名校最新大学英语四级阅读的精讲系列讲义：(106)

　　The most interesting architectural phenomenon of the 1970s was the enthusiasm for refurbishing old buildings. Obviously, this was not an entirely new phenomenon. What is new is the wholesale interest in reusing the past, in recycling, in adaptive rehabilitation. A few trial efforts, such as Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, proved their financial viability in the 1960s, but it was in the 1970s, with strong government support through tax incentives and rapid depreciation, as well as growing interest in ecology issues, that recycling became a major factor on the urban scene.One of the most comprehensive ventures was the restoration and transformation of Bostons eighteenth century Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market, designed in

　　1824. This section had fallen on hard times, but beginning with the construction of a new city hall immediately adjacent, it has returned to life with the intelligent reuse of these fine old buildings under the design leadership of Benjamin Thompson. He has provided a marvelous setting for dining, shopping, professional offices, and simply walking.Butler Square, in Minneapolis, examplifies major changes in its complex of offices, commercial space, and public amenities carved out of a massive pile designed in 1906 as a hardware warehouse. The exciting interior timber structure of the building was highlighted by cutting light courts through the interior and adding large skylights. San Antonio, Texas, offers an object lesson for numerous other cities combating urban decay. Rather than bringing in the bulldozers, San Antonios leaders rehabilitated existing structures, while simultaneously cleaning up the San Antonio River, which meanders through the business district.

　　1. What is the main idea of the passage?

　　A) During the 1970s, old buildings in many cities were recycled for modern

　　use.

　　B) Recent interest in ecology issues has led to the cleaning up of many rivers.

　　C) The San Antonio example shows that bulldozers are not the way to fight u

　　rban decay.

　　D) Strong government support has made adaptive rehabilitation a reality in

　　Boston.

　　2. What is the space at Quincy Market now used for?

　　A) Bostons new city hall.

　　B) Sports and recreational facilities.

　　C) Commercial and industrial warehouses.

　　D) Restaurants, offices, and stores.

　　3. According to the passage, Benjamin Thompson was the designer for a proje

　　ct in ____.

　　A) San Francisco B) Boston

　　C) Minneapolis D) San Antonio

　　4. When was the Butler Square building originally built?

　　A) In the eighteenth century.

　　B) In the early nineteenth century.

　　C) In the late nineteenth century.

　　D) In the early twentieth century.

　　5. What is the authors opinion of the San Antonio project?

　　A) It is clearly the best of the projects discussed.

　　B) It is a good project that could be copied in other cities.

　　C) The extensive use of bulldozers made the project unnecessarily costly.

　　D) The work done on the river was more important than the work done on the　buildings.

　　答案与解析：

　　1.A。

　　此文的主要内容是什么 ? 此题考查学生对文章内容的整体把握。A)项为本题的答案。因为文章的第一段有明确交待：The most interesting architectural phenomenon of the 1970s was the enthusiasm for refurbishingold buildings.这个句子是第一段的主题句，也是全篇文章的论点。文章的第二段、三段、四段为第一段提供了论据和例证，都是为这个论点服务的。B)项所反映的只是一个局部问题，是城市整修的一个实例，不足以代表整体，所以不能成为中心思想。C)项也是一个实例，推土机在这里的含义是市政建设，光靠建设，不搞旧物利用，不进行整修改造，城市的衰败现象是不能克服的，故C)项也不是主题思想，不能入选。D)项反映的情况也是局部，即波士顿的情况，全国许多城市中的一员，是整修建筑、疏通河道的又一例子，同样不能代表中心思想，不能入选。

　　2.D。

　　Quincy Marbet空地现在作为何用? 此题考查掌握文章某些细节的能力。第二段的最后一句回答了这个问题： He has provided a marvelous setting for dining, shopping, professional offices, and simply walking. dining指restaurant; shopping指商店;simply walking指recreation。故D)为正确答案。

　　3.B。

　　根据短文， Benjamin Thompson是哪座城市某项工程的设计者? 此题考查认识某些事实的能力。在文中第二段，文章指出： it has returned to life with the intelligent reuse of these fine old buildings under the design leadership of Benjamin Thompson.it指this section，在这个地区有两座建筑物要整修，这是波士顿18世纪的建筑，毫无疑问，本杰明所领导和设计的这项工程发生在波士顿，而不是其它地方。

　　4.D。

　　Buter Square大楼始建于什么时候? 此题考查辨认某些细节的能力。答案为 D。因为文章的第三段告诉读者：Butler Square, in

　　Minneapolis, examplifies major changes in its complex of offices, commercial space, and public amenities carved out of a massive pile designed in 1906 as a hardware warehouse.

　　5.D。

　　作者对 San antonico工程的意见是什么? 此题考查根据事实进行推断的能力。作者对 San Antonio工程的意见是什么?A)很清楚它是所谈到的最好的一项工程。 B)是一项其它城市可以仿效的好项目。C)大量的推土机给这项工程造成了不必要的浪费。D)改造河流工作比改造建筑物工作更重要。作者对San Antonio工程的意见反映在文章的最后一段：San Antonio, Texas, offers an object lesson for numerous other cities combating urban decay，文章中并没有说它是所谈到的最好的工程;若选C)，文章中也没有说它们给工程造成了不必要的损失。哪项工作重要，哪项工作不重要，作者没有对它们进行比较。