A simple piece of clothesline hangs between some environmentally friendly Americans and their neighbors.

　　On one side stand those who see clothes dryers(干衣机) as a waste of energy and a major polluter of the environment. As a result, they are turning to clotheslines as part of the “what-I-can-do environmentalism(环境保护主义).”

　　On the other side are people who are against drying clothes outside, arguing that clotheslines are unpleasant to look at. They have persuaded Homeowners Associations (HOAs) across the U.S. to ban outdoor clotheslines, because clothesline drying also tends to lower home value in the neighborhood. This had led to a Right-to-Dry Movement that is calling for laws to be passed to protect people’s right to use clotheslines.　　

　　So far, only three states have laws to protect clothesline. Right-to-Dry supporters argue that there should be more.　　

　　Matt Reck, 37, is the kind of eco-conscious(有生态意识的) person who feeds his trees with bathwater and reuses water drops from his air conditioners to water plants. His family also uses a clothesline. But on July 9, 2007, the HOA in Wake Forest, North Carolina, told him that a dissatisfied neighbor had telephoned them about his clothesline. The Recks paid no attention to the warning and still dried their clothes on a line in the yard. “Many people say they are environmentally friendly but they don’t take matters in their own hands,” says Reck. The local HOA has decided not to take any action, unless more neighbors come to them.　　

　　North Carolina lawmakers are saying that banning clotheslines is not the right thing to do. But HOAs and housing businesses believe that clothesline drying reminds people of poor neighborhoods. They worry that if buyers think their future neighbors can’t even afford dryers, housing prices will fall.

　　Environmentalists say such worries are not necessary, and in view of global warming, that idea needs to change. As they say, “The clothesline is beautiful”. Hanging clothes outside should be encouraged. We all have to do at least something to slow down the process of global warming.”

One of the reasons why supporters of clothes dryers are trying to ban clothesline drying is that ________.

A. clothes dryers are more efficient   

B. clothesline drying reduces home value

C. clothes dryers are energy-saving    

D. clothesline drying is not allowed in most U.S. states

Which of the following best describes Matt Reck?

　　A. He is a kind-hearted man.         B. He is an impolite man.　　

　　C. He is an experienced gardener.    D. He is a man of social responsibility.　　

Who are in favor of clothesline drying?　　

　　A. housing businesses.           B. Environmentalists.　　

　　C. Homeowners Associations.     D. Reck’s dissatisfied neighbors.　　

What is mainly discussed in the text?　　

　　A. Clothesline drying: a way to save energy and money.　　

　　B. Clothesline drying: a lost art rediscovered.　　

　　C. Opposite opinions on clothesline drying.　　

　　D. Different varieties of clotheslines.　　

阅读下面短文, 掌握其大意, 然后从1～25各题所给的四个选项中, 选出一个最 佳答案。　　

　　    Chinto was an orphan. He 1 both his parents and 2 with his Uncle Charlie. As his uncle was 3 , he went out 4 to sell newspapers to help 5 the two of them.

　　     One day, on his way home, Chinto 6 a 7 bike in a dustbin. He took it home and fixed it. He bought the 8 parts——except the fenders (挡灰板) which were very expensive. Then he found a pair of　　 fenders in a pile of rubbish, he and his uncle 9 the bike up 10 . They were 11 very happy. Then, one day Uncle Charlie told　　 Chinto to do some 12 for him. Outside the marketplace, he 13 by a white woman who said that the bike was 14 . Chinto told her how he 15 and fixed the bike, but the woman didn't believe him. She　　 insisted that he 16 it. Just then two policemen 17 . They 18 the woman's side. The policemen went to Uncle Charlie's house　　 and threatened (威胁) to 19 Charlie to 20 . 21 that the policemen 22 Chinto away, Uncle Charlie 23 say that maybe Chinto had stolen the bike. Finally, the policemen took the bike away. Chinto just could not 24 why his uncle had let them 25 that.　　

