题目内容

  As nanny(保姆),cook, cleaner, shopper, driver, and gardener, she has one of the most demanding jobs in Britain today.And paying someone else to do the chores(家务活)which take the average housewife 71 hours a week would cost ?349.

  At over ?18,000 a year that’s more than the earnings of 70 percent of the population, including train drivers, firemen, prison officers, and social worker.Looking after a baby less than a year old takes a housewife into a even higher pay league.According to a stud, she earns ?457 a week-at nearly ?24,000 a year, the same as teachers, engineers, and chemists.

  Researchers put a price on each chore, then tried to find out how long the average person takes doing them.They found housewives spend an average 70.7 hours a week on housework-with looking after the children(17.9 hours)and cooking and cleaning(12.9 hours each)the most time-consuming(费时).

  A wife with a part-time job still works and average of 59 hours a week at home.Those in full-time employment put in longer hours at home than in the workplace.The good news is that these hours sharply as children get older.While the average mother with child under one puts in 90 hours weekly, the figure drops to 80 hours from one to four and to 66 hours from five to ten.

  Mother-of-four Karen Williams from London said, “Paying the housewives may not be practical, but the government should recognize the value of housework, perhaps through the tax.Running a house takes a lot of time and most husbands don’t understand this.For example, my husband only puts a shelf up now and again.He never cleans the kitchen-that’s the real test.”

(1)

Who earns most according to the text?

[  ]

A.

A social worker.

B.

A fireman.

C.

A gardener.

D.

A teacher.

(2)

We lean from the text that looking after children ________.

[  ]

A.

takes more time than doing any other housework

B.

means more duties than being a teacher

C.

requires the mother to be well-educated

D.

prevents the mother from working outside

(3)

According to the text, a housewife with a baby less than one year old may work ________.

[  ]

A.

66 hours a week

B.

71 hours a week

C.

80 hours a week

D.

90 hours a week

(4)

By mentioning her husband, Karen Williams wants to show that ________.

[  ]

A.

housework is no easy job

B.

her husband has no time to clean the kitchen

C.

a housewife needs to be paid for cleaning

D.

the kitchen is hard to clean

答案:1.D;2.A;3.D;4.A;
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  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   1   a large number of people around the world.They feel that the longtime work culture to make more money to buy more things is   2   up their lives, leaving them very little   3   or energy for family or hobbies.Many are turning to   4   ways of living and downshifting(过田园式生活)is one of them.

  Six percent of the workers in Britain took the decision to   5   last year.One couple who downshifted are Daniel and Liz.They   6   to work in central London.He was a newspaper reporter and she worked for an international bank.They   7   go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs,   8   their two children with a nanny(保姆).Nearly twice a month Daniel had to   9   to New York for meetings.They both earned a large amount of money   10   began to feel that life was passing them by.

  Nowadays, they run a   11   in the mountains of Wales, “I always wanted to have one here,” says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to   12   the decision to downshift.It’s taken some time getting used to, but it’s been   13   it.We have to think   14   now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any   15  .However, I think it’s make us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot   16  .”

  Liz, however, is not quite sure.“I used to enjoy my job,   17   it was hard work and long hours.I’m not really a country girl, but I suppose I’m   18   getting used to looking after the animals.One thing I do   19  , though, is being able to see more of my children.My advice for other people wanting to do the   20   is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all.”

(1)

[  ]

A.

trouble

B.

attract

C.

encourage

D.

frighten

(2)

[  ]

A.

putting

B.

looking

C.

building

D.

eating

(3)

[  ]

A.

money

B.

material

C.

spirit

D.

time

(4)

[  ]

A.

other

B.

simple

C.

free

D.

many

(5)

[  ]

A.

retire

B.

downshift

C.

rest

D.

travel

(6)

[  ]

A.

wanted

B.

liked

C.

used

D.

planned

(7)

[  ]

A.

should

B.

would

C.

might

D.

could

(8)

[  ]

A.

keeping

B.

sending

C.

letting

D.

leaving

(9)

[  ]

A.

fly

B.

walk

C.

move

D.

run

(10)

[  ]

A.

and

B.

so

C.

but

D.

however

(11)

[  ]

A.

company

B.

farm

C.

house

D.

school

(12)

[  ]

A.

discuss

B.

study

C.

have

D.

make

(13)

[  ]

A.

worthy

B.

worth

C.

worthless

D.

worthwhile

(14)

[  ]

A.

once

B.

twice

C.

hardly

D.

worriedly

(15)

[  ]

A.

money

B.

holidays

C.

friends

D.

difficulties

(16)

[  ]

A.

more bored

B.

more worried

C.

happier

D.

cleverer

(17)

[  ]

A.

even though

B.

when

C.

as if

D.

unless

(18)

[  ]

A.

directly

B.

particularly

C.

especially

D.

gradually

(19)

[  ]

A.

doubt

B.

admire

C.

like

D.

admit

(20)

[  ]

A.

job

B.

research

C.

experiment

D.

same

阅读理解

  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 to buy more things 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(郊区), leaving their two children with a nanny(保姆).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 here,”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)

What do the first two paragraphs tell us?

[  ]

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 organise

B.

has improved family life

C.

was extremely expensive

D.

has been a total success

(4)

What does the underlined“it”in the last paragraph refer to?

[  ]

A.

Child-caring.

B.

Liz's advice.

C.

Downshifting

D.

Liz's job.

(5)

The underlined word“downshifting”in the second paragraph means ________.

[  ]

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

阅读理解

  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 to buy more things 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(保姆).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 here,” 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)

When Daniel was a reporter, he ________

[  ]

A.

lived in central London

B.

disliked his job

C.

missed his children

D.

was well paid

(2)

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.

have been a total success

(3)

What does the underlined “it” in the last paragraph refer to?

[  ]

A.

Child-caring.

B.

Liz’s advice.

C.

Downshifting.

D.

Liz’s job.

(4)

The underlined word “downshifting” in the second paragraph means _________

[  ]

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

阅读理解

  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-hour work culture to make more money to buy more things 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(保姆).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 here, ” says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift.It's taken sometime to get 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)

According to the text, the first two paragraphs tell us ________.

[  ]

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)

The underlined word “downshifting” in the second paragraph means ________.

[  ]

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

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