阅读理解 The view over a valley of a tiny village with thatched(草盖的)roof cottages around a church; a drive through a narrow village street lined with thatched cottages painted pink or white; the sight over the rolling hills of a pretty collection of thatched farm buildings—these are still common sights in parts of England. Most people will agree that the thatched roof is an essential part of the attraction of the English countryside.
Thatching is in fact the oldest of all the building crafts practiced in the British Isles. Although thatch has always been used for cottage and farm buildings, it was once used for castles and churches, too.
Thatching is a solitary(独自的)craft, which often runs in families. The craft of thatching as it is practiced today has changed very little since the Middle Ages. Over 800 full-time hatchers are employed in England and Wales today, maintaining and renewing the old roofs as well as thatching beauty but because they know it will keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.
In fact, if we look at developing countries, over half the world live under thatch, but they all do it in different ways. People in developing countries are often reluctant to go back to traditional materials and would prefer modern buildings. However, they may lack the money to allow them to import the necessary materials. Their temporary mud huts with thatched roofs of wild grasses often only last six months. Thatch which has been done in the British way lasts from twenty to sixty years, and is an effective defiance against the heat.
单选题 1.Which of the following remains a unique feature of the English countryside?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】第一段最后一句,大部分人都同意茅草屋顶是英国乡村独具魅力的重要因素。而且全文的主题就在讨论thatching and thatched roof。
单选题 2.What do we know about thatching as a craft?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】第三段前两句说明用茅草盖屋顶是在家族内部承传的,自中世纪以来没有太大变化,可以判定D是正确的,而A、C是错误的。第一段倒数第二句说明茅草屋顶只是在英格兰的一部分地区,所以B也不对。
单选题 3.Thatched houses are still preferred because of______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】第三段最后一句提到了茅草屋顶可以保持冬暖夏凉,因此应是它的舒适性(comfort)。第一段则讲到它的外形美观,独具特色(style)。
单选题 4.People in developing countries also live under thatch because______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】最后一段第三句说发展中国家的人们lack the money才用茅草屋顶,因此应该是因为它造价低廉。
单选题 5.We can learn from the passage that______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】文中写茅草屋现在在英国很多地方都很普遍,很多人都有建造现代房屋的条件,可还是选择茅草屋,因此可以说英国人对茅草屋有特别的偏好。A、B、D项在文中没有提到。