单选题
. In the classic marriage vow (誓约), couples promise to stay together in sickness and in health. But a new study finds that the risk of divorce among older couples rises when the wife—not the husband—becomes seriously ill.
"Married women diagnosed with a serious health condition may find themselves struggling with the impact of their disease while also experiencing the stress of divorce," said researcher Amelia Karraker.
Karraker and co-author Kenzie Latham analyzed 20 years of data on 2,717 marriages from a study conducted by Indiana University since 1992. At the time of the first interview, at least one of the partners was over the age of 50.
The researchers examined how the onset (发生) of four serious physical illnesses affected marriages. They found that, overall, 31% of marriages ended in divorce over the period studied. The incidence of new chronic (慢性的) illness onset increased over time as well, with more husbands than wives developing serious health problems.
"We found that women are doubly vulnerable to marital break-up in the face of illness," Karraker said. "They're more likely to be widowed, and if they're the ones who become ill, they're more likely to get divorced."
While the study didn't assess why divorce is more likely when wives but not husbands become seriously ill, Karraker offers a few possible reasons. "Gender norms and social expectations about caregiving may make it more difficult for men to provide care to sick spouses," Karraker said. "And because of the imbalance in marriage markets, especially in older ages, divorced men have more choices among prospective partners than divorced women."
Given the increasing concern about health care costs for the aging population, Karraker believes policymakers should be aware of the relationship between disease and risk of divorce.
"Offering support services to spouses caring for their other halves may reduce marital stress and prevent divorce at older ages," she said. "But it's also important to recognize that the pressure to divorce may be health-related and that sick ex-wives may need additional care and services to prevent worsening health and increased health costs."1. What can we learn about marriage vows from the passage? ______
"Married women diagnosed with a serious health condition may find themselves struggling with the impact of their disease while also experiencing the stress of divorce," said researcher Amelia Karraker.
Karraker and co-author Kenzie Latham analyzed 20 years of data on 2,717 marriages from a study conducted by Indiana University since 1992. At the time of the first interview, at least one of the partners was over the age of 50.
The researchers examined how the onset (发生) of four serious physical illnesses affected marriages. They found that, overall, 31% of marriages ended in divorce over the period studied. The incidence of new chronic (慢性的) illness onset increased over time as well, with more husbands than wives developing serious health problems.
"We found that women are doubly vulnerable to marital break-up in the face of illness," Karraker said. "They're more likely to be widowed, and if they're the ones who become ill, they're more likely to get divorced."
While the study didn't assess why divorce is more likely when wives but not husbands become seriously ill, Karraker offers a few possible reasons. "Gender norms and social expectations about caregiving may make it more difficult for men to provide care to sick spouses," Karraker said. "And because of the imbalance in marriage markets, especially in older ages, divorced men have more choices among prospective partners than divorced women."
Given the increasing concern about health care costs for the aging population, Karraker believes policymakers should be aware of the relationship between disease and risk of divorce.
"Offering support services to spouses caring for their other halves may reduce marital stress and prevent divorce at older ages," she said. "But it's also important to recognize that the pressure to divorce may be health-related and that sick ex-wives may need additional care and services to prevent worsening health and increased health costs."1. What can we learn about marriage vows from the passage? ______
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】 由题于中的marriage vows定位到首段第一句。
推理判断题。定位句指出，在经典的结婚誓约中，夫妻承诺无论生病和健康都要在一起。接下来一句继而指出，一项新的研究发现，在年龄大一些的伴侣中，当妻子而不是丈夫得了严重的疾病时，离婚的风险增加了。由此可推断出，结婚誓约并不能保证持续长久的婚姻，故答案为A。
首段第二句提到，当妻子而不是丈夫得了严重的疾病时，离婚的风险增加了，可见现在的婚姻状况已经发生了变化，婚姻誓约也失去了其约束作用，故排除B“它们像过去一样具有约束作用”；文中并未提及C“它们再也不被重视”，故排除；根据首段第二句可知，当妻子得了严重的疾病时，离婚的风险增加了，即婚姻誓约并不能帮助伴侣们共渡难关，故排除D“它们会帮助伴侣们共渡难关”。
本文选自2014年4月28日发表在www.news.umich.edu(密歇根大学官网)上的一篇标题为“Til sickness do us part: How illness affects the risk of divorce”(《直到疾病把我们分开：疾病如何影响离婚的风险》)的文章。
推理判断题。定位句指出，在经典的结婚誓约中，夫妻承诺无论生病和健康都要在一起。接下来一句继而指出，一项新的研究发现，在年龄大一些的伴侣中，当妻子而不是丈夫得了严重的疾病时，离婚的风险增加了。由此可推断出，结婚誓约并不能保证持续长久的婚姻，故答案为A。
首段第二句提到，当妻子而不是丈夫得了严重的疾病时，离婚的风险增加了，可见现在的婚姻状况已经发生了变化，婚姻誓约也失去了其约束作用，故排除B“它们像过去一样具有约束作用”；文中并未提及C“它们再也不被重视”，故排除；根据首段第二句可知，当妻子得了严重的疾病时，离婚的风险增加了，即婚姻誓约并不能帮助伴侣们共渡难关，故排除D“它们会帮助伴侣们共渡难关”。
本文选自2014年4月28日发表在www.news.umich.edu(密歇根大学官网)上的一篇标题为“Til sickness do us part: How illness affects the risk of divorce”(《直到疾病把我们分开：疾病如何影响离婚的风险》)的文章。