翻譯二級(jí)筆譯綜合能力閱讀分類模擬題152

翻譯二級(jí)筆譯綜合能力閱讀分類模擬題152ReadingComprehension

LouDobbsisapparentlylargerthanlife,whichisprettymu（江南博哥）chjustthewayhewantsit.

WhenyouentertheMidtownManhattanstudioofhissyndicatedradioshow,thefirstthingyouseeisBigLou—inapinpointshirt,stripedtie,anddark-bluesuitadornedwithderigueurflagpin.Withhiswavesofsandyhair,confidentgaze,andglintofasmile,the64-year-oldistheessenceofDistinguishedBroadcaster.Iapproachtoshakehishand."Hello,sir!"bellowsanemergingpresenceatthedoorattheoppositeendoftheroom.That'stherealLouDobbs,inargylesweater,jeans,andaRolexbaseballcap.Hewavesmeover."Let'sgogetasandwich!"TheotherLouisactuallyalife-sizecardboardcutout,designedforradiotradeshowsandnowpartofthestudiotrimmingsthatincludegiantpostersforhisbestsellingbooks.CardboardLouissoconvincinglywroughtthatIwas,believeitornot,certainitwashe.

Dobbsjokesit'sslimmerandtrimmerthanheis,butthelinealsounintentionallyraiseslargerquestionsaboutwhotherealLouDobbsis:TrueBelieverorIdeologicalMercenary?Rightnow,dependingonwhomyouask,Dobbsisthemostdespised,orbest-loved,broadcasterinAmerica.Thequestionsabouthisidentitymatter,especiallyasDobbssayshe'scontemplatingathird-partyrunfornationalofficein2012,eitherfortheU.S.Senateor,incredibly,theWhiteHouse.Whicheverroutehetakes,theerstwhilevoiceofthefinancialworld—theCronkiteforthebusinesscommunityfortwodecades—isclearlycastingaboutforhisnextact.In1981DobbswasoneofthefirstbusinessanchorsatCNNandhelpedbuildtheupstart.Steady,authoritative,andHarvard-credentialed,DobbswonaPeabodyforhiscoverageofthe1987stockmarketcrashandanEmmyforlifetimeachievement.Then9/11andWallStreetscandalslikeEnrontransformed—ortransmogrified—himintoanopinion-spewing,rabble-rousingprovocateur.YoucouldcountonFox'sBillO'Reillytoattackfromtheright,andMSNBC'sKeithOlbermannfromtheleft.Bycontrast,DobbswasabiliousbrewonCNN.Confoundingly,healsowashardtopeg,anassortmentofcontradictionsthatreflectedeitherindependenceoropportunism.

Forexample,heseemedtohavegenuineconcernsforU.S.jobsandempathyforthemiddleclass,yetit'shardtobeaparagonofthepeoplewhenyouhaveyourownplaneandpresideovera300-acrefarm,HickoryHollow,inthesuburbsofNewYorkCity.HewantsusalltobuyAmerican,yetthattwin-engineHawkerjetofhiswasmadeintheU.K.byBritishAerospace.Hehasrailedagainstillegalaliensyetprofessedsupportforimmigration.Heopposedoutsourcing,globalization,andunfetteredtradeyetcallshimselfachampionoffreeenterprise.Hehaslittleuseforunionsorcorporations.He'spro-choiceandanti-gun-control.HewantsoutofIraqandAfghanistan.Hedespises"elites"yetisanIvyLeaguer.HehasdenouncedthePope,theUnitedNations,bailouts,andColumbusDay.HecalledfortheimpeachmentofGeorgeW.Bush,andrelentlesslyskewersBarackObama,whomhemocksas"oursupremeleader."ForthepasteightyearsDobbshasbeenapopulistmadman.

Butthen,inNovember,CNNcuthimloose,thoughneitherpartytothebreakupwillofficiallydescribeitthatway.PositioningitselfasaneutralintheideologicalcablewarsbetweenFoxandMSNBC,CNNconcludedthatDobbs'sfulminationshadceasedtohaveutility,sincehisratingsweren'tverygood;itdidn'thelpeitherthatDobbswasperceivedatCNNasleaningrightwhenalotoffolkstherehappenedtoleanleft.AnexecutiveatTimeWarner,whichownsCNN(aswellasFortune),callsitadivorcebetweenspouseswhohadn'tbeengettingalongforsometime.Dobbswalkedawaywithupwardsof$8million,accordingtosourceswhoaskedforanonymity.NeitherTimeWarnernorDobbswouldcommentonthetermsofhiscontractualrelease.Nobody,though,disputesthatDobbswasstunnedthatCNNwasendinghisrunofnearly30years(interruptedonlybyamuch-lampoonedtwo-yearinterludeatspace,comduringthedotcombubble).Heannouncedhisdepartureontheairandwasgoneminuteslater,describinghisexitinwhatsoundedlikeastumpspeech.WithahugedigitalStarsandStripeswavingbehindhim,hesaid:"Overthepastsixmonthsit'sbecomeincreasinglyclearthatstrongwindsofchangehavebegunbuffetingthiscountry...Someleadersinmedia,politics,andbusinesshavebeenurgingmetogobeyondmyrolehereatCNNandtoengageinconstructiveproblemsolving,aswellastocontributepositivelytoabetterunderstandingofthegreatissuesofourday."Strongwindsindeed.

