10．Lie in bed，by an open window，and listen…
"No air conditioning？How can you sleep？"a friend asks，horrified．I tell her my family has decided to shut the air conditioner off and reduce our electric bill．On this first night of our cost-cutting plan，it's only 85degrees．We're going to suffer，but the three kids complain anyway．
They have grown up in 72-degree comfort，protected from the world outside．
"It's too hot to sleep，"my 13-year-old daughter complains．"I'm about to die from this heat，"her brother complains down the hall．"Just try it tonight，"I tell them．In truth I'm too tired to turn for long．My face is sweaty，but I lie quietly listening to the cricket choirs outside that remind me of childhood．
The neighbor's dog howls．Probably a passing squirrel．It's been years since I took the time to really listen to the night．
I think about grandma，who lived to 92and still helped with my mom's gardening until just a few weeks before she died．And then，I'm back there at her house in the summer heat of my childhood．I move my pillow to the foot of grandma's bed and turn my face toward the open window．I turn the pillow，hunting for the cooler side．
Grandma saw me turn over and over．"If you just watch for the breeze（清风），"she said，"you'll cool off and fall asleep．"I stare at the filmy white curtain，willing it to move．Lying still，waiting，I suddenly notice the life outside the window．The bug chorus．Neighbors，porch（门廊）-sitting late，speak in unclear words that calm me．
"Mom，did you hear that？"my seven-year-old son cries，"I think it was an owl（猫头鹰）family．"
"Probably，"I tell him，"just keep listening…"
Without the working air conditioner，the house is peaceful，and the natural night noises seem close enough to touch．I hope I'm awake tonight when the first breeze comes in．
51．On the first night of the writer's cost-cutting plan，her childrenB．
A．live a comfortable life as usual
B．begin to be unhappy
C．are protected from the world outside
D．are about to die from the heat
52．The author talks about her grandmother and her childhood to show thatC．
A．people used to live a hard life
B．people at that time were hardworking
C．it's OK for people to live a simple life
D．she has learned a great deal from her grandma
53．In the writer's eyes，her children areD．
A．free from parents'protection
B．full of dissatisfaction with life
C．dependable because of parents'love
D．lacking in real test of hardships in life
54．Which of the following titles best suits the passage？A
A．Waiting for the Breeze．
B．An Interesting Experience．
C．Life at Present and Life in the Past．
D．Different Times，Different Children．
分析 本文属于记叙文阅读，作者通过这篇文章讲述了他自己在夏天不开空调让孩子体验生活的艰难，也通过回忆奶奶和自己的童年说明如果没有现代设备，我们一样可以活得很好．
解答 51．B 细节理解题．根据第四段"It's too hot to sleep，"my 13-year-old daughter complains．"I'm about to die from this heat．可知在作者实行削减计划的第一天晚上他的孩子们并不是很高兴，故选B．
52．C 推理判断题，根据第五段以及第六段The neighbor's dog howls．Probably a passing squirrel．It's been years since I took the time to really listen to the night．I think about grandma，who lived to 92and still helped with my mom's gardening until just a few weeks before she died．And then，I'm back there at her house in the summer heat of my childhood．可知作者提及自己的奶奶和童年为了向大家说明人们以前没有空调等现代设备一样过得很好，故选C．
53．D 推理判断题，根据第二段I tell her my family has decided to shut the air conditioner off and reduce our electric bill．On this first night of our cost-cutting plan，it's only 85degrees．We're going to suffer，but the three kids complain anyway．可知作者这样做就是为了让孩子们体验生活的艰难，故选D．
54．A 主旨大意题，通过全文可知文章讲述作者在夏天不开空调让孩子体验生活的艰难，也通过回忆奶奶和自己的童年在说明没有现代设备，我们一样可以活得很好，本题可以利用排除法，BCD和文章根本不搭，故选A．
点评 考查学生的细节理解和推理判断能力．做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句，和题干进行比较，再做出正确选择．在做推理判断题时不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断．
