Parentshavetodomuchlessfortheirchildrentodaythantheyusedtodo,andhomehasbecomemuchlessofaworkshop.Clothescanbeboughtreadymade;washingcangotothelaundry;foodcanbebought;cooked,cannedorpreserved;breadisbakedanddeliveredbythebaker;milkarrivesonthedoorstep;meatscanbehadattherestaurant,thework’scanteen,andtheschooldining-room.
Itisunusualnowforfathertopursuehistradeorotheremploymentathome,andhischildrenrarely,ifever,seehimathisplaceofwork.Boysarethereforeseldomtrainedtofollowtheirfather’soccupation,andinmanytownstheyhaveafairlywidechoiceofemploymentandsodogirls.Theyoungwage-earneroftenearnsgoodmoney,andsoonacquiresafeelingofeconomicindependence.Intextileareasithaslongbeencustomaryformotherstogoouttowork,butthispracticehasbecomesowidespreadthattheworkingmotherisnowanotunusualfactorinachild’shomelife,thenumberofmarriedwomeninemploymenthavingmorethandoubledinthelasttwenty-fiveyears.Withmotherearningandhisolderchildrendrawingsubstantialwagesfatherisseldomthedominantfigurethathestillwasatthebeginningofthecentury.Whenmotherworkseconomicadvantagesaccrue,butchildrenlosesomethingofgreatvalueifmother’semploymentpreventsherfrombeinghometogreetthemwhentheyreturnfromschool.
1.Thewritermentionshomeasworkshopbecause______.
A.fathersoftenpursueemploymentathome
B.parentshadtomakefoodandnecessitythemselvesfortheirdaily-life
C.manyfamiliesproducegoodsathomeforsale
D.bothfathersandmothersandmothersinmostfamiliesareworkers
2.Thewritersaysthathomehasbecomemuchlessofaworkshop.Hemeans______.
A.inthepasthomewasmorelikeaworkshop
B.homeismuchmoreofaworkshopnow
C.home-workshopsarebecomingfewerandfewer
D.homewaslesslikeaworkshopinthepast
3.Theword“accrue”inthesentence“Whenmother...accrue,”isclosestinmeaningto
__________________.
A.change
B.dwindle
C.double
D.increase
4.Thechiefreasonthatboysareseldomtrainedtofollowtheirfather’soccupation