Architectureis the art and science of designing structures that organize andenclosespaceforpracticalandsymbolicpurposes. Becausearchitecturegrows out of human needs and aspirations, it clearly communicates cultural values. Of all thevisualarts,architectureaffects our lives most directly for it determines thecharacterof the human environment inmajorways.

Architectureis a three-dimensional form. It utilizesspace,mass,texture,line, light, and color. To bearchitecture, a building must achieve a workingharmonywith avarietyof elements. Humans instinctively seek structures that willshelterandenhancetheir way of life. It is the work of architects to create buildings that are notsimplyconstructions but alsoofferinspiration anddelight. Buildingscontributeto human life when they provideshelter,enrichspace,complementtheir site, suit theclimate, and areeconomicallyfeasible. Theclientwho pays for the building and defines itsfunctionis an important member of the architectural team. Themediocredesign of manycontemporarybuildings can be traced to both clients and architects.

In order for the structure to achieve the size and strength necessary to meet its purpose,architectureemploys methods of support that, because they are based onphysicallaws, have changed little since people first discovered them—evenwhile building materials have changeddramatically. The world’s architectural structures have also been devised in relation to theobjectivelimitations of materials. Structures can be analyzed in terms of how theydealwithdownwardforces created bygravity. They are designed towithstandthe forces of compression (pushing together),tension(pulling apart), bending, or acombinationof these in different parts of the structure.

Evendevelopmentinarchitecturehas been the result ofmajortechnologicalchanges. Materials and methods ofconstructionareintegralparts of the design ofarchitecturestructures. In earlier times it was necessary to designstructuralsystemssuitablefor the materials that wereavailable, such as wood, stone, brick. Today technology has progressed to the point where it is possible to invent new building materials to suit the type of structure desired. Enormouschanges in materials and techniques ofconstructionwithinthe last few generations have made it possible toenclosespacewith much greatereaseand speed and with aminimumofmaterial. Progress in this area can be measured by thedifferencein weight between buildings built now and those ofcomparablesize built one hundred years ago.

Modern architectural forms generally have threeseparatecomponentscomparableto elements of the human body: a supportingskeletonorframe, an outer skin enclosing theinteriorspaces, and equipment,similarto the body’svitalorgans and systems. The equipment includes plumbing, electrical wiring, hot water, and air-conditioning. Ofcoursein earlyarchitecture—such as igloos andadobestructures—there was no such equipment, and theskeletonand skin were often one.

Much of the world’s greatarchitecturehas been constructed of stone because of its beauty,permanence, andavailability. In the past, whole cities grew from thearduoustask of cutting and piling stone upon. Some of the world’s finest stonearchitecturecan be seen in the ruins of theancientInca city of Machu Picchu high in the eastern Andes Mountains of Peru. The doorways and windows are made possible by placing over the open spaces thick stone beams that support the weight from above. Astructuralinvention had to be made before thephysicallimitations of stone could beovercomeand new architectural forms could be created. That invention was thearch, a curved structure originally made ofseparatestone or brick segments. Thearchwas used by the early cultures of theMediterraneanareachieflyforundergrounddrains, but it was the Romans who first developed and used thearchextensively in aboveground structures. Roman builders perfected the semicirculararchmade ofseparateblocks of stone. As amethodof spanningspace, thearchcan support greater weight than ahorizontalbeam. It works in compression todivertthe weight above it out to the sides, where the weight isborneby theverticalelements on either side of thearch. Thearchis among the many importantstructuralbreakthroughs that have characterizedarchitecturethroughoutthe centuries.

Questions:
question_stem: According to paragraph 1, all of the following statements about architecture are true EXCEPT:
choices: tag: A
text: Architecture is visual art.

tag: B
text: Architecture reflects the cultural values of its creators.

tag: C
text: Architecture has both artistic and scientific dimensions.

tag: D
text: Architecture has an indirect effect on life.
answer_key: D
explanation: D EXCEPT 题排除法，以 visual art 做关键词定位至本段最后一句，A 对，不选；D 选项与 A 选项在同一句，indirect effect 和 directly 的原文说反，错，选： Of all the visual arts, architecture affects our lives most directly for it determines the character of the human environment in major ways.以 cultural values 做关键词定位至第二句，B 对，不选： Because architecture grows out of human needs and aspirations, it clearly communicates cultural values.以 artistic and scientific dimensions 做关键词定位至第一句，C 对，不选： Architecture is the art and science of designing structures that organize and enclose space for practical and symbolic purposes.

