The birthrate is Europe has been in a steady decrease since the 1960s. European countries, realizing crisis is at hand, are providing great encouragement for parents to create more babies in the 21st century.
Affairs Ministry concluded last year that, __1__ cash encouragement, some women just don’t want to be __2__ holding the baby. “What we know is that it’s good for the __3__ if men and women share the burden of having children,” says Soren Kindlund, family policy adviser at the Swedish ministry. __4__ Swedish parents can take their paid leave as they wish, men use a mere 12% of it; 60% of fathers do not take even a(n) __5__ day off work.
Experts fear that the tendency for women to use most of the parental leave could make employers __6__ to give young women the permanent jobs they need to qualify for paid maternity leave (产假). In January, Sweden decided to allow new fathers two months’ paid leave, with a warming: use it or __7__ it.
Kindlund admits that men are under __8__ to stay at work, even though parental pay comes out of the public purse. “It’s not popular among bosses and perhaps with other men in the workplace,” he says. “But it’s good for the father and for the child if they can __9__ a relationship.”
In Norway, a (n) __10__ policy has worked wonders. 70% of dads in Norway now take parental leave, and the birthrate of 1.85 children per woman is one of the highest in Europe.
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Valentine’s Day is a popular festival of love and romance. There are legends associated with the festival along with the belief that birds began to mate from this day. Historians trace (追踪)its to an ancient Roman festival. It is said that in ancient Rome, people a holiday on February 14th to honor Juno—the Queen of Roman Gods and Goddesses. On the following day, February 15th，the festival of Lupercalia was celebrated to honor the Roman God of Agriculture.
An interesting was followed on the festival of Lupercalia to bring together young boys and girls who otherwise were strictly . On the eve of the festival, names of young Roman girls were written on a slip of paper and placed into jars. Each young man a girl's name from the jar and was paired with the girl during the festival. Sometimes the lasted for a year until next year's celebration. Quite often，the couple would fall in love with each other and marry. The custom lasted for a long time until people felt that it was un-Christian and that mates should be chosen by sight, not .
The pairing of young boys and girls set the mood of the Valentine's Day Festival as we know today. But it was due to the efforts and daring of a priest St Valentine that the festival got its and clearer meaning. The story goes that Emperor Claudius II of Rome found it to get soldiers and felt the reason why men did not join the was that they did not wish to leave their wives and families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. St Valentine challenged Claudius's order and secretly married couples. When his disobedience was ，Valentine was put to death on February 14, around 270 AD. After his death Valentine was named a saint.
A．acceptable B．familiar C．various D．unrelated
A．possibility B．development C．event D．origin
A．studied B．observed C．handled D．discussed
A．movement B．celebration C．competition D．custom
A．respected B．educated C．separated D．organized
A．spoke out B．brought out C．pulled out D．drew out
A．pairing B．dating C．playing D．celebrating
A．fortunately B．occasionally C．finally D．surprisingly
A．order B．risk C．name D．luck
A．usually B．actually C．really D．factually
A．history B．story C．fame D．name
A．strange B．slow C．awful D．tough
A．war B．party C．army D．game
A．unfinished B．unjustified C．unrecognized D．unconcerned
A．discovered B．attacked C．memorized D．promised
Every night，I watched for Miss Ellen's lights to go off. She lives next door and we are best friends，____I'm young and she's old. We both like dogs，cats and birds. Miss Ellen has another best friend，her ____，Imogene. Soon as her lights were off，I went into our kitchen and got a(n) ____ to say goodnight to Imogene.
“Imogene？” I kept my voice ____ because Imogene is old and I didn't want to ____ her.
Imogene looked at me ____ I put the egg under her. She seemed to ___ sitting on that egg. I guessed it must ____ her of good old times.
Every morning，I went to Miss Ellen's home to ____ her bread while she ate Imogene's egg.“ I should let you eat the egg too，but it's Imogene's ___ to me，”she said.
