Question

The history of vacuum cleaners(真空吸尘器) in the UK dates back to the early 1900s.Hubert Cecil Booth started the first vacuum cleaner company in the UK, known as the British Vacuum Cleaner Company. It wasn’t long, however, before William Henry Hoover, who had already experienced success with his vacuum cleaners in America, made headway in the vacuum cleaner market in the UK and became more successful than Booth.

Hoover’s vacuum cleaners in the UK became such a success that ‘to hoover’ quickly became equal to vacuuming. Some of the earliest domestic vacuum cleaners in the UK used simple reusable cloth bag designs whereby the vacuum cleaner simply collected dust in the bag. Once the bag was full, you could empty and re-attach it to the vacuum cleaner.

For decades after their introduction, vacuum cleaners in the UK were a luxury item that only the upper class could afford. After World War II，however, they became common among the middle class.

This was especially true for vacuum cleaners in the UK, because the popularity of carpets means sweeping is not an easy or effective means of carpet cleaning.

In 1952, Hoover made the Constellation available to the public for the first time. Hoover designed it so that people could place the vacuum cleaner in the centre of the room and then work around it. After about 20 years of selling these vacuum cleaners in the UK, Hoover stopped the Constellation in 1975.

Advances to upright and cylinder(气缸) vacuum cleaners in the UK continued, enabling vacuum cleaners to become more efficient and effective. The 1990s saw the introduction of the first bagless domestic vacuum cleaners in the UK. Despite many industry fears consumers would not be prepared to pay the high price, bagless vacuum cleaners became a big success in the UK.

As for the future, vacuum cleaners in the UK are expected to become even more energy-efficient.

1.What can be inferred from the first paragraph?

A. Hoover entered the UK vacuum cleaner market before the 1900s.

B. Hoover’s vacuum cleaners were more advanced than booth’s.

C. Hoover’s vacuum cleaners were very popular in the UK market.

D. Vacuum cleaners were invented later in the UK than in America.

2.What was the cloth bag on the earliest domestic vacuum cleaners used for?

A. Decorating the vacuum cleaners.

B. Making the vacuum cleaners more efficient.

C. Lightening the vacuum cleaners.

D. Collecting dust.

3.What was the most remarkable characteristic of the Constellation?

A. It was only used by the upper class.

B. Its design allowed the user to work around it.

C. It was upright and it had a cylinder added to it.

D. Its price was extremely high at the time.

4.We can learn from the passage that bagless vacuum cleaners  .

A. were so popular that they could fulfill all UK customers’ demands

B. were the most energy-efficient vacuum cleaners.

C. were not accepted by UK customers

D. were expensive when they made their first public appearance in the UK

Answer

1. C

2. D

3. B

4. D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。介绍了真空吸尘器在英国的发展历史。

1.推理判断题。由第一段It wasn’t long, however, before William Henry Hoover, who had already experienced success with his vacuum cleaners in America, made headway in the vacuum cleaner market in the UK and became more successful than Booth 可知，Hoover的真空吸尘器在英国的市场上很受欢迎。故C选项正确。

2.细节理解题。由第二段Some of the earliest domestic vacuum cleaners in the UK used simple reusable cloth bag designs whereby the vacuum cleaner simply collected dust in the bag 可知，真空吸尘器简单地将灰尘收集在袋子里。故D选项正确。

3.细节理解题。由第五段Hoover designed it so that people could place the vacuum cleaner in the centre of the room and then work around it可知，Hoover设计它是为了让人们把吸尘器放在房间的中心，然后在它的周围工作。故B选项正确。

4.细节理解题题。由倒数第二段The 1990s saw the introduction of the first bagless domestic vacuum cleaners in the UK. Despite many industry fears consumers would not be prepared to pay the high price, bagless vacuum cleaners became a big success in the 20世纪90年代，第一批无袋式家用吸尘器出现在英国市场上。尽管许多行业担心消费者不愿意支付高昂的价格，但无袋吸尘器在英国取得了巨大的成功，可知，无袋吸尘器第一次出现在公众前，价格昂贵。故D选项正确。