問題詳情

IV, Reading Comprehension (20%)

Child marriage is pervasive in developing and underdeveloped countries. While both boys and girls fall victim to this practice, it affects girls disproportionately. In Nepal, over 3 million girls under the age of 19 are currently married or in union, according to UNICEF. More than half of them become mothers before their teen years are over. Currently there are over 1.3 million girls between the ages of 10 to 19 who are at the risk of being forced into marriage. The numbers are harrowing, and so are the consequences. Being forced into early marriage is a severe violation of the girls' human rights.

Early marriage has severe implications for the overall well-being of a girl child. Child marriage impedes the psychological and social development of girls. They are married at an age when they are not yet ready to shoulder the responsibilities of marriage. They are forced to bear children when they are themselves children. Girls who are forced into early marriage are also deprived of educational opportunities. They will have very few vocational skills for income-earning opportunities. This further entrenches the gendered nature of poverty.

There are many reasons why child marriage takes place but economic factor stands out. Child marriage mostly takes place in families with lower income or in rural settings. Parents perceive girls to be an economic burden; among some groups, the amount of dowry increases with a girl's age. Sometimes, religious and cultural
factors are also behind child marriage. The stigma associated with premarital sex forces some parents to seek early marriage for a girl child.

Many studies have shown clear correlations between poverty level, education level in the family and age of marriage. Poverty and low education level are both causes and consequences of child marriage. Ending the scourge of child marriage requires a multi-pronged approach. Implementation of the law and penalizing parents can work as deterrence, but they do nothing to address poverty and lack of educational opportunities — the real culprit behind this age-old stigma. It also calls for behavioral changes in society.

31.What is the central idea of this passage?
(A) Females in poverty-stricken countries are deprived of their rights.
(B) The key to ending child marriage is ending widespread poverty.
(C) Religious beliefs are to blame for child marriage in poor countries.
(D) The problem of child marriage mostly originates from gender inequality.

參考答案

答案：B
難度：困難0.266667
統計：A(10),B(4),C(0),D(1),E(0)

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