4．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．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．"
9．When Daniel was a reporter，heD．
A．lived in central London
B．disliked his job
C．missed his children
D．was well paid
10．Daniel and Liz both agree that the move to the farmB．．
A．was easy to organize
B．has improved family life
C．was extremely expensive
D．have been a total success
11．What does the underlined"it"in the last paragraph refer to？C
A．Child-caring．
B．Liz's advice．
C．Downshifting．
D．Liz's job．
12．The underlined word"downshifting"in the second paragraph meansC．
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．
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．
解答 DBCC
9．D 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．
10．B 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．
11．C 词意理解题．推断题．由文章最后一句"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．"可知两个 it 所指内容相同，均指代 the same 所指内容，结合文章内容可知 Liz 的行为是 downshifting，故正确答案为C．
12．C 词意猜测题．根据短文所列举的Daniel和Liz的事例可判断出downshifting的意思是"把家搬到农村去，过一种简单而更好的生活．"答案为C．
点评 阅读理解题测试考生在阅读基础上的逻辑推理能力，要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释．考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点．