When Imogene stopped laying eggs last year，Miss Ellen became ____ and quiet. That was before I started ____ giving her one of Mom's every night.
One morning when I got to Miss Ellen's kitchen，something was ___.Miss Ellen seldom allowed Imogene in the house，but that day she was on the table. Miss Ellen was ____，holding two eggs in her hands.
“Can you ____ it？My Imogene laid this herself！It's not one of your mother's. Oh！Oh！”She ____and put her hand over her mouth.
I looked at her in ____.“You knew？”
“Yes. I'm sorry. To tell the truth，Imogene ____ that you come to visit her every day. She didn't want you to stop. So we decided to keep ____.”
It took a minute for me to ____.Then I figured it out. Both of them wanted me to come. I touched Imogene's head and smiled at Miss Ellen.
A．for B．yet C．though D．because
A．dog B．cat C．bird D．hen
A．egg B．apple C．cake D．drink
A．firm B．soft C．loud D．pleasant
A．lose B．hurt C．keep D．frighten
A．unless B．since C．as D．if
A．like B．consider C．regret D．mind
A．tell B．remind C．warn D．convince
A．mix B．cut C．borrow D．share
A．promise B．choice C．gift D．job
A．sad B．calm C．boring D．strange
A．slowly B．secretly C．mainly D．simply
A．important B．funny C．wrong D．different
A．busy B．angry C．excited D．shocked
A．believe B．feel C．make D．see
A．remembered B．stopped C．smiled D．nodded
A．peace B．disappointment C．surprise D．confidence
A．hopes B．prefers C．suggests D．loves
A．quiet B．happy C．honest D．friendly
A．start B．understand C．cry D．notice
Nowadays more and more Chinese teenagers find life more difficult without their parents. They don’t know how to do . Because their parents do almost __ for them at home . This is a big __ __.
Joy is 14 years old. One day her __ __ went away business, so she had to stay at __ __alone. At first she thought she would be happy her parents were not in. She could do everything she liked. But it was six o’clock in the afternoon, she felt . “Oh, it’s time to have __ __. Where can I get my __ _?” she said to _ __. Later she found some food in the fridge, but she know how to cook. At that moment, she missed her very much. At last she could only go to the supermarket and some food to __ __.
Many__ _ are as Joy. So I think they should learn some basic _ _ skills, like cooking, tidying up their rooms or dressing themselves . They shouldn’t depend too much on their parents.
A．homework B．housework C．business D．some shopping
A．nothing B．something C．everything D．some
A．question B．quarrel C．fight D．problem
A．parents B．uncle C．aunt D．brother
A．in B．at C．with D．on
A．school B．church C．hospital D．home
A．because B．so C．but D．until
A．when B．who C．where D．that
A．full B．hungry C．excited D．bored
A．supper B．breakfast C．lunch D．brunch
A．book B．orange C．drink D．food
A．herself B．himself C．myself D．themselves
A．couldn’t B．didn’t C．might not D．wouldn’t
A．cousin B．aunt C．parents D．brother
A．made B．gave C．bought D．saw
A．drink B．eat C．make D．give
A．men B．women C．adults D．teenagers
A．the same B．difficult C．different D．warm-hearted
A．school B．study C．life D．play
A．properly B．carelessly C．actually D．Slowly
Whenever we hear about “the homeless”, most of us think of the Developing world. But the 31 is that homelessness is everywhere. For example, how many of us would expect to see people living on the streets of a 32 country like Germany?
Kurt Muller and his wife Rita have spent eleven years making 33 for the homeless of Berlin, Germany’s capital. They first 34 one long hot summer when most Germans were 35 on holiday. Kurt and his wife stayed at home, made sandwiches, 36 a table in the street and gave food to the homeless.
