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For the first time in history more people live in towns than in the country. In Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate “the countryside” alongside the royal family, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support.
A century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save “the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.” It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience “a refreshing air.” Hill's pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don't make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.
At the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The Conservatives' planning reform explicitly gives rural development priority over conservation, even authorising “off-plan” building where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Conservative parties.
The sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are, in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London area alone, with no intrusion on green belt. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces.
The idea that “housing crisis” equals “concreted meadows” is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more houses but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have grown and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones?
Development should be planned, not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe's most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. There is no doubt of the alternative—the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal, Spain or Ireland. Avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite the left and right of the political spectrum.
1.Britain's public sentiment about the countryside(  ).
2.According to Paragraph 2, the achievements of the National Trust are now being (  ).  
3.Which of the following can be inferred from Paragraph 3?
4.The author holds that George Osborne's preference (  ).  
5.In the last paragraph, the author shows his appreciation of(  ).

第 1 问

A. has brought much benefit to the NHS

B. didn't start till the Shakespearean age

C. is fully backed by the royal family

D. is not well reflected in politics

第 2 问

A. gradually destroyed

B. effectively reinforced

C. properly protected

D. largely overshadowed

第 3 问

A. Labour is under attack for opposing development.

B. The Conservatives may abandon “off-plan” building.

C. Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation.

D. The Liberal Democrats are losing political influence.

第 4 问

A. reveals a strong prejudice against urban areas

B. shows his disregard for the character of rural areas

C. stresses the necessity of easing the housing crisis

D. highlights his firm stand against lobby pressure

第 5 问

A. the size of population in Britain

B. the enviable urban lifestyle in Britain

C. the town-and-country planning in Britain

D. the political life in today's Britain

参考答案: D A C B C

详细解析:

1.应选[D]。考查考生把握重要细节信息的能力。
【试题解析】(1)本题难度适中。虽然题干“sentiment”一词出现在原文第三段段首,但根据题目顺序,出处应定位在第一段。(2)根据文章,英国人民将“乡村”与皇室、莎士比亚、国民保健制度并列选为英国最让他们自豪的东西(rate),但“这种观点得到的政治支持有限”(limited political support)。(3)第一段提到“政治性支持”只是一个伏笔,下文第三段谈到政党对乡村建设的态度,末尾又谈及结合左派和右派的建议。据此,选项[D]表达出了作者的言外之意。

2.应选[A]。考查考生把握重要细节信息的能力。
【试题解析】(1)本题稍难。题干明示定位在第二段,注意题干中“now”的限制。题干中的“achievements ”(成就)是对第二段“the creation of national parks and green belts”的概括。“achievements”一词也流露出作者对这一组织成绩的欣赏。(2)根据文章,“该组织拯救自然之美,提供休闲空间”(to save, to provide),这些都是该组织过去取得的成就。但是,“公园和绿化带再也不能产生乡村了”(don't make),“每年混凝土吞噬更多的乡村”(every year, consumes),这两点是现在的情形(作者使用了一般现在时)。这些语句的言外之意便是:乡村已经逐渐被毁了。(3)此外,“破坏乡村”始终是整篇文章的宏观线索。据此,选项[A]最佳,其中“gradually”照应原文“every year”,而“destroy”照应原文“consume”。

3.应选[C]。考查考生把握言外之意的推理能力。
【试题解析】(1)本题偏难。题干明示定位在第三段。该段主要谈论各党派对建设乡村的态度。(2)根据文章,“英国独立党意识到自己的机会来了”(sensing its chance),“才支持保护乡村的请愿者”(sided with,pleading)。而“其保护英国乡村的运动让很多当地的保守党十分恐慌”。那么,言外之意便是:这一党派(Ukip) 一反常态,开始支持保护乡村,认为这是一个机会——即可能另有所图。选项[C] 最佳。

4.应选[B]。考查考生把握作者态度和评价的能力。
【试题解析】(1)本题难度适中。根据题干中的“George Osborne”,定位在第五段。(2)根据文章, “在游说团体的压力下,奥斯本赞同在乡村建新房,建设购物中心”(favours)。作者对此的评价是“这是偏见”(biased)。那么,偏见在哪里呢?下文解释道:“乡间小镇和村落已经发展起来,而且总是在发展。如果在这些地方的边沿建设,而且尊重其特色,这些地方就发展得最好。而现在为什么要去破坏乡村呢?” (respects their character)。这些语句的言外之意便是:奥斯本忽视了乡村过去这些年发展的成就,忽视了乡村按照自身特色发展得很好。据此,选项[B]最佳。

5.应选[C]。考查考生把握作者态度和评价的能力。
【试题解析】(1)本题难度适中。题干明示定位在最后一段(第六段)。(2)根据文章,“开发应该是有规划的,而非听之任之”(development should be planned),这说明作者赞成规划。其实,第三段就批判了保守党赞同“规划外”建造的内容。(3)此外,作者对50多年的城乡规划持欣喜态度(enviable rural coherence)。综合这些内容,选项[C]最佳。

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