Igloos
In the language spoken by the Inuit-an indigenous people inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada, Greenland, and the United States-the word “igloo” means “house” or “home”and can be applied to buildings made of various materials, including wood or brick. The word can also refer to traditional Inuit homes constructed of whale bones and animal hides and insulated by a thick outer layer of compacted snow. But in Western popular culture, the word “igloo” refers to a domed house or living space made out of blocks of compacted snow. The practice of building snow igloos is largely confined to specific Inuit communities that inhabit Canada’s Central Arctic and Greenland’s Thule area. The snow igloo’s effectiveness in protecting people from sub-zero temperatures, as well as its durability as a shelter, is counterintuitive. How could a house built out of snow provide warmth or be a dependable structure?
In the Central Arctic, where snow is the only accessible building material, wind-blown snow accumulates, compacts, and hardens. Blocks cut from this snow with a special long-bladed snow knife are relatively light, firm, and filled with small pockets of air, which give them considerable insulating properties. The human body radiates heat, which is trapped by the igloo’s blocks. Because heat rises, beds in a traditional igloo are raised, often consisting of platforms of snow covered in animal skins. The igloo is typically built over the pit that is left after the snow bricks for its construction have been harvested. This design choice keeps much of the igloo’s interior below the snow’s surface, so that those inside are better protected from harsh Arctic winds. A flap of animal skin covers the gap that serves as a doorway, and a short tunnel at the entrance further prevents wind from entering and heat from being lost during exit and entry.
Sometimes a block of ice is fitted in among an igloo’s snow bricks during construction to allow in light to illuminate the igloo’s interior. But aside from these window blocks, traditional igloos are not, as is believed by some, constructed out of ice blocks. This misconception may have come about as a result of nonnatives entering a completed igloo or seeing photographs of its interior. Soon after the igloo is completed, body heat trapped inside begins to melt the dome’s interior, which refreezes when temperatures inside the igloo drop again. As a result, the inside of an igloo that has been inhabited for any time has a glassy smoothness suggestive of a structure constructed from blocks of ice. This melting and refreezing strengthens the igloo and also seals small holes in the structure, further protecting those inside from arctic conditions. Lower temperatures at night are one factor that brings about this structurally important refreezing. An igloo must also be temporarily unoccupied at regular intervals to allow interior temperatures to drop. Refreezing of snow that has melted inside the igloo is further facilitated by removing the flap of animal skin at the igloo’s entrance and allowing freezing winds to enter.
Igloos are sometimes incorrectly depicted as being hemispherical domes, but a true igloo does not resemble one-half of a giant snowball. Those looking carefully at a real igloo may notice that it is almost cone shaped and looks somewhat like the pointier half of a bird’s egg. The technical name for this structural form is the “catenary dome,”which can be noticeably narrower on top than the hemispherical dome. An igloo’s dome is created relatively easily by successively laying down snow blocks in a narrowing spiral. In contrast, the hemispherical architectural dome, a structure standardized by the Romans and frequently present in religious buildings, requires a surrounding framework or scaffold during construction to keep it from collapsing. Even after completion, a masonry hemispherical dome requires some kind of reinforcement or external support, which may come in the form of projecting structures known as buttresses, which keep the dome’s sides from buckling outward. In contrast, an igloo’s catenary dome structure directs the igloo’s weight more or less downward rather than outward. As a result, a well-built igloo can easily tolerate a grown man standing on top of it.
1
In the language spoken by the Inuit-an indigenous people inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada, Greenland, and the United States-the word “igloo” means “house” or “home”and can be applied to buildings made of various materials, including wood or brick. The word can also refer to traditional Inuit homes constructed of whale bones and animal hides and insulated by a thick outer layer of compacted snow. But in Western popular culture, the word “igloo” refers to a domed house or living space made out of blocks of compacted snow. The practice of building snow igloos is largely confined to specific Inuit communities that inhabit Canada’s Central Arctic and Greenland’s Thule area. The snow igloo’s effectiveness in protecting people from sub-zero temperatures, as well as its durability as a shelter, is counterintuitive. How could a house built out of snow provide warmth or be a dependable structure?
