单选题 {{B}}Section B{{/B}}

Passage One

单选题 What does the speaker tell us about important decision-making in the US?

A、 The father alone makes the important decision.
B、 The mother alone makes the important decision.
C、 Children old enough are allowed to take part.
D、 Children should be seen but can't air their view.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[听力原文] 26-29 In the American family the husband and wife usually share important decision-making.When the children are old enough,they take part as well. Foreigners are often surprised by the American way of family life. The old rule that children should be seen and not heard is rarely followed,and children are often allowed to do what they wish without strict parental control.The facher seldom expects his children to obey him without quesdon,and children are encouraged to be independent at an early age.Some people believe that American parents Carry this freedom too far.Others think that a strong father image would not suit the American values of equality and independence.Because Americans emphasize the importance of independence,young people are expected to break away from their parental families by the time they have reached their late teens or early twenties.Indeed,not to do so is often regarded as a failure,a kind of weak dependence. This pattern of independence often results in serious problems for the aging parents of a small family. The average American is expected to live beyond the age of 70.The job retirement age is usually,65.The children have left home,married,and set up their own households.At least 20 percent of a11 people over 65 do not have enough retirement income.But the major problem of many elderly couples is not economic.They feel useless and lonely with neither an occupation nor a close family group. [解析] 短文提到，美国的孩子到了一定年龄时，可以与父母一起做重要的决定，故C正确。 [点睛] 短文开头提到美国夫妇通常一起做重要决定，A、B与此不符，故排除：D“孩子可以参与讨论但不能发表意见”是一种旧式的规定，在美国家庭极少实行，故D也排除。

单选题 Why are young people in the US expected to break away from their parental families?

A、 Their parents don't like to live with them.
B、 They need more freedom and space.
C、 They need to become independent.
D、 They have to go to universities.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 短文提到，由于在美国非常强调独立的重要性，美国年轻人在20岁左右就应离开父母独自谋生，故C正确。 [点睛] A未提及，排除；从常理上讲，年轻人确实需要更多的自由空间或者需要上大学，这些都可能是他们理应从家庭中独立出来的原因，但短文没有提及，故也排除B和D。

单选题 What does the speaker say about the U.S.pattern of independence?

A、 It suits the values of equality.
B、 It can cause serious problems.
C、 It does no good.
D、 It goes too far.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 短文提到，美国式独立经常导致严重的后果，B与此同义，故正确。 [点睛] A、D是利用原词values of equality及too far设置的干扰项，它们是前面说到的两种不同观点。均非本题所问，排除；C完全否定了美国式独立的正面作用，过于绝对，也排除。

单选题 What is the major problem of many elderly couples?

A、 They have not enough money.
B、 They have to leave home.
C、 They feel useless and lonely.
D、 They have no children or relatives.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 短文提到，许多年老夫妇面临的主要问题不是经济上的，而是心理上的：他们因既没有工作又没有亲近的家人在身边而感到无用和孤独，故C正确。 [点睛] 短文说困扰年老夫妇的不是经济问题，故A错误；短文只提到年轻人要离开家独立生活，没有说年老夫妇必须离开家，故B错误；短文只是说这些老人的孩子们不在老人们身边，D歪曲此意。