Unit1

Changes in the Way We Live

1.The song is about taking a break from city life, escaping from the crowds. 2.According to the song, people living in cities can find relief out in the country when life becomes too fast and they need more room to move.3.The countryside also promises escape from the pollution of the city, somewhere to get some decent air to breathe far away from the smog. 4.From what we have heard we can see that the song is related to the theme of this unit – changes in the way we lives.

1.What are the two things that the writer has always wanted to do? Write and live on a farm.2.Why does the writer think that his life in the country is of the self-reliant type and satisfying? Because they grow nearly all of their fruits and vegetables. They have enough eggs, honey and wood. On the other hand, they are very close to nature and can enjoy the beautiful scenery. Besides, they can go skiing and skating in winter. 3.Is life in the country easy for the writer and his family? No. Sometimes the good life can get pretty tough.

4.What was their first winter like? They were buried under five feet of snow from December through March. 5.What happened when the first spring came? Of the two floods the author describes, what does the second one actually refer to? When the first spring came, it brought two floods. The second flood refers to the good harvest in the growing season. 6.What decision did the writer make in the following year? He decided to quit his job and start to freelance.

7.What does the writer have to do in order to write his stories? He has to crawl into black-bear dens for Sport 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.Insurance is important to an American family. How do the Dohertys cope with this problem? As for insurance, they have only bought a poor man’s majormedical insurance policy and the policy on their two cars.

9.How do the writer and his family manage to live on a comparatively low income in the country? They cut back their expenses without appreciably lowering their standards 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.What does the writer think are the special qualities necessary for leading a life the way they do? A tolerance for solitude and lots of energy.

11.How does the writer think he and his family will feel when they have to leave the farm someday? They will leave with a feeling of sorrow but also with a sense of pride at what they’ve been able to accomplish.12.Why did the writer and his family choose to live in the country? Have they finally realized their dream? They choose to live in the country because they want to im

prove the quality of their lives. They have finally realized their dream.

Paragraphs Main Ideas 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 he quit his job, the writer’s income was reduced, but he and his family can manage to get by. Part Four Paras. 12-15 A tolerance for solitude and a lot of energy have made it possible for the family to enjoy their life in the country.

Parts Part One

Happy Moments and Events 1)growing nearly all their fruits and vegetables 2)canoeing, picnicking, long bicycle rides, etc 3)keeping warm inside the house in winter 4)writing freelance articles5)earning enough money while maintaining a happy family life

Hardships 1)working hard both in winter and in summer 2)harsh environment and weather condition 3)anxious moments after the writer quit his job 4)cutting back on daily expenses 5)solitude

1)on balance 2)resist 3)haul 4)wicked 5)illustrated 6)budget 7)lowering 8)boundary 9)involved 10)economic 11)blasting 12)just about

1)cut back / down 2)pick up 3)get by 4)get through 5)face up to 6)turn in 7)making up for 8)think up

1)pursued his mathematical st udies and taught himself astro nomy. 2)often generate misleading t houghts. 3)attach great importance to c ombining theory with practice in our work. 4)be suspected of doing every thing for money. 5)before he gets through life.

1)their indoor a profit to invest in 2)device the improvement on a global scale 3)stacked temptation never dined out

1. house 2. home 3. home family 4. household 1. doubt 2. suspected 3. doubted 4. suspected 5. suspect

1) rise 2) final 3) regular 4) cash 5) hows and whys 6) upped 7) yellowed 8) bottled 9) lower 10) search

1) gets by 2) temptation 3) get through 4) improvement 5) aside from 6) suspect 7) supplement 8) profit 9) stacking

1) replaced 2) consider 3) quit 4) world 5) tough 6) fuels 7) provide 8) luxuries 9) balance 10) ideal

1)We have a problem with the computer system, but I think it is fairly minor. 2)My father died when I was too young to live on my own. The people of my hometown took over responsibility for my upbringing at that point. 3)the toys have to meet strict safety requirement s before they can be sold to children. 4)Radio and television have supplemented rather than replaced the newspaper as carriers of new and opinion. 5)When it comes to this magazine, it is a digest of articles from many newspapers and magazines a round the world.

A decade ago, Nancy did what so many Americans dream about. She quit an executive position and opened a household device store in her neighborhood. People like Nancy made the decision primarily for the improvement in the quality of their lives. But, to run a business on a small scale is by no means an easy job. Without her steady income, Nancy had to cut back on her daily expenses. Sometimes she did not even have the money to p

ay the premiums for the various kinds of insurance she needed. Fortunately, through her own hard work, she has now got through the most difficult time. She is determined to continue pursuing her vision of a better life.

A decade ago, Nancy did what so many Americans dream about. She quit an executive position and opened a household device store in her neighborhood. People like Nancy made the decision primarily for the improvement in the quality of their lives. But, to run a business on a small scale is by no means an easy job. Without her steady income, Nancy had to cut back on her daily expenses. Sometimes she did not even have the money to pay the premiums for the various kinds of insurance she needed. Fortunately, through her own hard work, she has now got through the most difficult time. She is determined to continue pursuing her vision of a better life.