Question

Across Britain, burnt toast will be served to mothers in bed this morning as older sons and daughters rush to deliver their supermarket bunches of flowers.But, according to a new study，we should be placing a higher value on motherhood all year.

Mothers have long known that their home workload was just as heavy as paid work.Now，the new study has shown that if they were paid for their parental labours, they would earn as much as ￡172, 000 ayear.

The study looked at the range of jobs mothers do, as well as the hours theyare working, to determine the figure.This wouldmake their yearly income ￡30,000 more than the Prime Minister earns.

By analysing the numbers，it found the average mother works 119 hours a week,40 of which would usually be paid at a standard rate and 79 hours as overtime.After questioning 1,000 mothers with children under 18, it found that, on most days, mums started their routine work at 7am and finished at around 11 pm.

To calculate just how much mothers would earn from that labour，it suggested some of the roles that mums could take on，including housekeeper, part－time lawyer, personal trainer and entertainer.Being a part－time lawyer，at ￡48.98 an hour，would prove to be the mostprofitableof the “mum jobs”， withpsychologist (心理学家 ) a close second.

It also asked mothers about the challenges they face, with 80 per cent making emotional(情感的) demand as the hardest thing about motherhood.

Over a third of mums felt they needed more training and around half said they missed going out with friends.

The study shows mothers matter all year long and not just on，Mother's Day.The emotional, physical and mental energy mothers devote to their children can be never－ending, but children are also sources of great joy and happiness.Investing(投入) in time for parenting and raising relationships is money well spent.

1.How much would a mother earn a year if working as the Prime Minister？

A. ￡30,000.    B. ￡142,000.

C. ￡172,000.    D. ￡202,000.

2.The biggest challenge for most mothers is from____.

A. emotional demand    B. low pay for work

C. heavy workload    D. lack of training

3.What is stressed in the last paragraph？

A. Mothers' importance shows in family all year long.

B. The sacrifices mothers make are huge but worthwhile.

C. Mothers' devotion to children can hardly be calculated.

D. Investing time in parenting would bring a financial return.

4.What can we conclude from the study？

A. Mothers' working hours should be largely reduced.

B. Mothers should balance their time for work and rest.

C. Mothers' labour is of a higher value than it is realised.

D. Mothers should be freed from housework for social life.

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.A

4.C

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。这是一篇写在母亲节的文章，在母亲节这一天，每个人都会对母亲做出一些事，比如一束花等等，但是作者认为，母亲这一职业需要全年的关注，因为它包含太多。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段中的"they would earn as much as￡172，000 a year"和第三段中的"This would make their yearly income￡30，000 more than the Prime Minister earns"可知，首相一年的收入为￡172，000-￡30，000=￡142，000，故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据文章倒数第三段的It also asked mothers about the challenges they face, with 80 per cent making emotional(情感的) demand as the hardest thing about motherhood.可知，最大的困难是来自情感需求，故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据最后一段中的"can be never-ending，but children are also sources of great joy and happiness．Investing （投入）in time for parenting and raising relationships is money well spent"可知，母亲所作的牺牲很大但非常值得。故选A。

4.推理判断题。根据文章第一段的"But，according to a new study，we should be placing a higher value on motherhood all year．"可知，作者认为母亲的重要性应该得到更多的关注，故选C。