American Family
In the American family the husband and wife usually share important decision making. When the children are old enough, they take part __1__. Foreigners are often surprised by the permissiveness of American parents. The old rule that " children should be seen and not heard " is rarely __2__, and children are often allowed to do what they wish without strict parental __3__. The father seldom expects his children to obey him __4__ question, and children are encouraged to be independent __5__ an early age. Some people believe that American parents carry this freedom __6__far. Others think that a strong father image would not __7__ the American values of equality and independence. Because Americans emphasized the importance of independence, young people are expected to __8__ their parental families by the time they have __9__ their late teens or early twenties. __10__, not to do so is often regarded as a failure, a kind of weak dependence.
This pattern of independence often results in serious __11__ for the aging parents of a small family. The average American is expected to live __12__ the age of 70. The job-retirement age is __13__ 65. The children have left home, married and __14 __ their own households. At least 20 percent of all people over 65 do not have enough retirement incomes. __15__ the major problem of many elderly couples is not economic. They feel useless and lonely with neither an occupation nor a close family group.
1. A)either B)though C) as well D)also
2. A) discussed B)followed C)seen D)heard
3. A) control B)support C)agreement D)criticism
4. A)for B)on C)without D)in
5. A)in B)at C)on D)for
6. A)too B)almost C)nearly D)quite
7. A)fit B)meet C)suit D)satisfy
8. A)break up B)break into C)break through D)break away from
9. A)reached B)come C)arrived D)developed
10. A) In truth B) In name C)Indeed D)In a word
11. A)questions B)problem C)matters D)affairs
12. A)on B)up C)from D)beyond
13. A) only B)usually C)sometimes D)seldom
14. A) set forth B)set aside C)set up D)set down
15. A) But B)Therefore C)In contrast D)On the other hand
參考答案：
1．C． C和D含義相近（但用法不相同：as well出現(xiàn)在句尾而 also出現(xiàn)在句中），是“也”，所以推測(cè)答案出現(xiàn)位置：可能是C或D。把“也”放入原句，原句說“當(dāng)孩子們長大了，他們（也）參加（決策）?！?，可見該句語義正確，且也和前句語義一致，判定答案C。
2．B．主語是rule (規(guī)則) ，而和follow rule(s)是常見的結(jié)構(gòu)，是“遵循規(guī)則”。從原句的時(shí)態(tài)上說用follow也是的：因?yàn)閒ollow rule(s)用一般現(xiàn)在時(shí)可表示一個(gè)客觀的，習(xí)慣性的事實(shí)（與后一句中的often相對(duì)應(yīng)），而其它的動(dòng)詞用一般現(xiàn)在時(shí)都只表示某一具體的事實(shí)，與后一句中的often不一致。
3．A．四個(gè)備選答案中是不同的名詞，該名詞是作介詞without的賓語，而without引導(dǎo)的結(jié)構(gòu)的語義是與主句謂語的語義相對(duì)的，所以選擇control（控制）（control 與allowed to do what they wish（允許做他們想做的事）相對(duì)），而criticism（批評(píng)）在文中不太合適。
4．C．該空后跟做賓語的名詞question，而與question連用的只有介詞without， without question是“沒有質(zhì)疑”。
