单选题 November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This day was recognized by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1999 with a view to raising public awareness of violations of the rights of women. Why was this step necessary?
In many cultures women are viewed and treated as inferior or as second class citizens．Prejudices against them are deep rooted．Gender-based violence in all its forms is an ongoing problem, even in the so-called developed world. According to former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, "Violence against women is global in reach, and takes place in all societies and cultures. It affects women no matter what their race, social origin, birth or other status may be. "
Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN expert of the Commission on Human Rights on Violence Against Women, says in his report that for the vast majority of women, violence against women is "a taboo issue, invisible in society and a shameful fact of life. " Statistics issued by a victim study institution in Holland indicate that 23 percent of women in one South American country, or about 1 in 4, suffer some form of domestic violence. Likewise, the Council of Europe estimates that 1 in 4 European women suffer domestic violence during their lifetime. According tO the British Home Office in England and Wales in one recent year, an average of two women each week were killed by current or former partners. The magazine India Today International reported that " for women across India, fear is a constant companion and rape is the stranger they may have tO confront at every corner, on any road，in any public place at any hour." UN experts described violence against women and girls as " today's most serious human rightS challenge. /

单选题 This passage is intended to______.
A．point out the root of violence against women
B．find solutions tO violence against women
C．criticize the governments' inaction about violence against women
D．make people better aware of violence against women

单选题 The word "gender" in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to______.
A．race B．society C．culture D．sex

单选题 According to former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, violence against women could be widely found ______.
A．in rich countries B．in poor countries
C．in developing countries D．across the world

单选题 By "violence against women is a taboo issue." Radhika Coomaraswamy means that the vast majority of women ______.
A．turn a blind eye to the problem
B．don't want to talk about the problem
C．turn a deaf ear to the problem
D．have been accustomed to the problem

单选题 According to the last paragraph, violence against women is ______.
A．more serious in South American countries
B．more serious in European countries
C．equally serious in South American and European countries
D．less serious in developed countries

单选题 According to the passage, women in India ______．
A．often live in the fear of violence against them
B．suffer more serious domestic violence
C．must have their companions everywhere
D．are facing most serious human rights chaHenges