单选题 .  Questions 16 to 18 are based on the passage you have just heard.
1. 
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[听力原文]
   Before refrigerators were invented, the next best thing was an ice box. But another way to keep foods fresh is to use an evaporative cooler. A common design is a tall box with several shelves inside to hold the foods. The shelves are pieces of metal with many small holes through them. The sides of the box are covered with pieces of thick cloth. Containers of water are placed at the top and bottom of the cooler. The ends of each piece of cloth lie in the water so the cloth stays wet. The cooler is put outdoors, but not in the sun. Air will pass through the wet cloth. The inside of the box will stay several degrees cooler than the outside air temperature. And this may be cool enough to keep foods fresh, at least for a short time. Some foods can make you sick if they are stored in conditions that are not cold enough to prevent the growth of harmful organisms. Freezing can keep some foods in good condition for months after the growing season. Yet foods can be damaged if they are kept too cold. The British development group Practical Action says the best way to prepare foods for storage is at harvest time while still in the field. Use a sharp knife and place the harvested items on a clean surface or directly into storage containers. Do not put them on the ground.
   How did people keep foods fresh before refrigerators were invented?
录音中提到在冰箱发明之前,最好的冷藏食物的方法就是使用冰盒。还有一种使食物保鲜的方法是使用蒸发冷却器。即在发明冰箱之前,使食物保鲜的方法是将食物放在蒸发冷却器里面进行冷藏。