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

I believe that families are not only blood relatives, but sometimes people who show up and love you when no one else will.

In May 1977, I was living in a Howard Johnson’s motel off Interstate 10 in Houston. My dad and I 21 a room with two double beds and a bathroom which was too 22 for a 15-year-old girl and her father. Dad’s second marriage was 　23 and my stepmother had 　24 us both out of the house the previous week. Dad had no　 25_ what to do with me. And that’s when my other family 　26 .

Barbara and Roland Beach took me into their home 　27　 their only daughter, Su, my best friend, asked them to. I 　28 with them for the next seven years.

Barb washed my skirts the same as Su’s. She 　29 I had lunch money, doctors’ appointments, help with homework and nightly hugs. Barbara and Roland attended every football game where Su and I were being cheerleaders. 30 I could tell, for the Beaches there was no 31 between Su and me; I was their daughter, too.

When Su and I 32 college they kept my room the same for the entire four years I attended school. Recently, Barb presented me with an insurance policy they bought when I first moved in with them and had continued to pay on for 23 years.

The Beaches knew 33 about me when they took me in – they had heard the whole story from Su. When I was seven, my mother died and from then on my father relied on other people to _34 his kids. Before I went to live with the Beaches I had believed that life was entirely 　35__ and that love was shaky and untrustworthy. I had believed that the only person who would take care of me was me.

36 the Beaches, I would have become a bitter, cynical (愤世嫉俗的) woman. They gave me a(n) 37 that allowed me to grow and change. They kept me from being paralyzed(使瘫痪 ,使麻痹 ,使无能力)by my _38　 , and they gave me the confidence to open my heart.

I 　39 family. For me, it wasn’t the family that was there on the day I was 　40　 , but the one that was there for me when I was living in a Howard Johnson’s on Interstate 10.

16．A. lived　　 B. shared 　　 C. possessed　　　　 D. bought

17．A. cheap　　 B. noisy　　　 C. small　　　　　　 D. limited

18．A. in trouble B. in sight 　　 C. in place 　 D. in parts

19．A. struck　　　　 B. removed　 C. kicked 　　 D. knocked

20．A. plan　　　　 B. choice 　　　 C. chance 　　 D. idea

21．A. looked after　 B. showed up　　 C. turned over 　　 D. came cross

22．A. so　　　　　 B. because　　　 C. until 　　　　 D. while

23．A. worked　　　 B. traveled　　　 C. lived 　　　　 D. learned

24．A. worked out　　 B. called up　　 C. watched out　　　 D. made sure

25．A. As long as B. As far as　　 C. As soon as 　　　 D. As many as

26．A. change 　　 B. problem 　 C. conflict 　 　　D. difference

27．A. set off　　　　　 B. left for　　　　 C. entered into 　　 　　　 D. admitted into

28．A. all 　　 B. little 　 C. something D. nothing

29．A. supply B. teach C. encourage D. raise

30．A. different 　 B. unfair 　　　 C. easy　　 　　　 D. hopeful

31．A. Thanks to B. In spite of C. Except for 　　　 D. But for

32．A. home 　　　 B. house 　　　 C. ability 　　　 　　D. lesson

33．A. choice 　　 B. failure 　　　 C. past　 　　 　　D. present

34．A. doubt about 　　 B. call on 　　 C. center on　　 D. believe in

35．A. born B. accepted 　 C. educated　　 D. deserted

When a group of children politely stop a conversation with you, saying: “We have to go to work now,” you’re left feeling surprised and certainly uneasy. After all, this is the 1990s and the idea of children working is just unthinkable. That is, until you are told that they are all pupils of stage schools, and that the “work” they go off to is to go on the stage in a theatre.

　　Stage schools often act as agencies（代理机构）to supply children for stage and television work. More worthy of the name “stage school” are those few places where children attend full time, with a training for the theatre and a general education.

