Question

It’s a tradition that dates back to the 1930s’ and it’s designed to give all children in Finland, no matter what background they’re from, an equal start in life.

The maternity(母性) package — a gift from the government — is available to all expectant    mothers. It contains bodysuits, a sleeping bag, outdoor gear, bathing products for the baby as well as nappies, bedding and a small mattress.

With the mattress at the bottom, the box becomes a baby’s first bed. Many children, from all social backgrounds, have their first naps within the safety of the box’s four cardboard walls.

The tradition dates back to 1938. At first, the scheme was only available to families on low incomes, but that changed in 1949. In the 1930s Finland was a poor country and the infant death rate was high — 65 out of 1,000 babies died. But the figure decreased rapidly in the decades that followed. Over 75 years, the box has been an established part of the Finnish rite(仪式) of a passage to motherhood, uniting generations of women.

Reija Klemetti, a 49-year-old woman from Helsinki, remembers going to the post office to    receive a box for one of her children. “My partner Milla and I were living in London when we had our first child, Jasper, so we weren’t eligible (有资格) for a free box. But Milla’s parents didn’t want us to miss out, so they bought one and put it in the post office. We couldn’t wait to open the box. There were all the clothes I had expected, with the addition of a snowsuit for Finland's cold winter.”

“We now live in Helsinki and have just had our second child, Annika. She did get a free box, from the Finnish government. This felt to me like evidence that someone cared — someone wanted our baby to have a good start in life,” Reija Klemetti said.

1.In Finland the maternity package is probably seen as a symbol of_____.

A. wealth

B. equality

C. pride

D. fame

2.The fourth paragraph implies that_____.

A. the rich refused to use the boxes

B. there were not enough boxes at first

C. the boxes were given to poor families only

D. the boxes helped cut down the death rate of babies

3.Why couldn’t Reija Klemetti get a free box when her first child was born?

A. They were not citizens of Finland.

B. They lived outside Finland.

C. They didn't apply for the box.

D. They had got one from their neighbors.

4.How did Reija Klemetti feel when she received the box from the post office?

A. Worried.       B. Disappointed.

C. Puzzled.      D. Excited.

5.What did Reija Klemetti want to tell us in the last paragraph？

A. A free box came at last.

B. She was longing for a free box for her child.

C. She returned to Finland to get a free box.

D. The free box gave her a feeling of warmth.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.B

4.D

5.D

【解析】

试题分析：自1938年起，芬兰政府为出生在芬兰的新生儿免费发放宝宝箱，里面包括新生儿所需的服装、睡袋、洗澡用具等，希望婴儿的生活有个良好的开端。

1.B 细节理解题。根据第一段的“it’s designed to give all children in Finland, no matter what background they’re from, an equal start in life.”可知在芬兰出生的所有婴儿都是平等的，都可以得到一个宝宝箱，B项表述符合文意，故选B。

2.D 主旨大意题。根据第四段的“In the 1930s Finland was a poor country and the infant death rate was high — 65 out of 1,000 babies died.”和“But the figure decreased rapidly in the decades that followed.”可知使用了宝宝箱之后，芬兰的新生儿死亡率下降了，D项表述概括准确，故选D。

3.B 细节理解题。根据第五段的“My partner Milla and I were living in London when we had our first child, Jasper, so we weren’t eligible (有资格) for a free box.”可知不出生在芬兰的新生儿不能得到免费的宝宝箱，故选B。

4.D 细节理解题。根据第五段的“We couldn’t wait to open the box.”可知收到寄来的宝宝箱后她非常兴奋，故选D。

5.5】D 细节理解题。根据最后一段的“This felt to me like evidence that someone cared — someone wanted our baby to have a good start in life,”可知Reija Klemetti觉得很温暖，故选D。

考点：考查科普环保类短文阅读