Americans are less inclined to get married than at any time in US history, posing social and public-policy dilemmas and the threatening to dissolve the "glue" that connects fathers to their children, experts say. A report released by the US National Marriage Project found "a rather weakening of the institution of marriage" in America. The researchers said the prefix = st1 /USmarriage rate has never been lower, births to unmarried women have skyrocketed, the divorce rate remains high and Americans' marriages are less happy than in the past. "There is no known society that has got along without marriage and has done a decent job in rearing and sponsoring the next generation," said Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, US National Marriage Project co-director. The crumbling of the institution of marriage should not be viewed as a kind social trend with no costs to society at large, added the project's other co-director, David Popenoe. US government statistics cited in the Rutgers report detail a crisis in marriage whose origins can be traced back about 40 years. The report, citing census data ,said the marriage rate has quickly reduced by a third since 1960. It said there were about 73 marriages per 1,000 unmarried women aged 15 and up in 1960. In 1996, the last year for which such figures were available, the rate was about 49 per 1,000. Popenoe said the USmarriage rate now has dropped below a previous historic low recorded at the turn of the century. He said several factors have something to do with the trend. One is that Americans are delaying marriage until they are older. In 1960, the median age for first marriages was 20 for women and 23 for men. In 1997, with many college-educated Americans delaying marriage until their 30s, the median age rose to 25 for women and 27 for men, the report said. "The later the marriage, by and large, the lower the (overall) marriage rate in the long run. In other words, people delay too long and then they decide not to marry after a while," Popenoe said. In addition, many American women,... Which of the following can NOT be inferred from the figures provided in the passage? A) In the United States, more couples are experiencing marital crises than there used to be in the 1970s. B) The later the first marriage, the happier the marriage will be. C) More and more people are giving birth to children without getting married. D) More children are living in a single-parent household than there used to be.
B
Remembering names is an important social skill . Here are some ways to improve it. Remember and repeat in conversation . When you hear a person's name , repeat it. Immediately say it to yourself several times without moving your lips . you could also repeat the name in a way that sounds natural. Ask the other person to recite and repeat . You can let other people help you remember their names. After you've been introduced to someone , ask that person to spell the name and pronounce it correctly for you . Most people will be glad by the effort that you're making to learn their names. Admit that you don't know .You may tell them that you can't remember someone's name . Most of them will feel glad if you say, "I'm working to remember your names better . Yours is right on the tip of my tongue . What is it again?" Use associations . Link each person yon meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual. For example, you can remember in this way : "Vicki Cheng ----tall, black hair." To remember their names , you can write them on a small card as soon as possible. Limit the number of new names you learn at one time. When meeting a group of people, you'd better remember just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering every one. Few of the people expect you to remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning just first names. Last names can come later. Go early . Consider going early to meetings , parties and classes . Sometimes just a few people show up on time . There're fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive , you can hear them being introduced to others . When you meet a group of people, it is better to remember _ . A) all their names B) a few names first C) just their last names D) as many names as possible
B
Q: American researchers have found that variations in a single gene can be used to predict if someone is likely to take their own life. Researchers at John Hopkins University, in Baltimore, Maryland, found that the gene SKA2 stopped functioning correctly in people at risk of suicide. The SKA2 gene is found in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, and is involved in preventing negative thoughts and controlling abnormal behavior. If there isn't enough SKA2, or it is changed in some way, the body cannot control levels of cortisol . Previous research has shown that people who attempt suicide or who take their own lives have large amounts of cortisol in their systems. A test could allow doctors or psychologists to place patients on "suicide watch" and disable their access to drugs or equipment which they could use to end their own life. The research was reported in The American Journal of Psychology. "We need to study this in a larger sample but we believe that we might be able to monitor the blood to identify those at risk of suicide. After all, suicide is a major preventable public health problem, but we have been stymied in our prevention efforts because we have no steady way to predict those who are at increased risk of killing themselves," says study leader Dr Zachary Kaminsky, an assistant professor of psychological and behavioral sciences. "With a test like ours, we may be able to cut down suicide rates by identifying those people and intervening early enough to head off a catastrophe ." The blood test managed to predict those with the most severe risk of suicide with 90 per cent accuracy. They could also spot if someone had already attempted suicide with 96 per cent accuracy, simply by looking at the levels of SKA2. What is the author's attitude towards the blood test research? A) Doubtful. B) Passive. C) Cautious. D) Objective.
A: D
(Question)
Families should not waste their money on organic food,the government has warned.They should instead spend their money on whatever they can afford,even if it means eating frozen vegetables.The government now faces calls to endPS20 million of subsidies to organic farming. A recent study in the British Journal of Nutrition found organic crops have up to 60 percent more antioxidants than non-organic crops.But critics claim there is still no evidence that organic food is a healthier option.Amid growing concern that too few people are eating enough fruit and vegetables,the government is at pains to stress that families should not waste their money on organic food.Just 30 percent of people meet the recommendation to eat five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Government frontbencher Baroness Jolly said,"Organic products provide a useful extension of consumer choice,but it is worth emphasizing that,nutritionally,they are no better and no worse than conventional products.The only benefit of organic farming was enjoyed by birds,insects,mammals and plants.""It is up to the consumers to decide how they spend their money on their fruit and vegetables.There are many reasons why an individual might wish to choose organic products but nutritional benefit should not be one of them,"she added. Chief Executive Helen Browning said,"We know that people choose organic food because they believe it is better for them,also well as for wildlife,animal welfare and the environment,and this research backs up what people think about organic food." According to Baroness Jolly, _ . A) organic products are better that common food B) organic products can't provide better nutrition C) people should be urged to buy organic products D) organic foods are good for environment protection
(Answer)
B