steel rods to give it extra strength.

　　To further protect the house from hurricane damage, Huff raised it 2.7 meters off the ground on timber pilings—long, slender columns of wood anchored deep in the sand. Pilings might appear insecure, but they are strong enough to support the weight of the house. They also elevate the house above storm surges. The pilings allow the surges to run under the house instead of running into it. “These swells of water come ashore at tremendous speeds and cause most of the damage done to beach-front buildings,” said Huff.

　　Huff designed the timber pilings to be partially concealed by the house’s ground-to-roof shell. “The shell masks the pilings so that the house doesn’t look like it’s standing with its pant legs pulled up,” said Huff. In the event of a storm surge, the shell should break apart and let the waves rush under the house, the architect explained.

　　1. After the tragedy caused by Hurricane Hugo, new houses built along South Carolina’s shore line are required ________.

　　A) to be easily reinforced

　　B) to look smarter in design

　　C) to meet stricter building standards

　　D) to be designed in the shape of cubes

　　2. The award-winning beach house is quite strong because ________.

　　A) it is strengthened by steel rods

　　B) it is made of redwood

　　C) it is in the shape of a shell

　　D) it is built with timber and concrete

　　3. Huff raised the house 2.7 meters off the ground on timber pilings in order to ________.

　　A) withstand peak winds of about 200 km/hr

　　B) anchor stronger pilings deep in the sand

　　C) break huge sea waves into smaller ones

　　D) prevent water from rushing into the house

　　4. The main function of the shell is ________.

　　A) to strengthen the pilings of the house

　　B) to give the house a better appearance

　　C) to protect the wooden frame of the house

　　D) to slow down the speed of the swelling water

　　5. It can be inferred from the passage that the shell should be ________.

　　A) fancy-looking

　　B) waterproofwww.

　　C) easily breakable

　　D) extremely strong

　　1. C 2. A 3. D 4.B 5. C

　　When families gather for Christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions dating back to Grandma’s generation. Their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver, and the dress code will be Sunday-best.

　　But in many other homes, this china-and-silver elegance has given way to a stoneware (粗陶)-and-stainless informality, with dresses assuming an equally casual-Friday look. For hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and comfort. For makers of fine china in Britain, it spells economic hard times.

　　Last week Royal Doulton, the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent, announced that it is eliminating 1,000 jobs—one-fifth of its total workforce. That brings to more than 4,000 the number of positions lost in 18 months in the pottery (陶瓷) region. Wedgwood and other pottery factories made cuts earlier.

　　Although a strong pound and weak markets in Asia play a role in the downsizing, the layoffs in Stoke have their roots in earthshaking social shifts. A spokesman for Royal Doulton admitted that the company “has been somewhat slow in catching up with the trend” toward casual dining. Families eat together less often, he explained, and more people eat alone, either because they are single or they eat in front of television;

　　Even dinner parties, if they happen at all, have gone casual. In a time of long work hours and demanding family schedules, busy hosts insist, rightly, that it’s better to share a takeout pizza on paper plates in the family room than to wait for the perfect moment or a “real” dinner party. Too often, the perfect moment never comes. Iron a fine-patterned tablecloth? Forget it. Polish the silver? Who has time?

　　Yet the loss of formality has its down side. The fine points of etiquette (禮節(jié)) that children might once have learned at the table by observation or instruction from parents and grandparents (“Chew with your mouth closed.” “Keep your elbows off the table.”) must be picked up elsewhere. Some companies now offer etiquette seminars for employees who may be competent professionally but clueless socially.

　　1. The trend toward casual dining has resulted in ________.

　　A) bankruptcy of fine china manufacturers

　　B) shrinking of the pottery industry

　　C) restructuring of large enterprises

　　D) economic recession in Great Britain

　　2. Which of the following may be the best reason for casual dining?

　　A) Family members need more time to relax.

　　B) Busy schedules leave people no time for formality.

　　C) People want to practice economy in times of scarcity.

　　D) Young people won’t follow the etiquette of the older generation.

　　3. It can be learned from the passage that Royal Doulton is ________.

　　A) a retailer of stainless steel tableware

　　B) a dealer in stoneware

　　C) a pottery chain store

　　D) a producer of fine china

　　4. The main cause of the layoffs in the pottery industry is ________.

　　A) the increased value of the pound

　　B) the economic recession in Asia

　　C) the change in people’s way of life

　　D) the fierce competition at home and abroad

　　5. Refined table manners, though less popular than before in current social life ________.

　　A) are still a must on certain occasions

　　B) axe bound to return sooner or later

　　C) are still being taught by parents at home

　　D) can help improve personal relationships

　　1. B 2. B 3. D 4.C 5. A