There have been great changes in the lives of women. During the twentieth century ,there was an unusual shortening of the time of a woman’s life spent in caring for children. A woman marrying at the end of the 19th century would probably have been in her middle twenties, and would be likely to have about eight children, of whom about five lived till they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which custom, chance and health made it unusual for her to get paid work. Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman’s youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty-five and is likely to take paid work until retirement at sixty. Even while she has the care of children, her work is lightened by household appliances(家用电器) and convenience(方便) foods.
This important change in women’s way of life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women’s economic position. Even a few years ago most girls left school at the first opportunity and most of them took a full-time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school-leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though women tend to marry younger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Very many more afterwards, return to full or part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with both husband and wife accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfaction of family life, and with both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money and running the home, according to the abilities and interest of each them.
小题1:Women marrying at the end of the 19th century ________.

A．would have fewer children than those today.

B．would have more children than those today.

C．lived as hard as those in the 20th century

D．lived more comfortably than those in the 20th century

小题2: According to the passage, a woman in the 19th century would likely to have about eight children and _______.

A．only about three of them could live more than five years old.

B．only about three of them could live for five years.

C．about eight children lived to be more than five years.

D．about eight children lived to be less than five years.

小题3: From the second paragraph, we know _______.

A．women today are not willing to run their home together with their husbands.

B．women today wouldn’t like to do any housework.

C．women today will return to work after they have their babies.

D．were unlikely to find jobs like the mothers before .

小题4:According to the passage, which of the following is right ?

A．in the past most women often stay at home after leaving school

B．women today like to marry men younger than themselves

C．women today are playing important parts in work and family life.

D．husbands today needn’t do any work at home.