The word “counterintuitive” in the passage is closest in meaning to
Vocabulary Questions词汇题
Amuch debated
Bpractical
Copposite of what would be expected
Dhighly exaggerated
2
In the language spoken by the Inuit-an indigenous people inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada, Greenland, and the United States-the word “igloo” means “house” or “home”and can be applied to buildings made of various materials, including wood or brick. The word can also refer to traditional Inuit homes constructed of whale bones and animal hides and insulated by a thick outer layer of compacted snow. But in Western popular culture, the word “igloo” refers to a domed house or living space made out of blocks of compacted snow. The practice of building snow igloos is largely confined to specific Inuit communities that inhabit Canada’s Central Arctic and Greenland’s Thule area. The snow igloo’s effectiveness in protecting people from sub-zero temperatures, as well as its durability as a shelter, is counterintuitive. How could a house built out of snow provide warmth or be a dependable structure?
Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 1 about the snow igloo?
Inference Questions推理题
AAlthough the snow igloo is one kind of traditional Inuit house. not all Inuit people build snow igloos.
BThe snow igloo’s structure is effective in providing protection to inhabitants but is not long-lasting.
CThe practice of building snow igloos has spread well beyond the confined Inuit communities where it originated
DSnow igloos are living spaces built over a foundation of whale bones and animal hides.
3
In the Central Arctic, where snow is the only accessible building material, wind-blown snow accumulates, compacts, and hardens. Blocks cut from this snow with a special long-bladed snow knife are relatively light, firm, and filled with small pockets of air, which give them considerable insulating properties. The human body radiates heat, which is trapped by the igloo’s blocks. Because heat rises, beds in a traditional igloo are raised, often consisting of platforms of snow covered in animal skins. The igloo is typically built over the pit that is left after the snow bricks for its construction have been harvested. This design choice keeps much of the igloo’s interior below the snow’s surface, so that those inside are better protected from harsh Arctic winds. A flap of animal skin covers the gap that serves as a doorway, and a short tunnel at the entrance further prevents wind from entering and heat from being lost during exit and entry.
Select the TWO answers that, according to paragraph 2, are true of snow blocks that are cut for igloo construction in the Central Arctic To receive credit, you must select TWO answers.
Factual Information Questions事实信息题
Select 2 answers
AThey contain many air pockets.
BThey are made of the only material readily available for house building in the Central Arctic.
CThey are placed in front of the opening that serves as doorway when Arctic winds are particularly harsh
DTheir heavy weight makes them very effective for insulation
4
In the Central Arctic, where snow is the only accessible building material, wind-blown snow accumulates, compacts, and hardens. Blocks cut from this snow with a special long-bladed snow knife are relatively light, firm, and filled with small pockets of air, which give them considerable insulating properties. The human body radiates heat, which is trapped by the igloo’s blocks. Because heat rises, beds in a traditional igloo are raised, often consisting of platforms of snow covered in animal skins. The igloo is typically built over the pit that is left after the snow bricks for its construction have been harvested. This design choice keeps much of the igloo’s interior below the snow’s surface, so that those inside are better protected from harsh Arctic winds. A flap of animal skin covers the gap that serves as a doorway, and a short tunnel at the entrance further prevents wind from entering and heat from being lost during exit and entry.
According to paragraph 2. traditional snow igloos maximize warmth in all of the following ways EXCEPT:
Negative Factual Information Questions否定事实信息题
APart of the area inside the igloo is protected below the windy surface of the surrounding snow.
BThe entrance is protected by animal skins and a short tunnel.
CThe igloo’s interior surface is covered with animal skins to keep rising heat from escaping.
DThe beds are placed on platforms.
