In times of economic crisis. Americans turn to their families for support. If the Great Depression is any guide, we may see a drop in our skyhigh divorce rate. But this won't necessarily represent. an increase in happy marriages. In the long run, the Depression weakened American families, and the current crisis will probably do the same.
We tend to think of the Depression as a time when families pulled together to survive huge job losses, By 1932. when nearly one-quarter of the workforce was unemployed, the divorce rate had declined by around 25% from 1929 But this doesn't mean people were suddenly happier with their marriages. Rather, with ines decreasing and insecure jobs, unhappy couples often couldn't afford to divorce. They feared neither spouse could manage alone.
Today, given the job losses of the past year, fewer unhappy couples will risk starting separate households, Furthermore, the housing market meltdown will make it more difficult for them to finance their separations by selling their homes.
After financial disasters family members also tend to do whatever they can to help each other and their munities, A 1940 book. The Unemployed Man and His Family, described a family in which the husband initially reacted to losing his job with tireless search for work.He was always active, looking for odd jobs to do.
The problem is that such an impulse is hard to sustain Across the country, many similar families were unable to maintain the initial boost in morale(士气). For some, the hardships of life without steady work eventually overwhelmed their attempts to keep their families together. The divorce rate rose again during the rest of the decade as the recovery took hold.
Millions of American families may now be in the initial stage of their responses to the current crisis, working together and supporting one another through the early months of unemployment.
Today's economic crisis could well generate a similar number of couples whose relationships have been irreparably(无法弥补地)ruined. So it's only when the economy is healthy again that we'll begin to see just how many broken families have been created.
【小题1】In the initial stage, the current economic crisis is likely to .A．tear many troubled families apartB．contribute to enduring family tiesC．bring about a drop in the divorce rateD．cause a lot of conflicts in the family【小题2】In the Great Depression many unhappy couples close to stick together becauseA．starting a new family would be hardB．they expected things would turn betterC．they wanted to better protect their kidsD．living separately would be too costly【小题3】In addition to job losses. What stands in the way of unhappy couples getting a divorce?A．Mounting family debtsB．A sense of insecurityC．Difficulty in getting a loanD．Falling housing prices【小题4】What will the current economic crisis eventually do to some married couples?A．It will force them to pull their efforts togetherB．It will undermine their mutual understandingC．It will help strengthen their emotional bondsD．It will irreparably damage their relationship【小题5】What can be inferred from the last paragraph?A．The economic recovery will see a higher divorce rateB．Few couples can stand the test of economic hardshipsC．A stable family is the best protection against poverty.D．Money is the foundation of many a happy marriageC
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(答案→)C
解析：
文章大意：讲述在经济大萧条时期离婚率下降的真正原因。
【小题1】C 细节理解题：If the Great Depression is any guide, we may see a drop in our sky high divorce rate. 如果有经济大萧条的迹象的话，我们会看到（原来）极高的离婚率会下降。
【小题2】D 推理判断题：Rather, with ines decreasing and insecure jobs, unhappy couples often couldn't afford to divorce. They feared neither spouse could manage alone. 随着收入减少和不稳定的工作，不快乐的夫妻常常离不起婚。他们害怕配偶双方都无法独立生活。
【小题3】D 细节理解题：Furthermore, the housing market meltdown will make it more difficult for them to finance their separations by selling their home.此外，房产市场的暴跌会使得他们在卖掉住房之后，更难负担起各自生活的费用。
【小题4】D F推理判断题：or some, the hardships of life without steady work eventually overwhelmed their attempts to keep their families together. The divorce rate rose again during the rest of the decade as the recovery took hold.对于一些家庭来说，没有稳定工作的生活的艰辛最终会压倒他们团结家庭的努力。随着经济复苏，在这十年剩余时间里，离婚率会再次上升。
【小题5】A 主旨大意题：Today's economic crisis could well generate a similar number of couples whose relationships have been irreparably(无法弥补地)ruined. So it's only when the economy is healthy again that we'll begin to see just how many broken families have been created. 现在的经济危机可能会产生同等数量的夫妇，他们的关系已经被完全毁坏，无法弥补。因此，只有在经济再次向好，我们才回看到（在经济危机时期）有多少家庭破裂了。言外之意，经济复苏，离婚率会上升。