IT HAS BEEN THOUGHT THAT WOMEN ARE THE SECOND CLASS IN CITIZEN, AND MEN ARE THE FIRST

Exercise 29:It has been thought that women are the second class in citizen, and men are the first. There is not a realequality of opportunity for men and women. Years ago, people were living in a man-dominated society. Womenhad to obey their husbands and fathers absolutely. Women's place was in the kitchen and women's work washousework. In many places, women were not even' allowed to go to school. Women had no rights, even the rightto choose husband for themselves. Men usually occupied high positions in society so they thought they were moreintelligent than women. Men often considered women as their property. Sometimes, they were mistreated by theirhusbands and suffered the problem as a fate. Many parents did not even want to daughters.Despite the progress, there remain outdated beliefs about women's roles, traditionally passed down fromgeneration to generation. Men are commonly seen as the strong bodies, bread-winners in the family and keyleaders in society, while women are restricted to being housewives and child bearing and care, and houseworksuch as washing and cooking.According to social surveys, many women in the 21st century still have to work over 12 hours a day includingworking in offices and doing countless household chores without any help from their husbands. In some regions,the labor of women is not recognized despite the hardships they endure to support the whole family. Moreover,women are the direct victims of family violence, especially in rural areas.Thanks to the women's liberation movement, nowadays women have proved that they are equal to men inevery aspect. An average woman has weaker muscles than an average man but she may be as intelligent as he is.Women can do everything that men can, and women can do one thing that no man can: they produce children.1. Which is not women's role in the former days?A. Working in authority B. Doing Housework C. Doing cooking D. Bearing and rearing children2. Years ago, women are pot allowed ________.A. to work in the kitchen B. to go to school C. to do housework D. to stay at home with their parents3. What did women have to suffer?A. Good schooling B. Choosing a husband themselves C. Enjoy their houseworkD. Illiteracy4. The outdated 'beliefs about women's roles ________.A. have been eradicated completely B. disappeared soon after the women's liberation movementC. still exist at present . D. was forced to change after the women's liberation movement5. According to the text, women in the 21

^st

century ________.A. do not have to do housework any moreB. are still the victims of family violence in some rural areasC. get help from their husbands with all houseworkD. spend less than 12 hours working outside the home and doing housework