Zoe Chambers was a successful PR (Public Relations) consultant (顾问) and life was going well—she had a great job, a beautiful flat and a busy social life in London. Then one evening in June last year, she received a text message telling her she was out of work. “The first two weeks were the most difficult to live through,” she said. “After everything I’d done for the company, they dismissed me by text! I was so angry and I just didn’t feel like looking for another job. I hated everything about the city and my life.”
Then, Zoe received an invitation from an old school friend, Kathy, to come and stay. Kathy and her husband, Huw, had just bought a farm in northwest Wales. Zoë jumped at the chance to spend a weekend away from London, and now, ten months later, she is still on the farm.
“The moment I arrived at Kathy’s farm, I loved it and I knew I wanted to stay,”said Zoe.“Everything about my past life suddenly seemed meaningless.”
Zoe has been working on the farm since October of last year and says she has no regrets. “It’s a hard life, physically very tiring,” she says.“In London I was stressed and often mentally exhausted. But this is a good, healthy tiredness. Here, all I need to put me in a good mood is a hot bath and one of Kathy’s wonderful dinners.”
Zoe says she has never felt bored on the farm. Every day brings a new experience. Kathy has been teaching her how to ride a horse and she has learnt to drive a tractor. Since Christmas, she has been helping with the lambing—watching a lamb being born is unbelievable, she says,“It’s one of the most moving experiences I’ve ever had. I could never go back to city life now.”
1. When she worked as a PR consultant in London, Zoë thought she lived a life.
A. meaningless B. tough C. boring D. satisfying
2. The most important reason why Zoe went to visit Kathy’s farm is that .
A. Kathy persuaded her to do so B. Zoe lost her job as a PR consultant
C. Zoe got tired of the city life D. Zoe loved Wales more than London
3. How does Zoe feel about the country life according to the passage?
A. Physically tiring but rewarding. B. Romantic and peaceful.
C. Mentally exhausting but healthy. D. Tiresome and troublesome
4. Which of the following is closest to the main idea of the passage?
A.A friend in need is a friend indeed. B. A misfortune may turn out a blessing.
C. Kill two birds with one stone. D. Where there is a will, there is a way.
A new book about Chinese-style tough parenting has caused debate in the US．Amy Chua, the author of Battle Hymn （颂歌）of the Tiger Mother, is a Chinese-American professor at Yale Law School, also a mother of two．
The 36 methods she used with her daughters would seem 37 to Westerners．In school her daughters weren't allowed to have grades 38 than As．They had to 39 playing the piano or violin even for hours a day．
There has been wide criticism (批评) of Chua's book in the US．"It's a(n) 40 way of parenting," said a professor at New York University, "standards of parenting need to be 41 ．Children need parents to 42 them, not to force them to do things they're probably not interested in．”
Now the criticism seems to have 43 to China．Sun Yunxiao, an expert from the China Youth and Children Research Center spoke to The Beijing News about his 44 . He argued Chua's method of 45 would limit children from developing their full 46 ．"Some Chinese parents do focus too much on test scores and good degrees," Sun said, "What gets sacrificed (放弃) along the way is their kids’ 47 to develop fully and to enjoy life．"
48 critics(批评家)might have sympathy for kids who experience this parenting style, some teenagers quite 49 it．"I think anyone can do well if they work hard enough,” said a 17-year-old boy, "A 50 mother is there to help her kids work hard．"
Others think that Chua has a（n） 51 in setting challenging goals for kids．"It's important for children,” said an American professor, " 52 speaking , kids need to be 53 sometimes．If you urge kids to do well, they are good at it, and they 54 from it．It's good to have high 55 ．”
1.A．rough B．reasonable C．vivid D．strict
2.A．unnecessary B．uncomfortable C．uninteresting D．unimaginable
3.A．higher B．fewer C．less D．lower
4.A．drill B．practise C．exercise D．experience
5.A．skilful B．extreme C．excellent D．merciful
6.A．practical B．high C．convenient D．low
7.A．replace B．love C．force D．guide
8.A．spread B．belonged C．turned D．referred
9.A．concern B．delight C．caution D.regulation
10.A．caring B．fond C．supporting D．parenting
11.A．goal B．potential C．achievement D．possibility
12.A．strength B．power C．force D．ability
13.A．Why B．Because C．While D．What
14.A．resist B． state C．object D．appreciate
15.A．lion B．monkey C．tiger D．sheep
16.A．angle B．point C．opinion D．view
17.A．Honestly B．Positively C．Hopefully D．Finally
18.A．pushed B．picked C．lifted D．dragged
19.A．count B．work C．help D．benefit
20.A．levels B．expectations C.marks D．results
-- We don’t think we’ll be able to go mountain-climbing tomorrow.
—______ the weather turns out fine?
A. How come B. How about C. What if D. Why not
Cheer up, Maria! You can also enjoy _____ you have been dreaming of, if you don’t lose heart.
A. as a convenient life as B. as convenient a life as
C. as a life convenient as D. convenient as a life as
The medicine won't cure the disease -- it ________stops the pain.
A. likely B. merely C. abruptly D. apparently
The people who objected to cloning human beings went on strike and _________ the traffic.
A. cut through B. faded out C. held on D. held up
