Question

    A few months ago, I was picking up the children at school. Emily, another mother that I knew well, rushed up to me. She was filled with anger. “Do you know what you and I are?” she demanded. Before I could answer, she gave out the reason for her question. She had just returned from renewing her driver’s license at a government office. Asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation, Emily hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. “What I mean is,” explained the woman, “Do you have a job, or are you just a ...?” “Of course I have a job,” answered Emily. “I’m a mother.” “We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation ... ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation. This time it was at our own Town Hall. The clerk was a woman. “And what is your occupation?” she asked. What made me say it, I do not know. The words simply jumped out. “I’m ... a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.” The clerk paused, her ball-point pen frozen in mid air, and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words.

“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your field?”

Coolly, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research in the laboratory and in the field. I’m working for my masters (the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most jobs and the rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money.”

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up and personally showed me out. As I drove into our driveway, I was greeted by my lab assistants—ages 13, 7, and 3. And upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (six months) in the child-development program. I felt successful!

Motherhood...what a glorious career, especially when there is a title on the door.

1.The purpose of Emily’s story is to_______________.

A.prove that being a housewife is shameful

B.show how angry Emily was with the author

C.tell readers that Emily had no work in reality

D.introduce the topic of “motherhood” as a job

2.On hearing the title of the author’s occupation, the clerk felt ______.

A.bored and disappointed B.surprised and curious

C.satisfied and respectful D.interested and thrilled

3.What do you know about the author’s family?

A.Her daughters are all involved in a child-development program.

B.Her family is supported by her work as a Research Associate.

C.She has four daughters and the youngest is six months old.

D.There are at most five members in her family.

4.The manner of speaking in which the author writes the text is ______.

A.indifferent B.cautious

C.objective D.humorous

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了作者诙谐地将自己家庭妇女的工作比作是儿童发展及人事关系研究助理员的工作，引出了一个有趣的故事。

1.推理判断题。由第一段中的“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation ... ‘housewife’ covers it,”可知，工作人员认为“妈妈”不是一种职业，再由第二段中的“And what is your occupation?” she asked. 可知，作者也遇到了同样被询问职业的问题，因此文章提到Emily的经历是为了引出 “做妈妈”这一工作，故选D。

2.细节理解题。由第二段中的“The clerk paused , her ball-point pen frozen in mid air , and looked up as though she had not heard right.”可知，这位职员的动作表明她很惊讶，对作者的职业感到好奇，故选B。

3.细节理解题。由第四段中的“I’m working for my masters (the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters).”可知，作者有四个女儿；根据第五段中的“As I drove into our driveway, I was greeted by my lab assistants—ages 13, 7,and 3. And upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (six months) in the child-development program.”可知，作者的最小的女儿六个月了，故选C。

4.推理判断题。由第二段中的“I’m ... a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”可知，作者将自己“做妈妈”比作是儿童发展及人事关系研究助理，这是一种诙谐幽默的写作方式，故选D。