Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
Americans are a very energetic and mobile people, always on the run, rushing from one appointment to another, from a PTA meeting to a social planning committee. They have very little time to spend preparing elaborate everyday meals to be eaten at leisure. In many homes it is rare for the whole family to sit down at supper together. Clubs and commitments force them to grab a quick meal rather than a sit-down supper.
When they do have the chance to eat at home often the working housewife prefers to prepare meals which can be quickly heated and consumed. It is no wonder, therefore, that America has become a sanctuary for fast food consumption.
This great transformation occurred after World War II when many women began to work full-time jobs and were spending less time at home with their families. Women, however, wanted to function well in the capacity of home-maker, as well as that of career woman but time became a precious commodity which had to be carefully used.
Therefore, it was necessary to make her life easier at home in the preparation of the family dinner. Simultaneously with women entering the job market there was also a shifting of the focus of home entertainment from the radio to the television.
Television became the latest fad in the fifties and no one wanted to miss his or her favorite televised program. The place for the evening’s supper shifted from the dining room to the living room.
As the customs changed, so did the culture. The immediate solution for this was the invention of the TV dinner. These were frozen meals which were sectioned off into portions of meat and vegetables. They could easily be popped into an oven and prepared within minutes. The tin trays in which they were served were conveniently carried into the living room and dinner was consamed in front of a TV set. Cleaning up afterwards was no problem. The tin trays were easily tossed into the garbage.
From fast dinners at home the next step was quick eating while on the road. At this time also the love for TV was combined with the fascination for the automobile. It is not odd that with the development of the superhighways America saw the beginning of fast food chains. McDonald’s paved the way with its variety of burgers and shakes soon to be followed by all kinds of other foods. Today dozens of fast-food chain franchises can be found along highways, in modem shopping malls and scattered throughout neighborhoods in America. Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Roy Roger’s, Burger King and Wendy’s are just a few of the fast-food chains which are now part of American culture. They offer chicken, donuts, tacos and pizza, all quickly produced in great quantities for the masses. These establishments have given shape to the modern lifestyles and diet of the American people.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
57. Why Americans cannot eat elaborately prepared meals at leisure?
[A] Because they don’t like cooking themselves,
[B] Because there are more choices in the restaurants.
[C] Because they have many things to do.
[D] Because they can do nothing at leisure.
58. Americans have been the consumers of fast food since
[A] many women began to work full-time jobs
[B] the invention of fast food
[C] few women would like to be homemakers any more
[D] the great reform after World War II
59. Americans began to have supper in the living rooms because of
[A] the attraction of the radio
[B] their preference in fast food
[C] the shift of home focus
[D] the attraction of the television
60. The fast food chains began to flourish with __
[A] the development of the shopping malls
[B] the development of the superhighways
[C] the beginning of fast food chain franchises
[D] the change of Americans’ lifestyles
61. The main topic of the passage is __
[A] the beginning of fast food chains
[B] the changes of Americans’ eating customs
[C] the transformation of lifestyles
[D] the dieting of the American people
答案：
57.C综合推断题。文章首段指出，美国人精力充沛，总是四处奔忙，赶着赴一个又一个约会，赶着参加各种活动。他们没有时间精心准备饭菜，也没时间悠闲地吃饭，许多家庭很少坐在一起吃晚饭。为了参加俱乐部和社团活动，他们常胡乱地吃口饭，由此推断，美国人有许多事要做，因此无法悠闲地吃精心准备的饭菜，故选C。
58.A综合推断题。文章第二段指出，美国成为快餐的消费大国;第三段指出，巨大的转变是在二战后发生的，当时许多女性开始做全职工作，在家与家人共处的时间减少了，她们想在做好家庭主妇的同时尽好职业女性的本分，因此要合理地利用时间，由此推断，自从大量女性开始做全职工作，原本的主妇不再有时间做饭，所以美国人经常食用快餐，故选A。
59.D综合推断题。文章第四段指出，在女性开始工作的同时，家庭娱乐的重心由收音机转向了电视，没人愿意错过自己喜爱的电视节目，因此吃晚餐的地点由饭厅转换到了起居室，由此推断，美国人开始在起居室吃饭是由于电视的吸引，故选D。
60.B信息明示题。文章最后一段第三句指出，随着高速公路的发展，美国出现了快餐连锁店，由此可知，快餐连锁店的繁荣发展是伴随着高速公路的发展而进行的，故选B。
61.B主旨题。文章首段指出，美国人现在四处奔忙，很少有时间悠闲地享用家里做的饭菜;第二段提到，他们在家通常吃方便食品;第三段指出，美国人饮食习惯的转变是由于二战后女性开始做全职工作;第四、五段指出，随着电视的流行，又出现了适合边看电视边吃的速冻快餐;最后一段指出，随着高速公路的发展，快餐连锁店开始繁荣起来。综合可知，文章的主题是美国人饮食习惯的转变，故选B。
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