Question No.26. Which of the following can be concluded from the talk?

Questions 27 to 30 are based on the following conversation.

(Man)         I suppose that in Britain, too, family life has changed a lot in the last century, hasn’t it?

(Woman)    Oh yes, very much so. I think families used to be much larger. My great grandmother was one of the fourteen children! Very few people nowadays care to have such large families.

(Man)         I suppose that’s why in the old days very few women took up careers outside the home. They wee too busy bringing up their families.

(Woman)    Yes, but rich families had servants to do the housework and even nannies to look after the children.

(Man)       Would you like to have lived then, Betty?

(Woman)    Not particularly! Women then weren’t as free as they are today. For example, they often had to marry men they didn’t like and they were financially dependent on their parents or their husbands. I think we are much better off today, don’t you?

(Man)        Well, I suppose we have more freedom of choice and we’re more independent, but, you know, some arranged marriages were very successful. Women seemed to be more content with their husbands. Besides, there was something rather charming about courtship in the old days.

(Woman)   Really? Such as what?

(Man)       Well, the custom of asking a girl’s father for permission to marry her, for example.

(Woman)    And supposing the father didn’t give his permission? NO thank you. I think family life is much pleasanter today because it is freer and more informal. At least today we are free to marry whoever we like and to take up a job, if we wish.

(Man)    That’s true. But I still think that family life in the old days must have been very pleasant and secure.

Question No.27. How many brothers and sisters did Betty’s great grandmother have?

Question No.28. In the old days, who normally did the housework in rich families?

Question No.29. According to the talk, in what way were women less free than they are today?

Question No.30. What does the man say about courtship in the old days?

Part C: Listening and Translation

Ⅰ. Sentence Translation

Directions: In this part of the test, you will hear 5 English sentences. You will hear the sentences only once. After you have heard each sentence, translate it into Chinese and write your version in the corresponding space in your answer booklet. Now let’s begin Part A with Sentence Translation with Sentence No. 1.