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　26　large numbers of people around the world.They feel that the long-hour work culture to make more money to buy more things is　27　up their lives，leaving them very little   28   or energy for family or hobbies.Many are turning to   29 　ways of living and downshifting is one of them.

Six percent of the workers in Britain took the decision to　30　last year.One couple who downshifted are Daniel and Liz.They　31　to work in central London.He was a newspaper reporter and she worked for an international bank.They　32　go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs，　33　their two children with a nanny.Nearly twice a month Daniel had to　34　New York for meetings.They both earned a large amount of  money　35　began to feel that life was passing them by.

Nowadays，they run　36　in the mountains of Wales.“I always wanted to have one here，”says Daniel，“and we took almost a year to　37　to downshift.It’s taken some time getting used to，but it’s been　38　it.We have to think　39　now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any　40　.However，I think it’s made us stronger as a family，and the children are a lot　41　.”

Liz，however，is not quite sure.“I used to enjoy my job，　 42　it was hard work and long hours.I’m not really a country girl，but I suppose I’m　43　getting used to looking after the animals.One thing I do　44　，though，is being able to see more of my children.My advice for other people wanting to do the　45　is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all.”

26.A.trouble                 B.attract                       C.encourage                  D.frighten

27.A.putting                 B.looking                            C.building                    D.eating

28.A.money                  B.material                    C.spirit                         D.time

29.A.other                    B.simple                       C.free                          D.many

30.A.retire                    B.downshift                  C.rest                           D.travel

31.A.wanted                 B.liked                         C.used                          D.planned

32.A.should                  B.would                       C.might                        D.could

33.A.keeping                B.sending                     C.letting                       D.leaving

34.A.fly                       B.walk                         C.move                        D.run

35.A.and                      B.so                             C.but                           D.however

36.A.company                     B.farm                         C.house                        D.school

37.A.discuss                 B.study                        C.have                         D.make

38.A.worthy                 B.worth                        C.worthless                   D.worthwhile

39.A.once                     B.twice                        C.hardly                       D.worriedly

40.A.money                  B.holidays                    C.friends                      D.difficulties

41.A.more bored          B.more worried             C.happier                            D.cleverer

42.A.even though          B.when                        C.as if                          D.unless

43.A.directly                B.particularly                C.especially                  D.gradually

44.A.doubt                   B.admire                      C.like                           D.admit

45.A.job                       B.research                    C.experiment                D.same

Michel is a young girl who works for the police   36 a handwriting expert (专家). She has helped   37  many criminals (罪犯) by using her special talents (天才).

　　When she was fourteen, Michel was already  38  interested in the differences in her friends'  39 that she would spend hours 40  them. After  41  college she went to France for a   42  two-year class in handwriting at the School of Police Science.

　　Michel says that it is  43  for people to hide their handwriting. She can discover 44  of what she needs to know simply   45 looking at the writing with her own eyes, 46  she also has machines   47   help her make    48  different kinds of paper and ink. This knowledge is often   49  great help to the police.

Michel believes that handwriting is a good  50  of what kind of person the    51  is. "I wouldn't go out with a fellow   52  I didn't like his handwriting.” She says. But she   53 she fell in love with her future husband, a young policeman  54  she studied his handwriting. It is later proved to be    55 , however.

Michel is a young girl who works for the police 21  a handwriting expert. She has helped   22  many criminals  by using her special talents　　When she was fourteen, Michel was already  23  interested in the differences in her friends'   24  that she would spend hours  25  them. After  26  college she went to France for a  27  two-year class in handwriting at the School of Police Science.
Michel says that it is  28  for people to hide their handwriting. She can discover 29  of what she needs to know simply   30 looking at the writing with her own eyes,  31  she also has machines  32   help her make   33   different kinds of paper and ink. This knowledge is often   34  great help to the police.
Michel believes that handwriting is a good   35  of what kind of person the    36   is. "I wouldn't go out with a fellow    37  I didn't like his handwriting.” She says. But she  38 she fell in love with her future husband, a young policeman  39   she studied his handwriting. It is later proved to be   40 , however.

That predatory population increase to control other animals has long been known. Many years ago, the Hudson’s Bay Company records revealed that the fox population went up and down about a year after rabbit population had gone up and down.

Sometimes a situation occurs in which the predatory population is reduced to a level below which nature can readily replace. On Valcour Island in Lake Champlain, a costly campaign resulted in the elimination（消除）of predatory animals only to have birds and small animals increase for four years afterward. Then, lacking predator control, nature resorted to disease to cut down these populations.

Jamaica had an example of nature’s persistence in providing animals for existing habits. Sugar planters, about 75 years ago, imported mongooses（狐猴）to control rats. The mongooses killed off the rats, kids, puppies, and wildlife. Eventually, food became scarce and the mongoose’s population declines.

1. The fact that the number of predators has much to do with that of other animals 　　  .

A. is not recent knowledge　　　　　　　　　　　　　　    B.has just been learned

C.hasn’t been proved yet　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  D.is not important now

2. When predator control fails, nature brings animal population into balance by       .

A. eliminating the number of predators

B.seeking the help of disease to reduce other animals

C.increasing the number of other animals

D.replacing the number of predators immediately

3. When the mongooses killed off the rats they 　　  .

A. became problems themselves　　　　　　　　　　　　 B.ate the sugar crop

C.attacked humans　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   D.had nothing to eat

4. It is implied in this passage that 　　  .

A. sugar planter imported mongooses to control rats

B.man should never kill animals

C.man has complete control over nature

D.to upset the balance of nature can be troublesome