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 authorizing “off-plan” building where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labor 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 favors rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favors 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 ________.
问题1选项
A.didn’t start till the Shakespearean age
B.has brought much benefit to the NHS
C.is fully backed by the royal family
D.is not well reflected in politics
问题2选项
A.gradually destroyed
B.effectively reinforced
C.largely overshadowed
D.properly protected
问题3选项
A.Labor is under attack for opposing development.
B.The Conservatives may abandon “off-plan” building.
C.The Liberal Democrats are losing political influence.
D.Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation.
问题4选项
A.highlights his firm stand against lobby pressure
B.shows his disregard for the character of rural areas
C.stresses the necessity of easing the housing crisis
D.reveals a strong prejudice against urban areas
问题5选项
A.the size of population in Britain
B.the political life in today’s Britain
C.the enviable urban lifestyle in Britain
D.the town-and-country planning in Britain
第1题:D
第2题:A
第3题:D
第4题:B
第5题:D
第1题:
来源:The Guardian《卫报》于2014年11月5日刊登的文章Is Ukip the Only Party that Cares about the British Countryside?(英国独立党是唯一关心英国农村的政党吗?)。
主题:本文主要探讨了城市化带来的问题,尤其是对英国乡村的影响。虽然英国人很自豪他们的乡村文化,但政治支持并不足够,城市化发展往往以农村地区的混凝土化为代价。文章呼吁政治左右联合起来,制定有计划的发展策略,以保护乡村的自然环境和连续性,同时满足城市居民的需要。
结构:
【选项释义】
Britain’s public sentiment about the countryside ________. 英国公众对农村的感情________。
A. didn’t start till the Shakespearean age A. 直到莎士比亚时代才开始的
B. has brought much benefit to the NHS B. 给英国国民健康服务带来了很多好处
C. is fully backed by the royal family C. 得到了王室的充分支持
D. is not well reflected in politics D. 在政治上没有得到很好的体现
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词public sentiment about the countryside可以定位到文章第一段第三句“虽然民意调查显示,英国人把‘乡村’与王室、莎士比亚和英国国民健康服务并列为他们最为自豪的国家象征之一,但这一结果却没有得到足够的政治支持(this has limited political support)”,说明英国公众对农村的感情没有得到足够的政治支持。因此D选项“在政治上没有得到很好的体现”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“直到莎士比亚时代才开始的”,B选项“给英国国民健康服务带来了很多好处”和C选项“得到了王室的充分支持”,由Britons rate “the countryside” alongside the royal family, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country(英国人把“乡村”与王室、莎士比亚和英国国民健康服务并列为他们最为自豪的国家象征之一),文章是将英国公众对农村的感情与王室、莎士比亚和英国国民健康服务相并列,而不是说他们的感情从莎士比亚时代开始、给英国国民健康服务带来了好处,或得到了王室的支持,属于曲解原文。
第2题:
【选项释义】
According to Paragraph 2, the achievements of the National Trust are now being ________. 根据第2段,国家托管委员会的成就现在正在________。
A. gradually destroyed A. 逐渐被破坏
B. effectively reinforced B. 被有效地加强
C. largely overshadowed C. 很大程度上被比得相形见绌
D. properly protected D. 被适当保护
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词National Trust可以定位到文章第二段,第二段第三句说到“希尔的呼吁最终导致了国家公园和绿化带的诞生(the creation of national parks and green belts)”,说明国家托管委员会的成就是建设了绿化,接着倒数第二句说到“如今,他们不再建造乡村(don’t make countryside any more),每年都有更多的乡村被混凝土吞噬(every year concrete consumes more of it)”,说明其绿化成就被破坏了。因此A选项“逐渐被破坏”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“被有效地加强”,由every year concrete consumes more of it(每年都有更多的乡村被混凝土吞噬)可知,国家托管委员会的成就没有被加强,而是被破坏了,属于反向干扰;
C选项“很大程度上被比得相形见绌”在文中没有提及,属于无中生有;
D选项“被适当保护”,由It needs constant guardianship.(它需要持久的守护。)可知,现在的保护是不够的,属于反向干扰。
第3题:
【选项释义】
Which of the following can be inferred from Paragraph 3? 从第3段可以推断出以下哪项内容?
