（D）

As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have．It’s likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen will have 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 （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．”

68．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 more is involved in life than just making money．

69．Daniel agrees 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

70．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

（D）

As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have．It’s likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen will have 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 （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．”

68．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 more is involved in life than just making money．

69．Daniel agrees 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

70．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

As she walked round the large shop, Edith realized how difficult it was to choose a suitable Christmas __1__for her father.

She __2__that he were as easy to please as her mother, who was __3__satisfied with perfume(香水). Besides, shopping at this time of the year was a most unhappy job. People stepped on your feet, pushed you with their shoulders and almost __4__ you over in their hurry in order to __5__ something cheap ahead of you.

Partly to have a rest, Edith paused in front of a counter, where some beautiful ties were on __6__. "They are __7__silk," the shop assistant told her with a smile trying to __8__her to buy one. But Edith knew from past __9__that her choice of ties hardly ever pleased her father.

She moved on slowly and then, quite by chance, stopped where a small crowd of men had gathered round a counter. She found some fine pipes(烟斗) on sale and the __10__were very beautiful. Edith did not hesitate(犹豫) for long, although her father __11__ smoked a pipe once in a while, she believed this was __12__ to please him.

When she got home, with her small but __13__present hidden in her handbag, it was time for supper and her parents were already at table. Her mother was in great __14__. "Your father has at last decided to stop smoking," she told her daughter happily. Edith was so __15__that she could not say a single word.