5．B．該空后是名詞age，與age能搭配使用的只有at， at an early age是“在小的時(shí)候”。
6．A．a(chǎn)lmost和 nearly不僅是近義詞，而且用法相似，所以相互排除；我們往往說too far，而較少說quite far，所以憑借語感，我們選擇too。實(shí)際上 carry …too far 是一固定的結(jié)構(gòu)，其語義是“做。。做得過頭了”。
7．C． fit和 suit在表達(dá)“適合”之意上是一對(duì)（但在具體搭配上有所不同）； meet和 satisfy在表達(dá)“滿足（要求）” 之意上是一對(duì)。原文中該空后跟的賓語是“the American values of equality and independence” ，即“美國的平等和獨(dú)立的價(jià)值觀”，所以判斷該空的語義應(yīng)是“適合”，因此應(yīng)從fit和 suit中選擇答案。Fit通常指“使相配”，而 suit是“符合，適合”，所以選擇“suit”。
8．D． Break up是“打碎”；break into是“闖入”；break through是“突破”；break away from是“脫離”。原文中說“人們期待年輕人到他們。。20出頭的時(shí)候，。。他們的家庭?！?，依據(jù)語義選擇“脫離”。
9．A． reach和 arrive語義相近（但用法不同，arrive 一定要用arrive at的形式），所以推測(cè)答案出現(xiàn)在它們之中。原文中空格后直接跟的是賓語，所以選擇reach。
10．C．原文中該空與主句部分有一逗號(hào)隔開，所以，該空應(yīng)填副詞。從語義上說：indeed是 “實(shí)際上”，in a word是“總之”，in truth是“真實(shí)地”，in name是“在名義上”。依據(jù)原文：原文說“。。，不這么做往往被看作一種失敗，是獨(dú)立性差的表現(xiàn)?！?，可見indeed合適。
11．B． A和B是近義詞，是“問題”（但在具體的使用上有差異）。所以推測(cè)答案可能出現(xiàn)在它們之中。原文說“這種獨(dú)立的方式往往給小規(guī)模家庭中年邁的父母帶來嚴(yán)重的。?！?，可見“問題”在這兒合適。Question強(qiáng)調(diào)的是“疑問”而problem是“難題，麻煩”，所以選擇problem。
12．D．從原句語義上說，“超過”合適。
13．B．備選答案都是副詞，從原句的語義上說選擇“通?！焙线m（原句說“退休年齡。。是65歲?！保?。
14．C．Set forth是“闡明”； set aside是“留出”； set up是“建立”；set down是“寫下”。從原文的語義上說“‘建立’家庭”合適。
15．A．原句中語義上有“轉(zhuǎn)折”，所以選擇but
In the American family the husband and wife usually share important decision making. When the children are old enough, they take part __1__. Foreigners are often surprised by the permissiveness of American parents. The old rule that " children should be seen and not heard " is rarely __2__, and children are often allowed to do what they wish without strict parental __3__. The father seldom expects his children to obey him __4__ question, and children are encouraged to be independent __5__ an early age. Some people believe that American parents carry this freedom __6__far. Others think that a strong father image would not __7__ the American values of equality and independence. Because Americans emphasized the importance of independence, young people are expected to __8__ their parental families by the time they have __9__ their late teens or early twenties. __10__, not to do so is often regarded as a failure, a kind of weak dependence.
This pattern of independence often results in serious __11__ for the aging parents of a small family. The average American is expected to live __12__ the age of 70. The job-retirement age is __13__ 65. The children have left home, married and __14 __ their own households. At least 20 percent of all people over 65 do not have enough retirement incomes. __15__ the major problem of many elderly couples is not economic. They feel useless and lonely with neither an occupation nor a close family group.
