Text 5

When I decided to quit my fulltime employment it never occurred to me that I might become a part of a new international trend. A lateral move that hurt my pride and blocked my professional progress prompted me to abandon my relatively high profile career although, in the manner of a disgraced government minister, I covered my exit by claiming “I wanted to spend more time with my family”.

Curiously, some twoandahalf years and two novels later, my experiment in what the Americans term “downshifting”has turned my tired excuse into an absolute reality. I have been transformed from a passionate advocate of the philosophy of “having it all”, preached by Linda Kelsey for the past seven years in the page of She magazine, into a woman who is happy to settle for a bit of everything.

I have discovered, as perhaps Kelsey will after her muchpublicized resignation from the editorship of She after a build up of stress, that abandoning the doctrine of “juggling your life”, and making the alternative move into “downshifting”brings with it far greater rewards than financial success and social status. Nothing could persuade me to return to the kind of life Kelsey used to advocate and I once enjoyed: 12hour working days, pressured deadlines, the fearful strain of office politics and the limitations of being a parent on “quality time”.

In America, the move away from juggling to a simpler, less materialistic lifestyle is a wellestablished trend. Downshifting—also known in America as “voluntary simplicity”—has, ironically, even bred a new area of what might be termed anticonsumerism. There are a number of bestselling downshifting selfhelp books for people who want to simplify their lives; there are newsletters, such as The Tightwad Gazette, that give hundreds of thousands of Americans useful tips on anything from recycling their clingfilm to making their own soap; there are even support groups for those who want to achieve the mid’90s equivalent of dropping out.

While in America the trend started as a reaction to the economy decline—after the mass redundancies caused by downsizing in the late’80s—and is still linked to the politics of thrift, in Britain, at least among the middleclass downshifters of my acquaintance, we have different reasons for seeking to simplify our lives.

For the women of my generation who were urged to keep juggling through the’80s,downshifting in the mid’90s is not so much a search for the mythical good life—growing your own organic vegetables, and risking turning into one—as a personal recognition of your limitations.

67．Which of the following is true according to paragraph 1?

［A］Fulltime employment is a new international trend.

［B］The writer was compelled by circumstances to leave her job.

［C］“A lateral move”means stepping out of fulltime employment.

［D］The writer was only too eager to spend more time with her family.

68．The writer’s experiment shows that downshifting.

［A］enables her to realize her dream

［B］helps her mold a new philosophy of life

［C］prompts her to abandon her high social status

［D］leads her to accept the doctrine of She magazine

69. “Juggling one’s life” probably means living a life characterized by .

［A］nonmaterialistic lifestyle［B］a bit of everything

［C］extreme stress［D］anticonsumerism

70．According to the passage, downshifting emerged in the U.S. as a result of .

［A］the quick pace of modern life［B］man’s adventurous spirit

［C］man’s search for mythical experiences［D］the economic situation

核心词汇：

absolute［5AbsElu:t］a.绝对的，完全的；确实的，肯定的（ab不+solute→决不松开→绝对的）

acquaintance［E5kweintEns］n.认识，相识，了解；相识的人，熟人（acquaint告知+ance名词后缀→熟悉）

adventurous［Ed5ventFErEs］a.喜冒险的；充满危险的(adventur（e）冒险+ous形容词后缀）

alternative［C:l5tE:nEtiv］n.两者择一，抉择(alternate交替＋ive形容词后缀→二者择一的)

block［blCk］n.大块木（石）料;街区;障碍物v.阻塞,拦阻

cling［kliN］v.(to)粘住;依附;坚持

compel［kEm5pel］v.强迫,迫使(com共同+pel推→一起推→强迫)

curious［5kjuEriEs］a.好奇的, 求知的, 古怪的, 爱挑剔的（cur+ious形容词后缀→关心的，好奇的）；curiously (ad.好奇地；奇怪地）←curious+ly

deadline［5dedlain］n.最后期限（dead+line）

doctrine［5dCktrin］n.教条，教义；法律原则；声明（doctr教+in+e名词后缀→教的东西→教条）

equivalent［i5kwivElEnt］a.相等的,等价的n.相等物,等价物（equi+val力量+ent→力量平等→相等的）

juggle［5dVQgl］vi.玩戏法, 诓骗, 篡改vt.耍弄, 歪曲, 篡改n.玩戏法, 魔术, 欺骗 “拿扑克牌玩杂耍（juggle），引得大家咯咯（guggle）笑”，文中juggle引申为“忙忙碌碌”

