第一段
For the first time in history, more people live in towns than in the county. In Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate “the countryside” alongside the royal firmly, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support.
单词&词组
poll n. 民意调查
alongside prep. （与……）相比
rate as 认为，评价为
National Health Service （英国）国民保健制度
proud of 对……感到骄傲
本段翻译
城市人口超过了乡村人口，这在历史上还是头一次。在英国，这造就了一个令人不解的结果。民调显示，尽管英国人把“乡村”随皇室、莎翁和国民医疗服务制度一起列为英国四大骄傲，但英国人的这种观点并没有得到多少政治支持。
第二段
A century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save “the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.” It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience “a refreshing air.” Hill’s pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don’t make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.
单词&词组
launch v. 发起
specifically ad. 特意，专门地
dweller n. 居民
refreshing a. 清爽的，清新的
pressure n. 催促，强迫，呼吁
concrete n. 混凝土
consume v. 消耗
guardianship n. 监护，保护
provide sb. with sth. 提供某物给某人
green belt
本段翻译
一个世纪以前，住房改革家奥克塔维亚·希尔发起成立了全国托管组织（一个靠捐款来保护名胜古迹的民间组织，该组织反对在乡村地区大规模修建住房），此举不是为了挽救一些精致房屋，而是为了永久保存“自然之地的美”。特别地，此举是为城市居民提供休闲空间一一能让他们呼吸新鲜空气的地方。希尔给政府带来的压力促成了各种国家公园和绿化带的创建。如今公园和绿化带不再造就乡村，相反，混凝土建筑一年一年蚕食乡村。乡村需要持久的守卫。
第三段
At the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The conservatives’ planning reform explicitly gives rural development priori over conservation, even authorizing “off-plan” building where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Conservative parties.
单词&词组
endorse v. 赞同，支持
sentiment n. 观点，看法
explicitly ad. 明确地
priority n. 优先权
conservation n. 保护
authorize v. 批准，授权
profitable a. 有利可图的
likewise ad. 同样地
discontinue v. 中止，停止
council n. （英国地方政府的）政务委员会，地方议会
plead v. 请求
considered a. 经过深思熟虑的
be defined as 被定义为……
side with 与……站在一边
strike terror into 使某人胆战心惊
本段翻译
但在下一届选举中，几个大党都不太可能会支持这一观点。保守党的规划改革明确表态要给乡村建设而不是乡村保护以优先权，该改革方案甚至批准建设项目的“未建先售”模式，而这可能遭到项目所在地居民的反对。可持续发展的概念已经被定义成了可盈利发展。工党同样也想终止那些遭地方议会反对的地方性建设规划。而自由民主党人则并未表态。只有英国独立党（Ukip）选择和那些呼吁政府在使用绿地方面要三思的人站在一起，因为他们觉得自己的机会来了。该党的“保护英国乡村运动”让许多地方性保守党大惊失色。
第四段
The sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are.in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London area alone, no intrusion on green belt. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces.
单词&词组
sensible a. 明智的，合理的
infrastructure n. 基础设施
identify v. （经考虑）确定
intrusion n. 侵犯
in place 准备就绪的
本段翻译
乡村的新房子、工厂和办公室明显应该建设在人聚居的地方，城市和城镇的则是建在基础设施完善的地方。最近，伦敦房产中介StirlingAckroyd仅在伦敦就找出了足够多的建设地点，这些地方能够建设50万套的住房，且不会侵占绿化带。伦敦这么小的地方都能如此，其他大的省份就更能如此了。
第五段
The idea that “housing crisis” equals “concreted meadows” is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more house but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against. high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have growl and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones?
