2018年12月大学英语四级阅读练习题：女人的地位
It is not often realized that women held a high place in southern European societies in the 10th and 11th centuries.
As a wife, the woman was protected by the tting up of a dowry (彩礼). Admittedly, the purpoof this was to protect
her against the risk of dertion, but in reality its
function in the social and family life of the time was much more important. The dowry was the wife’s right to receive a tenth of all her husband’s property. The wife had the right
to with hold connt, in all transactions the husband wouldmake, and more than just a right; the documents show
that she enjoyed a real power of decision, equal to that of
her husband. In no ca do the documents indicate any degree
of difference in the legal status of husband and wife.
The wif e shared in the management of her husband’s personal property, but the opposite was not always true. Women emed perfectly prepared to defend their own
inheritance against husbands who tried to exceed their rights, and on occasion they showed a fine fighting spirit. A ca in point is that of Maria Vivas. Having agreed with her husband Miro to ll a field she had inherited, for the needs of the houhold, she insisted on compensation. None being offered, she succeeded in dragging her husband to the scribe(法学家)
to have a contract duly drawn up assigning her a piece of
land from Miro’s personal inheritance. The unfortunate husband was obliged to agree, as the contract says, “for the sake of peace.” Either through the dowry or through being
hot-tempered, the wife knew how to win herlf, with the
context of the family, a powerful economic position.ric illness including depression often do not manifest themlves until the late teens or early 20s.
练习题：
Choo correct answers to the question：
1. A decimum was ________.
A. the wifes inheritance from her father
B. a gift of money to the new husband
C.a protection of the wife’s right
D. a written contract
2. In the 10th and11th centuries in southern European, women’s social position was ______.
A. higher than men’s
B. as high as men’s
C. lower than men’s
3.The purpo of mentioning the ca of Maria Vivas_____
< show women had the same rights as,if not more than,their husband
< prove hot-tempered woman held a powerful economic position
< tell the readers the real situations in some countries
< show the fight spirits of woman
4.Could a husband ll his wifes inheritance?
A. Yes, if she agreed.
B. No, under no circumstances.
C. Yes, whenever he wished to.
D, Yes, if his father-in-law agreed.
5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an effect of the dowry system?
A. The husband had to share the power of decision in marriage.
B. The wife could manage her husband’s personal property.
C. The wife gained a powerful economic position.
D. The wife would not be derted by her husband.
1.[C] 词义推断题。第1段第2句指出了 decimum的作用，即与“彩礼”相当，作为保护妇女的工具。第4句以“The ”的句式指出其定义，综合这两句，可断定选项C准确。
2.[B] 推理判断题。文章第1句就表明妇女当时的地位很高，第1段最后两句表明妇女与其丈夫的地位并无不同，是平等的，所以能够推断本题答案应为B。
3.[A] 推理判断题。本题考查例子与观点的关系。该例子是为了证明其前面，即第2段开头两句的观点，选项A是对这两句话的总结。
4.[A]推理判断题。本题考査从例子的推断。根据Maria Vivas 的例子可确定答案，而且从第2段第4句中的Having agreed with
