Question

We thought we had it all—a beautiful house, three healthy children and one more on the way, two cars ---- and we loved it. We spent money like it was going out of style. Then, the market turned and my husband’s job as a bigwig(大人物) at a construction company was gone. The company was closing down for ever.

We both started looking for jobs right away, but there weren’t any to be found. With each passing day our panic increased and we continued to work together in order to pull our family through. The more we pulled together, the closer we got. I felt feelings of great love for my husband that I hadn’t felt in years.①

That’s why it was so hard for me to watch him blame himself for our present situation. I knew that he had no control over the economy, however, he constantly degraded (降低…身份)himself and his spirit sunk lower with each unkind comment. I continually asked him to stop, but he seemed to want to punish himself for not having a job.②

Finally one afternoon I pulled him aside and said, “We have four healthy children. That’s what’s important. That makes you a rich man.”

“But what if we lose the house? They’ll hate me—you’ll hate me.” he replied.

I smiled at him and put my hands on both sides of his face to make him look me in the eye.③

“If we live in a cardboard box on the empty place across the street I will be happy—as long as I have you.” I smiled again as I realized that I wasn’t saying it. Somehow, in all the struggling together I had found that deep love for him that I had on the day we said “I do.”

I could see relief wash through him as his shoulders and neck relaxed and the tension left his body. He held me close and we were able to talk and plan and dream together in a way that we hadn’t in quite some time. ④

We are still struggling financially, but I consider us well-off because we have something that money can’t buy and no one can take away from us.

1.In the wife’s opinion, what is important in her family?

A. A beautiful house B. Healthy children

C. Expensive cars D. Desirable jobs

2. Which of the following agrees with the passage?

A. The husband has found his jobs.

B. The family has lost their house.

C. The family has four children.

D. They live in a cardboard box.

3.Which is NOT the effect of the financial crisis towards the family?

A. They spent money like it was going out of style.

B. the husband wasn’t a bigwig in the company any more.

C. The wife felt feelings of love for my husband.

D. They realized there is something that money can’t buy between them.

4.Where can we put the missing sentence “It was a turning point for us as a couple and a family.”？

A. ① B. ② C. ③ D. ④

Answer 1