题干

London’s newest skyscraper (摩天大楼)is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire (尖顶)• He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin,sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts (桅杆)of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices.
Before building work began, a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.
【小题1】London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ._____
A.its cost
B.its size
C.its shape
D.its height
【小题2】When he designed the Shard, Piano wanted it to _____
A.change London’s skyline
B.inherit London’s tradition
C.imitate the Egyptian style
D.attract potential visitors
【小题3】The critics who refer to social division think the Shard_______ .
A.is only preferred by the rich
B.is intended for wealthy people
C.is far away from the poor area
D.is popular only with Londoners
【小题4】Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.The Shard: Cheers and Claps
B.The Shard: Work of a Great Architect
C.The Shard: New Symbol of London?
D.The Shard: A Change for the Better?
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   The New Caledonian barrier reef (堡礁) is located in New Caledonia in the South Pacific, and is the second longest coral reef in the world, after the Belize Barrier Reef.

The New Caledonian barrier reef surrounds Grande Terre, New Caledonia’s largest island, as well as the lie des Pins and several smaller islands, reaching a length of 1,500 km. The reef encloses (围住) a lake of 24,000 square kilometers, which has an average depth of 25 meters. The reefs lie up to 30 kilometers from the shore, but extend almost 200 km to the Entrecasteaux reefs in the northwest. This northwestern extension encloses the Belep Islands. Several natural passages open out to the ocean. The Boulari passage, which leads to Noumea, the capital and chief port of New Caledonia, is marked by the Am6d6e lighthouse. The reef has various species, and is home to endangered dugongs, a kind of sea animal, and is an important living site for green sea turtles.

Most of the reefs are generally thought to be in good health. Some of the eastern reefs have been damaged by waste water from nickel mining (镍开采) on Grande Terre. The waste from mining and agriculture has affected reefs near river mouths, which have been worsened by the destruction of forests, which help to keep waste. Some reefs have been buried under several meters of waste.

In January 2002, the French government proposed listing New Caledonia’s reefs as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later on, UNESCO listed the New Caledonian barrier reef on the World Heritage List on 7, July 2008.

【小题1】What can be learned according to the passage?
A.New Caledonia only has one large island named Grande Terre.
B.The New Caledonian barrier reef is 25 meters under the sea surface.
C.Noumea is the chief port of Grande Terre.
D.The Belize Barrier Reef is the longest coral reef in the world.
【小题2】If you travel to the New Caledonian barrier reef with a travel agent, your guide may tell you that __________ .
A.dugongs are well protected from being endangered
B.the Boulari passage is famous for the Am6dee lighthouse
C.the green sea turtle is in danger because of the pollution
D.human beings take no measures to protect the environment here
【小题3】Some of the New Caledonia’s reefs have been damaged mainly because of __________ .
A.humans’ activitiesB.natural disasters
C.the earth’s movementD.their own development
【小题4】Where is this article most probably taken from?
A.A geographical report.B.A newspaper.
C.A travel guidebook.D.A fashion magazine.