lateral［5lAtErEl］a.旁边的，侧面的（later+al）later即单词“后来”，al词后缀，“后来者只能靠边站”→旁边的

minister［5ministE］n.部长,大臣（mini+ster→小人→古代大臣称自己是小人→部长，大臣）

passionate ［5pAFEnEt］a.充满热情的，即passion+ate，passion（激情；暴怒），ate此作形容词后缀

preach［pri:tF］v.宣讲(教义),布道;竭力鼓吹,宣传;说教

prompt［prCmpt］a.敏捷的,迅速的,即刻的v.激起,促进,推动

recognition［rekEg5niFEn］n.认出,辨认;承认（recogn+ition名词后缀）

redundancy［ri5dQndEnsi］n.冗余(red+und+ancy)，red（=re），und词根“多”，ancy名词后缀，“越来越（re）多”→冗余。同根词：abundant（丰富的）←ab加强前缀+und多+ant形容词后缀

resignation［rezig5neiFEn］n.辞职；听天由命（resign+ation名词后缀）；resign（v.辞职；顺从）←re+sign，re前缀=away或=again，sign签署，故“签署后离开”→辞职，“再次签署”→顺从

simplify［5simplifai］v.简化,使单纯

strain［5strein］v.拉紧;紧张;扭伤;竭尽全力n.拉紧;负担

thrift［Wrift］a.节约，节俭；繁荣.可记：“节俭”导致“繁荣”；thrifty（节俭的；繁荣的）←thrift+y形容词后缀。thrift→thrive（v.繁荣），类似变化的单词有theft（n.偷）→thieve（v.偷）

难句分析：

难句1 Alateral move that hurt my pride and blocked my professional progress promoted me to abandon my relatively high profile career although, in the manner of a disgraced government minister, I covered my exit by claiming “I wanted to spend more time with my family”.

［分析］此句主干是“a lateral move promoted me to...”。其中that hurt my pride and blocked my professional progress是a lateral move的定语，although, in the manner of a disgraced government minister, I covered my exit by claiming “I wanted to spend more time with my family”是状语，其中逗号之间的in the manner of a disgraced government minister是插入语。

［译文］一次平级的人事调动伤了我的自尊心，并阻断了我的事业发展，这促使我放弃自己地位较高的职业，尽管就像面子扫尽的政府部长那样，我也掩饰说“我只想与家人更多的呆在一起”。

难句2 Curiously, some twoandahalf years and two novels later, my experiment in what the Americans term “downshifting”has turned my tired excuse into an absolute reality.

［分析］此句主干是“... my experiment... has turned my tired excuse into an absolute reality”。注意其谓语是一个turn sth. into sth.的结构。前面两个逗号之间的是时间状语。

［译文］奇怪的是，大约两年半的时间我写完两部小说后，我这个被美国人称为“放慢生活节奏”的试验，却使我老掉牙的借口变成了现实。

难句3 I have discovered, as perhaps Kelsey will after her muchpublicized resignation from the editorship of She after a buildup of stress, that abandoning the doctrine of “juggling your life”, and making the alternative move into “downshifting”brings with it far greater rewards than financial success and social status.

［分析］此句中I have discovered是主句的主谓结构，that abandoning the doctrine of “juggling your life”, and making the alternative move into “downshifting”brings with it far greater rewards than financial success and social status是主句的宾语，其中abandoning the doctrine of “juggling your life”, and making the alternative move into “downshifting”为该宾语从句的主语，brings为谓语。as perhaps Kelsey will after her muchpublicized resignation from the editorship of She after a buildup of stress既是伴随状语，又是插入语，其主语为Kelsey，谓语为will，而after her muchpublicized resignation from the editorship of She after a buildup of stress是本插入语中的时间状语。

［译文］我已经发现（由于压力过大，凯茜已公开宣称辞去《她》杂志编辑的职务，在这之后她也许会有同样发现），放弃“忙忙碌碌”的生活哲学，转而过一种“放慢生活节奏”的生活所带来的回报，比经济成功和社会地位更有价值。

难句4 Downshifting—also known in America as “voluntary simplicity”—has, ironically, even bred a new area of what might be termed anticonsumerism.

［分析］此句主干是“Downshifting has bred a new area...”，破折号之间的是插入结构，ironically也是插入语，可放在句首，what相当于thought which。

［译文］具有讽刺意味的是，“放慢生活节奏”——在美国也称“甘愿简朴”——甚至孕育了一个崭新的、可称之为反消费主义的生活方式。

难句5 For the women of my generation who were urged to keep juggling through the ’80s, downshifting in the mid’90s is not so much a search for the mythical good life—growing your own organic vegetables, and risking turning into one—as a personal recognition of your limitations.

