Question

Bedford Castle: The Home Of Bedfordshire Royalty

Bedfordshire had its fair share of royal visits from the early stages of the 10th Century onwards and the importance that the county placed on this is evident in the monuments, country houses, churches and a number of other structures that are still present there to this day. Bedford Castle is one of those structures and, although it is nowhere near its former glory today, it is an essential attraction to visit if you really want to grasp what its heritage means to the county!

Bedford Castle was built initially to help protect Bedfordshire on the south of the River Ouse. It was built in 919 on the orders of King Edward the Elder, but was destroyed by a Danish invasion years later.

There is a long history behind the Bedford Castle that involves several kings. It repeatedly offered the kings of England shelter against various attacks from abroad and various domestic threats against them, and this is where much of its fame lies, even though the castle itself is no longer there. There are various tours of the ruins that you can take when you visit though and all of the guides are extremely knowledgeable. They will happily tell you tales of the mound(土堆) and the castle that preceded it.

The mound is open to the public all year round and is a proud part of the area’s heritage. It is recommended by the majority of people that visit Bedfordshire because it tells you much about why the county is currently how it is. You can view the river from the mound and the surrounding settlements as well as the remains of the castle, and every moment spent there is worth it. So enjoy the history and the very nature of the county itself!

1.What can we infer from the first paragraph?

A. Many foreigners prefer to visit Bedford Castle.

B. Bedfordshire had it fair share of royal visits.

C. Most of the ancient buildings are still in use today.

D. Bedford Castle is no longer as glorious as before.

2.The underlined word “initially” in Paragraph 2 probably means _______ .

A. first of all

B. at the beginning

C. for one particular purpose

D. for a short time

3.The kings of England came to Bedford Castle ______ .

A. to seek temporary protection

B. to visit the Duke of Bedford

C. to enjoy the beauty of nature

D. to escape from the bad weather

4.Why are visitors recommended to visit Bedfordshire？

A．It is the major heritage in that region

B. It reflects the history of Bedfordshire

C. The ancient castle is well worth visiting

D. The castle is still in good condition

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.A

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：本文主要介绍的是英国著名的Bedford Castle的历史知识。

1. 推理题。根据第一段第二句Bedford Castle is one of those structures and, although it is nowhere near its former glory today可知现在的Bedford Castle已经没有过去的荣耀了。故D正确。

2. 猜测词义题。根据本段最后一句but was destroyed by a Danish invasion years later可知后来被丹麦入侵者毁掉了。根据Bedford Castle was built initially to help protect Bedfordshire on the south of the River Ouse说明该城堡在建设的时候是为了保护这个地方，所以该词表示的是起初的含义，也就是说最初是为了保护这个地方而建的城堡，后面被毁掉了。故B正确。

3. 推理题。根据第三段第二句It repeatedly offered the kings of England shelter against various attacks from abroad and various domestic threats against them可知很多英国的国王都曾经来到这里避难，要么逃避国外的攻击，要么逃避国内的反对。故A正确。

4. 细节题。根据第四段第二句It is recommended by the majority of people that visit Bedfordshire because it tells you much about why the county is currently how it is.可知人们推荐这个地方是因为这个地方能够反映英国的历史。故B正确。

考点：历史类阅读理解