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 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 a lot 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, though, 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．disliked his job

C．missed his children     D．was well paid

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

A．was easy to organize B．has improved family life

C．was extremely expensive   D．has been a total success

4.What does the author mean by saying"the long hours work culture to make more money is eating up their lives" in the second paragraph ?

A．People work long hours to earn their living.

B．To make more money through hard work is the aim of people's life.

C．Long hours of hard work occupy too much of people's life.

D．People spent too much time and money eating meals.

5.The underlined word "downshifting" in the second 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.D

2.D

3.B

4.C

5.C

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述了社会上存在的一种现象，年轻人为了自己的工作，把孩子托付给保姆，由于自己的工作时间长，所以和家人呆在一起的时间很短，Daniel 和 Liz就是其中的两个例子，他们两个逐渐认识到除了挣钱社会上还有一种东西很珍贵就是亲情，所以他们决定搬回到农场和家人呆在一起，享受天伦之乐。

1.主旨大意题。根据Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them.人们意识到,生命中还有更重要的不仅仅是赚钱，故选D。

2.细节理解题。根据They both earned a large amount of money可知Daniel当记者时工资很高，故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据I think it’s made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.搬回农场能够使一家人享受天伦之乐，故选B。

4.句意理解题。根据leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes. 可知在工作上花费的时间太长，和家人呆在一起的时间很短，故选C。

5.细节理解题。根据Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales 搬到农场去住过着一种简单快乐的生活，故选C。

考点：社会现象类短文阅读。