Question

Today, people all over the world are moving out of small villages in the country to go and live in big, noisy cities. They are moving from the peaceful hills, mountains, fields, rivers and streams of the country-side to the busy world of streets, buildings, traffic and crowds. This movement from rural areas to urban areas has been going on for over two hundred years.

In many countries, the main reason people come to live in towns and cities is work. After one or two large factories have been built in or near a town, people come to find work, and soon an industrial area begins to grow. There is usually a residential area (住宅区) nearby where the factory workers can live. The families of these workers need schools, hospitals and shops, so many people come to live in the area to provide these services and a city grows.

In every major city in the world, there is a business district(商业区) where the big companies have their main offices. In

the United States, this area is usually in the city centre downtown. It is here that you can see the huge skyscraper office

blocks. The people who work here often travel a long way to work each day. Many of them live in the suburbs of the city, far away from the industrial area and the city center. Some suburbs are very pleasant, with nice houses and big gardens. There are usually parks for children to play in and large department stores where you can buy all you need.

But what is the future of the big cities? Will they continue to get bigger and bigger? Perhaps not. Some major cities have actually become smaller in the last ten years, and it is quite possible that one day we will see people moving out of the major cities and back into smaller town and villages.

What does the underlined phrase "urban areas" mean?

A. Areas of the countryside. B. Areas of a town or a city.

C. Areas near the countryside.D. Areas near a town or a city.

In the United States, many people work in the centre of a big city ________ .

A. while living on the far away edge of the city        B. and live there

C. but live in another city           D. but live far away out of the countryside

Answer 1

【小题1】B

【小题2】A

解析:

【小题1】由短文第一段前两句可知,人们从农村的小村庄涌入大城市,由此可猜出该短语的意思。

【小题2】第三段即本题答案出处。