单选题 Throughout the colonial period there was a remarkable shortage of women, which varied with the regions and was always greatest in the frontier areas. This shortage enhanced women's status and position and allowed them to pursue different careers. (80)The Puritans (清教徒) regarded idleness (无所事事) as a sin, and believed that life in an underdevelopment country made it necessary that each member of the community perform an economic function. Thus work for women was not only approved but also was regarded as a civic (市民的) duty. Puritan town councils (议会) expected widows (寡妇) and independent women to be self—supporting. There was no social prohibition against married women working; one 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.
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 partly 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 and gunsmiths. They ran mills, plantations, shipyards, and every kind of shop. They were gatekeepers, jail keepers, journalists, printers, nurses, and teachers.

单选题 What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. Colonial marriages
B. The Puritan religion
C. Colonial women's employment
D. Education in the colonies

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】本题考查的是考生对整篇文章的理解。这篇文章全文围绕妇女在殖民时期从事的工作展开，因此文章的主题应该是妇女的工作。

单选题 According to the, passage, where in colonial North America were there the fewest women?
A. Puritan communities B. Seaports
C. Frontier settlements D. Capital cities

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】本题考查的是考生对细节的掌握，答案对应于第一段的第一句话，在前线地区总是最缺妇女的。

单选题 It can be inferred from the passage that the Puritans were ______.
A. uneducated B. hardworking
C. generous D. wealthy

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】本题考查的是考生对细节的掌握，答案对应于第一段的第四行，根据文章内容，清教徒把无所事事看作一种罪过，也就是说清教徒是很勤劳的。

单选题 According to the passage, Puritans believed that an unmarried adult woman should be ______.
A. financially responsible for herself
B. returned to England
C. supported by her family
D. trained to be a nurse

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】本题考查的是考生对细节的掌握，答案对应于第一段的第七行。根据文章内容，清教徒城镇的议会认为寡妇和独立的妇女应当能够养活自己，也就是经济独立。

单选题 According to the passage, what did the Puritans expect from married women?
A. They should adopt needy children.
B. They should assist in their husbands'trade or business.
C. They should work only within their own homes.
D. They should be apprenticed.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】本题考查的是考生对细节的掌握，答案对应于第一段的最后一句。