except herself and thought that if the students 6._____ her, they should answer her questions. | |
Ji-Hyun believed there were some 7._____ between Chinese and Korean people and thought it was wrong that people 8._____ their shoes when they entered a house. | |
Conclusion | We should 9._____ cultural differences as a way to make life interesting. We would be 10._____ with life if we did everything in the same way. |
高二英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析
任务型阅读 (共10小题;每小题1分,满分10分)
请认真阅读下列短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意:每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。
There are many destructive (破坏性的) forces when it comes to nature, which have destroyed whole cities and killed many people. They’re really terrible, but they occur somewhat often, and this is why you see so many charities these days which focus their efforts on helping people who have been affected by natural disasters.
While the world is a very beautiful place to live in, there will always be parts of the world where natural disasters happen more often than in other places, where properties(财产)and lives are destroyed. Only the people who live in the country where tsunamis and earthquakes as well as other disasters occur experience these, and we can only imagine the suffering that they go through.
For some people out there, the world is cruel, but they have no choice but to stay where they are. A lot of the time people simply cannot afford to move away, as they might not be able to get a job when they leave.
In 2004, there was a tsunami in the Indian Ocean. A tsunami is a large wave that towers hundreds of feet into the air, and covers whole areas when it comes crashing(冲进) down on to dry land. This particular tsunami was caused by an earthquake that happened in the middle of the sea, shooting the water away from the ground and towards dry land. This tsunami actually reached thirty meters in height, and was one of the worst waves the world has ever seen. Over 200,000 people were hurt in the disaster.
In 2005, we also saw a hurricane happened in the United States. This hurricane was known as hurricane Katrina, and is perhaps the worst in the history of the world. It happened in 2005 and destroyed millions of properties in the area. It also took the lives of nearly 2,000 American people. It was known that for ten days, the wind swept through the area, meaning the most powerful country in the world became helpless in their attempts to save the people who were affected by the hurricane.
Finally, in 2008 we saw yet another natural disaster. This time it was a cyclone (旋风), which is similar to a hurricane but happens in a circular motion (圆周运动). This cyclone Nargis had been one of the strongest to have ever occurred, causing the death of nearly 150,000 people. All of these were terrible disasters that were unavoidable.
Title: Forces of Nature
Introduction | Destructive forces of nature refer to natural disasters (1) _______ tsunamis and earthquakes. |
(2) _______ | ◆ When these terrible disasters occur in some parts of the world, they (3) _______ properties and lives. ◆ People in these parts go through the (4) _______ that only exists in our imagination. ◆ Some people out there have to (5) _______ where they are. They can’t afford to move away, as jobs in other places might not be (6) _______. |
Examples | ◆ The 2004 tsunami reached a (7) _______ of thirty meters and it was one of the worst tidal waves in the world. ◆ The 2005 hurricane known as Katrina swept through parts of the US, causing great loss. Even the most powerful country could do (8) _______ to save its people. ◆ The 2008 cyclone called Nargis had been one of the strongest, leaving nearly 150,000 people (9) _______. |
Summary | These terrible disasters couldn’t be (10) _______. |
高二英语其他题困难题查看答案及解析
任务型阅读(共10小题;每小题1分,满分10分)
请认真阅读下列短文,并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意:每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。
At the beginning of the twentieth century, many people thought that the American family was falling apart. A century later, we know that this was not the case. However, although the family is still alive in the United States, its size and shape were very different 100 years ago.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were mainly two types of families in the United States: the extended and the nuclear. The extended family usually includes grandparents, parents, and children living under the same roof. The nuclear family consists of only parents and children.
Today there are many different kinds of families. Some people live in “traditional” families, that is, a stay-home mother, a working father, and their own biological children. Others live in two-paycheck families, single-parent families, adoptive or foster, families, blended families (where men and women who were married before marry again and combine the children from previous marriages into the new families),child less families, and so on.
What caused the structure of the family to change? In the early 1900s the birthrate began to fall and the divorce rate began to rise. Women were suddenly choosing to go to college and take jobs outside the home. In the 1930s and 1940s, many families faced serious financial, or money problems during the Great Depression, when many people lost their jobs. During World War II(1939-1945),5 million women were left alone to take care of their homes and their children. Because many men were at war, thousands of these "war widows" had to go to work outside their home.
