Glass-walled skyscrapers can be especially wasteful. The heatloss (or gain) through a wall of half-inch plate glass is more thanten times that through a typical masonry wall filled with insulationboard. To lessen the strain on heating and air-conditioning
equipment,builders of skyscrapers have begun to use double-glazed panels ofglass, and reflective glasses coated with silver or gold mirror filmsthat reduce glare as well as heat gain. However, mirror-walled skyscra-pers raise the temperature of the surrounding air and affect neighboringbuildings.
Skyscrapers put a severe strain on a city's sanitation(?àéú) facilities,too. If fully occupied, the two World Trade Center towers in New York Citywould alone generate 2.25 million gallons of raw sewage(????) each year --as much as a city the size of Stamford, Connecticut, which has a populationof more than 109,000.
Skyscrapers also interfere with television reception, block bird flyways,and obstruct air traffic. In Boston in the late 1960's, some people evenfeared that shadows from skyscrapers would kill the grass on Boston Common.
Still, people continue to build skyscrapers for all the reasons that they have always built them -- personal ambition, civic pride, and the desire of owners to have the largest possible amount of rentable space.
86. The main purpose of the passage is to _______.
A) discuss the advantages and disadvantages of skyscrapers B) compare skyscrapers with other modern structures C) describe skyscrapers and their effect on the environment
D) illustrate various architectural designs of skyscrapers
87. According to the passage, what is one disadvantage of skyscrapers that have mirrored walls?
A) The exterior surrounding air is heated. B) The building materials are very expensive. C) Construction time is increased.
D) Extra air-conditioning equipment is needed.
88. According to the passage, which aspect of skyscrapers were some residents of Boston concerned with in the late 1960's ? A) The poor reception of radio and TV signals. B) The removal of trees and grass from building sites. C) The harmful effects on the city's plants. D) The obstruction of air traffic.
89. Which of the following groups would the skyscraper issue most concern? A) Electricians. B) Environmentalists. C) City planners. D) Television viewers.
90. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A) Skyscrapers provide more usable space than other buildings.
B) The skyscrapers first appeared in the late 1960's. C) Where there are skyscrapers, television reception is poor. D) The two World Trade Center towers are skyscrapers.
V. WRITING
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a compositionon Educational Enrollment in China of 1978 and 1983, based on the informationin the chart below. Compair the figures of 1978 and 1983. Give possible ex-planations. Your composition should be in three paragraphs and be no lessthan 120 words. Remember to write clearly.
You should write this composition on the Composition Sheet. 1978 (Million) 1983 (Million) Primary Schools 146.23 135.82 Secondary Schools 65.54 43.94 Specialized Schools 0.897 1.37 Universities and Colleges 0.854 1.20
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