The Mullers soon realized that food and clothing weren’t 37 . “What these people also need is warmth and 38 ,” says Rita. The Mullers didn’t 39 to give their phone number to the street people and told them to phone anytime. Rita 40 there was somebody at home to answer the phone and their home was always 41 to anyone who couldn’t face another night on the street.
The couple were soon 42 all their time and money, so Kurt visited food and clothing companies to 43 donations. Today, over thirty companies 44 donate food and other goods to the cause and volunteers help to 45 them to the homeless. The public also give clothes and money and a shoe producer 46 new shoes.
Kurt and Rita receive no 47 for their hard work. “ We feel like parents,” says Rita, “and parents shouldn’t 48 money for helping their children. The love we get on the streets is our salary.” Though Rita admits she often gets 49 , she says she will continue with her work because she likes the feeling of having made a 50 in the world.
A．result B．truth C．reason D．idea
A．traditional B．developing C．typical D．wealthy
A．preparations B．houses C．meals D．suggestions
A．began B．met C．called D．left
A．asleep B．alone C．across D．away
A．brought up B．set up C．put aside D．gave away
A．enough B．necessary C．helpful D．expensive
A．fame B．freedom C．courage D．caring
A．hesitate B．agree C．pretend D．intend
A．made sense B．found out C．made sure D．worked out
A．open B．crowded C．noisy D．near
A．costing B．wasting C．taking D．spending
A．pay for B．ask for C．look into D．carry out
A．completely B．calmly C．regularly D．roughly
A．advertise B．sell C．deliver D．lend
A．donates B．produces C．designs D．collects
A．permission B．payment C．direction D．support
A．borrow B．raise C．save D．expect
A．surprised B．excited C．tired D．amused
A．profit B．difference C．decision D．rule
One day I visited an art museum while waiting for my husband to finish a business meeting . I was expecting a quiet 21 of the splendid artwork.
A young 22 viewing the paintings ahead of me 23 nonstop between themselves. I watched them a moment and decided the lady was doing all the talking. I admired the man’s
24 for putting up with her 25 stream of words. 26 by their noise, I moved on.
I met them several times as I moved 27 the various rooms of art, Each time I heard her continuous flow of words, I moved away 28 .
I was standing at the counter of the museum gift shop making a 29 when the couple approached the 30 . Before they left, the man 31 into his pocket and pulled out a white object. He 32 it into a long sick and then 33 his way into the coatroom to get his wife’s jacket.
“He′s a 34 man.” The clerk at the counter said. “Most of us would give up if we were blinded at such a young age, During his recovery, he made a promise his life wouldn’t change. So, as before, he and his wife come in 35 there is a new art show.”
“But what does he get out of the art?”I asked .“He can’t see.”
“Can’t see? You’re 36 . He sees a lot, More than you and I do,” the clerk said, “His wife 37 each painting so he can see it in his head.”
I learned something about patience, 38 and love that day. I saw the patience of a young wife describing paintings to a person without 39 and the courage of a husband who would not 40 blindness to change his life. And I saw the love shared by two people as I watched this couple walk away, their arms intertwined.
A．view B．touch C．wander D．scenery
A．lady B．man C．couple D．clerk
A．yelled B．argued C．screamed D．chatted
A．attempt B．patience C．wisdom D．independence
A．vivid B．constant C．casual D．exciting
A．Adopted B．Adapted C．Conducted D．Disturbed
A．towards B．to C．through D．from
A．anxiously B．slowly C．quickly D．sensibly
A．comment B．decision C．purchase D．profit
A．entrance B．queue C．front D．exit
A．plugged B．reached C．held D．bent
A．lengthened B．made C．brought D．broadened
A．led B．found C．forced D．tapped
A．brave B．rough C．smart D．generous
A．wherever B．whatever C．whenever D．whichever
A．wrong B．silly C．equal D．unique
A．describes B．draws C．shows D．decorates
A．kindness B．courage C．enthusiasm D．pride
A．support B．expectation C．sight D．confidence
A．allow B．hope C．get D．Cause
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