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　　For the first time in the history more people live in towns than in the country. In Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate "the countryside" alongside the royal family. Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what make 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 priority 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 u sensing its chance, has sides 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 Ackroyed recently identified enough sites for half of million houses in the Landon area alone with no intrusion on green belts. 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 houses 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 grown 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 trip, After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe's most crowed country. Half a century of town and country planning has enable 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 the left and right of the political spectrum.

　　26. Britain's public sentiment about the countryside

　　[A] is not well reflected in politics

　　[B] is fully backed by the royal family

　　[C] didn't start fill the Shakespearean age

　　[D] has brought much benefit to the NHS

　　【答案】A

　　【解析】事实细节题。根据题干"英国大众对于乡村的观点"，可定位于文章的第一段。从文章第一段的后半段能得出：英国人民在民意调查中将"乡村"和王室、莎士比亚以及英国国民保健制度并列选为英国让他们最为自豪的四个方面，但是这种观点得到的政治支持却极为有限。A选项"is not well reflected in politics"在政治中没有得到很好的体现是对原文意思的同义替换，故选A。

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

　　[A] largely overshadowed

　　[B] properly protected

　　[C] effectively reinforced

　　[D] gradually destroyed

　　【答案】D

　　【解析】事实细节题。根据题干很明确能回文定位到文章第二段。该段通过第一句的"a century ago"和后面的"later"可知是在做古今对比。题干中问的是"now"，所以重点锁定在对比中的后半部分，而这部分中"They don't make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it."一句表明现在的National Trust已背离了它原始的初衷，它之前的那些成就已经消失了。D选项 gradually destroyed正是对这一意思的表述，故选D。

　　28. Which of the following can be offered from paragraph 3

　　[A] Labour is under attack for opposing development

　　[B] The Conservatives may abandon "off-plan" building

　　[C] Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation

　　[D] The Liberal Democrats are losing political influence

　　【答案】C

　　【解析】推理判断题。回文定位到第三段，该段主要讲了各大党派对于这个观点(及第一段中提到的观点)的态度：基本都不赞同。最后一部分"only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pledging for a considered approach to using green land"该句说明只有Ukip这个党派是赞同这个观点，要保护乡村的。C选项正是对原文的同义置换，故选C。

　　29. The author holds that George Osbornes's preference

　　[A] shows his disregard for the character of rural area

　　[B] stresses the necessity of easing the housing crisis

　　[C] highlights his firm stand against lobby pressure

　　[D] reveals a strong prejudice against urban areas

　　【答案】D

　　【解析】本题属于观点态度题，根据George Osborne 可以定位到文中第五段。文中提到George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. 后面一句还提到He favours out-of-town shopping sites against high streets. 通过这两句话可以看出GO是比较喜欢rural的，而通过两个against 则可以看出对urban areas的prejudice. 故选择D。

　　30. In the last paragraph the author show 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

　　【解析】本题属于观点态度题，根据最后一段第一句话可以确定本段的中心是第一句Development should be planned, not let trip, 说明发展是要有计划的，不能任其自由发展。然后再具体讲Britain经过半个世纪the town-and-country planning有计划的发展，取得了很好的成效。故选择C the town-and-country planning in Britain.