Question

As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have. It is likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen a washing machine and a microwave oven. Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as you need. You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.

Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for. Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel that the long hours work culture to make more money is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes. Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them. Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year.

One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank. They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny. Most evenings Daniel wouldn’t get home until eight or nine o’clock and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.

Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales. “I always wanted to have a farm then,” says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift. It’s taken some time getting used to, but it’s been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However, I think it’s made us stronger as a family, and the children are much happier.

Liz, however, is not quite sure. “I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours. I’m not really a country girl, but I suppose I’m gradually getting used to looking after the animals. One thing I do like, however, is being able to see more of my children. My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much, or you might not do it at all.”

1.The passage tells us that       .

A．people seldom work long hours to make money

B．people hardly buy more things than necessary

C．people are sure everything they own is in the right place

D．people realize there is more to life than just making money

2.When Daniel was a reporter, he ______.  

A．lived in central London	B．was well paid
C．missed his children	D．disliked his job

3.Daniel and Liz both agree that the move to the farm ______.

A．was easy to organize	B．was extremely expensive
C．has improved family life	D．has been a total success

4.The underlined word “downshifting” in the 2^nd paragraph refers to    ______.

A．repairing your car by yourself

B．spending money carefully

C．moving out to the countryside to live a simpler and better life

D．living in a big house in the suburbs and dining out once a week

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.C

【解析】文章通過一對夫妻改變生活方式的事情告訴我們生活中有比掙錢更有意義的事情。

1.主旨大意題。文章通過一對夫妻改變生活方式的事情告訴我們生活中有比掙錢更有意義的事情。

2.細節題。根據第三段最后一句They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.可知以前他掙錢很多，工作的報酬很高。

3.細節題。根據倒數第2段最后一句I think it’s made us stronger as a family, and the children are much happier.可知這樣的生活提高了他的家庭生活質量。

4.猜測詞義題。根據文章可知這種生活方式是指搬到鄉下過一種簡單的生活。