Question

When Hurricane Phailin hit India in late 2013, it became the largest storm to strike the subcontinent in over a decade. The storm affected more than 12 million people in India and neighboring countries, and damaged or destroyed many houses. However, good news is that cleverly-designed beach house created by architect Ray Huff can survive such strong winds and storm waves.

Located on the shore of an Indian island, Huff’s award-winning cube-shaped beach house was built to replace one smashed to pieces by Hurricane Phailin.

Huff pointed out that many houses built along shoreline were poorly constructed, and enforcement(執行) of building codes wasn’t strict. After Phailin’s attack, all new shoreline houses are required to meet stricter, better-enforced codes. The new beach house should be able to stand a Category 3 hurricane with peak winds of 179 to 209 kilometers per hour.

At first sight, Huff's house looks anything but hurricane-proof. Its redwood shell makes it resemble “a large party lantern” at night, according to one observer. But looks can be misleading. The house’s wooden frame is reinforced(加固) with long 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 pilings---long columns of wood anchored(固定) deep in the sand. Pilings might appear insecure, but they are strong enough to support the weight of the house. They also balance the house above storm waves. The pilings allow the waves to run under the house instead of running into it. “These swells of water come ashore at great speeds and cause most of the damage done to beach-front buildings,” said Huff.

Huff designed the wooden pilings to be partially hidden 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 case of a storm wave, the shell should break apart and let the waves rush under the house, the architect explained.

1.After Hurricane Phailin, new houses built along 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 made of redwood

B. it is in the shape of a shell

C. it is strengthened by steel rods ?????????????

D. it is built with wood and stones

3.Huff raised the house 2.7 meters off the ground on wooden pilings in order to _____.

A. support the weight of the house

B. allow the waves to run through the house

C. anchor stronger pilings deep in the sand

D. prevent water from rushing into the house

4.The main function of the shell is_____.

A. to give the house a better appearance

B. to strengthen the pilings of the house

C. to protect the wooden frame of the house

D. to slow down the speed of the swelling water

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.C

2.C

3.D

4.A

【解析】

試題分析: 本文講述在2013年的颶風中建筑師Ray Huff造的房子經受考驗，對他所建造的房子進行分析。

1.C 細節理解題。根據第三段提到After Phailin’s attack, all new shoreline houses are required to meet stricter, better-enforced codes所有新的海岸線的房屋必須符合嚴格的，更好的強制執行的代碼標準，所以選C項。

2.C 細節理解題。根據第四段提到The house’s wooden frame is reinforced(加固) with long steel rods to give it extra strength. 房子的木框架鋼筋（加固）長鋼筋給予額外的力量 所以選C項。

3.D 細節理解題。根據第五段提到To further protect the house from hurricane damage, Huff raised it 2.7 meters off the ground on pilings---long columns of wood anchored(固定) deep in the sand.得出為了抵御颶風，所以選D項。

4.A 細節理解題。根據最后一段提到The shell masks the pilings so that the house doesn’t look like it’s standing with its pant legs pulled up這個殼掩蓋了樁，使房子看來不象站著，讓房子看起來更好看，所以選A項。

考點：科普類閱讀。