A. Labor is under attack for opposing development. A. 工党因反对开发而受到攻击。
B. The Conservatives may abandon “off-plan” building. B. 保守党可能会放弃“计划外”的建筑。
C. The Liberal Democrats are losing political influence. C. 自由民主党正在失去政治影响力。
D. Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation. D. 英国独立党可能因支持农村保护而获益。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词Paragraph 3可以定位到文章第三段倒数第二句“只有英国独立党感觉到了机会(sensing its chance),站在那些呼吁更加审慎地利用绿地的群体一边(sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land)”,说明英国独立党选择支持保护绿地的群体,其感觉到的机会对应上文“在下次选举中(At the next election),似乎没有一个大党会支持这种观点”,即获得群众投票的机会。因此D选项“英国独立党可能因支持农村保护而获益。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“工党因反对开发而受到攻击。”和C选项“自由民主党正在失去政治影响力。”在文中没有提及,属于无中生有;
B选项“保守党可能会放弃‘计划外’的建筑。”,由The Conservatives’ planning reform explicitly gives rural development priority over conservation, even authorizing “off-plan” building where local people might object.(保守党的改革规划明确将农村发展置于自然保护之上,甚至批准在当地人可能反对的地方建造“计划外”的建筑。)可知,保守党会批准建造“计划外”的建筑,属于反向干扰。
第4题:
【选项释义】
The author holds that George Osborne’s preference ________. 作者认为,乔治•奥斯本的倾向性________。
A. highlights his firm stand against lobby pressure A. 突出了他在游说者压力下的坚定立场
B. shows his disregard for the character of rural areas B. 显示了他对农村地区特点的漠视
C. stresses the necessity of easing the housing crisis C. 强调了缓解住房危机的必要性
D. reveals a strong prejudice against urban areas D. 揭露了对城市地区的强烈偏见
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词George Osborne可以定位到文章第五段第三、四、五句“在游说压力下,乔治•奥斯本支持在农村新建房屋,而不是进行城市改造与翻新(favors rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal)。他支持在城外而不是在商业街上建购物区(favors out-of-town shopping sites against high streets)。这不是自由市场,而是有偏见的市场(not a free market but a biased one)”,说明乔治•奥斯本有为了偏袒城市而去农村开发的倾向性,而作者认为这造就了一个有偏见的市场,没有考虑到农村的保护问题。因此B选项“显示了他对农村地区特点的漠视”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“突出了他在游说者压力下的坚定立场”,由Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favors rural new-build(在游说压力下,乔治•奥斯本支持在农村新建房屋)可知,乔治•奥斯本屈服了压力,而非立场坚定,属于反向干扰;
C选项“强调了缓解住房危机的必要性”,由The idea that “housing crisis” equals “concreted meadows” is pure lobby talk.(“住房危机”等同于“将草地浇筑混凝土”的想法纯属游说之言。)可知,住房危机只是游说之言,不存在缓解住房危机的必要性,属于反向干扰;
D选项“揭露了对城市地区的强烈偏见”,由原文可知奥斯本是对乡村有偏见,属于反向干扰。
第5题:
【选项释义】
In the last paragraph, the author shows his appreciation of ________. 在最后一段中,作者显示了他对________的欣赏。
A. the size of population in Britain A. 英国的人口规模
B. the political life in today’s Britain B. 当今英国的政治生活
C. the enviable urban lifestyle in Britain C. 英国令人羡慕的城市生活方式
D. the town-and-country planning in Britain D. 英国的城乡规划
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词appreciation可以定位到文章最后一段第三句“半个世纪的城乡规划(Half a century of town and country planning)使其保持了令人羡慕的农村连贯性,同时仍保证低密度的城居生活”,说明作者欣赏的是英国的城乡规划。因此D选项“英国的城乡规划”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“英国的人口规模”和B选项“当今英国的政治生活”在文中没有提及,属于无中生有;
C选项“英国令人羡慕的城市生活方式”,由Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence(半个世纪的城乡规划使其保持了令人羡慕的农村连贯性)可知,作者认为令人羡慕的是农村生活,属于曲解原文。
【重点词汇】
conservation /ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃən/ n. 保护;保育
leisure /ˈlɛʒə(r)/ n. 闲暇;休闲
refreshing /rɪˈfrɛʃɪŋ/ adj. 清新的;提神的
renovation /rɛnəˈveɪʃən/ n. 翻新;整修
renewal /rɪˈnjuːəl/ n. 更新;复兴
coherent /kəʊˈhɪərənt/ adj. 连贯的;一致的
density /ˈdɛnsɪti/ n. 密度
alternative /ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv/ n. 替代选择;可供选择的事物
spectrum /ˈspɛktrəm/ n. 光谱;派别
national park 国家公园
green belt 绿化带,绿地带
out-of-town 城外的,郊区的
【长难句分析】
1. The Conservatives’ planning reform explicitly gives rural development priority over conservation, even authorizing “off-plan” building where local people might object.