5
Sometimes a block of ice is fitted in among an igloo’s snow bricks during construction to allow in light to illuminate the igloo’s interior. But aside from these window blocks, traditional igloos are not, as is believed by some, constructed out of ice blocks. This misconception may have come about as a result of nonnatives entering a completed igloo or seeing photographs of its interior. Soon after the igloo is completed, body heat trapped inside begins to melt the dome’s interior, which refreezes when temperatures inside the igloo drop again. As a result, the inside of an igloo that has been inhabited for any time has a glassy smoothness suggestive of a structure constructed from blocks of ice. This melting and refreezing strengthens the igloo and also seals small holes in the structure, further protecting those inside from arctic conditions. Lower temperatures at night are one factor that brings about this structurally important refreezing. An igloo must also be temporarily unoccupied at regular intervals to allow interior temperatures to drop. Refreezing of snow that has melted inside the igloo is further facilitated by removing the flap of animal skin at the igloo’s entrance and allowing freezing winds to enter.
The word “misconception” in the passage is closest in meaning to
Vocabulary Questions词汇题
Adifference
Bcustom
Cdiscovery
Dmistaken idea
6
Sometimes a block of ice is fitted in among an igloo’s snow bricks during construction to allow in light to illuminate the igloo’s interior. But aside from these window blocks, traditional igloos are not, as is believed by some, constructed out of ice blocks. This misconception may have come about as a result of nonnatives entering a completed igloo or seeing photographs of its interior. Soon after the igloo is completed, body heat trapped inside begins to melt the dome’s interior, which refreezes when temperatures inside the igloo drop again. As a result, the inside of an igloo that has been inhabited for any time has a glassy smoothness suggestive of a structure constructed from blocks of ice. This melting and refreezing strengthens the igloo and also seals small holes in the structure, further protecting those inside from arctic conditions. Lower temperatures at night are one factor that brings about this structurally important refreezing. An igloo must also be temporarily unoccupied at regular intervals to allow interior temperatures to drop. Refreezing of snow that has melted inside the igloo is further facilitated by removing the flap of animal skin at the igloo’s entrance and allowing freezing winds to enter.
According to paragraph 3, the builders of igloos sometimes add blocks of ice for which of the following purposes?
Factual Information Questions事实信息题
ATo serve as windows
BTo trap additional heat
CTo strengthen the inside of the structure
DTo complete the structure when available snow is insufficient
7
Sometimes a block of ice is fitted in among an igloo’s snow bricks during construction to allow in light to illuminate the igloo’s interior. But aside from these window blocks, traditional igloos are not, as is believed by some, constructed out of ice blocks. This misconception may have come about as a result of nonnatives entering a completed igloo or seeing photographs of its interior. Soon after the igloo is completed, body heat trapped inside begins to melt the dome’s interior, which refreezes when temperatures inside the igloo drop again. As a result, the inside of an igloo that has been inhabited for any time has a glassy smoothness suggestive of a structure constructed from blocks of ice. This melting and refreezing strengthens the igloo and also seals small holes in the structure, further protecting those inside from arctic conditions. Lower temperatures at night are one factor that brings about this structurally important refreezing. An igloo must also be temporarily unoccupied at regular intervals to allow interior temperatures to drop. Refreezing of snow that has melted inside the igloo is further facilitated by removing the flap of animal skin at the igloo’s entrance and allowing freezing winds to enter.
According to paragraph 3. why must the people who live in an igloo leave it regularly?
