英语阅读14

英语阅读专题训练 十四

Passage Two

In the Arctic Circle, it is not that Eskimos lack ability or industry, but the surroundings restrict constructive effort to the barest necessities of existence. This retards progress to higher development.

Agriculture is impossible all along the thousands of miles of the north shore. The only wood is such as drifts in. Other than this driftwood, the only available building materials are snow, ice, stone, and bones of animals. All of these have been used for habitations and storage, places, differing in various tribes according to the requirements and skill of the workers.

The lack of necessary timbers to build walls and span wide spaces is probably one reason why they construct their houses at least partly beneath the surface of the ground. This device also makes the houses more impervious (不能渗透的) to the cold.

Most of us are inclined to think that the Eskimo lives always in an igloo or snow house. This is not entirely true. After the long cold winter, the family is very likely to move, when the weather permits, into a tent of sealskin. The actual construction of such a tent is similar to that used by other, more southerly tribes and will be described later.

The snow house, however, is an interesting and unique habitation. Our summer campers will not build, with snow, but the delicate art is worth recording and some of our winter camps mountaineers might try to make snow houses.

在北极圈,这并不是说爱斯基摩人缺乏能力或行业,但环境建设性的努力只限制存在的必要性。这阻碍进步到更高的发展。
农业是不可能沿着数千英里的北岸。唯一的木材是游荡在等。除了这个浮木,唯一可用的建筑材料是雪、冰、石头、骨头的动物。所有这些已经使用了住处和存储,在不同的地方,不同部落根据需求和技能的工人。
缺乏必要的木料建造墙壁和跨度宽空间可能是一个原因为什么他们建造他们的房子至少部分表面下的地上。这个装置也使房子更不透水(不能渗透的)到冷。
大多数人都倾向于认为爱斯基摩人的生活总是在一个冰屋或雪的房子。这并不完全是真的。漫长而寒冷的冬天后,家庭是非常容易移动,当天气允许,进入一个帐篷的海豹皮。实际建设这样的帐篷是类似于使用其他更向南的部落和稍后将进行描述。
雪房子,然而,是一个有趣的和独特的居住。我们的夏令营营员将不会建立,雪,但精致的艺术是值得记录和我们的一些冬季登山营地可能试图让雪房子。

21. Eskimos’ efforts to build houses ___________.

A. result in various building

B. are limited by a hostile environment

C. are restricted by their ability

D. retard progress to higher development

22. Which of the following about the construction of houses is true?

A. Building materials differ from tribe to tribe.

B. Building material

s are the same for all the houses.

C. Building materials are selected according to weather.

D. Building materials are decided by skilled workers.

23. Why do Eskimos build their houses partly under the ground?

A. They like to live under the ground.

B. They are short of essential materials for walls and roofs.

C. They want their houses less affected by the cold.

D. Both B and C.

24. In the long winter Eskimos commonly live in _________.

A. a snow house B. a stone house C. a storage place D. a tent of sealskin

25. What does the author think of snow houses?

A. Interesting B. Artistic C. Unique D. All of the above