【结构分析】
【补充分析】
① even authorizing “off-plan” building是现在分词作伴随状语,进一步解释了该计划如何给予农村开发比保护环境更高的优先级;
② where引导地点状语从句,说明是在当地人可能反对的地方建造。
【参考译文】保守党的改革规划明确将农村发展置于自然保护之上,甚至批准在当地人可能反对的地方建造“计划外”的建筑。
2. The sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are, in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place.
【结构分析】
【补充分析】
① where引导表语从句,表示新房子、工厂和办公室应该建在人们所在的地方;
② where引导定语从句,修饰cities and towns,说明这些城市和城镇已经有了基础设施。
【参考译文】建造新房子、工厂和办公室的合理场地是人们所在的地方,是基础设施已经就绪的城市和城镇。
【全文翻译】
有史以来,城市人口首次超过农村人口。在英国,这带来了一个让人感到好奇的结果。虽然民意调查显示,英国人把“乡村”与王室、莎士比亚和英国国民健康服务并列为他们最为自豪的国家象征之一,但这一结果却没有得到足够的政治支持。
一个世纪前,奥克塔维亚•希尔成立了国家托管委员会,不是为了拯救时尚的建筑,而是为了保护“自然之美,为每个人永久留存”。该行动特地为城市居民提供休闲场所,在那里他们可以感受到“清新的空气”。 希尔的呼吁最终导致了国家公园和绿化带的诞生。如今,他们不再建造乡村,每年都有更多的乡村被混凝土吞噬。它需要持久的守护。
在下次选举中,似乎没有一个大党会支持这种观点。保守党的改革规划明确将农村发展置于自然保护之上,甚至批准在当地人可能反对的地方建造“计划外”的建筑。可持续发展的概念已经被定义为有利可图的。工党同样希望在当地议会反对开发的地方终止地方规划。自由民主党保持沉默。只有英国独立党感觉到了机会,站在那些呼吁更加审慎地利用绿地的群体一边。其保护英格兰乡村运动使许多保守党当地政党感到恐惧。
建造新房子、工厂和办公室的合理场地是人们所在的地方,是基础设施已经就绪的城市和城镇。伦敦的房地产代表斯特林•阿克罗伊德最近发现仅在伦敦就有在不侵入绿化带的情况下,可以建造50万所住宅的充足场地。伦敦是这样,别的省份更是如此。
“住房危机”等同于“将草地浇筑混凝土”的想法纯属游说之言。问题不在于需要更多的房子,而在于像往常一样,应该把它们建在哪里。在游说压力下,乔治•奥斯本支持在农村新建房屋,而不是进行城市改造与翻新。他支持在城外而不是在商业街上建购物区。这不是自由市场,而是有偏见的市场。农村城镇和村庄已经发展起来,而且会一直发展。在建筑物毗邻其边界并尊重其特点的地方,乡村才能得到最好的发展。我们没有破坏城市保护区。为什么要破坏农村的保护区呢?
发展应该是有计划的,而不是任其发展。在荷兰之后,英国是欧洲人口最密集的国家。半个世纪的城乡规划使其保持了令人羡慕的农村连贯性,同时仍保证低密度的城居生活。毫无疑问,另一条路是葡萄牙南部、西班牙或爱尔兰那些被破坏的景观。为了避免这一情况,而不是促使这一情况的发生,应该将政治上的左派和右派联合起来。