单选题 The status of women in colonial North America has been well studied and described and can be briefly summarized. Throughout the colonial period there was a marked shortage of women, which varied with the regions and was always greatest in the frontier areas. This favorable ratio enhanced women"s status and position and allowed them to pursue different careers. The Puritans, the religious sect that dominated the early British colonies in North America, regarded idleness as a sin, and believed that life in an underdeveloped country made it absolutely necessary that each member of the community perform an economic function. Thus work for women, married or single, was not only approved, it was regarded as a civic duty. Puritan town councils expected widows and unattached women to be self-supporting and for a long time provided needy spinsters with parcels of land. There was no social sanction against married women working; on the contrary, wives were expected to help their husbands in their trade and won social approval for doing extra work in or out of the home. Needy children, girls as well as boys, were indentured or apprenticed and were expected to work for their keep.
The vast majority of women worked within their homes, where their labor produced most articles needed for the family. The entire colonial production of cloth and clothing and partially that of shoes was in the hands of women. In addition to these occupations, women were found in many different kinds of employment. They were butchers, silversmiths, gunsmiths, upholsterers. They ran mills, plantations, tanyards, shipyards, and every kind of shop, tavern, and boardinghouse. They were gatekeepers, jail keepers, sextons, journalists, printers, apothecaries, midwives, nurses, and teachers.

单选题 What does the passage mainly discuss?

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 题目问本文主要讨论了什么。文中首先提及整个殖民时期，女性人数明显不足。随后又说“This favorable ratio enhanced women"s status and position and allowed them to pursue different careers.”这种对女性有利的比例提高了女性的社会地位和职位，使她们能追求不同的事业，接下来又从宗教方面来说明女性能够从事工作的原因。第二段又举例说明女性可以从事的不同类型的职业领域。据此可知，本文主要讨论了殖民时期女性的就业情况，所以C项正确。

单选题 It can be inferred from the passage that the Puritan were ______.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 题目问从文中可以推知清教徒如何。根据文中的“The Puritans, the religious sect that dominated the early British colonies in North America, regarded idleness as a sin, and believed that life in an underdeveloped country made it absolutely necessary that each member of the community perform an economic function.”可知，在早期北美英属殖民地，占主导地位的宗教是清教徒，它将懒惰视为犯罪，认为在不发达农村社区的每一个成员都必须发挥经济作用。据此可知，清教徒非常勤劳，所以B项正确。

单选题 According to the passage, what did the Puritans expect from married women?

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 题目问根据文中内容可知，清教徒希望已婚妇女如何做。根据文中的“There was no social sanction against married women working; on the contrary, wives were expected to help their husbands in their trade and won social approval for doing extra work in or out of the home.”可知，已婚妇女工作不仅不会遭到社会的反对，相反还期望她们对丈夫从事的行业有所帮助。在家庭内外做额外劳动的妻子们会得到社会的赞同。据此可知，清教徒希望已婚妇女对丈夫从事的行业有所帮助，所以B项正确。

单选题 According to the passage, which products were made entirely by women?

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 题目问根据文中内容可知，下面哪些产品完全由女性制造。根据文中的“The entire colonial production of cloth and clothing and partially that of shoes was in the hands of women.”可知，殖民时期全部的布料和衣服以及一部分的鞋都出自女性的双手。因此C项“布料和衣服”正确。