（整理版高中英语）（课标全国）高考英语总复习课时作业42北师大

【优化指导】〔课标全国〕高考英语总复习 课时作业42 北师大版一、阅读理解AIceland has the highest birth rate in Europe，the highest divor

【优化指导】〔课标全国〕高考英语总复习 课时作业42 北师大版 一、阅读理解 A Iceland has the highest birth rate in Europe，the highest divorce rate，and the highest percentage of women working outside the home.Such statistics are often evidence of amiserable，chaotic(混乱的)society，with loads of children， broken homes and absent mothers.But Iceland is the exception—its citizens are the happiest in the world. Perhaps the country's geographic location contributes to Icelanders' happiness.Located in the middle of the North Atlantic，with Greenland as its nearest neighbor，Iceland is free from the taboos(禁忌)that cause so much trouble elsewhere.For instance，people who divorce are not looked down upon by the society. Icelanders are offsprings(后代)of the Vikings，a north European people who invaded European coasts from the 8th through the 10th century.This tradition of getting out into the world lives on in modern Iceland.Practically all Icelanders have studied or worked abroad，and most speak English. Perhaps as aresult，Iceland's economic policies blend the best of those from Europe with the US to create its own welfare system. “Many of us have lived in the US，and studied there，〞said the Icelandic Prime Minister Geir Haarde.“We have both taken from them and found that naturally we share the can­do attitude—that if you work hard，anything can be done.〞 Indeed，the country is rich in writers，painters，film makers and musicians.There's Sigur Ros，a post­rock band，and also anational symphony orchestra that plays to the highest standards all over the world.Half the population appears to have written abook.