 1. A. lost　　　　　　   B. had lost 　　   C. was losing　　　　 D. would lose　　　　　　　　 ［　　］ 　　2. A. was living　　　　 B. was alive 　　   C. living　　　　　　 D. lives　　　　　　　　　　  ［　　］ 　　3. A. lost his work　　  B. no work 　　   C. out of the work　　D. out of work　　　　　　　　［　　］ 　　4. A. every day　　　　  B. everyday 　　   C. each day　　　　   D. per day　　　　　　　　　　［　　］ 　　5. A. to be supported　　B. support 　　   C. supported　　　　  D. supporting　　　　　　　　 ［　　］ 　　6. A. found　　　　　　  B. looked for 　　   C. in search of　　   D. searched　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　7. A. break　　　　　　  B. broke 　　   C. broken　　　　　　 D. breaking　　　　　　　　   ［　　］ 　　8. A. missed　　　　　　 B. missing 　　   C. losing　　　　　　 D. spare　　　　　　　　　　  ［　　］ 　　9. A. set　　　　　　　　B. broke 　　   C. made　　　　　　   D. fitted　　　　　　　　　　 ［　　］    10. A. nicely　　　　　　 B. nice 　　   C. good　　　　　　   D. better　　　　　　　　　　 ［　　］    11. A. both　　　　　　   B. either 　　   C. all　　　　　　　　D. real　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］    12. A. shop　　　　　　   B. shopping 　　   C. shoppings　　　　  D. shops　　　　　　　　　　  ［　　］    13. A. prevented　　　　  B. was prevented 　　   C. was stopped　　　　D. stopped　　　　　　　　　　［　　］    14. A. her son's　　　　  B. her son 　　   C. her son's one　　  D. belonging to her son　　   ［　　］    15. A. found　　　　　　  B. had found 　　   C. lost　　　　　　   D. had lost　　　　　　　　   ［　　］    16. A. steal　　　　　　  B. would steal 　　   C. stole　　　　　　  D. had stolen　　　　　　　　 ［　　］    17. A. was appeared　　   B. came by 　　   C. came through　　   D. came across　　　　　　　　［　　］    18. A. took　　　　　　   B. stood 　　   C. caught　　　　　　 D. were　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］    19. A. put　　　　　　　　B. send 　　   C. cast　　　　　　   D. throw　　　　　　　　　　  ［　　］    20. A. prison　　　　　　 B. a prison 　　   C. the prison　　　　 D. prisons　　　　　　　　　　［　　］    21. A. Be afraid　　　　  B. Feared 　　   C. Fear　　　　　　   D. Afraid　　　　　　　　　　 ［　　］    22. A. was to be taken　　B. had taken 　　   C. took　　　　　　   D. would take　　　　　　　　 ［　　］    23. A. was forced to　　  B. have to 　　   C. obliged to　　　　 D. must　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］    24. A. knew　　　　　　   B. understand 　　   C. feel　　　　　　   D. tell　　　　　　　　　　   ［　　］    25. A. have done　　　　  B. doing 　　   C. to do　　　　　　  D. do　　　　　　　　　　　　 ［　　］

A simple piece of clothesline hangs between some environmentally friendly Americans and their neighbors.

On one side stand those who see clothes dryers(干衣机) as a waste of energy and a major polluter of the environment. As a result, they are turning to clotheslines as part of the “what-I –can do environmentalism(环境保护主义).”

On the other side are people who are against drying clothes outside, arguing that clotheslines are unpleasant to look at. They have persuaded Homeowners Associations (HOAs) access the U.S. to ban outdoor clotheslines, because clothesline drying also tends to lower home value in the neighborhood. This had led to a Right-to-Dry Movement that is calling for laws to be passed to protect people’s right to use clotheslines.

So far, only three states have laws to protect clothesline. Right-to-Dry supporters argue that there should be more.

Matt Reck, 37, is the kind of eco-conscious(有生态意识的) person who feeds his trees with bathwater and reuses water drops from his air conditioners to water plants. His family also uses a clothesline. But on July 9, 2007, the HOA in Wake Forest, North Carolina, told him that a dissatisfied neighbor had telephoned them about him clothesline. The Recks paid no attention to the warning and still dried their clothes on a line in the yard. “Many people say they are environmentally friendly but they don’t take matters in their own hands,” says Reck. The local HOA has decided not to take any action, unless more neighbors come to them.

North Carolina lawmakers are saying that banning clotheslines is not the right thing to do. But HOAs and housing businesses believe that clothesline drying reminds people of poor neighborhoods. They worry that if buyers think their future neighbors can’t even afford dryers, housing prices will fall.

Environmentalists say such worries are not necessary, and in view of global warming, that idea needs to change. As they say, “The clothesline is beautiful”. Hanging clothes outside should be encouraged. We all have to do at least something to slow down the process of global warming.”

8. One of the reasons why supporters of clothes dryers are trying to ban clothesline drying is that

____.

　 A. clothes dryers are more efficient　　 B. clothesline drying reduces home value

　 C. clothes dryers are energy-saving　　 D. clothesline drying is not allowed in most U.S. states

9. Which of the following best describes Matt Reck?

　 A. He is a kind-hearted man.　　　　 B. He is an impolite man.

　 C. He is and experienced gardener.　　 D. He is a man of social responsibility.

10. Who are in favor of clothesline drying?

　 A. housing businesses.　　　　　　　 B. Environmentalists.

　 C. Homeowners Associations.　　　　 D. Reck’s dissatisfied neighbors.

11. What is mainly discussed in the text?

　 A. Clothesline drying: a way to save energy and money.

　 B. Clothesline drying: a lost art rediscovered.

　 C. Opposite opinions on clothesline drying.

　 D. Different varieties of clotheslines.