Question

It’s interesting that the arrival of snow has a different effect on people in different countries. For some countries it is an important happening to celebrate each year, while for others it is a catastrophe(灾难)or even a wonder.

There are countries between these two extremes that normally expect snow some time over the winter months, but never receive snow regularly or in the same quantities every year. Britain is one such country, for which the arrival of snow quite simply creates problems. Within hours of the first snowfall, however light, roads are blocked; trains and buses stop in the middle of the traffic. Normal communications are affected as well, telephone calls become difficult and the post immediately takes more time than usual. Almost within hours, there are also certain shortages—bread, vegetables and other things—not because all these things can no longer be produced or sent to shops, but mainly because people are frightened, and go out to store up these commodities,“just for fear that something bad should happen.”

Why then does snow have this effect? After all, the Swiss, Austrians and Canadians don’t have such problems. It is simply because there is not enough planning and preparation. We need money to buy equipment to deal with snow and ice. To keep the roads clear, for example, requires snowploughs and machines to spread salt. The reason why a country like Britain does not buy snow ploughs is that they are only used for a few days in any one year, and the money could be more useful in other things such as hospitals, education or helping the old.

1. According to the writer, Britain is a country______.

A. which has regular snow

B. which is not well prepared for snow

C. for which snow is not a catastrophe

D. for which snow is a wonder

2. The arrival of snow in Britain affects all of the following except______.

A. traffic　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. communications

C. food supplies　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. service quality

3. After a few hours’ snowing there are often shortages of food because______.

A. shops have closed down

B. people buy as much as they can

C. farmers cannot produce any more

D. people eat more vegetables in winter

4. The first reason that the British do not buy snow ploughs is that______.

A. spreading salt is good enough　　　　　　　　　　    B. old people need more money

C. snow ploughs are not used often　　　　　　　　    D. the hospital is more important

5.The words“two extremes”in the second paragraph mean the countries______.

A. which have snow either as yearly happening to celebrate or as rare weather

B. which either have heavy snow or light snow

C. to which snow either causes problems or no problems

D. which either have snow-ploughs or no snow-ploughs

 

Answer 1

答案：1D2D3B4C5C
解析：

1、从第一第二段可以推出结论. 2、此题考查细节事实，由文章得知，英国下雪时，交通、通讯、食物供给都受到影响,唯一不受影响的是服务的质量。 3、此题考查细节事实。雪后食物短缺的原因是人们的疯狂采购。 4、此题考查细节事实。英国人不买除雪机的原因是这种机器不大常用。 5、此题考查词义猜测。从其所处位置及第一段得知，它代指奇观和灾难两种情况。