question_stem: The word “feasible” in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: in existence

tag: B
text: without question

tag: C
text: achievable

tag: D
text: most likely
answer_key: C
explanation: C, feasible: 可行的。A 是现存的；B 是毫无疑问；C 是可完成的；D 是最有可能。根据词意，正确答案是 C。对应原文 Buildings contribute to human life when they provide shelter, enrich space, complement their site, suit the climate, and are economically feasible.原文说了建筑的若干优点，比如提供遮风避雨的场所，丰富了空间，经济上怎么样，肯定是个正面的词，A 存在中性，错；B 没有问题，虽然是正面但太过，不选，C 正确，D 非常可能虽然正面，但程度不足，不选。

question_stem: The word “enhance” in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: protect

tag: B
text: improve

tag: C
text: organize

tag: D
text: match
answer_key: B
explanation: B, enhance: 增加、提高。对应 B 选项的 improve 提高。A 是保护；C 是组织；D 是匹配。A 选项为保护；C 选项为组织；D 选项为匹配。对应原文 Humans instinctively seek structures that will shelter and enhance their way of life.这句话说：人们本能的寻求可以庇护和 enhance 他们生活方式的结构。在这句话中 enhance 和庇护并列，将4个选项代入后发现，A 排除，和 shelter 意思重复，不选；CD 代入后和 way of life 的搭配关系不合适；B 最符合这个并列结构，且代入后语义连贯，搭配也合适。

question_stem: Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
choices: tag: A
text: Unchanging physical laws have limited the size and strength of buildings that can be made with materials discovered long ago.

tag: B
text: Building materials have changed in order to increase architectural size and strength, but physical laws of structure have not changed.

tag: C
text: When people first started to build, the structural methods used to provide strength and size were inadequate because they were not based on physical laws.

tag: D
text: Unlike building materials, the methods of support used in architecture have not changed over time because they are based on physical laws.
answer_key: D
explanation: D In order for 只是一个表目的的状语，不是非常重要，暂时放弃不看；同时 because 那部分插入语不看。整个句子就变成了：建筑师们采用的方法是不变的，尽管建筑材料发生了很大变化。主要的逻辑就是转折。A 没说原文的建筑材料发生了很大变化，而且 law 没有限制 size and strength，所以完全不对；B 错在 in order 的那个状语部分，increase 原文没说；C 说 not based on physical laws 与原文相反，错；D 正确。

question_stem: The word “devised” in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: combined

tag: B
text: created

tag: C
text: introduced

tag: D
text: suggested
answer_key: B
explanation: B devise: 设计，发明。A 是结合；B 是创造，建立；C 是引入；D 是建议。根据词意，B 是正确答案。对应原文 The world’s architectural structures have also been devised in relation to the objective limitations of materials.所在句说全世界的建筑也要怎么样根据建筑材料的限制，因为有 also，所以是接着前一句的，前句在上题中已经分析过了，说建筑师为了达到要求采用了多种方法，说明建筑的产生应该是一个从无到有的过程，所以 B 选项 create 最合适。

question_stem: The word “integral” is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: essential

tag: B
text: variable

tag: C
text: practical

tag: D
text: independent
answer_key: A
explanation: A integral: 完整的，必须的。A 是基本的，必要的；B 是易变的；C 是实际的，实用的；D 是独立的。根据词意，A 正确对应原文 Materials and methods of construction are integral parts of the design of architecture structures.原文说建筑材料和建筑方法是建筑什么样的部分，代入选项也知道应该是 A 重要的部分，B 可变的 C 实际的都不靠谱，D 独立的虽然意思基本说的通，但明显违反原文语境，建筑材料和方法应该是互相影响的，不能独立。

question_stem: According to paragraph 4, which of the following is true about materials used in the construction of buildings?
choices: tag: A
text: Because new building materials are hard to find, construction techniques have changed very little from past generations.

tag: B
text: The availability of suitable building materials no longer limits the types of structures that may be built.

tag: C
text: The primary building materials that are available today are wood, stone, and brick.

tag: D
text: Architects in earlier times did not have enough building materials to enclose large spaces.
answer_key: B
explanation: B 整段大量篇幅在讨论 building material，建议用排除法。A 的 new building material 定位到第四句，但是 A 选项的 hard to find 明显和这句话矛盾，错误；同样 B 选项也定位到这一句，no long limits 和这句话吻合，正确，选 B: Today technology has progressed to the point where it is possible to invent new building materials to suit the type of structure desired. C 的三种材料定位到第三句的列举部分，但很明显，他们应该是以前的主要建筑材料，不是现在。In earlier times it was necessary to design structural systems suitable for the materials that were available, such as wood, stone, brick. D 没说选项在原文没有提及，看上去长得像倒数第二句，但意思不同。

question_stem: In paragraph 4, what does the author imply about modern buildings?
choices: tag: A
text: They occupy much less space than buildings constructed one hundred years ago.

