必修一Unit 4 earthquakes reading课时作业

　　难度★★★★

　　Ⅰ.完形填空

　　A year ago, when my siblings (兄弟姐妹) and I left home, my parents moved to the other side of the country. They had built a beautiful house and they love their new, pleasant __1__. My dad still works, but Mum __2__ early last year and is now __3__ and becoming increasingly unhappy and __4__. She has tried joining clubs, __5__ people and integrating (融入群体) into her new community but without any luck.

　　She still knows no one despite her best __6__. The area they have moved to is closed and __7__ to strangers. She is many miles from her old friends and family, __8__ all day, every day with only pets for company. She is very intelligent, artistic, loyal and funny - a truly amazing person. She has always had lovely friends and been __9__ and busy. It is breaking my heart to watch her __10__ loneliness and so many knock­backs (挫折)．

　　Recently, when I chat to her, I have noticed her low __11__ - she jokes that she feels as if she is __12__ a bit of craziness from the quiet and __13__. After many years of working and __14__ a family, she should be finally free to enjoy herself. __15__， my siblings and I do not live nearby so we cannot visit her frequently - we all keep in contact with her by phone. My dad doesn't understand her __16__ as he is out at work all day. He is busy with his job and cannot understand how she can be so unhappy when living in such a beautiful place and without the pressure of work. He is at a loss how he can __17__ things and feels guilty and __18__ for how she feels. It has got so bad that they are __19__ moving again to a different area. However, I am in favor of that.

　　Friendship and __20__ are far more important than a fancy house.

　　语篇解读：母亲退休后，搬了新家，尽管房子很漂亮，但在新的地方，习惯了忙碌的母亲却感到不快乐和孤独，作者由此得出：在人生中，友谊和快乐远比昂贵奢华的房子重要。

　　1．A.scenery　　　　　　 B．surroundings

　　C．atmosphere D．attraction

　　解析：选B　根据前文的"my parents moved to the other side of the country ... love their new, pleasant"可知，他们在那里建造了新家并且也很喜欢那儿的环境。故选B。scenery"景色，风景"；surroundings"环境"；atmosphere"气氛"；attraction"吸引人的事物"。

　　2．A.dismissed B．displaced

　　C．retired D．removed

解析：选C　根据前文的"My dad still works"及"but"可知，此处前后是转折关系，所以这里表