WASHINGTON—Laura Straub is a very worried woman. Her job is to find families for French teenagers who expect to live with American families in the summer.
It is not easy, even hopeless.
“We have many children left to place—40 out of 75,” said Straub, who works for a Paris-based foreigner-exchange program started 50 years ago. Family life was more than accommodating (提供膳宿). For one thing, more mothers stayed at home. But now, increasing numbers of women work outside the home. Exchange-student programs have struggled in recent years to sign up host (主人) families for the 30 000 teenagers who every year come from abroad to spend a school year in the United States, as well as the thousands more who take part in summer programs.
School systems in many parts of the U.S., unhappy about accepting non-taxpaying students, have also strictly limited the number of exchange students they accepted. At the same time, the idea of hosting foreign students is becoming less exotic.
In search for host families, who usually receive no pay, exchange programs are increasingly broadening their requests to include everyone from young couples to retirees.
“We are open to many different types of families,” said Vickie Weiner, eastern area director for ASSE, a 25-year-old program that sends about 30 000 teenagers on school-year exchange programs worldwide.
For elderly people, exchange students “keep us young—they really do”, said Jen Foster, who is hosting 16-year-old Nina Post from Denmark.
小题1:The underlined word “exotic” means _________.
A．difficult
B．wonderful
C．exciting
D．accommodating小题2:According to the text, why was it easier for Laura Straub to find American families for foreign students?
A．More mothers wasn’t working outside and was able to afford to look after children .
B．American school systems were better than now.
C．Foreign students paid hosting families a lot of money.
D．The government was happy because it could gain tax.小题3:Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A．All the families can host foreign students.
B．Only young couples can host foreign students.
C．Only those who were retired can host foreign students.
D．Exchange programs are open to many different types of families including everyone from young couples to retirees.小题4:Which of the following is the best title of this passage?
A．U.S. Struggle to Find host Families
B．Idea of Hosting Students is Different
C．Foreign-exchange Program Is Going on
D．Exchange Students Keep Old People Young
小题1:C
小题2:A
小题3:D
小题4:A
小题1:本题考查根据短文相关内容对词语含义进行简单推断的能力。文章第三段第四句“But now, increasing numbers of women work outside the home. Exchange-student programs have struggled in recent years to sign up host (主人) families …” 以及第四段第一句“School systems in many parts of the U.S., unhappy about accepting non-taxpaying students, have also strictly limited the number of exchange students they accepted”. 可知Laura Straub很难在美国找到寄宿家庭接受来自法国的学生, 这说明目前接纳外国学生的想法不如原先令人兴奋,有吸引力了。故最佳答案为C。
小题2:本题考查对文中细节事实进行判断的能力。由第二段“For one thing, more mothers stayed at home. But now, increasing numbers of women work outside the home.”可知最佳答案为B项原文未谈到学校制度的好坏；再由第三段“School systems in many parts of the U.S., unhappy about accepting non-taxpaying students…”和第四段“In search for host families, who usually receive no pay,…”可以判断C，D表述有误。
小题3:本题考查对文中细节进行认定的能力。由文章倒数第三段 “…exchange programs are increasing
ly broadening their requests to include everyone from young couples to retirees.”可知最佳答案为D。A项表述太绝对； B、C项表述不全面。
小题4:本题考查理解文章主旨要义的能力。本文是一篇新闻报道。新闻报道常常开头就点明要报道的内容，故由文章开头“WASHINGTON—Laura Straub is a very worried woman. Her job is to find families for French teenagers who expect to live with American families in the summer. It is not easy, even hopeless. ” 可知本文的主旨：Laura Straub在美国找到寄宿家庭接受来自法国的学生是很困难的。故A 项符合题意。