At that point, one of the male crew members commented, almost to himself but loud enough for my benefit, "It should be the better parent who stays home." A lot of guys say things like that. Usually it's a code for, "My wife, (read: any woman) is the better parent."

　　I was a stay-at-home father for eight years, so his declaration made me bristle (激动). It implied that our family's choice could only have been correct if I was a "better" parent than my wife.

　　I suppose an argument could have been made that when I began staying home my wife was the "better" parent: She I-Dad spent more time with Ry, could read him better and calm him more quickly. And given a choice, he'd have picked her over me. But as she was the more employable one, my wife went out to work and I looked after our son.

　　Because of the increased time I spent with him, I soon knew Ry well, understood what he needed and could look after him more or less as well as my wife could. Actually, the experience helped me unlock one of the world's great secrets: Women are good at looking after children because they do it. It's not because of any innate (先天的) female aptitude (天资) or a mother's instinct. It's because they put in the time and attention required to become good at the job.

　　Women obviously get a biological head start from giving birth and nursing, but over the long term experience is more important. When I got the experience myself, I was good, too. As good? I don't know. Who cares? Children are not made of glass. Other people are capable of looking after them besides Morn.

　　36 Which of the following does the first paragraph imply?
　　A Men like staying at home.
　　B The author works at a TV station.
　　C In more and more families the wife is earning more than the husband
　　D The husband is the better parent.

　　37 The author decided to stay at home to look after their son eight years ago because
　　A he thought he was the better parent.
　　B he was too lazy to work.
　　C their son Ry liked him better.
　　D he was less likely to find a job than his wife.

　　38 Which of the following is NOT mentioned or implied in the passage?
　　A Good parents should spend sufficient time with their children.
　　B Good parents should take their children to school.
　　C Good parents should read stories to their children.
　　D Good parents should be able to calm their children down.

　　39 Women are good at taking care of children because
　　A they devote much of their time and attention to them.
　　B they want to stay at home.
　　C they were born with this ability.
　　D they learned to do it at school.

　　40 What does the author conclude?
　　A He is better than his wife at taking care of children.
　　B A child prefers to stay with his/her father.
　　C A man can take good care of children if he gets the experience
　　D A child prefers to stay with his/her mother.

　　第三篇   Is the Tie a Necessity?

　　Ties, or neckties, have been a symbol of politeness and elegance in Britain for centuries. But the casual Prime Minister Tony Blair has problems with them. Reports suggest that even the civil servants may stop wearing ties. So, are the famously formal British really going to abandon the neckties?

　　Maybe. Last week, the UK's Cabinet Secretary Andrew Turnbull openly welcomed a tieless era. He hinted that civil servants would soon be free of the costliest 12 inches of fabric that most men ever buy in their lives.

　　In fact, Blair showed this attitude when he had his first guests to a cocktail party. Many of them were celebrities (知名人士) without ties, which would have been unimaginable even in the recent past.

　　For some more conservative British, the tie is a must for proper appearance. Earlier, Labor leader Jim Callaghan said he would have died rather than have his children seen in public without a tie. For people like Callaghan, the tie was a sign of being complete, of showing respect. Men were supposed to wear a tie when going to church, to work in the office, to a party-almost even social occasion.

　　But today, people have begun to accept a casual style even for formal occasions.

　　The origin of the tie is tricky. It started as something called simply a "band". The term could mean anything around a man's neck. It appeared in finer ways in the 1630s. Frenchmen showed a love of this particular fashion statement. Their neckwear (颈饰) impressed Charles II, the king of England who was exiled (流放) to France at that time. When he returned to England in 1660, he brought this new fashion item along with him.

　　It wasn't, however, until the late 18th century that fancy young men introduced a more colorful, flowing piece of cloth that eventually became known as the tie. Then, clubs military institutions and schools began to use colored and patterned ties to indicate the wearer's membership in the late 19th century. After that, the tie became a necessary item of clothing for British gentlemen.

　　But now, even gentlemen are getting tired of ties. Anyway, the day feels a bit easier when you wake up without having to decide which tie suits you and your mood.

　　41 The tie symbolizes all of the following except
　　A　respect.
　　B　elegance,
　　C　politeness.
　　D　democracy.

　　42 Why does Blair sometimes show up in a formal event without a tie?
　　A　Because he wants to make a show.
　　B　Because he wants to attract attention.
　　C　Because ties are costly.
　　D　Because he wants to live in a casual way.

　　43 Which of the following is NOT a social occasion?
　　A　Going to church,
　　B　Going to work in the office.
　　C　Staying at home.
　　D　Going to a party,

　　44 Who brought the Frenchmen's neckwear to Britain?
　　A　Tony Blair,
　　B　Charles II.
　　C　Jim Callaghan,
　　D　Andrew Turnbull.

　　45 When did British gentlemen begin to wear ties regularly?
　　A　After the late 19th century.
　　B　In the 1630s.
　　C　In 1660.
　　D　In the late 18th century.