# British architecture - 科目：雅思阅读真题（Part 3） - 最近考试：2024.12.28/2015.11.21 - 题目数：13 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/6a854829-88be-443c-a361-8f9fb8091670（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-11-12 ## 题目原文 A Architecture is about evolution, not revolution. It used to be thought that once the Romans pulled out of Britain in the fifth century, their elegant villas, carefully-planned towns and engineering marvels like Hadrian’s Wall simply fell into decay as British culture was plunged into the Dark Ages. It took the Norman Conquest of 1066 to bring back the light, and the ố othic cathedral-builders of the Middle Ages played an important part in the revival of British culture. However, the truth is not as simple as that Romano-British culture – and that included architecture along with language, religion, political organization and the arts – survived long after the Roman withdrawal. And although the Anglo- Saxons had a sophisticated building style of their own, little survives to bear witness to their achievements as the vast majority of Anglo-Saxon buildings were made of wood. B Even so, the period between the Norman landing at Pevensey in 1066 and the day in 1485 when Richard III lost his horse and his head at Bosworth, ushering in the Tudors and the /Early Modern period, marks a rare flowering of British building. And it is all the more remarkable because the underlying ethos of medieval architecture was ‘fitness for purpose’. The great cathedrals and parish churches that lifted up their towers to heaven were not only acts of devotion in stone; they were also fiercely functional buildings. Castles served their particular purpose and their battlements and turrets were for use rather than ornament. In a sense, the buildings of the 16th century were also governed by fitness for purpose – only now, the purpose was very different. In domestic architecture, in particular, buildings were used to display status and wealth. C This stately and curious workmanship showed itself in various ways. A greater sense of security led to more outward-looking buildings, as opposed to the medieval arrangement where the need for defense created houses that faced inward onto a courtyard or series of courtyards. This allowed for much more in the way of exterior ornament. The rooms themselves tended to be bigger and lighter – as an expensive commodity, the use of great expanses of glass was in itself a statement of wealth. There was also a general move towards balanced and symmetrical exteriors with central entrances. D With the exception of Inigo Jones (1573-1652), whose confident handling of classical detail and proportion set him apart from all other architects of the period, most early 17th century buildings tended to take the innocent exuberance of late Tudor work one step further. /But during the 1640s and 50s the Civil War and its aftermath sent many gentlemen and nobles to the Continent either to escape the fighting or, when the war was lost, to follow Charles II into exile. There they came into contact with French, Dutch and Italian architecture and, with Charles’s restoration in 1660, there was a flurry of building activity as royalists reclaimed their property and built themselves houses reflecting the latest European trends. The British Baroque was a reassertion of authority, an expression of absolutist ideology by men who remembered a world turned upside down during the Civil War. The style is heavy and rich, sometimes overblown and melodramatic. The politics which underpin it are questionable, but its products are breathtaking. E The huge glass-and-iron Crystal Palace, designed by Joseph Paxton to house the Great Exhibition of 1851, shows another strand to 19th century architecture – one which embraced new industrial processes. But it wasn’t long before even this confidence in progress came to be regarded with suspicion. Mass production resulted in buildings and furnishings that were too perfect, as the individual craftsman no longer had a major role in their creation. Railing against the dehumanising effects of industrialisation, reformers like John Ruskin and William Morris made a concerted effort to return to hand-crafted, pre-industrial manufacturing techniques. Morris’s influence grew from the production of furniture and textiles, until by the 1880s a generation of principled young architects was following his call for good, honest construction. F The most important trends in early 20th century architecture simply passed Britain by. Whilst Gropius was working on cold, hard expanses of glass, and Le Corbusier was experimenting with the use of reinforced concrete frames, we had staid establishment architects like Edwin Lutyens producing Neo-Georgian and Renaissance country houses for an outmoded landed class. In addition there were slightly batty architect-craftsmen, the heirs of William Morris, still trying to turn the clock back to before