Question

London’s newest skyscraper (摩天大楼) is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.

The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire (尖顶). He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin, sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts (桅杆) of the ships that were once on the river Thames.

The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices.

Before building work began, a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.

Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.

The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.

1.London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ________.

A. its cost    B. its size

C. its height    D. its shape

2.When he designed the Shard, Piano wanted it to ________.

A. change London’s skyline

B. imitate the Egyptian style

C. inherit London’s tradition

D. attract potential visitors

3.The critics who refer to social division think the Shard ________.

A. is far away from the poor area

B. is intended for wealthy people

C. is only preferred by the rich

D. is popular only with Londoners

4.Which would be the best title for the passage?

A. The Shard: Work of a Great Architect

B. The Shard: New Symbol of London?

C. The Shard: A Change for the Better?

D. The Shard: Cheers and Claps

Answer

1.D

2.C

3.B

4.C

【解析】这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了伦敦新建的名为“the Shard”的摩天大楼以及人们对这所大楼的不同看法。

1.细节理解题。由第二段中的“It looks like a very thin, sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard”可知，因为它的外形，这所摩天大楼才被称作“the Shard”。故D选项正确。

2.细节理解题。由第二段中的“Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition ”可知，Piano希望摩天大楼成为伦敦传统的一部分，故C选项正确。

3.细节理解题。由第五段中的“Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent…Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel…”可知，批评者不喜欢摩天大楼的代表意义，只有富人才买的起大楼里昂贵的私人公寓。故在他们看来，这幢大楼就是为那些有钱人建造的。故B选项正确。

4.标题归纳题。第一段中的“The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.”点明文章中心：摩天大楼地建造完全改变了伦敦的外貌。但是，并不是所有的人都认为这种变化是好的。下文就人们对摩天大楼不同看法进行了介绍。故C选项最适合做标题。

【名师点睛】对于标题归纳题，主旨大意题，主要是学会找出文章的中心句。例如4小题:题干Which would be the best title for the passage?意思是：文章最好的主题是哪一个?思维链接：文章的标题就是文章的中心句。就该文来说，文章的中心句就是第一段的最后一句话“However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better”。所以The Shard: A Change for the Better?就是文章的标题。