　　A visit to such schools will leave you in no doubt that the children enjoy themselves. After all, what lively children wouldn’t settle for spending only half the day doing ordinary school work, and acting, singing or dancing their way through the other half of the day?

　Then of course there are times for the children to make a name and make a little money in some big shows. Some stage schools give their children too much professional work at such a young age. But the law is very tight on the amount they can do. Those under 13 are limited to 40 days in the year; those over 13 to 80 days.

　The schools themselves admit that not all children will be successful in the profession for which they are being trained. So what happens to those who don’t make it? While all the leading schools say they place great importance on children getting good study results, the facts seem to suggest this is not always the case.

　People would stop feeling uneasy when realizing that the children they’re talking to________.

　　  A. attend a stage school　　　　  B. are going to the theatre

　　  C. have got some work to do 　　  D. love singing and dancing

　　 In the writer’s opinion, a good stage school should ________.

　　  A. produce star performers

　　  B. help pupils improve their study skills

　　  C. train pupils in language and performing arts

　　  D. provide a general education and stage training.

　“Professional work” as used in the text means ________.

　　  A. ordinary school work　　　　　  B. money-making performances

　　  C. stage training at school 　 　  D. acting, singing or dancing after class

　 Which of the following best describes how the writer feels about stage schools?

　　  A. He thinks highly of what they have to offer.　　　　

　　  B. He favours an early start in the training of performing arts.

　　  C. He feels uncomfortable about children putting on night shows.

　　  D. He doubts the standard of ordinary education they have reached.

The easy way out isn’t always easiest. I learned that lesson when I decided to treat Doug, my husband of one month, to a special meal. I glanced through my cookbook and chose a menu which included homemade bread. Knowing the bread would take time, I started on it as soon as Doug left for work. As I was not experienced in cooking, I thought if a dozen was good, two dozen would be better, so I doubled everything. As Doug loved oranges, I also opened a can of orange and poured it all into the bowl. Soon there was a sticky dough (面团) covered with ugly yellowish marks. Realizing I had been defeated, I put the dough in the rubbish bin outside so I wouldn't have to face Doug laughing at my work, I went on preparing the rest of the meal, and, when Doug got home, we sat down to Cornish chicken with rice. He tried to enjoy the meal but seemed disturbed. Twice he got up and went outside, saying he thought he heard a noise. The third time he left, I went to the windows to see what he was doing. Looking out, I saw Doug standing about three feet from the rubbish bin, holding the lid up with a stick and looking into the container. When I came out of the house, he dropped the stick and explained that there was something alive in our rubbish bin. Picking up the stick again, he held the lid up enough for me to see. I felt cold. But I stepped closer and looked harder. Without doubt it was my work. The hot sun had caused the dough to double in size and the fermenting yeast (酵母) made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing. I had to admit what the ‘living thing’ was and why it was there. I don’t know who was more embarrassed by the whole thing, Doug or me.　　

1.The writer’s purpose in writing this story is ________.

　　A. to tell an interesting experience

　　B. to show the easiest way out of a difficulty

　　C. to describe the trouble facing a newly married woman

　　D. to explain the difficulty of learning to cook from books

2.Why did the woman’s attempt at making the bread turn out to be unsuccessful?

　　A. The canned orange had gone bad.

　　B. She didn’t use the right kind of flour.

　　C. The cookbook was hard to understand.

　　D. She did not follow the directions closely.

3.Why did the woman put the dough in the rubbish bin?

　　A. She didn’t see the use of keeping it

　　B. She meant to joke with her husband.

　　C. She didn’t want her husband to see it.

　　D. She hoped it would soon dry in the sun.

4.What made the dough in the rubbish bin look frightening?

　　A. The rising and falling movement.

　　B. The strange-looking marks.

　　C. Its shape.

　　D. Its size.

5.When Doug went out the third time, the woman looked out of the window because she was  ________.

　　A. surprised at his being interested in the bin

　　B. afraid that he would discover her secret

　　C. unhappy that he didn't enjoy the meal

　　D. curious to know what disturbed him