单选题 The most fundamental group to which a person belongs is the family. The institution of the family exists in almost every human culture. It is considered by behavioral scientists to be one of the oldest institutions in human history.
The family unit serves many important functions. The performance of these functions is the reason for the family"s importance. Above all, the family serves as a mechanism of species survival.
Families also have important economic functions. In primitive societies, the tasks of gathering food and providing shelter were divided among family members. Today, both husband and wife may work and share the duties of homemaking and child rearing.
In addition to its survival and economic functions, the family gives its members social status. In many societies, a person is not considered a complete member until he has married and produced children. Finally, the family helps to meet the basic emotional needs of a person through the love and support received from parents, siblings (兄弟或姐妹), and relatives.
单选题 Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】本题是一道要旨题。本文主要论述了在人类历史中家庭作为一个社会机构所起的作用和发挥的基本功能。所以选项D正确。
单选题 According to the passage, which of the following is an example of the role of the family in giving status?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】文中第四段第二句说：“在许多社会中，一个人只有结了婚，生了孩子才被认为是完整的社会人。”由此我们可以推断出，在许多社会中一个人只有拥有了一个完整的家庭才能具有一定的社会地位。所以选项C“一个政治家同他的家人一起做了一个政治竞选的电视广告”符合文章内容。其他三个选项均未体现出家庭为其成员提供了社会地位。
单选题 It can be concluded from the passage that the family is ______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】
单选题 As it is used in the second paragraph of the passage, the word "mechanism" means ______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】文中第二段说：“家庭作为组织单位发挥许多重要的功能。这些功能的执行是家庭重要性的原因所在。”由此我们可以分析出下旬中“a mechanism of species survival”一定指的是家庭的一种功能，而“species survival”是“种群生存”的意思，那么我们可以推断出“mechanism”一词应为“机制、结构方式”的意思。
单选题 Based on the information in the passage, you can infer that the passage is ______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】这是一道推断题。本文讲了家庭在人类历史上所发挥的几种重要功能，即：维持种群生存、提供经济保障、为其成员提供社会地位和情感需要。由此我们可以推断出，这篇文章是关于家庭在人类历史长河中给社会、经济和个人感情带来的益处。