［分析］此句主干是“... downshifting in the mid’90s is not...”。其中who were urged to keep juggling through the ’80s是修饰the women of my generation的定语从句。growing your own organic vegetables, and risking turning into one既是插入语，又是the mythical good life的同位语。本句中not so much A（a search for the mythical good life）as B（a personal recognition of your limitations）的句式含义，即“与其说是A，不如说是B”。

［译文］对我们这一代女性来说，整个80年代我们曾被迫忙碌地生活，90年代中期的简化生活与其说是寻找那种自己种有机蔬菜并试图与之合一的神话般美好生活，还不如说是对我们自身局限性的认识。

文章类型：人文科学——生活态变的转变

本文的主题是慢节奏（downshifting）的生活方式。作者以第一人称的口吻叙述了自身生活方式转变的过程，谈及慢节奏的生活方式在美国的发展情况，并剖析了这种现象背后的原因。

试题解析：

67. 根据第一段，下面哪项说法正确？

［A］ 全职工作是一种新的国际潮流。

［B］ 作者因环境所迫而辞去工作。

［C］ “一次平级调动”意味着退出专职工作。

［D］ 作者只是太想多花时间与其家人在一起了。

判断题【正确答案】 ［B］

作者在第一段中说明她放弃工作时，根本没想到自己会成为一种新兴时尚的一分子，她辞职是因为一次平级的人事调动伤害了她的自尊心，妨碍了她的事业发展。可见，作者的辞职是出于环境所迫，所以［B］项是正确答案。

68. 作者的实践表明：降低节奏。

［A］ 使她能够实现自己的梦想

［B］ 帮助她形成了一种新的人生观

［C］ 促使她放弃了自己很高的社会地位

［D］ 使她接受了《她》杂志所倡导的生活哲学

细节事实题【正确答案】 ［B］

第二段中作者提到自己已经是一个由信奉“拥有一切”生活哲学的人转变或一个知足常乐的人，对于作者而言，“慢节奏”的生活方式是一种新的生活哲学。因此选择［B］项。

69. “Juggling one’s life”可能指的是过一种具有特性的生活。

［A］ 不追求物质利益的生活方式［B］ 很容易满足

［C］ 极度紧张［D］ 反消费主义

词汇题【正确答案】 ［C］

在第三段第一句，juggling one’s life与downshifting恰好是相对立的两种生活方式，说明她从a buildup of stress取得的financial success and social status远不及downshifting给她带来的回报多，因此选择［C］项。

70. 根据本文的观点，美国出现放慢生活节奏的原因是。

［A］ 现代生活的快节奏［B］ 人们的冒险精神

［C］ 人们对神话般生活体验的追求［D］ 经济形势

细节事实题【正确答案】 ［D］

第五段第一句话指出，在美国，产生这种慢节奏生活方式是源于20世纪80年代末期因为经济萧条而进行的裁员。当时采取这种措施是为了应对这种经济衰退。因此选择［D］项。

全文翻译：

当我决定辞去自己的全日制工作时绝没有想到，自己竟成了一种新的国际性潮流的一分子。一次平级的人事调动伤了我的自尊心，并阻断了我的事业发展，这促使我放弃自己地位较高的职业，尽管就像面子扫尽的政府部长那样，我也掩饰说“我只想与家人更多的呆在一起”。

奇怪的是，大约两年半的时间我写完两部小说后，我这个被美国人称为“放慢生活节奏”的试验，却使我老掉牙的借口变成了现实。我已从一个“拥有一切”哲学（琳达·凯茜过去七年中在《她》这本杂志所宣扬的）的狂热支持者，变成了一个知足常乐的女人。

我已经发现（由于压力过大，凯茜已公开宣称辞去《她》杂志编辑的职务，在这之后她也许会有同样发现），放弃“忙忙碌碌”的生活哲学，转而过一种“放慢生活节奏”的生活所带来的回报，比经济成功和社会地位更有价值。什么也说服不了我回到过去那种凯茜所宣扬的、我也曾自得其乐的生活中去：每天12小时的工作日，压得人喘不过气来的最后期限，可怕而紧张的办公室的尔虞我诈，在“最佳时期”为人父母的限制。

第一至第三段：作者介绍了自己从忙碌生活过渡到悠闲生活的缘由，及经过。

在美国，摆脱忙碌，转而过一种简单、更远离物质化的生活已成明确趋势。具有讽刺意味的是，“放慢生活节奏”——在美国也称“甘愿简朴”——甚至孕育了一个崭新的、可称之为反消费主义的生活方式。对于那些想简单生活的人来说，有许多很畅销的帮你轻松生活的自助书籍；有各种简讯，例如省钱简报，会给美国人提供成千上万条有用的点子去做事，从保鲜膜的再利用到自制肥皂；甚至还有一些支援性团体，帮人按90年代中期脱离传统社会的人的生活方式去生活。

第四段：通过举例论证，简单悠闲生活已经在美国成为一种趋势。

在美国，这种趋势一开始是对经济衰落所做出的一种反应——出现于20世纪80年代后期，企业缩小经济规模所引起的大规模裁员——也与节俭的观点密切相连；在英国，至少在我所熟悉的中产阶级慢节奏生活的人中，我们对于为什么寻求简朴的生活有不同的原因。

第五段：作者指出赞成这种趋势的原因。

对我们这一代女性来说，整个80年代我们曾被迫忙碌地生活，90年代中期的简化生活与其说是寻找那种自己种有机蔬菜并试图与之合一的神话般美好生活，还不如说是对我们自身局限性的认识。

第六段：指明作者追求闲适生活的真正原因。