READING CAN’T MAKE YOUR LIFE LONGER, BUT READING REALLY MAKES YOUR...

35. Reading can’t make your life longer, but reading really makes your life more thicker. A B C DRead the passage carefully and choose the correct answer. (from 36 to 40)Today, more and more women are actively participating in social activities both in urban and rural areas. Specially, they have shined brightly in even many fields commonly regarded as the man’s areas such as business, scientific research and social management. In some areas, women even show more overwhelming power than men. The image of contemporary Vietnamese women with creativeness, dynamism, success has become popular in Vietnam’s society. The fact reveals that the gender gap has been remarkably narrowed and women enjoy many more opportunities to pursue their social careers and obtain success, contributing to national socio-economic development. According to Ms Le Thi Quy, Director of the Gender and Development Research Centre under the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University, gender equity in Vietnam has reached a high level over the past decade. The rate of Vietnamese women becoming National Assembly members from the 9

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term to the 11

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term increased 8.7%, bringing the proportion of Vietnamese women in authority to 27.3%, the highest rate in Southeast Asia. There is no big gap in the level of literacy and schooling between men and women. Women account for about 37% of university and college graduates, 19.9% of doctoral degree holdersand 6.7% of professors and associate professors. The legitimate rights of women and children are ensured more than ever before with more complete legal documents including laws,conventions and national action plans, among which the laws on “gender equity” mark a turning-point in the empowerment of women.Mass media also highlights the continued success of women in every field and horrors their great importance in modern society, helping to do away with out-dated perceptions about traditional women’s duties. Many projects on reproductive health care, children protection, and family income improvement jointly conducted by various mass organizations, sate agencies and non-governmental organizations have created favorable conditions for women to become involved.