【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] Though officially known as the Swiss Re Tower, Londoners universally refer to the new 41-storey buildings, as "the Gherkin", meaning a little cucumber, though it actually looks more like a pine cone. As a typical example of green architecture, what is most remarkable about the building is its energy-efficiency. Thanks to its artful design and some fancy technology, it is expected to consume up to 50% less energy than a comparable conventional office building. Green architecture is changing the way buildings are designed, built and run. Proponents of green architecture argue that the approach has many benefits. In the case of a large office, for example, the combination of green design techniques and clever technology can not only reduce energy consumption and environmental impact, but also reduce running costs, create a more pleasant working environment, improve employee's health and productivity, reduce legal liability and boost property values and rental returns. Green architecture, a term which only came into use in the 1990s, has its origin in the energy crisis of the 1970s, when architects began to question the wisdom of building enclosed glass-and-steel boxes that required massive heating and cooling systems. Early proponents of more energy-efficient architecture included William McDonough, Bruce Fowle and Robert Fox in America, Thomas Herzog in Germany, and Norman Forster and Richard Rogers in Britain. [分析] 事实细节的找寻和判断。 关于该建筑物的形状特点，原文指出Londoners universally refer to the new 41-storey buildings as“the Gherkin”，meaning a little cucumber，though it actually looks more like a pine cone．由此可见，虽然伦敦市民们称该建筑物为小黄瓜，但其实该建筑物形状似松塔。因此选项c的说法“这栋楼位于英国，形状像黄瓜”与原文相符，是正确答案。 [解题关键] 1)根据各选项中的相同关键词有目的地定位到原文信息处；2)注意信号词though的用法。

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 语义的理解和判断。 原文认为As a typical example of green architecture，what is most remarkable about the building is its energy-efficiency即作为绿色建筑风格的代表，该建筑物的最突出特点就是节能。由此可判断c的说法“低能耗”与原文相符，是正确答案。 [解题关键] 掌握某些重要表达的同义替换，可迅速定位原文信息处，有助于正确解题。原文中的most remarkable和energy-efficiency 分别与题干中the most impressive characteristic和选项中low energy consumption意思相同。

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 推理判断题。 关于该建筑，原文提到the combination of green design techniques and clever technology can... boost property values and rental returns即绿色技术与智能科技的结合能提升房地产价值，增加租金收益。由此可推测c项内容“绿色建筑风格更具回报”与原文相符，是正确答案。 [解题关键] 掌握常见单词的特定用法，有助于正确理解原文含义并解题。本题中 returns意为．“回报，收益”。

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[解析] 数字信息的找寻和判断。 Green architecture，a term which only came into use in the 1990s，has its origin in the energy crisis of the 1970s即绿色建筑风格一词开始在20世纪90年代使用，但其根源可追溯到 20世纪70年代的能源危机。由此可见，虽然关于“绿色建筑风格”的日期有两个，但符合题干要求的日期是the 1990s，因此D项是正确答案。 [解题关键] 掌握同义词或短语的替换是解题的关键。原文中的came into use in与题干 the use dates back to意思相当。

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[解析] 特定信息的找寻和判断。 关于绿色建筑风格的早期拥护者，原文提到Early proponents of more energy-efficient architecture included... in America，... in Germany，and... in Britain。由此可见只有选项B中的France没有在原文中提到，因此该项为正确答案。 [解题关键] 根据选项特点，注意掌握原文中某些专有名词的信息。本题中要求掌握国名信息。