单选题
I am one of the many city people who are always saying that given the choice we should prefer to live in the country away from the dirt and noise of a large city. I have managed to convince myself that if it weren't for my job I would immediately head out for the open spaces and go back to nature in some sleepy village buried in the country. But how realistic is the dream? Cities can be frightening places. The majority of the population live in massive tower blocks, noisy, dirty and impersonal. The sense of belonging to a community tends to disappear when you live fifteen floors up. All you can see from your windows is sky, or other blocks of flats. Children become aggressive and nervous—cooped up at home all day, with nowhere to play; their mothers feel isolated from the rest of the world. Strangely enough, whereas in the past the inhabitants of one street all knew each other, nowadays people on the same floor in tower blocks don't even say hello to each other. Country life, on the other hand, differs from this kind of isolated existence in that a sense of community generally binds the inhabitants of small villages together. People have the advantage of knowing that there is always someone to turn to when they need help. But country life has disadvantages too. While it is true that you may be among friends in a village, it is also true that you are from the exciting and important events that take place in cities. There's little possibility of going to a new show or the latest movie. Shopping becomes a major problem, and for anything slightly out of the ordinary you have to go on an expedition to the nearest large town. The city-dweller who leaves for the country is often oppressed by a sense of unbearable stillness and quiet. What, then, is the answer? The country has the advantage of peace and quiet, but suffers from the disadvantage of being cut off; the city breeds a feeling of isolation, and constant noise batters the senses. But one of its main advantages is that you are at the centre of things; and that life doesn't come to an end at half past nine at night. Some people have found (or rather bought) a compromise between the two: they have expressed their preference for the 'quiet life' by leaving the suburbs and moving to villages within commuting distance of large cities. They generally have about as much sensitivity as the plastic flowers they leave behind—they are polluted with strange ideas about change and improvement which they force on to the unwilling original inhabitants of the villages.
单选题
According to the author, why are cities frightening?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】细节题。根据题目中的cities frightening可定位至第二段前两句Cities can be frightening places. The majority of the population live in massive tower blocks, noisy, dirty and impersonal. 由此可知,作者认为城市可怕是因为城市嘈杂、肮脏而又没有人情味,其他选项内容文章均未提到。
单选题
Which of the following is not the disadvantage of country life?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】细节题。根据题干中的the disadvantage of country life可定位至第三段,第三段提到it is also true that you are from the exciting and important events that take place in cities. There's little possibility of going to a new show or the latest movie. Shopping becomes a major problem,A、B、C三项均符合文意,根据第三段第四句While it is true that you may be among friends in a village, it is also true that...可知,生活在大帮朋友间并非缺点。
单选题
What does the last sentence of this passage mean?