Former Businessman Lives on No Money for a Year. Part One

A businessman gave up his career to live on no money for a year after becoming disillusioned with consumerism*.

Mark Boyle said giving up his job, possessions and money to live the life of a pauper in a rusty old caravan was the best decision he has ever made.

The 30-year-old has vowed to continue with his money-free life for good, adding: "It’s been fantastic. I never really knew how much stress and worry money brought to my life until I was free of it.

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“People often ask me if I miss my old world... stress, traffic jams, bank statements, utility bills... why would I miss any of that? Now I’ve tasted life without money I never want to go back to the way I lived before.”

Mr Boyle said he survives by growing vegetables on his one-acre plot of land. He also forages for mushrooms, nuts and berries, as well as picking up waste food from supermarkets and restaurants.

He added: “For toothpaste I use cuttlefish bone I found washed up on the beach mixed with wild fennel seeds. For loo roll I’ll pick up old newspapers from the newsagent.

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“Even the simplest tasks, like having a shower or flushing the loo, become incredibly time-consuming. Washing my clothes in a sink of cold water, using laundry liquid made by boiling some nuts on my stove, can take two hours. Getting into a skip to look for stuff is harder than going to the shop to buy it. And having to dig a compost lavatory is harder than flushing it away. But I never got bored and I rarely felt lonely. I’d go for walks, cycle, make a fire. I’ve learned so much about food, about nature, about myself.”

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Part Two >>>

УПРАЖНЕНИЯ

1. Запомните следующие слова и выражения:

to give up

possessions

for good

to vow

traffic jam

loo

newsagent

time-consuming

stuff

lavatory

Дважды кликнув на любое слово, вы можете посмотреть все его значения.

2. Выберите правильный вариант:

1.  Mark Boyle gave up his job, possessions and money to live the life of a ________ in a rusty old caravan.

• pauper
• paper
• pepper

2.  He has vowed to continue with his money-free life ________.

• always
• for good
• for best

3.  To survive, he ________ mushrooms, nuts and berries.

• picks up
• collects
• forages for

4.  Even the simplest tasks become incredibly ________.

• timely
• lasting
• time-consuming

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3. Переведите на английский язык:

1.  Бизнесмен бросил работу и год прожил без денег.

2.  Это было лучшее решение, которое он когда-либо принимал.

3.  Он не знал, сколько напряжения и беспокойства приносили деньги в его жизнь.

4.  Чтобы выжить, он выращивает овощи на своем земельном участке.

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