Duringthe20thcenturytherehasbeenagreatchangeinthelivesofwomen.Awomanmarryingattheendofthe19thcenturyprobablyhasbeeninhermiddle20'sandwouldbelikelytohavesevenoreightchildren.Bythetimetheyoungestwas15

Duringthe20thcenturytherehasbeenagreatchangeinthelivesofwomen.Awomanmarryingattheendofthe19thcenturyprobablyhasbeeninhermiddle20'sandwouldbelikelytohavesevenoreightchildren.Bythetimetheyoungestwas15themotherwouldhavebeeninherearly50'sandwouldexpecttoliveafurther20yearsduringwhichchanceandhealthmade

ithardforhertogetpaidwork.

Todaywomenmarryyoungerandhavefewerchildren.Usuallyawoman'syoungestchildwillbe15whensheis45andshecanbeexpectedtoliveanother35yearsandislikelytogetpaidworkuntil60.

Thisimportantchangeinwomen'slifehasonlyrecentlybeguntohaveitsfulleffectonwomen'seconomicposition.Evenafewyearsagomostgirlsleftschoolandtookafulltimejob.Howeverwhentheymarriedtheyusuallyleftworkatonceandneverreturnedtoit.Todaytheschool-leavingageis16manygirlsstayatschoolafterthatageandthoughwomenmarryyoungermoremarriedwomenstayatworkatleastuntilshortlybeforetheirfirstchildisborn.Manymorereturntoworklater.Suchchangeshaveledtoanewrelationshipinmarriagewiththehusbandacceptingagreatershareofthedutiesoffamilylife.

6.Welearnfromthispassagethatinthe19thcentury .

A.thereweremorechildrenintheworldthantherearetoday

B.womenspentagreaterpartoftheirlivesraising

C.thereweremorewomeninpoorhealththantherearetoday

D.womenmarriedyoungerthantheydotoday

7.Onereasonwhyamarriedwomanoftodaymaytakeajobisthat .

A.sheisyoungwhenherchildrencanlookafterthemselves

B.sheisobligedtohelpherhusbandsupportthefamily

C.shefeelslonelyathomewhenherchildrengrowup

D.shehopestochangetheworldabit

8.Manygirlsarenowlikelyto .

A.giveuptheirjobsaftertheygetmarried

B.leaveschoolassoonastheycan

C.marryearlysothattheycangetbetterjobs

D.continueworkinguntiltheyaregoingtohaveababy

9.Accordingtothepassageitisnowquiteusualforwomento______.

A.stayathomeafterleavingschool

B.findjobswhentheyreachtheageof16

C.startworkingag