Question

When building houses, people used to think about not only the climate of the areas but also the building materials and the fashions for their houses. However, since electricity became more and more expensive, people began to pay much more attention to the energy they could get for their houses and the new ways they could find to protect their houses from both cold and heat.

Now, houses of an old yet new type have been widely built. In some parts of the world, people share their houses with their livestock. During cold weather, they gather their cows, goats, or other animals and keep them on the first floor of their houses. The reasons are that the animals can be protected from the cold and that they can help to heat the houses as well. The body heat given off by the animals rises to the second floor of the houses, where people live. By sharing their houses with their livestock, people gain a source of heat.

People who live in or near cities do not usually keep livestock. However, home builders use the fact that heat rises. This natural law can be used in building houses in these areas. Instead of keeping livestock on the first floor, builders fill it with large rocks. As they are open to the sun’s rays during cold weather, these rocks take in heat. They also give off the heat, and, of course, the warm air rises into the living areas of the houses. So these houses are energy-saving.

House building becomes a great challenge to building designers and energy engineers. They try to meet this challenge by learning from old traditions and by using modern technology. And someday in the future, people will be able to live in more energy-saving houses.

1.What did people begin to consider as electricity was no longer cheap?

A．The climate of their areas

B．The building materials for their houses

C．The fashions for their houses

D．The energy for their houses

2.People in some areas gain a source of heat by _________.

A．keeping their livestock downstairs

B．protecting their livestock from the cold

C．sharing their houses only with their cows

D．living on the second floor with their livestock

3.The underlined words “natural law” in the third paragraph refer to the fact that ________.

A．heat raises the temperature in the houses

B．heat goes in the upward direction

C．heat goes up if temperature is raised

D．heat increases the temperature of rocks

4.From the passage, we can conclude that _______ .

A．people will no longer consider building materials in the future

B．almost all people will move into the houses heated by large rocks

C．energy-saving buildings will become more popular in the future

D．energy engineers will devote themselves only to modern technology

5.What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Energy-saving house building

B．House building is a great challenge

C．How to live in energy-saving houses

D．Energy-saving houses’ bright future

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.B

4.C

5.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文介绍了随着电能的越来越贵，人们对于节能的理念也越来越强，所以一种节能的房屋的建设也越来越受欢迎了。

1.D 细节题。根据第一段3，4,5行. However, since electricity became more and more expensive, people began to pay much more attention to the energy they could get for their houses and the new ways they could find to protect their houses from both cold and heat.可知D项正确。

2.A 细节题。根据第二段2，3,4行In some parts of the world, people share their houses with their livestock. During cold weather, they gather their cows, goats, or other animals and keep them on the first floor of their houses. The reasons are that the animals can be protected from the cold and that they can help to heat the houses as well.可知A项正确。

3.B 推理题。根据本句However, home builders use the fact that heat rises. This natural law can be used in building houses in these areas.可知这里的natural law就是指前句的the fact that heat rises故B正确。

4.C 推理题。根据文章最后一句And someday in the future, people will be able to live in more energy-saving houses.说明在未来使用节能技术的房子会很受欢迎。故C正确。

5.A 主旨大意题。根据文章第一段内容可知本文主要讲述的就是节能的房屋的建设过程和原理介绍，故A正确。

考点：考查环境保护类短文阅读