tag: B
text: They are not very different from the building of a few generations ago.

tag: C
text: They weigh less in relation to their size than buildings constructed one hundred years ago.

tag: D
text: They take a long time to build as a result of their complex construction methods.
answer_key: C
explanation: C 以 modern buildings 做关键词定位至最后一句的 buildings built now： Progress in this area can be measured by the difference in weight between buildings built now and those of comparable size built one hundred years ago.说比较现在和一百年前大小相似的建筑的重量我们就能发现建筑技术所取得的进步，也就是以前的重现在的轻，所以答案是 C，其他的都没说。

question_stem: Which of the following correctly characterizes the relationship between the human body and architecture that is described in paragraph 5?
choices: tag: A
text: Complex equipment inside buildings is the one element in modern architecture that resembles a component of the human body.

tag: B
text: The components in early buildings were similar to three particular elements of the human body.

tag: C
text: Modern buildings have components that are as likely to change as the human body is.

tag: D
text: In general, modern buildings more closely resemble the human body than earlier buildings do.
answer_key: D
explanation: D 本段将建筑结构与人体的结构进行了比较，发现三个共同点。排除法，A 以 equipment 做关键词定位至第一句的最后半句，equipment 像的应该是 vital organs and systems，不是一个 component： Modern architectural forms generally..., and equipment, similar to the body’s vital organs and systems. B 以 early building 做关键词定位至文章最后一句，skeleton 和 skin 是一样的，所以和人不同： Of course in early architecture—such as igloos and adobe structures—there was no such equipment, and the skeleton and skin were often one. C 的 change 原文没说； D 正确因为原文说现代建筑像人体（和 A 选项一样，对应第一句），以前的建筑的 skeleton 和 skin 是一个（和 B 一样对应最后一句），所以现代建筑比之前的建筑更像人体。

question_stem: The word “arduous” in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: difficult

tag: B
text: necessary

tag: C
text: skilled

tag: D
text: shared
answer_key: A
explanation: A arduous: 艰巨的，困难的。A 是困难的；B 是必要的；C 是熟练的，有技能的；D 是共享的。根据词意，A 选项正确。对应原文 In the past, whole cities grew from the arduous task of cutting and piling stone upon.原文说过去整个城市都是靠切割和堆积石头搞定的，这个任务肯定是比较困难的，而代入原文的话似乎有技巧的和有必要的也是靠谱的，但 D 分享的一定不对，如果说切割是需要技巧的话，堆积应该是不需要的，注意不要联想。堆积和切割石头一定是造城市的必要任务么？可以用木头和其他的建筑材料，所以 necessary 太偏了，正确答案 difficult。

question_stem: Why does the author include a description of how the “doorways and windows” of Machu Picchu were constructed?
choices: tag: A
text: To indicate that the combined skeletons and skins of the stone buildings of Machu Picchu were similar to igloos and adobe structures

tag: B
text: To indicate the different kinds of stones that had to be cut to build Machu Picchu

tag: C
text: To provide an illustration of the kind of construction that was required before arches were invented

tag: D
text: To explain how ancient builders reduced the amount of time necessary to construct buildings from stone
answer_key: C
explanation: 功能目的题，读 doorways and windows 所在的一句话，说门窗是通过把承的石头横梁放在 space 上面形成的，读前一句的时候发现也是个例子，所以不是答案，往下句看： A structural invention had to be made before the physical limitations of stone could be overcome and new architectural forms could be created.说想克服石头带给建筑的障碍，必须有一个新发明。按照原文，门窗必须在石梁支撑的 open space 上才可以，这是在 new invention 出现之前的解决方法，所以答案是 C。

question_stem: According to paragraph 6, which of the following statements is true of the arch?
choices: tag: A
text: The Romans were the first people to use the stone arch.

tag: B
text: The invention of the arch allowed new architectural forms to be developed.

tag: C
text: The arch worked by distributing the structural load of a building toward the center of the arch.

tag: D
text: The Romans followed earlier practices in their use of arches.
answer_key: B
explanation: B，以 arch 为关键词定位至 that invention was the arch 句，接上题看到的那句： A structural invention had to be made before the physical limitations of stone could be overcome and new architectural forms could be created. That invention was the arch, a curved structure originally made of separate stone or brick segments.想克服石头带给建筑的障碍，必须有一个新发明，这个发明就是 arch，所以说 arch 的出现使得其他建筑方法成为可能，B 正确。罗马人是第一个把 arch 广泛用在地上建筑的，不是第一个用 arch 的，A 错，也没 follow 前人的方法，D 错；是把压力分散，divert，不是往中点集中，C 说反。