Factual Information Questions事实信息题
ATo collect dry animal skins for additional warmth
BTo allow the melted snow on the inside walls of the igloo to refreeze
CTo repair small cracks and holes on the exterior of the igloo
DTo avoid freezing when temperatures at night are lower than usual
8
Igloos are sometimes incorrectly depicted as being hemispherical domes, but a true igloo does not resemble one-half of a giant snowball. Those looking carefully at a real igloo may notice that it is almost cone shaped and looks somewhat like the pointier half of a bird’s egg. The technical name for this structural form is the “catenary dome,”which can be noticeably narrower on top than the hemispherical dome. An igloo’s dome is created relatively easily by successively laying down snow blocks in a narrowing spiral. In contrast, the hemispherical architectural dome, a structure standardized by the Romans and frequently present in religious buildings, requires a surrounding framework or scaffold during construction to keep it from collapsing. Even after completion, a masonry hemispherical dome requires some kind of reinforcement or external support, which may come in the form of projecting structures known as buttresses, which keep the dome’s sides from buckling outward. In contrast, an igloo’s catenary dome structure directs the igloo’s weight more or less downward rather than outward. As a result, a well-built igloo can easily tolerate a grown man standing on top of it.
Why does the author make the point that ” well-built igloo can easily tolerate a grown man standing on top of it”
Rhetorical Purpose Questions修辞目的题
ATo give the reader a sense of how large a typical igloo is
BTo support the claim that a traditional igloo is almost cone shaped
CTo provide evidence that traditional igloos have good reinforcements and external supports
DTo illustrate the connection between the igloo’s shape and its strength
9
In the language spoken by the Inuit-an indigenous people inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada, Greenland, and the United States-the word “igloo” means “house” or “home”and can be applied to buildings made of various materials, including wood or brick. The word can also refer to traditional Inuit homes constructed of whale bones and animal hides and insulated by a thick outer layer of compacted snow. But in Western popular culture, the word “igloo” refers to a domed house or living space made out of blocks of compacted snow. The practice of building snow igloos is largely confined to specific Inuit communities that inhabit Canada’s Central Arctic and Greenland’s Thule area. The snow igloo’s effectiveness in protecting people from sub-zero temperatures, as well as its durability as a shelter, is counterintuitive. How could a house built out of snow provide warmth or be a dependable structure?
[■] In the Central Arctic, where snow is the only accessible building material, wind-blown snow accumulates, compacts, and hardens. [■] Blocks cut from this snow with a special long-bladed snow knife are relatively light, firm, and filled with small pockets of air, which give them considerable insulating properties. The human body radiates heat, which is trapped by the igloo’s blocks. [■] Because heat rises, beds in a traditional igloo are raised, often consisting of platforms of snow covered in animal skins. [■] The igloo is typically built over the pit that is left after the snow bricks for its construction have been harvested. This design choice keeps much of the igloo’s interior below the snow’s surface, so that those inside are better protected from harsh Arctic winds. A flap of animal skin covers the gap that serves as a doorway, and a short tunnel at the entrance further prevents wind from entering and heat from being lost during exit and entry.
Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage
This process forms a surprisingly effectively building material.
Insert Text Questions句子插入题
Where would the sentence best fit？Click on a square sentence to the passage.
10
Some Inuit people of Canada’s Central Arctic and Greenland’s Thule area use snow to build shelters.
Prose Summary Questions概要小结题
Select 3 answers
AThe structures known as igloos in Western popular culture are not considered igloos in the language of the Inuit, where “igloo” refers to traditional buildings made from whale bones and animal hides.
BIgloos are typically built in communities, with a number of the structures connected by short tunnels that allow their occupants to move between igloos without being exposed to strong Arctic winds.
CSince they are catenary domes, igloos are narrower at the top than hemispherical domes are and this makes them better able to bear weight and also simpler to construct.
DCompacted snow is used to form a structure above the pit that makes up much of an igloo’s interior, and this snow is firm, lightweight, and effective at holding in heat.
EHeat from the igloo’s occupants melts the inner layer of snow, which is periodically allowed to refreeze, forming a glassy, icy coating that strengthens the structure and seals off small holes.
FSome Western architects, inspired by the igloo, have adapted its design for use in structures such as churches, where the traditional dome standardized by the Romans was once the only type used.
