Part A: Reading Comprehension
Directions: Read the following text. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A, B, C or D. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)
Text 2
For the first time in history more people live in towns than in the country. In Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate “the countryside” alongside the royal family, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support.
A century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save “the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.” It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience “a refreshing air.” Hill’s pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don’t make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.
At the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The Conservatives’ planning reform explicitly gives rural development priority over conservation, even authorising “off-plan” building where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Conservative parties.
The sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are, in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London area alone, with no intrusion on green belt. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces.
The idea that “housing crisis” equals “concreted meadows” is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more houses but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have grown and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones?
Development should be planned, not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe’s most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. There is no doubt of the alternative-the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal, Spain or Ireland. Avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite the left and right of the political spectrum.
26. Britain’s public sentiment about the countryside
27. According to Paragraph 2, the achievements of the National Trust are now being
28. Which of the following can be inferred from Paragraph 3?
29. The author holds that George Osborne’s preference
30. In the last paragraph, the author shows his appreciation of
答案与解析 (Answers)
26. [A] is not well reflected in politics.
解析：第一段末尾明确指出，“this has limited political support”（这在政治上得到的支持有限），说明民众的情感没有在政治中得到充分反映。
27. [D] gradually destroyed.
解析：第二段提到，“every year concrete consumes more of it”（每年混凝土都在吞噬更多的乡村），暗示以前保留下来的成就正在被蚕食和破坏。
38. [C] Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation.
解析：第三段提到 Ukip “sensing its chance”（察觉到了机会）并站在了保护乡村的一边，暗示其可以通过此举获得选民支持。
29. [A] shows his disregard for the character of rural areas.
解析：第五段批评乔治·奥斯本偏爱农村开发而非城市更新，作者反问“为什么破坏农村保护区”，说明奥斯本忽视了农村地区的特点。
30. [C] the town-and-country planning in Britain.
解析：最后一段指出半个世纪的“town and country planning”让英国保留了“令人羡慕的乡村连贯性”，体现了作者的高度赞赏。
全文翻译
历史上第一次，住在城镇的人比住在乡村的人更多了。在英国，这产生了一个奇怪的结果。虽然民调显示英国人将"乡村"与王室、莎士比亚和国家医疗服务体系（NHS）并列为他们最引以为豪的国家象征，但这得到的政治支持有限。一个世纪前，奥克塔维亚·希尔发起国民信托，不是为了挽救时髦的房屋，而是为了"为每个人永久保存自然场所的美"。其具体目的是为城市居民提供休闲空间，让他们能够体验"清新的空气"。希尔的压力后来导致了国家公园和绿化带的创建。人们不再创造乡村了，而混凝土每年都在蚕食更多的乡村。它需要持续的守护。在下次选举中，似乎没有一个大党派可能会支持这种情绪。保守党的规划改革明确将农村开发置于保护之上，甚至授权在当地居民可能反对的地方进行"计划外"建设。可持续发展的概念被定义为有利可图。工党同样希望取消市议会反对开发的地方规划。自由民主党保持沉默。只有英国独立党，感觉到了机会，站到了那些恳求采取更审慎方式使用绿地的人一边。它的"保护英格兰乡村运动"让许多地方保守党感到恐惧。建造新房、工厂和办公室的合理位置是在有人的地方，在有基础设施的城市和城镇。伦敦中介斯特林·阿克罗伊德最近仅在伦敦地区就确定了足够五十万套住房的场地，没有侵入绿化带。对伦敦成立的对各省更加成立。"住房危机"等于"水泥草地"的观点纯粹是游说言论。问题不是需要更多的房子，而是像往常一样，把它们放在哪里。在游说压力下，乔治·奥斯本偏好乡村新建而非城市改造和更新。他偏好城外购物场所而非商业大街。这不是自由市场，而是有偏见的市场。乡村城镇和村庄已经成长并将永远成长。它们在建筑贴近其边缘并尊重其特征的地方发展得最好。我们不会破坏城市保护区。为什么要破坏乡村保护区？开发应该有计划，而不是放任自流。继荷兰之后，英国是欧洲最拥挤的国家。半个世纪的城乡规划使它得以保持令人羡慕的乡村连贯性，同时仍然允许低密度的城市生活。毫无疑问存在另一种选择——葡萄牙南部、西班牙或爱尔兰被破坏的景观。避免这种情况而不是推动它，应该团结政治光谱的左派和右派。
核心长难句精解 (Highlighted Sentences)
1. 让步转折结构：
"While polls show Britons rate “the countryside” alongside the royal family... as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support."
【解析】While 引导让步状语从句，表“虽然...但是...”。主句 this has limited political support 是核心，揭示了民意与政治现状的断层。
【翻译】虽然民调显示英国人将“乡村”与皇室、莎士比亚以及国民医疗服务体系并列为让他们对国家最感自豪的事物，但这一情感在政治上得到的支持却非常有限。
"While polls show Britons rate “the countryside” alongside the royal family... as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support."
【解析】While 引导让步状语从句，表“虽然...但是...”。主句 this has limited political support 是核心，揭示了民意与政治现状的断层。
【翻译】虽然民调显示英国人将“乡村”与皇室、莎士比亚以及国民医疗服务体系并列为让他们对国家最感自豪的事物，但这一情感在政治上得到的支持却非常有限。
2. 比较级与强调：
"The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London area alone, with no intrusion on green belt."
【解析】with no intrusion on 意为“没有侵犯...”。这句话作为论据，有力地驳斥了“必须破坏绿带才能解决住房危机”的观点。
【翻译】伦敦代理机构斯特林·阿克罗伊德最近仅在伦敦地区就确定了足以建造 50 万套房屋的选址，且完全没有侵入绿带。
"The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London area alone, with no intrusion on green belt."
【解析】with no intrusion on 意为“没有侵犯...”。这句话作为论据，有力地驳斥了“必须破坏绿带才能解决住房危机”的观点。
【翻译】伦敦代理机构斯特林·阿克罗伊德最近仅在伦敦地区就确定了足以建造 50 万套房屋的选址，且完全没有侵入绿带。
3. 现在完成时与结果表达：
"Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living."
【解析】has enabled it to retain 使用完成时态，总结了过去五十年的成就。enviable（令人羡慕的）表达了作者积极的评价。
【翻译】半个世纪的城乡规划使英国得以保留令人羡慕的乡村连贯性，同时依然允许低密度的城市生活。
"Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living."
【解析】has enabled it to retain 使用完成时态，总结了过去五十年的成就。enviable（令人羡慕的）表达了作者积极的评价。
【翻译】半个世纪的城乡规划使英国得以保留令人羡慕的乡村连贯性，同时依然允许低密度的城市生活。