Question

Getting rid of dirt, in the opinion of most people, is a good thing. However, there is nothing fixed about attitudes to dirt. 

In the early 16th century, people thought that dirt on the skin was a means to block out disease, as medical opinion had it that washing off dirt with hot water could open up the skin and let ills in. A particular danger was thought to lie in public baths. By 1538, the French king had closed the bath houses in his kingdom. So did the king of England in 1546. Thus began a long time when the rich and the poor in Europe lived with dirt in a friendly way. Henry IV, King of France, was famously dirty. Upon learning that a nobleman had taken a bath, the king ordered that, to avoid the attack of disease, the nobleman should not go out. 

Though the belief in the merit (優點) of dirt was long-lived, dirt has no longer been regarded as a nice neighbor ever since the 18th century. Scientifically speaking, cleaning away dirt is good to health. Clean water supply and hand washing are practical means of preventing disease. Yet, it seems that standards of cleanliness have moved beyond science since World War II. Advertisements repeatedly sell the idea: clothes need to be whiter than white, cloths ever softer, surfaces to shine. Has the hate for dirt, however, gone too far?

Attitudes to dirt still differ hugely nowadays. Many first-time parents nervously try to warn their children off touching dirt, which might be responsible for the spread of disease. On the contrary, Mary Ruebush, an American immunologist (免疫學家), encourages children to play in the dirt to build up a strong immune system. And the latter position is gaining some ground.

1.The kings of France and England in the 16th century closed bath houses because ________.

A．they lived healthily in a dirty environment.

B．they thought bath houses were too dirty to stay in

C．they believed disease could be spread in public baths

D．they considered bathing as the cause of skin disease

2.Which of the following best describes Henry IV's attitude to bathing?

A．Afraid.            B．Curious.           C．Approving.        D．Uninterested.

3.How does the passage mainly develop?

A．By providing examples.

B．By making comparisons (比較).

C．By following the order of time.

D．By following the order of importance.

4.What is the author's purpose in writing the passage?

A．To stress the role of dirt.

B．To introduce the history of dirt.

C．To call attention to the danger of dirt.

D．To present the change of views on dirt.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.C

2.A

3.C

4.D

【解析】

試題分析：本文主要講述的是在歷史的發展過程中，人們對于dirt的看法是在不停地發生著變化。

1.C 細節題。根據第二段2，3行as medical opinion had it that washing off dirt with hot water could open up the skin and let ills in. A particular danger was thought to lie in public baths.說明他們認為在浴室里還傳染疾病的，所以才下令關閉浴室。故C正確。

2.A 推理題。根據第二段最后3行Henry IV, King of France, was famously dirty. Upon learning that a nobleman had taken a bath, the king ordered that, to avoid the attack of disease, the nobleman should not go out. 說明他很害怕疾病的傳播，所以才把這位貴族驅逐出去，故A正確。

3.C 推理題。根據第二段In the early 16th century和 did the king of England in 1546. 以及Henry IV, King of France, was famously dirty. 說明本文是按照時間的順序來組織全文的。故C正確。

4.D 主旨大意題。根據文章主題段第一段Getting rid of dirt, in the opinion of most people, is a good thing. However, there is nothing fixed about attitudes to dirt. 和最后一段Attitudes to dirt still differ hugely nowadays. Many first-time parents nervously try to warn their children off touching dirt, which might be responsible for the spread of disease.都說明人們對于dirt的看法是在不停地變化之中的，故D項正確。

考點：考查歷史知識類短文閱讀

點評：本文是關于人們對dirt的看法的變化，要求考生在理解原文表面文字信息的基礎上，做出一定判斷和推論，從而得到文章的隱含意義和深層意義。推理題所涉及的內容可能是文中某一句話，也可是某幾句話，但做題的指導思想都是以文字信息為依據，既不能做出在原文中找不到文字根據的推理，也不能根據表面文字信息做多步推理。