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 16^th 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 of dirt was long-lived, dirt has no longer been regarded as a nice neighbor ever since the 18^th 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 16^th 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.

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：文章大意：本文為議論文。介紹了不同時期人們對污垢的不同理解以及持有的不同態度。過去人們認為污垢有助于保護皮膚抵御疾病，所以拒絕洗澡。而現在免疫學家聲稱污垢有利于加強人的免疫系統，并且有一定的依據證明此觀點。

1.細節理解題。根據第二段的第一、二、三、四句可知當時的人們認為洗凈污垢會使疾病侵入，而浴室更是疾病容易傳播的地方，所以英法國王下令關閉公共浴室，這樣可排除 A、B、D，而 C 項正確。

2.推理判斷題。根據第二段的最后兩句可知法國國王 Henry Ⅳ 因身體臟而出名，聽說有位貴族洗澡后，就下令禁止這位貴族外出以防止疾病的入侵。可以推斷他對洗澡的態度是恐懼的。A：恐懼；B：好奇；C：贊同；D：不感興趣。選A

3.推理判斷題。通讀全文，從 16 世紀早期人們認為污垢有利于抵御疾病，到 18 世紀人們從科學的角度認為洗凈污垢有利身體健康，再到現今人們對污垢的態度又有所不同可以看出文章的寫作是以時間為順序的。選C

4.主旨大意題。根據文章第一段的“there is nothing fixed about attitudes to dirt”和最后一段的第一句“Attitudes to dirt still differ hugely nowadays.”可以看出作者寫這篇文章的目的是要呈現不同時期的人們對污垢的不同態度。選D

考點：考查健康類短文