全新版大学英语(第二版)综合教程3--1-8单元-cloze-原文配答案

Jim Doherty may not be a born farmer , but he gets buy without too much trouble. Not that he has had it easy. That first hard winter he faced must have left him with the temptation to give up and go back to the city. But he managed to get through it without losing heart. He’s picked up a lot of skills since then and made some real improvements to his farm, though without much laborsaving machinery aside from that old rotary cultivator.

I suspect he doesn’t make all that much, though he does have his writing to supplement what little profit he makes from the farm. I guess he does it primarily for the quality of life. Certainly, they seem a happy family and you can often see them out working together, one day spraying apple trees, the next stacking firewood.

1.2

A homesteader (自耕农) is a person who lives a self-reliant lifestyle with major emphasis on home production. while the Industrial Age is being replaced by information and electronics, some people try to seek an escape from the social, environmental, and economic madness of the modern age and begin to consider returning to the country. As this lifestyle is so enjoyable, satisfying and rewarding, more and more people are prepared to quit their job in the city and start a new and more meaningful life on their various farms. For some it has become not only a way of life, but a way of looking at the world.

Of course, life in the country can be pretty tough. While it is an enjoyment to be so close to Nature, you may have to reduce your dependence on fuels by cutting back on your daily consumption. You may also have to prepare your own meals every day and provide your own low-cost entertainment without the luxuries that are common in cities. On balance, however, living in the country has long been a part of the American Dream. Generations of Americans have considered the country an ideal setting in which to live and raise a family

2.1

The underground Railroad was forged by the efforts of those who were prepared to fight against slavery and stand up for the long-suffering Southern black Americans. Some of those who helped to transport slaves to the north and freedom were former slaves themselves. Others felt compelled to take part because of their deeply held convictions .For many of those involved, liberating the slaves from those who exploited them because a mission. While their eventual goal was to abolish slavery completely, in the meantime they were intent on helping to free as many slaves as possible, often at considerable risk. In the eyes of slave owners, they were dangerous enemies and frequently received death threats