E
London's newest skyscraper (摩天大樓) 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(尖頂).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(桅桿) 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 fivestar 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.
18.London's newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ________.
A.its cost B.its size
C.its shape D.its height
19.When he designed the Shard，Piano wanted it to ________.
A.change London's skyline
B.inherit London's tradition
C.imitate the Egyptian style
D.attract potential visitors
20.The critics who refer to social division think the Shard ________.
A.is only preferred by the rich
B.is intended for wealthy people
C.is far away from the poor area
D.is popular only with Londoners
21.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.The Shard：Cheers and Claps
B.The Shard：Work of a Great Architect
C.The Shard：New Symbol of London?
D.The Shard：A Change for the Better?
答案：
【語(yǔ)篇解讀】 本文是一篇說(shuō)明文。介紹了英國(guó)倫敦的地標(biāo)性建筑——約310米高的歐洲第一高樓——“碎片大廈”。有人說(shuō)這棟摩天大樓使倫敦看起來(lái)更漂亮，但更有批評(píng)意見(jiàn)一直伴隨著大樓的誕生。
18.C 解析：細(xì)節(jié)理解題。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，這棟樓的名字的由來(lái)是其外形像一塊很薄、很鋒利的碎玻璃片，因此選C項(xiàng)“它的形狀”，而非它的“花費(fèi)、尺寸或高度”。
19.B 解析：細(xì)節(jié)理解題。第二段中的Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition.(Piano說(shuō)“碎片大廈”的尖頂外形是倫敦偉大傳統(tǒng)的一部分。)解釋了設(shè)計(jì)師的想法，與B項(xiàng)“繼承倫敦的傳統(tǒng)”相吻合。A項(xiàng)“改變倫敦的天際線”是結(jié)果而不是設(shè)計(jì)初衷，C項(xiàng)“模仿埃及風(fēng)格”及D項(xiàng)“吸引潛在的游客”文中均未涉及。
20.B 解析：細(xì)節(jié)理解題。由第五段中的“Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel.”可知，談到社會(huì)分化的批評(píng)家認(rèn)為“碎片大廈”是“專(zhuān)為有錢(qián)人設(shè)計(jì)的(is intended for wealthy people)”。
21.D 解析：主旨大意題。全文介紹了歐洲第一高樓——英國(guó)倫敦的“碎片大廈”。由第一段的最后一句“However，not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.”可知，對(duì)于這個(gè)改變，毀譽(yù)參半，故D項(xiàng)“碎片大廈：更好的改變?”作為標(biāo)題最為合適。A項(xiàng)“碎片大廈：歡呼與掌聲”只關(guān)注了支持者，不夠全面。
