The way in which people use social space reflects their social relationships and their ethnic identity. Early immigrants to America from Europe brought with them a collective style of living, which they retained until late in the 18th century. Historical records document a group-oriented existence, in which one room was used for eating, entertaining guests, and sleeping. People ate soups from a communal pot, shared drinking cups, and used a common pit toilet. With the development of ideas about individualism, people soon began to shift to the use of individual cups and plates; the eating of meals that included meat, bread, and vegetables served on separate plates; and the use of private toilets. They began to build their houses with separate rooms to entertain guests-living rooms, separate bedrooms for sleeping, separate work areas—kitchen, laundry room, and separate bathrooms.
In Mexico, the meaning and organization of domestic space is strikingly different. Houses are organized around a patio, or courtyard. Rooms open onto the patio, where all kinds of domestic activities take place. Individuals do not have separate bedrooms. Children often sleep with parents, and brothers or sisters share a bed,emphasizing familial interdependence. Rooms in Mexican houses are locations for multiple activities that, in contrast, are rigidly separated in the United States.
1.Changes in living styles among early immigrants were initially brought about by（ ）.
2.Which of the following is NOT discussed in the passage?（ ）
问题1选项
A.rising living standards
B.new concepts
C.new customs
D.new designs of houses
问题2选项
A.Their concepts of domestic space.
B.Their social relationships.
C.The functions of their rooms.
D.The layout of their houses.
第1题:
【选项释义】
Changes in living styles among early immigrants were initially brought about by ______. 早期移民生活方式的改变最初是由______带来的。
A. rising living standards A. 生活水平的提高
B. new concepts B. 新的观念
C. new customs C. 新的习俗
D. new designs of houses D. 新的房屋设计
【考查点】判断推理题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词early immigrants可以定位答案所在区域为第一段。根据第一段关键信息：Early immigrants to America from Europe brought with them a collective style of living, which they retained until late in the 18th century…People ate soups from a communal pot, shared drinking cups, and used a common pit toilet（从欧洲到美国的早期移民带来了一种集体的生活方式，这种生活方式一直保留到18世纪晚期……人们从一个公共的锅里喝汤，共用一个杯子，使用一个公用坑式厕所），可知早起的移民所采取的是一种集体的生活方式，很多东西都是大家共用的；结合该段结尾部分信息：With the development of ideas about individualism, people soon began to shift to the use of individual cups and plates; the eating of meals that included meat, bread, and vegetables served on separate plates; and the use of private toilets（随着个人主义思想的发展，人们很快开始改用单独的杯子和盘子，吃饭时用单独的盘子盛肉、面包和蔬菜，并使用私人厕所），可知随着个人主义思想的发展，人们的生活方式发生了变化，之前共用的东西改为个人单独使用。由此可推断：早期移民生活方式的改变是由“个人主义思想”带来的，即“新的观念”带来的，所以正确答案为B选项。
【干扰项排除】A、C、D选项均属于曲解原文。
第2题:
【选项释义】
Which of the following is NOT discussed in the passage? 以下哪项在文章中没有讨论？
A. Their concepts of domestic space. A. 他们对家庭空间的概念。
B. Their social relationships. B. 他们的社会关系。
C. The functions of their rooms. C. 房间的功能。
D. The layout of their houses. D. 他们房屋的布局。
【考查点】判断推理题。
【解题思路】根据第二段第一句：In Mexico, the meaning and organization of domestic space is strikingly different（在墨西哥，家庭空间的意义和布局明显不同），由此可知A选项“他们对家庭空间的概念”错误，文章没有谈及对家庭空间的概念，符合题干，所以正确答案为A选项。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“他们的社会关系”，根据第一段第一句：The way in which people use social space reflects their social relationships and their ethnic identity（人们使用社会空间的方式反映了他们的社会关系和种族认同），可知该选项是文章讨论的内容，属于反向干扰；
C选项“房间的功能”，根据第一段最后一句：They began to build their houses with separate rooms to entertain guests—living rooms, separate bedrooms for sleeping, separate work areas—kitchen, laundry room, and separate bathrooms（他们开始建造带有独立房间的房子来招待客人——起居室，独立的卧室供睡觉，独立的工作区——厨房、洗衣房和独立的浴室），可知该选项是文章讨论的内容，属于反向干扰；
D选项“他们房屋的布局”，根据第二段关键信息：Houses are organized around a patio, or courtyard. Rooms open onto the patio, where all kinds of domestic activities take place. Individuals do not have separate bedrooms（房屋围绕着一个天井或庭院而建。房间通向天井，各种家务活动都在这里进行。个人没有单独的卧室），可知该选项是文章讨论的内容，属于反向干扰。
