Unit 1 Changes in the Way We Live

Content Questions 1.Write and live on a farm.

2. Because they grow nearly all of their fruits and vegetables. They have enough eggs, honey and wood. They are very close to nature and can enjoy the beautiful scenery. Besides, they can go skiing and skating in winter.

3. No. Sometimes the good life can get pretty tough.

4. They were buried under five feet of snow from December through March.

5. When then first spring came, it brought two floods. The second flood refers to the good harvest in the growing season.

6. He decided to quit his job and start to freelance.

7. He has to crawl into black-bear dens for “Sports Illustrated”, hitch up dogsled racing teams for “Smithsonian” magazine, check out the Lake Champlain “monster” for “Science Digest”, and canoe through the Boundary Waters wilderness area of Minnesota for “Destinations”.

8. As for insurance, they have only bought a poor man’s major medical policy and the policy on their own cars.

9. They cut back their expenses without appreciably lowering their standard of living. For example, they patronize local restaurants instead of more expensive places in the city. They still attend the opera and ballet but only a few times a year. They eat less meat, drink cheaper wine and see fewer movies.

10. A tolerance for solitude and lots of energy.

11. They will leave with a feeling of sorrow but also with a sense of pride at what they’ve been able to accomplish.

12. They chose to live in the country because they want to improve the quality of their lives. Yes, they have finally realized their dream.

Text Organization 1. Part One Paras. 1-3 The writer views his life in the country as a self-reliant and satisfying one.

Part Two Paras. 4-7 Life in the country is good yet sometimes very hard.

Part Three Paras. 8-11 After quitting his job, the writer’s income was reduced, but he and his family were able to manage to get by.