1. A)either B)though C) as well D)also
2. A) discussed B)followed C)seen D)heard
3. A) control B)support C)agreement D)criticism
4. A)for B)on C)without D)in
5. A)in B)at C)on D)for
6. A)too B)almost C)nearly D)quite
7. A)fit B)meet C)suit D)satisfy
8. A)break up B)break into C)break through D)break away from
9. A)reached B)come C)arrived D)developed
10. A) In truth B) In name C)Indeed D)In a word
11. A)questions B)problem C)matters D)affairs
12. A)on B)up C)from D)beyond
13. A) only B)usually C)sometimes D)seldom
14. A) set forth B)set aside C)set up D)set down
15. A) But B)Therefore C)In contrast D)On the other hand
參考答案：
1．C． C和D含義相近（但用法不相同：as well出現(xiàn)在句尾而 also出現(xiàn)在句中），是“也”，所以推測(cè)答案出現(xiàn)位置：可能是C或D。把“也”放入原句，原句說“當(dāng)孩子們長大了，他們（也）參加（決策）?！?，可見該句語義正確，且也和前句語義一致，判定答案C。
2．B．主語是rule (規(guī)則) ，而和follow rule(s)是常見的結(jié)構(gòu)，是“遵循規(guī)則”。從原句的時(shí)態(tài)上說用follow也是的：因?yàn)閒ollow rule(s)用一般現(xiàn)在時(shí)可表示一個(gè)客觀的，習(xí)慣性的事實(shí)（與后一句中的often相對(duì)應(yīng)），而其它的動(dòng)詞用一般現(xiàn)在時(shí)都只表示某一具體的事實(shí)，與后一句中的often不一致。
3．A．四個(gè)備選答案中是不同的名詞，該名詞是作介詞without的賓語，而without引導(dǎo)的結(jié)構(gòu)的語義是與主句謂語的語義相對(duì)的，所以選擇control（控制）（control 與allowed to do what they wish（允許做他們想做的事）相對(duì)），而criticism（批評(píng)）在文中不太合適。
4．C．該空后跟做賓語的名詞question，而與question連用的只有介詞without， without question是“沒有質(zhì)疑”。
5．B．該空后是名詞age，與age能搭配使用的只有at， at an early age是“在小的時(shí)候”。
6．A．a(chǎn)lmost和 nearly不僅是近義詞，而且用法相似，所以相互排除；我們往往說too far，而較少說quite far，所以憑借語感，我們選擇too。實(shí)際上 carry …too far 是一固定的結(jié)構(gòu)，其語義是“做。。做得過頭了”。
7．C． fit和 suit在表達(dá)“適合”之意上是一對(duì)（但在具體搭配上有所不同）； meet和 satisfy在表達(dá)“滿足（要求）” 之意上是一對(duì)。原文中該空后跟的賓語是“the American values of equality and independence” ，即“美國的平等和獨(dú)立的價(jià)值觀”，所以判斷該空的語義應(yīng)是“適合”，因此應(yīng)從fit和 suit中選擇答案。Fit通常指“使相配”，而 suit是“符合，適合”，所以選擇“suit”。
8．D． Break up是“打碎”；break into是“闖入”；break through是“突破”；break away from是“脫離”。原文中說“人們期待年輕人到他們。。20出頭的時(shí)候，。。他們的家庭?！?，依據(jù)語義選擇“脫離”。
9．A． reach和 arrive語義相近（但用法不同，arrive 一定要用arrive at的形式），所以推測(cè)答案出現(xiàn)在它們之中。原文中空格后直接跟的是賓語，所以選擇reach。
10．C．原文中該空與主句部分有一逗號(hào)隔開，所以，該空應(yīng)填副詞。從語義上說：indeed是 “實(shí)際上”，in a word是“總之”，in truth是“真實(shí)地”，in name是“在名義上”。依據(jù)原文：原文說“。。，不這么做往往被看作一種失敗，是獨(dú)立性差的表現(xiàn)?！?，可見indeed合適。
11．B． A和B是近義詞，是“問題”（但在具體的使用上有差異）。所以推測(cè)答案可能出現(xiàn)在它們之中。原文說“這種獨(dú)立的方式往往給小規(guī)模家庭中年邁的父母帶來嚴(yán)重的。?！?，可見“問題”在這兒合適。Question強(qiáng)調(diào)的是“疑問”而problem是“難題，麻煩”，所以選擇problem。
12．D．從原句語義上說，“超過”合適。
13．B．備選答案都是副詞，從原句的語義上說選擇“通?！焙线m（原句說“退休年齡。。是65歲?！保?。
14．C．Set forth是“闡明”； set aside是“留出”； set up是“建立”；set down是“寫下”。從原文的語義上說“‘建立’家庭”合適。
15．A．原句中語義上有“轉(zhuǎn)折”，所以選擇but