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.

　　1.London's newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ________.

　　A.its cost B.its size

　　C.its shape D.its height

　　2.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

　　3.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

　　4.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?

　　閱讀專項練習答案解析：

　　本文是一篇說明文。介紹了英國倫敦的地標性建筑——約310米高的歐洲第一高樓——“碎片大廈”。有人說這棟摩天大樓使倫敦看起來更漂亮，但更有批評意見一直伴隨著大樓的誕生。

　　1.C　解析：細節理解題。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是其外形像一塊很薄、很鋒利的碎玻璃片，因此選C項“它的形狀”，而非它的“花費、尺寸或高度”。

　　2.B　解析：細節理解題。第二段中的Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition.(Piano說“碎片大廈”的尖頂外形是倫敦偉大傳統的一部分。)解釋了設計師的想法，與B項“繼承倫敦的傳統”相吻合。A項“改變倫敦的天際線”是結果而不是設計初衷，C項“模仿埃及風格”及D項“吸引潛在的游客”文中均未涉及。

　　3.B　解析：細節理解題。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，談到社會分化的批評家認為“碎片大廈”是“專為有錢人設計的(is intended for wealthy people)”。

　　4.D　解析：主旨大意題。全文介紹了歐洲第一高樓——英國倫敦的“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，對于這個改變，毀譽參半，故D項“碎片大廈：更好的改變?”作為標題最為合適。A項“碎片大廈：歡呼與掌聲”只關注了支持者，不夠全面。

　　高考英語閱讀專項練習2：

　　The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand—a system of rapid handwriting, and now it's threatening to finish off handwriting as a whole. When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2012, just 15% of the most 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive letters(草寫字母). The rest? Block letters.

　　And those college hopefuls are just the first edge of a wave of US students who no longer get much handwriting instructions in the primary grades, frequently 10 minutes a day or less. As a result, more and more students struggle to read and write cursive letters.

　　At Keene Mill Elementary School in Springfield, all their poems and stories are typed. Children in Fairfax County schools are taught keyboarding beginning in kindergarten. Older students who never mastered handwriting say it doesn't affect their grades.

　　There are those who say the culture is at a crossing, turning from the written word to the typed one. If handwriting becomes a lost form of communication, does it matter?

　　It was at University Virginia that researchers recently discovered a previously unknown poem by Robert, written in his unique script. Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity(真實性) can be confirmed. Students also find them more fascinating.

　　The loss of handwriting also may be a cognitive(認知的) opportunity missed. Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better—a lifelong benefit.

　　It doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills. At some schools in Prince George's County, elementary school students use a programme called Handwriting Without Tears for 15 minutes a day. They learn the correct formation of manuscript letters through second grade, and cursive letters in third grade.

　　There are always going to be some kids who struggle with handwriting because of their particular neurological(神經系統的) writing, learning issues or poor motor skills. Educators often point to this factor in support of keyboarding.

　　1.What is the author concerned about after 2012 SAT exams?

　　A.Keyboarding. B.Shorthand.

　　C.Handwriting. D.Block letters.

　　2.A poem by Robert mentioned in the passage is used to ________.

　　A.prove how valuable handwriting is

　　B.explain what a famous poet he is

　　C.show how unique his poem is

　　D.stress how fascinating the documents are

　　3.The example of Handwriting Without Tears helps to argue that ________.

　　A.the schools are responsible for the loss of handwriting

　　B.the loss of handwriting is a cognitive opportunity missed

　　C.it doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills

　　D.the culture is turning from the written word to the typed one

　　4.According to the author, when is a perfect time to learn handwriting?

　　A.Kindergarten. B.Primary school.

　　C.High school. D.College.

　　5.What is the author's attitude towards this debate?

　　A.Devoted. B.Supportive.

　　C.Critical. D.Objective.

　　閱讀專項練習答案解析：

　　文章介紹因為使用電腦鍵盤，現在很多學生不會書寫，所以書寫應該引起關注，學生學習書寫是可以帶來很多好處的，最后提出有的學生因為種種原因不能寫字而可以使用鍵盤。

　　1.C　推理判斷題。根據第一段中“When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2012，just 15% of the most 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive letters(草寫字母).The rest? Block letters.”可知，在150萬學生中只有15%的學生是手寫的，這引起作者對手寫的擔心，故C項正確。

　　2.A　細節理解題。根據第五段中“Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers，historians say，because their authenticity(真實性) can be confirmed.”可知，作者想借Robert的詩來證明手寫的文稿更加珍貴，故A項正確。

　　3.C　細節理解題。根據倒數第二段中“It doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills.”可知，作者認為教學生書寫不需要花費多少精力，后面用Handwriting Without Tears舉例，故C項正確。

　　4.B　推理判斷題。根據倒數第三段中“Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better—a lifelong benefit.”可知，作者認為學生應該從小就學習書寫，會讓他們終受益，故B項正確。

　　5.D　推理判斷題。作者先是提出問題，即書寫應該引起關注，后面說為什么學生應該學習書寫，最后提出有的學生因為種種原因不能寫字而可以使用鍵盤，所以他是客觀地陳述事實，故D項正確。