PeoplelivingonpartsofthesouthcoastofEnglandfaceaseriousproblem.In1993theownersofalargehotelandofseveralhousesdiscoveredtotheirhorrorthattheirgardenshaddisappearedovernight.Theseahadeatenintot
PeoplelivingonpartsofthesouthcoastofEnglandfaceaseriousproblem.In1993theownersofalargehotelandofseveralhousesdiscoveredtotheirhorrorthattheirgardenshaddisappearedovernight.Theseahadeatenintothesoftlimestone(石灰石)cliffsonwhichtheyhadbeenbuilt.Whileexpertswerestudyingtheproblemthehotelandseveralhousesdisappearedaltogetherslidingdownthecliffandintothesea.
Erosion(侵蚀)ofthewhitecliffsalongthesouthcoastofEnglandhasalwaysbeenaproblembutithasbecomemoreseriousinrecentyears.Dozensofhomeshavehadtobeabandonedastheseahascreptfartherandfartherinland(向内陆).Expertshavestudiedtheareasandmostaffectedandhavedrawnupamapforlocalpeopleforecastingtheyearinwhichtheirhomeswillbeswallowedupbythehungrysea.
Angryownershavecalledonthegovernmenttoerectseadefensestoprotecttheirhomes.Governmentsurveyorshavepointedoutthatinmostcasesthisisimpossible.Newseawallswouldcosthundredsofmillionsofpoundsandwouldmerelymakethewavesandcurrentsgofurtheralongthecoastshiftingtheproblemfromonareatoanother.Thedangerislikelytocontinuetheysayuntilthewavesreachaninlandareaofhardrockthatwillnotbeeatenaslimestoneis.MeanwhileifyouwanttobuyacheaphousewithanuncertainfutureapplytoahouseagentinoneofthethreatenedareasonthesouthcoastofEngland.Youcangetahouseforaknockdownpricebutitw=mayturnouttobeaknockdownhome.
1.WhatisthecauseoftheproblemthatpeoplelivingonpartsofthesouthcoastofEnglandface?
A.TherisingofthesealevelB.Theexperts’lackofknowledge.
C.Thewashing-awayoflimestonecliffs. D.Thedisappearanceofhotelshousesandgardens.
2.Theexperts’dutyontheproblemoferosioncan_____.
A.warnpeoplewhosehomesareindanger. B.provideaneffectivewaytoslowitdown.
C.helptopreventitfromworsening. D.leadtoitseventualsolution.
3.Itisnotpracticaltobuildseadefensestoprotectagainsterosionbecause______.
A.houseagentsalongthecoastdonotsupporttheidea.
B.itistoocostlyandwillendangerneighboringareas.