单词&词组
meadow n. 草地
lobby n. 游说团体
new-build n. 正在建造［刚刚建成］的房子
renovation n. 翻新
renewal n. 复兴
out-of-town a. 城外的，城郊的
biased a. 有偏见的，偏袒一方的
high streets 商业街（指市镇商业区的主要街道）
free market 自由市场
stick to 紧跟，紧随，沿着
本段翻译
有观点认为“住房危机”的严重性不亚于大规模建设住房会把乡村变成“混凝土草地”这一后果的严重性，但它只不过是开发商游说集团的说辞罢了。问题的所在不是需不需要建设更多的住房，而是在哪里建设这些住房，一直以来这都是问题所在。在开发商游说集团的压力下，英国财政大臣乔治·奥斯本选择支持在乡村建设新住房的计划，而不是对城市地区进行改造和翻新。他支持在远离城镇的地方而不是商业大街建设购物中心。这种做法可不是自由市场行为，而是一种有偏见的市场行为。乡村城镇和村庄已得到了发展，并且还会继续发展下去。当高楼大厦保持在城镇和村庄的边缘、尊重它们的特色时，这些城镇和村庄才能发展得最好。我们没有毁掉城市的保护区。为什么要去毁掉乡村的保护区呢？
第六段
Development should be planned .not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe’s most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. there is no doubt of the alternative - the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal Spain or Ireland avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite left and right of the political spectrum.
单词&词组
retain v. 保持
enviable a. 令人羡慕的
coherence n. 一致，协调
alternative n. 供替代的选择，选择的余地
corrupted a. 被破坏的，被毁坏的
let rip 自由自在地行动，恣意
political spectrum 政治光谱
本段翻译
住房开发应当有规划，而不是放任不管。英国是继荷兰之后欧洲第二拥挤的国家。但半个世纪以来，科学的规划使得英国得以保留了另他国羡慕的乡村的原汁原味性，同时还能让英国的城市居住保持低密度性。不进行科学规划所带来的后果是毋庸置疑的一—无序的乡村建设使得葡萄牙南部、西班牙和爱尔兰的某些地带一团糟就是个例子。让英国政治舞台上的左派和右派团结起来的应该是避免无序的乡村建设这一政策，而不是支持无序的乡村发展这一政策。
五道题
26. Britain’s public sentiment about the countryside_____.
[A] didn’t start till the Shakespearean age.
[B] has brought much benefit to the NHS.
[C] is fully backed by the royal family.
[D] is not well reflected in politics.
27. According to Paragraph 2, the achievements of the National Trust are now being_____.
[A] gradually destroyed.
[B] effectively reinforced.
[C] largely overshadowed.
[D] properly protected.
28. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3?
[A] Labour is under attack for opposing development
[B] The Conservatives may abandon “off-plan” building.
[C] The Liberal Democrats are losing political influence.
[D] Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation.
29. The author holds that George Osborne’s preference_____.
[A] reveals a strong prejudice against urban areas.
[B] shows his disregard for the character of rural areas.
[C] stresses the necessity of easing the housing crisis.
[D] highlights his firm stand i against lobby Pressure.
30. In the last paragraph, the author shows his appreciation of _____.
[A] the size of population in Britain.
[B] the enviable urban lifestyle in Britain.
[C] the town-and-country planning in Britain.
[D]the political life in today’s Britain.
参考答案
ACADC
答案解析
26、解析：此题是原因细节题。根据关键词定位到第一段But前后关于lesser prairie chickens 数量2million和22,000的强烈对比。此外第二段第二句“the lesser prairie chicken is in a desperate situation”都可以得知A its drastically decreased population 数量的急剧下降为正确答案。
27、解析：此题是原因细节题。根据关键词定位到第二段第四句，They had …, a state that gives federal officials greater regulatory power. 而But 之后是截然相反的事实，即政府授予了更少的管理权。故而C granted less federal regulatory powers为正确答案。
28、解析：推断题。题干问的是从第三段推出来：无意伤害的那些人是不会被检举的如果怎么样。根据题干定位到第三段首句“it would not prosecute….as long as ….”，题干中问的if即原文的as long as的同意替换，原文as long as的意思是：只要他们签署了计划。下一句说道，该计划要求个体和企业去支付基金。对应选项A选项“赞同支付赔偿”属于同义替换。
29、解析：此题是细节题。根据关键词定位到第三段最后一句the idea is to let the“states”remain in the driver’s seat for managing the species, Ashe said. 其中in the driver’s seat对应题干中的the leading role, 故而D states为正确答案。
30、解析：文中人物观点题。题干问的是Jay Lininger最可能支持谁，大写人名定位到末段最后一句。最后一句提到：生物学家Jay Lininger说道联邦政府要把责任推给导致鸟类灭绝的企业，显然是对政府和企业的反对。再往前看一句，指出：企业团体和政府部门观点一致，环境学家与其观点恰巧一致。因此，Jay Lininger最支持环境团体的观点了。