the Industrial Revolution by making chairs and spurning new technology. Only a handful of Modern Movement buildings of any real merit were produced here during the 1920s and 1930s, and most of these were the work of foreign architects such as Serge Chermayeff, Berthold Lubetkin and Erno Goldf inger who had settled in this country. G After the Second World War the situation began to change. The Modern Movement’s belief in progress and the future struck a chord with the mood of post-war Britain and, as reconstruction began under Attlee’s Labour government in 1945, there was a desperate need for cheap housing which could be produced quickly. The use of prefabricated elements, metal frames, concrete cladding and the absence of decoration – all of which had been embraced by Modernists abroad and viewed with suspicion by the British -were adopted to varying degrees for housing developments and schools. Local authorities, charged with the task of rebuilding city center, became important patrons of architecture. This represented a shift away from the private individuals who had dominated the architectural scene for centuries. H Since the War it has been corporate bodies like these local authorities, together with national and multinational companies, and large educational institutions, which have dominated British architecture. By the late 1980s the Modern Movement, unfairly blamed for the social experiments implicit in high- rise housing, had lost out to irony and spectacle in the shape of post-modernism, with its cheerful borrowings from anywhere and any period. But now, in the new Millennium, even post-modernism is showing signs of age. What comes next? Post-post-modernism? ## 题目与答案 ### 28. The Anglo-Saxon architecture failed to last because the buildings were constructed in 28_____ . The Anglo-Saxon architecture failed to last because the buildings were constructed in 28_____ . **答案**：wood 原文定位：And although the Anglo;Saxons had a sophisticated building style of their own, little survives to bear witness to their achievements as the vast majority of Anglo;Saxon buildings were made of wood; 同义替换：「Anglo‑Saxon architecture」↔「Anglo‑Saxon buildings」；「failed to last」↔「little survives」；「were constructed in」↔「were made of」 ### 29. Different from the medieval architecture, the buildings of the 16th century represents 29_____ . Different from the medieval architecture, the buildings of the 16th century represents 29_____ . **答案**：status and wealth 原文定位：In a sense, the buildings of the 16th century were also governed by fitness for purpose – only now, the purpose was very different. In domestic architecture, in particular, buildings were used to display status and wealth 同义替换：「the buildings of the 16th century」↔「the buildings of the 16th century」；「represents」↔「display」 ### 30. The costly glass was applied widely as an 30_____ in that years. The costly glass was applied widely as an 30_____ in that years. **答案**：statement of wealth 原文定位：The rooms themselves tended to be bigger and lighter – as an expensive commodity, the use of great expanses of glass was in itself a statement of wealth 同义替换：「was applied widely as」↔「great expanses of glass」；「costly glass」↔「expensive commodity」 ### 31. Inigo Jones was skilled at handling 31_____ style. Inigo Jones was skilled at handling 31_____ style. **答案**：classical detail and proportion 原文定位：With the exception of Inigo Jones (1573‑1652);whose confident handling of classical detail and proportion set him apart from all other architects of the period;most early 17th century buildings tended to take the innocent exuberance of late Tudor work one step further 同义替换：「Inigo Jones」↔「Inigo Jones」；「was skilled at handling」↔「confident handling of」；「style」↔「classical detail and proportion」 ### 32. William Morris favored the production of 32_____ made in pre-industrial manufacturing techniques. William Morris favored the production of 32_____ made in pre-industrial manufacturing techniques. **答案**：furniture and textiles 原文定位：Railing against the dehumanising effects of industrialisation, reformers like John Ruskin and William Morris made a concerted effort to return to hand;crafted;pre;industrial manufacturing techniques;Morris’s influence grew from the production of furniture and textiles;until by the 1880s a generation of principled young architects was following his call for good, honest construction 同义替换：「William Morris」↔「William Morris」；「the production of」↔「the production of」；「pre‑industrial manufacturing techniques」↔「pre‑industrial manufacturing techniques」 ### 33. The architects such as 33_____ provided the landlord with conservative houses. The architects such as 33_____ provided the landlord with conservative houses. **答案**：Edwin Lutyens 原文定位：Whilst Gropius was working on cold, hard expanses of glass, and Le Corbusier was experimenting with the use of reinforced concrete frames, we had staid establishment architects like Edwin Lutyens producing Neo;Georgian and Renaissance country houses for an outmoded landed class 同义替换：「such as」↔「like」；「landlord」↔「landed class」；「conservative houses」↔「Neo‑Georgian and Renaissance country houses」 ### 34. After World War Two, the architect commission shifted from individual to 34_____ . After World War Two, the architect commission shifted from individual to 34_____ . **答案**：local authorities 原文定位：Local authorities, charged with the task of rebuilding city center, became important patrons of architecture. This represented a shift away from the private individuals who had dominated the architectural scene for centuries 同义替换：「After World War Two」↔「After the Second World War」；「individual」↔「private individuals」；「shifted from」↔「shift away from」 ### 35. 