Two years ago, Shirley, wife, mother and doctor, found herself worn out. She got up earlier, and went to bed later, just to meet everyday ， but lacked for the things that mattered most.
She and her husband, a lawyer, began searching for ways to their lives. “We had to decide what was really ，” says Shirley. They knew they wanted more time to with their threeyearold son, to exercise and eat right, and to develop friendship.
So the couple chose to live more simply, shopping with care for necessities and enjoying inexpensive such as reading, cooking and going to the park.
Then Shirley her job and began working part time. She printed business cards that “At your service, buy a little time” and helped clients (客户) with personal tasks like shopping, paying bills and parties. “I still work hard, but being able to control my hours makes a ，” she says, “I can spare time to take my son to the or play basketball with him. My stress and headaches are .”
Shirley and her husband are alone in wanting to and live a satisfying life. A survey found that 54 percent of parents say they have little time with their children, and 47 percent of married couples that they lack time together. does the time go?
For most people, and muting (通勤) take up most of the day. Simplifying means being of the ways we use money, time and energy, and finding ways to make things easier. Then we have to gain over life and have time for the pleasures.
【小题1】A．activitiesB．servicesC．demandsD．exercises【小题2】A．timeB．strengthC．moneyD．ability【小题3】A．leadB．simplifyC．adaptD．consider【小题4】A．fortableB．interestingC．importantD．hard【小题5】A．studyB．helpC．meetD．play【小题6】A．pleasuresB．placesC．tasksD．goods【小题7】A．foundB．receivedC．tookD．quit【小题8】A．readB．wroteC．showedD．told【小题9】A．usB．yourselfC．childrenD．herself【小题10】A．attendingB．organizingC．havingD．going【小题11】A．lifeB．resultC．balanceD．difference【小题12】A．officeB．hospitalC．parkD．school【小题13】A．goneB．betterC．strongD．obvious【小题14】A．a bitB．far fromC．much tooD．more than【小题15】．A．keep paceB．settle downC．take offD．slow down【小题16】A．expectB．doubtC．plainD．imagine【小题17】A．HowB．WhenC．WhereD．Why【小题18】A．travelingB．readingC．shoppingD．working【小题19】A．awareB．afraidC．proudD．sure【小题20】A．valueB．controlC．successD．experienceC
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(答案→)C
解析：文章大意：本文是一篇夹叙夹议文。文章主要介绍了Shirley夫妇为了追求更简单的生活方式，辞掉工作做起了兼职，为私人购物、付款、组织聚会等。他们在自己享受生活的同时也给他人提供了便利。生活简单化就意味着我们要知道所花钱、时间和精力的方式，然后找到使事情变简单的方式。
【小题1】C 考察名词辨析。A活动；B服务；C要求，需求；D运动；由语境可知，她早期晚睡是为了满足工作中的需要。Meet demands是固定搭配，语意为满足要求。与第四段第一句相呼应。故C正确。
【小题2】A 考察名词辨析。根据第二段They knew they wanted more time to...可知辞掉工作之前她没有太多的时间去做最重要的事情。故A正确。
【小题3】答案：A 考查名词辨析。根据第二段“They knew they wanted more time to...”可知，辞掉工作前她没有太多时间去做最重要的事情。故A项正确。
【小题4】B 考察动词辨析。A导致，领导；B简化；C使…适应；D考虑；根据文章第三段中so the couple chose to live more simply可知，他们夫妇两人项部分使生活更简单一些。故B正确。
【小题5】C 考察形容词辨析。A舒服的；B有趣的；C重要的；D艰难的；根据第一段中the things that mattered most以及下午with their three-year-old son可知Shirly认为他们应该判断什么才是重要的事情。故C正确。
【小题6】答案：D 考查动词辨析。由语境可知，他们希望有更多的时间和三岁的儿子一起玩。play with sb.意为“和某人玩”，符合语境。故D项正确。
【小题7】A 考察名词辨析。Reading, cooking and going to the park可知，他们享受这廉价的快乐（pleasure）。故A正确。
【小题8】答案：D 考查动词辨析。find发现；receive接受；take拿；quit辞职。根据下文“... began working part time”可知，此处指她辞职了。故D项正确。
【小题9】A 考察动词辨析。A阅读，读取；B写；C表明；D告诉；由语境可知此处指她在名片上写着为您服务。一般纸上所写内容使用动词read。故A正确。
【小题10】B 考察代词辨析。根据下文中的helped clients wiyj personal tasks可知她再名片下面写着：为您服务，给你自己省点时间。故B正确。
【小题11】B 考察动词辨析。由语境可知，她的工作是私人购物，付款，组织聚会等.B组织，C有；D去；A参加。根据句义说明B正确。
【小题12】D 考察名词辨析。由语境可知辞掉工作以后Shirly有更多的时间做自己认为重要的事情，虽然仍旧需要努力工作，但现在能够控制自己的时间对Shirly来说意义重大。更多搭配make a difference有作用，有影响符合语境。
【小题13】C 考察名词辨析。由语境可知，此处指能抽出时间来带儿子去公园和儿子一起打篮球。此处与play basketball为并列关系。故C正确。
【小题14】A 考察形容词辨析。由语境可知，生活方式的改变让她的压力和头疼都消失了。Be gone消失了，不见了。符合语境。故A正确。
【小题15】答案：B 考查短语辨析。a bit一点儿；far from远非；much too太，非常；more than多于。联系下文调查中“54 percent”和“47 percent”可知，并非只有Shirley夫妇想放慢生活的节奏，过一种更舒服的生活。故B项正确。
【小题16】D 考察动词短语辨析。A并驾齐驱；B定居；C起飞；D减速；根据下文 does the time go?可知此处指放慢生活节奏。故D正确。
【小题17】C 考察动词辨析。A期待；B怀疑；C抱怨；D想象；由语境可知百分之47的已婚夫妇抱怨他们在一起的时间太少。故C正确。
【小题18】C 考察副词用法。联系语境可知，此处是问时间都去哪里了？故C正确。
【小题19】D 考察动词辨析。由语境及大多数的人来说，工作和乘坐公交车上下班占用了一天中的大部分时间。故D正确。
【小题20】A 考察形容词辨析。Arare知道的，意识到；B担心的；C自豪的；D确信的；句义：生活简单化就意味着我们要知道所花钱，时间和精力的方式。与下文中的and finding ways to为并列关系。故A正确。
【小题1】B 考察名词辨析。A价值；B控制；C成功；D经历，经验；由语境可知，我们应该寻找一些方法来使事情更容易一些。然后我们就必须控制自己的生活以获取娱乐的时间，与上文第四段but being able to control相呼应。故B正确。