A
Nine years ago, Catrina Davies, a Cambridge graduate, was living in a houseshare in Bristol.Constant worrying about paying the rent was making her ill with stress and she longed to get back to the Cornwall’s Penwith peninsula (半岛) where she grew up.Priced out of the housing market, she took the final decision to go to live in a shabby, stand-alone shed which her father once used as his office.
“It was full of mice and spiders and there was no electricity, toilet, heating or shower,” Catrina remembers.She survived the first year without electricity and still only uses ten pounds-worth a month.
Over the years, Catrina has upgraded her modest shed with second-hand windows and doors and had a wood burner installed.Her oven is a camping stove outdoors and she does without a fridge by keeping easily spoiled food outside in a Tupperware box.She buys milk from a local farm to make yogurt and grows fresh herbs, salad and vegetables.
Having such an outdoor lifestyle, she’s painfully aware of climate change.“I’ve noticed fewer songbirds and owls.Winters are warmer and weather patterns seem to be changed.The fishermen say there are fewer mackerel (鲭鱼) too.”
“Plastic pollution in the sea fills me with extreme sadness and anger,” she continues.“And the Amazon rainforest is being burned to the ground because of our desire for an endless supply of cheap burgers and cheap leather.Our ecology and housing crises are both symptoms of human greed.”
“To save the planet, we all need to fundamentally change the way we live.Although giving up meat, lots of cheap goods, driving and flying may seem like a sacrifice, it could actually make us all a lot happier in the long run.Many studies show that materialistic tendencies are linked to decreased life satisfaction.When I first moved here, it was only meant to be a stopgap.Six years later, I can’t imagine living any other way.”
1. What mainly leads to Catrina Davies’ choice of living in a shed?
A. The decision to escape high housing rents.
B. The desire of pursuing materialistic enjoyment.
C. The attempt to protect the ecological environment.
D. The longing for unique surroundings in her hometown.
2. What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?
A. Plastic pollution is closely linked to the climate change.
B. Human desire for wealth helps promote life satisfaction.
C. It is fundamental to meet people’s materialistic needs.
D. It will pay off to change the way people live.
3. What is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To convey the public’s concern about the climate change.
B. To advertise the living environment in Catrina’s hometown
C. To analyze the close relation between human greed and social problems.
D. To introduce Catrina’s experience and her appeal for eco-friendly lifestyle.
【答案】1. A 2. D 3. D
【解析】
本文是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了由于房价过高，剑桥大学毕业生Catrina Davies住进父亲曾经作为办公室的一间破旧的独立小屋，过着简朴的生活。她希望人们改变生活方式，从而拯救地球。
【1题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章第一段“Priced out of the housing market, she took the final decision to go to live in a shabby, stand-alone shed which her father once used as his office.(由于房价过高，她最终决定住进父亲曾经作为办公室的一间破旧的独立小屋。)”可知，Catrina Davies选择住在小屋里是为了逃避高昂的房租。故选A。
【2题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章最后两段，特别是最后一段中的“To save the planet, we all need to fundamentally change the way we live. Although giving up meat, lots of cheap goods, driving and flying may seem like a sacrifice, it could actually make us all a lot happier in the long run. (为了拯救地球，我们都需要从根本上改变我们的生活方式。虽然放弃吃肉、大量廉价商品、开车和乘飞机似乎是一种牺牲，但从长远来看，它实际上会让我们大家都更快乐。)”可知，人类的贪婪导致生态和住房危机，只有改变人们的生活方式，才能拯救地球。从而推断改变人们的生活方式是值得的。故选D。
【3题详解】
推理判断题。根据全文内容可知，文章主要讲述了由于房价过高，剑桥大学毕业生Catrina Davies住进父亲曾经作为办公室的一间破旧的独立小屋，过着简朴的生活。她希望人们改变生活方式，从而拯救地球。从而推断出，本文的主要目的是介绍Catrina的经历和她对环保生活方式的呼吁。故选D。