35 The feature of medieval architecture was 35 The feature of medieval architecture was - immense - useful - decorative - bizarre **答案**：useful 原文定位：And it is all the more remarkable because the underlying ethos of medieval architecture was ‘fitness for purpose’. The great cathedrals and parish churches that lifted up their towers to heaven were not only acts of devotion in stone; they were also fiercely functional buildings. Castles served their particular purpose and their battlements and turrets were for use rather than ornament 同义替换：「medieval architecture」↔「medieval architecture」；「feature」↔「underlying ethos」；「useful」↔「for use」 ### 36. 36 What contributes to the outward-looking buildings in the 16th century? 36 What contributes to the outward-looking buildings in the 16th century? - safety - beauty - quality - technology **答案**：safety 原文定位：A greater sense of security led to more outward‑looking buildings;as opposed to the medieval arrangement where the need for defense created houses that faced inward onto a courtyard or series of courtyards 同义替换：「contributes to」↔「led to」；「outward‑looking buildings」↔「outward‑looking buildings」；「safety」↔「security」 ### 37. 37 Why were the buildings in the 1660s influenced by the latest European trends? 37 Why were the buildings in the 1660s influenced by the latest European trends? - Because the war was lost. - Because the craftsman came from all over the Europe. - Because the property belongs to the gentlemen and nobles. - Because the monarch came back from the continent. **答案**：Because the monarch came back from the continent. 原文定位：But during the 1640s and 50s the Civil War and its aftermath sent many gentlemen and nobles to the Continent either to escape the fighting or, when the war was lost, to follow Charles II into exile. There they came into contact with French, Dutch and Italian architecture and, with Charles’s restoration in 1660, there was a flurry of building activity as royalists reclaimed their property and built themselves houses reflecting the latest European trends 同义替换：「buildings in the 1660s」↔「Charles’s restoration in 1660」；「influenced by the latest European trends」↔「reflecting the latest European trends」；「came back from」↔「restoration」 ### 38. 38 What kind of sense did the British Baroque imply? 38 What kind of sense did the British Baroque imply? - tough - steady - mild - conservative **答案**：tough 原文定位：The British Baroque was a reassertion of authority, an expression of absolutist ideology by men who remembered a world turned upside down during the Civil War. The style is heavy and rich, sometimes overblown and melodramatic 同义替换：「British Baroque」↔「British Baroque」；「tough」↔「heavy」 ### 39. 39 The individual craftsman was no more the key to creation for the appearance of 39 The individual craftsman was no more the key to creation for the appearance of - Crystal Palace - preindustrial manufacturing return - industrial process in scale - ornament **答案**：industrial process in scale 原文定位：But it wasn’t long before even this confidence in progress came to be regarded with suspicion. Mass production resulted in buildings and furnishings that were too perfect, as the individual craftsman no longer had a major role in their creation 同义替换：「individual craftsman」↔「individual craftsman」；「was no more the key to creation」↔「no longer had a major role in their creation」；「industrial process in scale」↔「Mass production」 ### 40. 40 The building style changed after World War Two as a result of 40 The building style changed after World War Two as a result of - abundant materials - local authority - shortage of cheap housing - conservative views **答案**：shortage of cheap housing 原文定位：After the Second World War the situation began to change. The Modern Movement’s belief in progress and the future struck a chord with the mood of post;war Britain and, as reconstruction began under Attlee’s Labour government in 1945, there was a desperate need for cheap housing which could be produced quickly 同义替换：「building style changed」↔「the situation began to change」；「after World War Two」↔「After the Second World War」；「shortage of cheap housing」↔「desperate need for cheap housing」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。