57. [答案]B

[试题解析]推理题。根据文章倒数第二段2,3,4行They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London.可知一些批评家认为这座大楼只是为那些富有的人而设计的。居住在这栋大楼附近的人都没有能力享受它。它是社会不公平的代表。故B正确。

56. [答案]B

　[试题解析]推理题。根据第二段后三行Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts (桅杆) of the ships that were once on the river Thames.可知他把这座摩天大楼设计成这个形状是为了让它成为伦敦的传统的一部分，也就是说让它继承伦敦的传统。故B正确。

55. [答案]C

[试题解析]细节题。根据第二段3,4,5行He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin, sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard.可知摩天大楼the Shard得到自己的名字是因为它的形状。故C 正确。

56. When he designed the Shard, Piano wanted it to ______.

A. change London’s skyline

B. inherit London’s tradition

C. imitate the Egyptian style

D. attract potential visitors

57. The critics who refer to social division think the Shard ______.

A. is only preferred by the rich

B. is intended for wealthy people

C. is far away from the poor area

D. is popular only with Londoners

55. London’s newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of ______.

A. its cost

B. its size

C. its shape

D. its height

75. [答案]C

[试题解析]推理题。根据文章倒数第二段We have some advice for the two parties: publish the report, and let the country be the judge.可知作者提出把这个问题报道出来，让全国人们对此进行讨论并做出决定。故C正确。

[长难句解析]

　 As has been all too apparent in recent days at Balcombe, few issues cause greater concern than energy policy.

[翻译]最近几天在鲍尔科姆，没有别的问题比energy policy更引起人们的担心了

[分析]本句中的few issues cause greater concern than energy policy使用了否定词few加比较级greater连用表示最高级的用法。

三（2014湖北卷）

B

London’s newest skyscraper (摩天大楼) is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.

The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire (尖顶). He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren’t regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin, sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts (桅杆) of the ships that were once on the river Thames.

The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices.

Before building work began, a lot of people didn’t want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.

Other critics don’t like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.

The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.

74. [答案]B

[试题解析]推理题。根据文章第二段Those who disagree with the rapid expansion ….和 Supporters insist that wind must be part of a mix of renewables…可知对于风电的扩张方面，两方面的观点是有分歧的。故B正确。

73. [答案]D

[试题解析]推理题。根据文章第二段最后2行Supporters insist that wind must be part of a mix of renewables, nuclear and carbon, and that the country is committed to meeting EU ( European Union) targets for non-carbon energy generation.可知支持者认为风电的扩张是符合欧盟无碳排放的标准的。故D正确。

72. [答案]A

[试题解析]推理题。根据文章第一句As has been all too apparent in recent days at Balcombe, few issues cause greater concern than energy policy.可知没有别的问题比energy policy更引起人们的担心了，也就是说energy policy引起了人们最大的担心。故A正确。