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From 2007 to 2010, American households lost $11 trillion in real estate, savings, and stocks. More than half of all U.S. workers either lost their jobs or were forced to take cuts in hours or pay during the recession. The worst may be behind them now, but the shocking losses of the past few years have reshaped nearly every facet of their lives—how they live, work, and spend—even the way they think about the future.
For Cindy, the recession began when her husband was relocated to Rhinelander, Wisconsin, by his company forcing the family to move in a hurry. The couple bought a new house but were unable to sell their two-bedroom home in Big Lake, Minnesota. With two mortgages and two young children to care for, Cindy couldn‟t imagine how to stretch her husband‟s paycheck to keep her family fed.
Then she stumbled upon an online community called Blotanical, a forum for gardeners, many with an interest in sustainability. “The more I read and discussed these practices, the more I realized this would help not only our budget but also our health,” she says.
Cindy admits that before the recession, she was a city girl with no interest in growing her own dinner. “I grew flowers mostly—I didn‟t think about plants that weren‟t visually interesting”.
But to stretch her budget, she began putting in vegetables and fruit—everything from strawberry beds to apple trees—and as her first seedlings grew, her spirits lifted. She no longer thinks of gardening and making her own jams as just a money saver; they‟re a genuine pleasure. “It‟s brought us closer together as a family, too.” she says. Her kids voluntarily pitch in with the garden work, and the family cooks together instead of eating out. The food tastes better—it‟s fresher and organic—and the garden handily fulfills its original purpose: cost cutting.
Now she spends about $200 to $300 a month on groceries, less than half of the $650 a month that she used to lay out.
After discovering how resourceful she can be in tough times, Cindy is no longer easily discouraged. “It makes me feel proud to be able to say I made it myself,” she says. “I feel accomplished, and I‟m more confident about attempting things I‟ve never done before.” Now she avoids convenience stores and has begun learning to knit, quilt, and make her own soap. “I don‟t think I would have ever begun this journey if it weren‟t for the recession,” she says. “I have a feeling that from now on, it will affect my family‟s health and happiness for the better.”
We learn from the first paragraph that the recession ________.
根据文章第一段可知， 经济的衰退对美国影响巨大且深远， 严重的经济损失对美国人生活的方方面面， 包括生活、 工作、 消费甚至未来观， 都产生了巨大的影响。 故选 B。
What made the family‟s financial situation even worse was that they ________.
根据文章第二段可知， 因 Cindy 丈夫的工作调动， 举家搬迁并不得不购买新房子， 可他们在比格莱克的旧房子却卖不出去， 因此加重了经济负担。 虽然文中提到了“有两笔住房贷款和两个孩子要养”， 但孩子是经济变动前就存在的情况， 并不是令家庭经济状况恶化的主要因素。 故选 D。
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
根据文章第三、 四段可知， 在遇到经济问题之前， Cindy 就有园艺的爱好， 而她主要是喜欢种花。 在家庭经济遇到问题后， 她才偶然看到了园丁论坛， 并逐渐对可持续发展产生了兴趣。 故选 B。
In addition, Cindy views gardening as a genuine pleasure because gardening ________.
根据文章第五段“She no longer thinks of gardening and making her own jams as just a money saver; they‟re a genuine pleasure.”（她不再认为园艺和做果酱只是省钱的办法了， 这是真正的乐趣）， “它让我们再次变成了一个亲密的家庭”， 而且孩子们也主动帮忙参与劳动， 可知， Cindy 认为“园艺变成了真正的乐趣” 的原因有两点： 增进家庭关系和培养了孩子的兴趣。 故选 C。
What does Cindy think of the difficult times she has gone through?
根据文章最后一段可知， 这段艰苦的生活改变了 Cindy 的心态， 她变得不会轻易气馁， 并且对自己充满了信心。 她认为园艺和当前的生活方式会让她和家人更加健康和幸福。 故选 B。