The birthrate is Europe has been in a steady decrease since the 1960s. European countries, realizing crisis is at hand, are providing great encouragement for parents to create more babies in the 21st century.

　　Affairs Ministry concluded last year that, 65 cash encouragement, some women just don’t want to be 66 holding the baby. “What we know is that it’s good for the 67

　　if men and women share the burden of having children,” says Soren Kindlund, family policy adviser at the Swedish ministry. 68 Swedish parents can take their paid leave as they wish, men use a mere 12% of it; 60% of fathers do not take even a(n) 69 day off work.

　　Experts fear that the tendency for women to use most of the parental leave could make employers 70 go give young women the permanent jobs they need to qualify for paid maternity leave (产假)。In January. Sweden decided to allow new fathers two months’ paid leave, with a warning: use it or 71 it.

　　Kindlund admits that men are under 72 to stay at work, even though parental pay comes out of the public purse. “It’s not popular among bosses and perhaps with other men in the workplace,” he says. “But it’s good for the father and for the child if they can 73 a relationship.”

　　In Norway, a(n) 74 policy has worked wonders. 70% of dads in Norway now take parental leave, and the birthrate of 1.85 children per woman is one of the highest in Europe.

　　65. A. is spite of B. at the cost of C. in addition to D. due to

　　66. A. sent B. left C. caught D. seen

　　67. A. birthrate B. income C. health D. spirit

　　68. A. Just as B. Only if C. Even though D. Now that

　　69. A. one B. mere C. only D. single

　　70. A. willing B. reluctant C. likely D. unable

　　71. A. reserve B. misuse C. ignore D. lose

　　72. A. discussion B. attack C. control D. pressure

　　73. A. make out B. add up C. build up D. set aside

　　74. A. impersonal B. similar C. severe D. global

　　【答案】65—69 ABACD

　　70—74 BDDCB

　　Directions: For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

　　(A)

　　Adults are often surprised by how well they remember something they learned as children but have never practised in the meantime. A man who has not had an opportunity to go swimming for years can 55 swim as well as ever when he gets back in the water. He can get on a bicycle after several decades and still 56 away. A mother who has not 57 the words for years can teach her daughter the poem that begins “ Twinkle, twinkle, little star” or recite the story of Cinderella or Snow White.

　　One explanation is the law of overlearning, which can be stated as follows: 58 we have learned something, additional learning increases the 59 of time we will remember it.

　　In childhood, we usually continue to practise such skills as swimming, bicycle riding long after we have learned them. We continue to listen to and 60 ourselves of poems such as “Twinkle, twinkle, little star” and childhood tales such as Cinderella or Snow White. We not only learn but 61 .

　　The law of overlearning explains why cramming (突击学习) for an examination, 62 it may result in a passing grade, is not a 63 way to learn a school course. By cramming, a student may learn the subject well enough to get by on the examination, but he is likely soon to forget almost everything he learned. A little overlearning; 64 , is usually a good investment toward the future.

　　55. A. only B. hardly C. still D. even

　　56. A. more B. drive C. travel D. ride

　　57. A. thought about B. cared for C. showed up D. brought up

　　58. A. Before B. Once C. Until D. Unless

　　59. A. accuracy B. unit C. limit D. length

　　60. A. remind B. inform C. warm D. recall

　　61. A. recite B. overlearn C. research D. improve

　　62. A. though B. so C. if D. after

　　63. A. convenient B. demanding C. satisfactory D. swift

　　64. A. at most B. by the way C. on the other hand D. in the end

　　【答案】55—59 CDABD 60—64 ABACC