Question

For most city people, the elevator is an unremarkable machine that inspires none of the enthusiasm or interest that Americans afford trains, jets, and even bicycles. Dr. Christopher Wilk is a member of a small group of elevator experts who consider this a misunderstanding. Without the elevator, they point out, there could be no downtown skyscrapers or tall buildings, and city life as we know it would be impossible. In that sense, they argue, the elevator’s role in American history has been no less significant than that of cars. In fact, according to Wilk, the car and the elevator have been locked in a “secret war” for over a century, with cars making it possible for people to spread horizontally(水平地), and elevators pushing them toward life in close groups of towering vertical (垂直的) columns.

If we tend to ignore the significance of elevators, it might be because riding in them tends to be such a brief, boring, and even awkward experience one that can involve unexpectedly meeting people with whom we have nothing in common, and an unpleasant awareness of the fact that we’re hanging from a cable in a long passage.

In a new book, Lifted, German journalist and cultural studies professor Andreas Bernard directed all his attention to this experience, studying the origins of elevator and its relationship to humankind and finding that riding in an elevator has never been a totally comfortable experience. “After 150 years, we are still not used to it, ”Bernard said. “We still have not exactly learned to cope with the mixture of closeness and displeasure.” That mixture, according to Bernard, sets the elevator ride apart from just about every other situation we find ourselves in as we go about our lives.

Today, as the world’s urban population explodes, and cities become more crowded, taller, and more crowded, America’s total number of elevators—900,000 at last count, according to Elevator World magazine’s “2012 Vertical Transportation Industry”—are a force that’s becoming more important than ever. And for the people who really, really love them, it seems like high time that we looked seriously at just what kind of force they are.

1.What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 1refer to?

A. The particular interests of experts.

B. The general view of elevators.

C. The desire for a remarkable machine.

D. The enthusiasm for transport vehicles.

2.The author’s purpose in mentioning cars is          .

A. to emphasize the importance of elevators

B. to contrast their functions with elevators

C. to reveal their secret war against elevators

D. to explain people’s preference for elevators

3.According to Prof. Bernard, what has made the elevator ride different from other life experiences?

A. Vertical direction.

B. Little physical space.

C. Lack of excitement.

D. Uncomfortable conditions.

4.The author urges readers to consider

A. the exact number of elevator lovers

B. the serious future situation of elevators

C. the relationship between cars and elevators

D. the role of elevators in city development

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.B

4.D

【解析】这是一篇夹叙夹议的议论文。文章主要阐述对于电梯所持有的不同态度与观点，并表达了自己对于电梯的态度。

1.词义猜测题。根据划线内容推断应该指代的是文章第一段For most city people, the elevator is an unremarkable machine that inspires none of the enthusiasm or interest that Americans afford trains, jets，and even bicycles句意：对于大多数城市的人来说, 电梯是一台不起眼的机器, 它既不激发美国人坐火车、喷气机甚至骑自行车的热情也不引起美国人坐火车、喷气机甚至骑自行车的兴趣。即“this”指的是大众对于电梯的看法。故B正确。

2.推理判断题。根据文章第一段“In that sense, they argue，the elevator’s role in American history has been no less significant than that of cars.” 句意：他们认为, 从这个意义上讲电梯在美国历史上的作用和汽车一样重要。作者用小车作为参照物来强调电梯的重要性。B项意为：与电梯的功能对比 C项意为：揭露小车和电梯对人类的作用大小的“争论”。D项意为：解释了人们对电梯的偏爱。故选A。

3.推理判断题。 根据文章第三段“ “We still have not exactly learned to cope with the mixture of closeness and displeasure.” That mixture, according to Bernard, sets the elevator ride apart from just about every other situation we find ourselves in as we go about our lives.” 句意：我们仍然没有真正学会应付电梯所带来的既密闭又不悦的混合感受。据伯纳德说, 这种混合感受将电梯的乘坐和生活中其他的体验区别开来，。可知是因为电梯的关闭给人带来了不愉悦，也就是电梯的空间带来的问题。故选B。

4.细节理解题。根据文章最后一段“it seems like high time that we looked seriously at just what kind of force they are.”可知作者的写作用意在于让读者去评价电梯在城市发展中的价值所在。故选D。