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　　For the first time in history, more people live in towns than in the county. In Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate “the countryside” alongside the royal firmly, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support.

　　A century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save “the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.” It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience “a refreshing air.” Hill’s pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don’t make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.

　　At the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The conservatives’ planning reform explicitly gives rural development priori over conservation, even authorizing “off-plan” building where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Conservative parties.

　　The sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are.in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London area alone, no intrusion on green belt. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces.

　　The idea that “housing crisis” equals “concreted meadows” is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more house but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against. high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have growl and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones?

　　Development should be planned .not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe’s most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. there is no doubt of the alternative - the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal Spain or Ireland avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite left and right of the political spectrum.

　　26. Britain’s public sentiment about the countryside

　　[A] didn’t start till the Shakespearean age.

　　[B] has brought much benefit to the NHS.

　　[C] is fully backed by the royal family.

　　[D] is not well reflected in politics.

　　【答案】 [D] is not well reflected in politics

　　【解析】細節題。根據題干回到原文精確定位到首段最后一句：“然而民意調查顯示英國人把鄉村與皇室家族、莎士比亞和國家醫療服務體系一起視為使他們為自己國家感到最自豪的事物，這擁有有限的政治支持”，該句中的polls“民意調查“對應題干中的public sentiment，“this has limited political support”對應[D]項“is not well reflected in politics”，意為“在政治上沒有得到很好的反響”，是對原文的同義替換。[B]項“給國家醫療服務體系帶了了很多益處”，[A]項“直到莎士比亞時期才開始”，[C]項“得到了皇室家族的全力支持”，文章均未提及，屬于“無中生有”。

　　27. According to Paragraph 2, the achievements of the National Trust are now being

　　[A] gradually destroyed.

　　[B] effectively reinforced..

　　[C] properly protected.

　　[D] largely overshadowed.

　　【答案】 [D] largely overshadowed

　　【解析】細節題。根據題干中的the National Trust定位到第二段首句。第二段首句提到這一項目的目的是為每個人永久保存自然地區的美麗。再根據第二段的第三句“Hill的項目創造出國家公園和綠地。他們不再制造鄉村了，而且每年鋼筋混凝土消耗的鄉村越來越多。鄉村需要持久的保護”。可知當時的項目取得的成就已經不再發揮影響，[D]項“被大大奪去了光輝（即失去了影響力）”為正確選項。[A]項“被漸漸破壞”，[B]項“被有效地加強了”，[C]項“被合理地保護”，均不符合題意。

　　28. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3?

　　[A] Labour is under attack for opposing development

　　[B] The Conservatives may abandon “off-plan” building.

　　[C] The Liberal Democrats are losing political influence.

　　[D] Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation.

　　【答案】 [D] Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation

　　【解析】推斷題。根據題干定位到第三段。第二段提到鄉村亟待保護，第三段首句提到在接下來的選舉中似乎沒有一個大的政黨支持這種（公眾）情緒。第六七句提到：只有Ukip意識到其機會，支持那些懇求在使用綠地上有更周全的方法的人，它發起的“保護英國鄉村”的運動使許多當地的保守黨感到恐懼。可見Ukip的做法符合大眾情緒，會因此獲益。[A]項的“Ukip可能因支持保護鄉村而獲益”是對原文的同義替換。

　　29. The author holds that George Osborne’s preference

　　[A] reveals a strong prejudice against urban areas.

　　[B] shows his disregard for the character of rural areas.

　　[C] stresses the necessity of easing the housing crisis.

　　[D] highlights his firm stand i against lobby Pressure.

　　【答案】[B] shows his disregard for the character of rural areas

　　【解析】 細節題。根據關鍵詞George Osborne定位至第五段，第五段第二句提到Osborne支持鄉村新建住宅反對城市改造和重建，支持郊區購物場所反對城市商業街。由此可知Osborne的是支持城市保護，反對鄉村保護。接下來幾句作者表達了自己的觀點：這不是一個自由的市場而是一個有偏見的市場。接著提到：鄉村的小鎮和農村已經得到發展并將繼續發展，它們在建筑堅持界線和尊重它們的特點方面做的非常好，我們沒有破壞城市受保護的區域，為什么要破壞鄉村的呢？可見Osborne的觀點只強調城市，忽視了鄉村，[B]項“表明他對鄉村區域特色的忽視”符合文意，為正確選項。[A]項“揭示出對城市區域的強烈偏見”，Osborne重視城市反對鄉村，與文意相悖；[C]項“強調了緩解住房壓力的必要性”，[D]項“突出了他反對游說團壓力的堅定立場”，文中并未提及，屬于“無中生有”。

　　30. In the last paragraph, the author shows his appreciation of

　　[A] the size of population in Britain.

　　[B] the enviable urban lifestyle in Britain.

　　[C] the town-and-country planning in Britain.

　　[D]the political life in today’s Britain.

　　【答案】 [C] the town-and-country planning in Britain

　　【解析】 細節題。根據題干定位到最后一段第二句：“Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living.”，[C]項的“the town-and-country planning in Britain”是對原文的同義替換，為正確選項。[A]項“英國人口的規模”，[B]項“英國令人羨慕的都市生活方式”，[D]項“當今英國的政治生活”，均不符合題意。