Question

    Recently a new US study has shown that couples who expect their children to help care for them in old age should hope they have daughters because they are likely to be twice as attentive overall.

The research by Angelina Grigoryeva, a sociologist at Princeton University, found that, while women provide as much care for their elderly parents as they can manage, men do as little as they can get away with and often leave it to female family members.

Using data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, a study which has been tracking a cross-section of over-50s for the last decade, she calculated that women provide an average of 12.3 hours a month of care for elderly parents while men offer only 5.6 hours.

“Whereas the amount of elderly parent care daughters provide is associated with limitations they face, such as employment or childcare, sons’ caregiving is connected only with the presence or absence of other helpers, such as sisters or a parent's spouse （配偶）,” she explained.

“Sons reduce their relative caregiving efforts when they have a sister, while daughters increase theirs when they have a brother.”

“This suggests that sons pass on parent caregiving responsibilities to their sisters.”

In the UK, the 2011 census （人口普查）showed that there are now around 6.5 million people with caring responsibilities — a figure which has risen by a tenth in a decade.

But many are doing so at the risk of their own health. The census showed that those who provide 50 hours or more of care a week while trying to hold down a full-time job are three times more likely to be struggling with ill health than their working counterparts （相对应的人）who are not careers.

1.What does the underlined phrase “is associated with” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A.is faced with B.is related to

C.is filled with D.is fond of

2.According to the study we know that    .

A.American couples are preferring daughters to sons a lot

B.sons are twice likely as daughters to care for parents in old age

C.having a brother makes women do their share less

D.men tend to take less care of their parents than women

3.Which of the following statements is true?

A.The number of people providing care has increased by 6.5 million.

B.More people have left behind their work to look after the elderly.

C.Many people who both work and care others can be threatened by health problems.

D.People shouldn't take much responsibility to care for the old.

4.What's the attitude of the author in the article?

A.Positive. B.Subjective.

C.Objective. D.Negative.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.C

4.C

【解析】

本文属于研究类文章。研究表明，在照顾年迈的父母方面，性别差异影响看子女照顾父母时间的长短。其中，女儿比儿子更愿意付出时间照料年迈的父母，家中有姐妹的男士常常将照看老人的责任推给其姐妹。

1.

词义辨析题。根据文章第四段“Whereas the amount of elderly parent care daughters provide is associated with limitations they face,”可知，照顾年迈父母的女儿的数量与他们面临的限制有关（如就业和保育）。故此处be associated with译为“与……有关”。故选B项。

2.

推理判断题。根据文章第三段“she calculated that women provide an average of 12.3 hours a month of care for elderly parents while men offer only 5.6 hours.”可知，研究表明，在照顾年迈父母方面，女士每个月花费的平均时间是12.3个小时，而男士仅仅为5.6个小时，推出男士对父母的照顾要少于女士。故选D项。

3.

细节理解题。根据文章最后一段“The showed that those who provide 50 hours or more of care a week while trying to hold down a full-time job are three times more likely to be struggling with ill health than their worki census ng counterparts （相对应的人）who are not careers.”可知，人口普查显示，那些每周提供50小时或以上护理，同时试图保住一份全职工作的人，比那些没有职业的工作伙伴更容易患上健康的问题。故选C项。

4.

推理判断题。根据文章第三段“Using data from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, a study which has been tracking a cross-section of over-50s for the last decade,”和第六段“In the UK, the 2011 census （人口普查）showed that there are now around 6.5 million people with caring responsibilities”可知，在文章中作者使用具体数字来论述问题，是客观的。故选C项。