Theviewoveravalleyofatinyvillagewiththatched(草盖的)roofcottagesaroundachurch;adrivethroughanarrowvillagestreetlinedwiththatchedcottagespaintedpinkorwhite;thesightovertherollinghillsofaprettycollectionofthatchedfarmbuildings-thesearestillcommonsightsinpartsofEngland.MostpeoplewillagreethatthethatchedroofisanessentialpartoftheattractionoftheEnglishcountryside.
ThatchingisinfacttheoldestofallthebuildingcraftspractisedintheBritishIsles(英伦诸岛).Althoughthatchhasalwaysbeenusedforcottageandfarmbuildings,itwasonceusedforcastlesandchurches,too.
Thatchingisasolitary(独自的)craft,whichoftenrunsinfamilies.ThecraftofthatchingasitispractisedtodayhaschangedverylittlesincetheMiddleAges.Over800full-timethatchersareemployedinEnglandandWalestoday,maintainingandrenewingtheoldroofsaswellasthatchingnewerhouses.Manypropertyownerschoosethatchnotonlyforitsbeautybutbecausetheyknowitwillkeepthemcoolinsummerandwarminwinter.
Infact,ifwelookatdevelopingcountries,overhalftheworldlivesunderthatch,buttheyalldoitindifferentways.Peopleindevelopingcountriesareoftenreluctanttogobacktotraditionalmaterialsandwouldprefermodernbuildings.However,theymaylackthemoneytoallowthemtoimportthenecessarymaterials.Theirtemporarymudhutswiththatchedroofsofwildgrassesoftenonlylastsixmonths.ThatchwhichhasbeendonetheBritishwaylastfromtwentytosixtyyears,andisaneffectivedefenceagainsttheheat.
这是一篇记叙文，讲述了英国的乡村一景一用草作房顶的村舍。
1.WhichofthefollowingremainsauniquefeatureoftheEnglishcountryside
A)Cottageswiththatchedroofs.B)Churcheswithcottagesaroundthem.
C)Rollinghillswithprettyfarmbuildings.D)Narrowstreetslinedwithpinkorwhitehouses.
2.Whatdoweknowaboutthatchingasacraft
A)Itisquitedifferentfromwhatitusedtobe.
B)Itisinmostcaseshandeddownamongfamilymembers.
C)ItispractisedonfarmsalloverEngland.
D)Itisacollectiveactivity.
3.Thatchedhousesarestillpreferredbecauseof________.
A)theirdurabilityB)theireasymaintenance
C)theircheapandready-madematerialsD)theirstyleandcomfort
4.Peopleindevelopingcountriesalsoliveunderthatchbecause______-.
A)theylikethatchedhousesbetterthanotherbuildings
B)thatchisaneffectivedefenceagainsttheheat
C)thatchedroofhousesarethecheapest
D)thatchedcottagesareabigtouristattraction
5.Wecanlearnfromthepassagethat_______.
A)theEnglishpeoplehaveaspeciallikingforthatchedhouses
B)mostthatchedcottagesinEnglandarelocatedonhillsides
C)thatchingisabuildingcraftfirstcreatedbytheEnglishpeople
D)thatchedcottagesinEnglandhavebeenpasseddownfromancienttimes
参考答案及解析
2、[答案与分析]:[B]根据第3段第1句可知B项正确并同时可排除D项。A项与该段第2句意思相左。选项C的出题动机在于测试考生对细节的把握，具体地说，是测试学生对第2段第1句的理解。仔细阅读该句，可知C项与此句其实似是而非，应该排除。