单选题
The plan of building "New Towns" to absorb growth is
frequently considered a cure-all for urban problems. It is erroneously (错误地)
assumed that if new residents can be diverted from existing centers, the present
urban situation at least will get no worse. It is further and equally
erroneously assumed that since European New Towns have been financially and
socially successful, we can expect the same sorts of resorts in the United
States. Present planning, thinking, and legislation will not
produce the kinds of New Town that have been successful abroad. It will multiply
suburbs or encourage development in areas where land is cheap and construction
profitable rather than where New Towns are genuinely needed.
Such ill-considered projects not only will fail to relieve pressures on existing
cities but will, in fact, tend to weaken those cities further by drawing away
high-income citizens and increasing the concentration of low-income groups that
are unable to provide tax income. The remaining taxpayers, accordingly, will
face increasing burdens, and industry and commerce will seek escape.
Unfortunately, this mechanism is already at work in some metropolitan
areas. The promoters of New Towns so far in the United States
have been developers, builders, and financial institutions. The main interest of
these promoters is economic gain. Furthermore, federal regulations designed to
promote the New Town idea do not consider social needs as the European New Town
plans do. In fact, our regulations specify virtually all the ingredients of the
typical suburban community, with a bit of political rhetoric thrown
in. A workable American New Town formula should be established
as firmly here as the national formula was in Britain. All possible social and
governmental innovation as well as financial factors should be clearly stated,
and both incentives and penalties should be provided to ensure that the
objectives are pursued. If such a policy is developed, then the New Town
approach can play an important role in alleviating America's urban
problems.
单选题
The author's attitude toward the idea of building New Towns in America
is that ______.
A. it is a cure-all for urban problems
B. it will be successful in America
C. it is a good idea but is not properly considered
D. it shall adopt European formula
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 问题涉及作者对“新城镇计划”的态度。第一段指出把这一计划看作a cure-all for urban problems是错误的，随后指出了存在的问题，文章第三段开头提出这些问题都是由于考虑不周全(ill-considered)而造成的，因此选C。
单选题
Which of the following statements about European New Towns is NOT true?
A. They have been both financially and socially successful.
B. They have relieved the pressures on big cities.
C. The basic aim of building new towns is economic gain.
D. All social and governmental problems have been taken into
account.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 文章在分析美国的“新城镇计划”不成功的原因时是基于与欧洲新城镇计划的比较的，选项A、B和D都是美国没有做到的，只有C才表明了它的“新城镇计划”不成功的原因，即“The main interest of these promoters is economic gain”建立新城镇的根本目的是出于经济的考量。
单选题
According to the author, the present planning of New Towns in America
will weaken existing cities because ______.
A. it will draw away the rich citizens
B. it will increase the concentration of low-income people
C. it will drive away industry and commerce because of the increasing tax
burdens.
单选题
The purpose of building New Towns in America is ______.
A. to develop suburban area
B. to improve urban situation
C. to gain economic interest
D. to provide new residence for low-income people
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 本题问到发展新城镇的目的。从第三段第一句“...will fail to relieve pressures on existing cities”，即考虑不当的新城镇计划不能缓解城市的压力，而只有选项B，即改善城市状况和意思相符，因此，B为正确答案。
单选题
The author thinks that the New Town project will not succeed unless
______.
A. all factors involved have been taken into serious account
B. people are diverted from the existing centers
C. the promoters stop seeking economic gain
D. the government has invested much more money in it
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 第五段指出，“All possible social and governmental innovation as well as financial factors should be clearly stated”，所有可能的社会和政府革新及财政因素都应清楚地阐明。所以，选项A正确。