英语四级week2.doc

Week 2（） But aren’t all marriages arranged in one way or another? In the United States marriages are seldom 6 arranged, but quite a lot of informal arranging goes on before two people become husband and wife. People who get married are introduced to each other by friends. These friends have already decided that the two people are right for each other and arrange for them to meet. Because friends have such great influence，their 7 of a dating partner is very important. Families also 8 open and subtle pressures on their children to influence their 9 of marriage partners. Parents often arrange dates for their own children. One parent often tells a friend about her beautiful daughter or handsome son. Also, parents can meet the perfect marriage prospect for their son or daughter through business relationships. Since parents often assist their children 10，they feel that they have the right to help the bride and groom select where they will live, what type of furniture they will purchase, and what their life-style will be like. [A]acceptance [B]exert [C]prospective [D]decisions [E]out-of-date [F]managing [G]preparing [H]approval [I]dating [J]formally [K]take [L]choices [M]successful [N]old-fashioned [O]financially Part II Detailed reading Passage one When families gather for Christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions dating back to Grandma’s generation. Their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver, and the dress code will be Sunday-best. But in many other homes, this china-and-silver elegance has given way to a stoneware (粗陶)-and-stainless informality, with dresses assuming an equally casual-Friday look. For hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and comfort. For makers of fine china in Britain, it spells economic hard times. Last week Royal Doulton, the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent, announced that it is eliminating 1,000 jobs—one-fifth of its total workforce. That brings to more th