参考答案 - 选修第一册第五单元
UNIT 5 WORKING THE LAND
Reading and Writing
① Look at the title and the picture. What do you expect to read in the text?
② Read the text and then answer the questions on page 93.
BETTER, GREENER LIVES AWAY FROM THE CITY
While the dream of most university graduates is to start a successful career in a big city, more and more young people are choosing to stay in their own hometowns so they can stay with their family and friends. For some young people, it is also a matter of making the quality of life for other people in their hometowns better. They also have a desire to improve and maintain the natural and economic environments in these places for generations to come.
Li Dan is a woman who has discovered that returning home to work in the field of agriculture could offer her both a meaningful challenge and a good standard of living. Born in a small village in Southwest China, she decided not to follow many of her former classmates to the city after getting her degree at university. Instead, she returned to her village and started her own fruit-growing business. Working hard over the last several years, and taking advantage of new technology and the Internet, she has expanded her business to include agritourism. Moreover, her company's annual income has reached six million yuan and more than 50 new jobs have been created. As a result, her decision has also helped to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of many people in her village.
With China's population expected to continue rising in the coming years, the government understands the importance of agriculture. It also understands that university graduates can help come up with better ways to grow crops, and develop new, creative ways of farming using modern technology. To help these young people with their bright and innovative ideas, the government is providing financial help. Business development loans are becoming easier for these young people to obtain, too. Government policies that aim to eliminate poverty are also having a beneficial effect.
"Life in big cities is not all it's cracked up to be," said Zhang Tao, from Binchuan county in Yunnan Province, adding that the air was bad, transport was terrible, and it was hard to make a decent living. What life in one's hometown offers is a strong support network. More importantly, this network is also a good one for getting new agribusinesses up and running quite quick. Thus, it is no suprise that more new graduates are now attracted to life in the country, where they can fulfil personal goals and contribute to their local communities rather than just being white-collar professionals in big cities.
1 What do some young people hope to achieve by living in their hometowns?
2 How has Li Dan's decision to work in her hometown contributed to her community?
3 Why does the government support people who want to stay and work in their hometowns?
4 Based on the context, what do you think the sentence "Life in big cities is not all it's
cracked up to be" means?
5 What is meant by "a strong support network"?
③ Discuss the following questions in groups.
1 Which would you prefer: living in a big city or living in the country? Why?
2 How can you best contribute to your hometown?
④ Make a list of three advantages and three disadvantages of working in the city and working in the country. Write your notes in the table below.
Working in the city
Working in the country
Advantage 1 2 3, 1 2 3
Disadvantage 1 2 3, 1 2 3
⑤ Use the table above to decide which choice you prefer. For each advantage, add one detail. For the disadvantages, add a reason why they do not matter a lot to you. Use the outline below to help you write an essay.
In my opinion, working in the city/country is better.
First, (Advantage 1)_________________
(Detail)_________________
Second, (Advantage 2)_________________
(Detail)_________________
Finally, (Advantage 3)(Detail)_________________
(Detail)_________________
Of course, there are some disadvantages to working in the city/country.
For example, (disadvantage)_________________
In addition, (disadvantage)_________________
However, (reasons they do not bother you)_________________
All in all, I would prefer to work in the city/country.
——☆★☆★☆★以下为答案☆★☆★☆★——
第五单元 耕耘
Suggested Answers
Activity 1
I expect to read how mountains are turned into fertile farmland.
Activity 2
1 They want to make the quality of life for other people in their hometowns better. They also have a desire to improve and maintain the natural and economic environments in these
places for generations to come.
2 Her decision has helped to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of many people in her village.
3 The government understands the importance of agriculture. It also understands that university graduates can help come up with better ways to grow crops, and develop new, creative ways of farming using modern technology.
4 The air is not good, transport is terrible, and it is not easy to make a decent
living in big cities.
5 Family and friends.
Activity 3
1 I would prefer living in the country because life there is more peaceful and there is much less pollution.
2 I'd like to be a teacher in local middle school to teach children what I have learnt in the university and introduce them to the outside world.
Activities 4 and 5
In my opinion, working in the country is better.
First, there is almost no pollution in the country. The city air is polluted, and the noise pollution is almost as bad. The city never sleeps, which means that I have trouble getting to sleep at night as well. Second, I really like the natural environment of the country. It is so nice to see the green trees when you look out of the window and to take walks in the forest not far away. In most cities, you can only enjoy some greenery in park.
Third, people are nicer in the country, and they have more time for you. In the city, it's hard for friends and families to get together frequently because of heavy traffic and busy work. Very often, it's hard to know your neighbours even you live in the same building for a long time.
Of course, there are some disadvantages to work in the country. For example, there is less entertainment in the country. I cannot enjoy theatre performance or shopping in big malls in the country as in the city. In addition, young people still have to go to cities if they want to receive higher education. However, the working opportunities in the country
to benefit the local community and the strong social network to help launch my career keep me stay and have a try here.
All in all, I would prefer to work in the country rather than the city.