During the next ten years, the situation changed. There were fewer divorces, and people married at a younger age and had more children than the previous generation. It was unusual for a mother to work outside the home during the years when her children were growing tip. Families began leaving cities and moving into single-family homes in the suburbs. The traditional family seemed to be returning.
In the years between 1960s and 1990s, there were many important changes in the structure of the family. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, the divorce rate doubled and the birthrate fell by half. The number of single-parent families tripled, and the number of couples living together without being married doubled again. In fact, the single-parent household, once unusual, has replaced the "traditional" family as the typical family in the States. If we can judge from history, however, this will probably change again in the twenty-first century.
The Changes of the American Family
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Experts debunk Maya doomsday(末日) predictions -- But that hasn't stopped books, movies from cashing in.
If the ancient Maya and filmmaker Roland Emmerich are correct, the apocalypse(大灾变) will happen very fast, maybe quicker than his new 2½-hour movie.
Predictions of global ruination are rippling around the globe with seismic(地震的) force, all loosely based on a 5,000-year Maya calendar that ends Dec. 21, 2012. Countless Web sites and blogs anticipate(预料) the end of days, as do various New Age groups and would-be prophets(预言者) offering guidance and how-to tips. On Amazon.com , you can read hundreds of book titles combining the year 2012 with terms such as “apocalypse,” “catastrophe” and “end of the world.”
As always, doomsday sells — and a lot of people are buying it.
“There's the psychobabble(心理呓语) aspect,” said Robert Epstein, former editor of Psychology Today magazine and a lecturer at the University of California San Diego. “It's the Sigmund Freud/death wish idea: People glom onto(对…感兴趣) doomsday predictions because there's some small part of them that wants to die, and die spectacularly(壮观的). I don't believe it, but it's one way to look at this.”
It's Emmerich's way. The German director specializes in wreaking havoc on an epic scale, from climatic cataclysm in 2004's “The Day After Tomorrow” to angry aliens and reptiles in “Independence Day” and “Godzilla.” In “2012,” he finishes the job.
The digitized disasters of “2012” are oversized, overwrought and sometimes literally over the top, as when a humongous tsunami washes over the Himalayan mountains, whose average height exceeds 20,000 feet. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, a 10.5-magnitude earthquake — a temblor at least 30 times more powerful than any real quake ever recorded — yanks the city apart like a giant zipper, sending chunks sliding into the Pacific Ocean.
That's not physically possible, of course. Nor is a 10.5-magnitude quake, said Thomas Rockwell, a geologist at San Diego State University. To generate that much energy, “you'd need a rupture that extends all around the planet.”
All of that other stuff “is pure Hollywood bunk,” said Bernard Jackson at the UCSD Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences.
Entertaining, though, unless you happen to believe the Maya really predicted the end of the world. They didn't, said Geoff Braswell, a UCSD anthropologist. The long-count calendar doesn't signal the end of anything except the end of that particular calendar. “It's just like a car odometer. Unfortunately, hardly anybody reads ancient Mayan. Modern media hype(骗局), on the other hand, is almost inescapable.
Nicholas Christenfeld, a professor of psychology at UCSD, suggests a more elemental human need. Being swallowed by the Earth or incinerated in a giant fireball “fits neatly with the idea that people want to believe there's a plan, that existence isn't random and pointless,” Christenfeld said.
“We all missed creation, but if we can bear witness at the other end, be part of some grand cosmic destruction, that gives life meaning,” he said.
It helps, too, not to think very hard about the facts, said Lou Manza, a professor of psychology at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pa. “These claims have been around forever, and they have all been false, 100 percent wrong,” Manza said.
Of course, prognosticators(预言者, 占卜者) usually have an explanation for that, Christenfeld said.
“They might say it was a misinterpretation,” he said. “They got the date wrong. They might claim humanity acted in time to prevent the destruction. Or faith came to the rescue because people believed something bad was going to happen, it didn't have to happen.”
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