Homosexuals
Many homosexuals prefer to be called gay or, for women, lesbian. Most of them live quiet lives just___1___anyone else. Some gay people have always raised children,___2___or with partners, and the use of artificial insemination is increasing among lesbians.
Gay persons are in every kind of job. Some are very open about their homosexuality, and some are more private. Some___3___their sexual orientation as a biological given and others as a choice. For those women who see it as a choice, one reason often given is the inequality in most heterosexual relationships.
Homosexuality has been common in most cultures throughout history and generally___4___. As a result, homosexual activity became a crime,___5___which the penalty in early courts was death. Homosexual behavior is still___6___in many countries and U.S. states.
Homosexuality later came to be viewed widely as less a sin than a sickness, but now no mental-health profession any longer___7___homosexuality an illness. More recent theories to___8___for homosexuality have included those based on biological and sociological factors. To date,___9___, there is no conclusive general theory that can explain the cause of homosexuality.
Attitudes___10___homosexuality began to change in the second half of the 20th century. Gays attribute this, in part, to their own struggle for their rights and pride in their orientation. Some large companies now___11___health-care benefits to the life partners of their gay employees. Many cities also have officially appointed lesbian and gay advisory committees. ___12___some attitudes have changed, however, prejudice still exists, and in the late 1980s and early 1990s there were considerable shouts against homosexuals, with attempts to___13___laws forbidding the granting of basic civil rights to gays.
The AIDS epidemic, which started in the 1980s, has devastated the gay community and brought it together as never before. The organized gay response to the lack of government financial support for fighting AIDS and to the needs of the thousands of AIDS victims,___14___they be gays or not, has been a model of community action. AIDS, however, has also___15___ people with another reason for their prejudice.
1. A) alike B) like C) likely D) liking
2. A) lone B) lonely C) along D) alone
3. A) glare B) observe C) glance D) view
4. A) condemned B) condemning C) to condemn D) being condemned
5. A) against B) from C) for D) of
6. A) legal B) illegal C) resistible D) irresistible
7. A) takes B) considers C) regards D) thinks of
8. A) account B) look C) fight D) plead
9. A) in addition B) therefore C) however D) consequently
10. A) in B) at C) for D) toward
11. A) exclude B) include C) extend D) intend
12. A) Because B) While C) If D) In order that
13. A) pass B) ban C) discontinue D) cancel
14. A) whatever B) however C) whenever D) whether
15. A) associated B) shared C) provided D) charged
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