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

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从第36至第55小题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

I’ve always loved pigeons （鸽子）. Some years ago I managed to persuade my wife to let me buy a few and started __36___ them myself. They cost a lot of money and so it spoiled our ____37___a bit, but my wife never actually stopped me so I ___38___ carried on. I learned so much about them that I could ___39____ a good racer anywhere and I bought beauties. My pigeons won some top races, and I even began to make a bit of ___40_____.

You see, people are prepared to pay big prices if they get to know that your pigeons are ___41____ big prizes.

My wife had been changing her ___42____ to the pigeons over the last year or two anyway. She was quite ___43____ of all prizes we’d won. Then there was a lot of travelling, which she liked. You see, someone has to take the pigeons a __44____ way off and release(释放) them. Some of the ___45___ were really nice. I never travelled. I used to like to wait at home and see them come in. They got the wonderful sense of __46____, which could bring them back home so quickly. They’d flown hundreds of miles sometimes ___47___ storms or against strong winds. And there they’d come, tiny white birds against the great ___48____. Then I’d watch them __49___ round and come down onto the landing shelf, I’d look at my watch and think, “ My goodness, that’s a good ____50__ .” And I’d take off the little leg ring and push it through the machine to ___51___ what time he’d arrive. Then my wife would ___52___up and say, “Has he arrived yet?” Then we would work out if we’d win___53___.

However, last year we had a ___54____! One of them got some sort of flu and died; then they all ___55____. It was terrible; I had to burn them all. We lost a fortune, of course.

 36.  A. racing      B. understanding     C. selling       D. flying

 37.  A. dream      B. work            C. life          D. hobby

 38.  A. just        B. even            C. almost        D. hardly

 39.  A. notice      B. learn            C. imagine      D. recognize

 40.  A. living       B. fun             C. money       D. change

 41.  A. losing       B. winning         C. giving       D. making

 42.  A. subject      B. decision         C. relation      D. attitude

 43.  A. proud       B. fond             C. careful      D. sure

 44.  A. different     B. long            C. short         D. far

 45.  A. distances    B. activities         C. trips         D. movements

 46.  A. direction     B. sight            C. hearing       D. touch

 47.  A. over        B. across            C. with         D. through

 48.  A. heaven      B. mountains        C. cloud         D. sky

 49.  A. turn         B. dance           C. circle         D. whistle

 50.  A. beginning    B. time             C. day          D. look

 51.  A. write        B. record           C. count         D. memory

 52.  A. come        B. show            C. phone        D. cheer

 53.  A. again        B. finally           C. only          D. accidentally

 54.  A. disadvantage  B. chance           C. problem       D. disaster

 55.  A. flew down    B. came down        C. let out        D. gave out

第二节：完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）

阅读下面的短文，从36-55各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项

A man came home from work late again, tired and annoyed, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.  "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"  "Yeah, sure, what is it?" replied the man. "Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?"  "That's  36  of your business. What makes you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.  "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?"  "If you  37  know, I make $20.00 an hour."  "Oh," the little boy replied, head bowed.  Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I  38  $10.00 please?"  The father was angry. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is that you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense,  39  you go straight to your room and  40  . Think about why you're being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such  41  games."

The little boy  42  went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even  43  about the little boy's questioning. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money. After an hour or so, the man had  44  down, and started to think he may have been a little  45  on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00 and  46  , he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the  47  of the little boy's room and opened it.

"Are you  48 , son?" he asked.  "No, daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.

"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the man.

"It's been a long day and I took my anger out on you. Here's that $10.00 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up,  "Oh, thank you daddy!" he yelled (大声喊) .

Then, reaching under his pillow, he  49  out some more crumpled up (皱的) bills. The man, 50  that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man. "Why did you want  51  money if you already had some? " the father complained.

"Because I didn't have  52  , but now I do," the little boy replied.

"Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I  53  an hour of your time?"

 54   $20.00 worth of time with someone you love...just a short reminder to all of us working so hard for our living.  55   , let us not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some quality time with those who really matter to us.

36    A. none       B. nothing      C. no      D. not

37    A. should       B. can     C. must   D. may

38    A. borrow      B. ask     C. demand      D. take

39    A. and     B. but     C. so       D. then

40   A. go to school      B. go to bed    C. go to study D. go to play

41    A. interesting  B. terrible       C. childish      D. puzzling

42    A. rapidly       B. quietly       C. noisily       D. happily

43    A. angrier       B. sadder C. more tired  D. more worried

44    A. looked       B. lay      C. sat      D. calmed

45    A. strict   B. hard    C. rude    D. cruel

46    A. after all      B. above all    C. at all   D. in all

47    A. window     B. bed     C. wall    D. door

48    A. OK     B. afraid  C. asleep D. clear

49    A. moved       B. carried       C. picked D. pulled

50    A. seeing B. watching    C. realizing     D. thinking

51    A. another      B. little   C. more   D. any

52    A. plenty B. much  C. enough       D. many

53    A. use     B. take    C. spend  D. buy

54    A. Sell    B. Share  C. Cost    D. Spare

55    A. Therefore   B. However    C. Or else       D. Otherwise