专升本英语（阅读）模拟试卷97
阅读理解
The development of Jamestown in Virginia during the second half of the seventeenth century was closely related to the making and using of bricks.
There were several practical reasons why bricks became important to the colony. Although the forests could initially supply sufficient timber, the process of lumbering was extremely difficult, particularly because of the lack of roads. Later, when the timber on the peninsula had been depleted, wood had to be brought from some distance. Building stone were also in short supply. However, as clay was plentiful, it was inevitable that the colonists would turn to brick-making.
In addition to practical reasons for using brick as the principal construction material, there was also an ideological reason. Brick represented durability and permanence. The Virginia Company of London instructed the colonists to build hospitals and new residences out of brick. In 1662, the Town Act of the Virginia Assembly provided for the construction of thirty-two brick buildings and prohibited the use of wood as a construction material. Had this law ever been successfully enforced, Jamestown would have been a model city. Instead, the residents failed to comply fully with the law. By 1699, Jamestown had collapsed into a pile of rubble with only three or four habitable houses.
1.What is the subject of this passage?(A)
A. The reasons for brick-making in Jamestown.
B. The cause of the failure of Jamestown.
C. The laws of the Virginia colonists.
D. The problems of the early American colonies.
解析：通读全文可知，作者主要从实用方面的原因(practical reasons)和思想观念方面的原因(ideological reason)阐述了为什么在Jamestown制砖并用砖来建筑房屋。因此A为正确答案。
2.Which of the following was NOT a reason for using bricks in construction?(D)
A. Wood had to be brought from some distance.
B. There was considerable clay available.
C. The lumbering process depended on good roads.
D. The timber was not of good quality.
解析：通读短文可知，D项叙述并没有在原文中出现。原文只说“伐木极为困难”(the process of lumbering was extremely difficult)并没说“木材质量差”。故D正确。
3.It can be inferred from the passage that Jamestown was established on______.(D)
A. a rocky peninsula with a small forest area
B. a barren peninsula near other towns
C. an uninhabitable peninsula with few natural resources
D. a wooded peninsula with clay soil
解析：从文章第一段最后一句：“However，as clay was plentiful it was inevitable that the colonists would turn to brick-making．”可知，Jamestown多树而且泥土丰富，故选D。A不对，因为在Jamestown用砖建造房屋前，是用木料作为建筑材料的，可见森林面积不小，如果多岩石就不会出现石料短缺；B、C项不正确是因为Jamestown所在半岛上有森林，因此不会是光秃秃的，也不可能没有自然资源；而且也不是个不能居住的地方。
4.It can be inferred that the Virginia Assembly, by passing a law regarding building construction, hoped to______.(C)
A. increase the manufacture of bricks
B. prevent the destruction of trees in the area of Jamestown
C. establish a city that would be an example for the future
D. discourage people from settling in Jamestown
解析：文章第二段中第五句：“Had this law even been successfully enforced，Jamestown would have been a model city．”为虚拟语气，意思为：这项法律没有得到贯彻，所以Jamestown也就没有成为城市的典范。据此，可推断弗吉尼亚州议会通过这项法律的初衷是希望能把Jamestown建成一座未来城市的典范。故选C。
5.According to the passage, what eventually happened to Jamestown?(A)
A. It was practically destroyed.
B. It became a model city.
C. It remained the se
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