Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. accommodate B. alternative C. efficiency D. coincidentally E. dominate F. simplify G. enthusiastic   H. favorite I. immediately J. multifunctional K. consumption

Less is More

Did you know that Americans have approximately three times the amount of space we have fifty years ago? Therefore, you’d think we’d have sufficient room for all of our possessions. However, that’s not the case. We’ve got triple the space, but we’ve become such 【小题1】 consumers that we require even more. This phenomenon has resulted in significant credit card debt, enormous environmental footprints, and perhaps not 【小题2】, happiness levels have failed to increase over the same half century.

I’m here to suggest a(n) 【小题3】— that having less might actually be a preferable decision. Many of us have experienced, at some stage, the pleasure of possessing less. I propose that less stuff and less space can not only help you economize, but also 【小题4】 your life. I recently started an innovative project to discover some creative solutions that offered me everything I required. By purchasing an apartment that was 40 square meters instead of 60, I 【小题5】 saved $200,000. Smaller space leads to reduced bills and also a smaller carbon footprint because it’s designed around an edited collection of possessions, limited to my 【小题6】 stuff. I’m really excited to live there.

How can we live more basically? Firstly, we must cut the unnecessary objects out of our lives without hesitation. To reduce 【小题7】, we should think before we buy, and ask ourselves, “will it truly make me happier?” Secondly, we require space 【小题8】. We want appliances that are designed for use most of the time, not for occasional use. Why own a six-burner stove when you rarely use even three burners? Finally, we need 【小题9】 spaces and housewares. I combined a movable wall with transforming furniture to get more out of my limited space. Consider my coffee table. It increases in size to 【小题10】 ten people. My bed simply pops out the wall.

I’m not saying, we should all live in tinier apartments, but consider the benefits of an edited life. When you return home and walk through your front door, take a moment to ask yourselves, “Could I do with a little life editing? Will that give me more freedom and more time?”