Question

At the beginning of the twentieth century, many people thought that the Americanfamily 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 different100 years ago.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were mainly two types of families in theUnited States: the extended and the nuclear. The extended family usually includesgrandparents, parents, and children living under the same roof. The nuclear familyconsists 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 biologicalchildren. Others live in two-paycheck families, single-parent families, adoptive or foster,families, blended families (where men and women who were married before marry againand combine the children from previous marriages into the new families），childlessfamilies, and so on.

What caused the structure of the family to change? In the early 1900s the birthratebegan to fall and the divorce rate began to rise. Women were suddenly choosing to go tocollege and take jobs outside the home. In the 1930s and 1940s, many families faced seriousfinancial, or money problems during the Great Depression, when many people lost theirjobs. During World War II（1939-1945)，5 million women were left alone to take care oftheir 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, andpeople married at a younger age and had more children than the previous generation. It wasunusual for a mother to work outside the home during the years when her children weregrowing tip. Families began leaving cities and moving into single-family homes in thesuburbs. The traditional family seemed to be returning.

In the years between 1960s and 1990s, there were many important changes in thestructure of the family. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, the divorce rate doubled andthe birthrate fell by half. The number of single-parent families tripled, and the number ofcouples living together without being married doubled again. In fact, the single-parenthousehold, once unusual, has replaced the "traditional" family as the typical family in theStates. If we can judge from history, however, this will probably change again in thetwenty-first century.

The Changes of the American Family

Main comparisons	Contexts
Different___1____	There were two __2___ types of families in the past, ___3____, the extended and the nuclear.
Nowadays __4___types of families can be seen than before.
Changes in different ___5_____.	In the 1900s and 1940s	Many of the women had to work outside due to the __6___of money., thus causing the fall of __7__and the rise of divorce rate.
In the 1950s	Divorce rate slided and there were more children . The families tended to be ___8___ again.
In the years between 1960s and 1990s	Different types of familes__9____. Traditional families are no longer the typical ones in America.
A trend worth noting
Author’s opinion on changes	The present structure is ___10____; it will experience changes again in the near future.

Answer

  kinds/ types   

  main   

  namely   

  more   

 periods  

 lack  

 birthrate 

  fewer  

  occurred   

  temporary

【解析】

试题分析：

 kinds/ types 总结归纳题。根据文章第一段说明讲述的是在不同时代，美国有不同的家庭类型。故kinds孩子types正确。

 main   词性转换。根据第二段第一行there were mainly two types of families。本句横线后面有名词说明使用形容词main。

 namely 同义句转换。根据第二段In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were mainly two types of families in theUnited States: the extended and the nuclear.说明这里的namely(即)；就是解释两种不同的家庭类型。

 more  根据文章第三段Today there are many different kinds of families说明现在的家庭类型比以前要多得多，本句后面还有than，说明这里使用many的比较级more。

 periods  总结归纳题。根据2,4,5,6段内容，可知讲述的是不同的时期，美国拥有的不同的家庭类型。

 lack 同义句转换。根据第四段3,4行In the 1930s and 1940s, many families faced seriousfinancial, or money problems during the Great Depression说明是遇见了严重的经济问题，那么就是指缺少钱，故使用lack。

  birthrate 原词再现，根据第四段第二句In the early 1900s the birthratebegan to fall and the divorce rate began to rise.

  fewer  总结归纳。根据倒数第二段内容可知在50年代，情况发生了很大的变化，传统的家庭模式又回来了，故种类也变少了。故fewer正确。

  occurred  词义转换题。根据最后一段1,2行there were many important changes in thestructure of the family说明发生了重大的变化，很多家庭模式出现了。故使用occur。

  temporary 推理题。根据文章最后一段If we can judge from history, however, this will probably change again in thetwenty-first century.说明家庭模式的变化是一直都在发生的，所以目前的情况也只是暂时的，故temporary正确。

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