Hesaysnowthehurtisgoneandheis"exhilarated"tohavefreshchoices.FoxpresumablywouldbethrilledtohavehimonitsbusinesschannelorinitscablestablewithsuchbloviatingstallionsasBillO'ReillyandSeanHannity.EvenwithoutaTVpresenceforthemoment,Dobbscanroarawayonhisdailythree-hourradionews).Andwhilehe'swiseenoughtoacknowledgethehasslesofpolitics,heisaltogethercharmedbytheideaofelectedoffice."It'sflatteringthatsomanypeoplehaveurgedmetoconsiderit,"hesays.Sowhoarethosepeople?Dobbsdeclinestosay.(fromFortune,January18,2010)1.

Whichofthefollowingstatementscanbestexplainthemeaningoftheunderlinedphrase"largerthanlife"inthefirstparagraph?A.ThecardboardcutoutisdesignedlargerthantherealDobbs.B.Heisawalkingcontradiction,partlytruthandpartlyfiction.C.ThelineofthefirstDobbsisslimmerandtrimmerthantherealDobbs.D.Helikestomakeexaggeratedcommentaryinhissyndicatedradioshow.正確答案：B

2.

Whichofthefollowingcanbeinferredfromthesecondparagraphofthepassage?A.TherearemorethanoneLouDobbsintheMidtownManhattanstudioofhissyndicatedradioshow.B.ThefirstBigLoutheauthorseesintheMidtownManhattanstudioistheessenceofDistinguishedBroadcaster.C.TheauthormistakesthecardboardcutoutastherealLouDobbswhenheenterstheMidtownManhattanstudio.D.TheauthorknowsclearlywhichistherealLouDobbsbuthepretendstohavemadeamistake.正確答案：C

3.

Whatdoesthewritermeanbysaying"Rightnow,dependingonwhomyouask,Dobbsisthemostdespised,orbest-loved,broadcasterinAmerica."inparagraph3?A.WhoeveryouaskinAmerica,she/heenjoysDobbs'swayofbroadcastingandhisviewsongreatissuesoftheday.B.DobbsisacontroversialfigurebecausenooneisclearwhethertherealDobbsisaTrueBelieverorIdeologicalMercenary.C.NooneknowstheidentityofDobbsbecauseheisthinkingofathird-partyrunfornationaloffice.D.DobbsisacontroversialfigurebecauseeventheCronkiteisclearlycastingaboutforhisnextact.正確答案：B

4.

What'sthemainideaofparagraphs3and4?A.DobbswasoneofthefirstbusinessanchorsatCNNandhelpedtobuildtheupstart.B.DobbsisaprovocateurandisattackedalotbyFox'sBillO'ReillyontherightandMSNBC'sKeithOlbermannontheleft.C.Dobbs'sachievementsandwhyheisdeemedas"anassortmentofcontradictions".D.Dobbs'sexperiencesanddevelopmentasanoriginalanchoratCNNfornearly30years.正確答案：C

5.

Whichofthefollowingcanbeinferredfromparagraph6?A.ThebreakupbetweenDobbsandCNNisdescribedasadivorceandbothpartieshadn'tbeenonfriendlytermsforalongtime.B.Accordingtoananonymousperson,whenDobbswentawayfromCNN,hetooknearly$8million.C.NobodyisstunnedbythenewsthatCNNwasendingDobbs'srunofnearly30years.D.Dobbsannouncedhisexitinastumpspeechontheairtoengageinconstructiveproblemsolving.正確答案：A

6.

Accordingtothepassage,whatcanbestexplainDobbs'sdeparturefromCNN?A.Hehasbeencontemplatingthedeparturebeforebecausehewantstorunfornationaloffice,eitherfortheU.S.SenateortheWhiteHouse.B.Heannouncedhisdepartureontheairallofasuddenandleftminuteslatertoimpresshisaudience.C.HeleftCNNbecauseFoxwouldbethrilledtohavehimonitsbusinesschannelorinitscablestable.D.HewasdismissedbyCNN,buthebelievedthatstrongwindshavebeenbuffetingU.S.andsowasgladtohavefreshchoices.正確答案：D

7.

Whichofthefollowingisclosestinmeaningto"bloviatingstallions"asusedinthelastparagraph?A.Opinion—spewing,rabble-rousingprovocateur.B.Biliousbrew.C.Populistmadman.D.Talkshowelites.正確答案：D

8.

Accordingtothewholepassage,allofthefollowingcanbeinferredEXCEPT______.A.thefirstBigLoutheauthorseesisactuallydesignedforradiotradeandispartofthestudiotrimmings.B.DobbsisoneofthelastoriginalCNNanchorsandisgrantedmanyawardsforhiscoverageofgreatevents.C.Dobbsispro-choiceandthusopposesabortion,butinterestingly,healsoopposesgun-control.D.oneofthereasonswhyDobbsfeels"exhilarated"isthatheischarmedbytheideaofelectedofficeandhewantsafreerplatformtostatehisopinions.正確答案：C

TheAmericanCharacter

MostAmericanshavegreatvigorandenthusiasm.Theyprefertodisciplinethemselvesratherthanbedisciplinedbyothers.Theypridethemselvesontheirindependence,theirrighttomakeuptheirownminds.Theyarepreparedtotaketheinitiative,evenwhenthereisariskindoingso.Theyhavecourageanddonotgiveineasily.Theywilltakeanysortofjobanywhereratherthanbeunemployed.Theydonotcaretobelookedafterbythegovernment.TheaverageAmericanchangeshisorherjobnineortentimesduringhisorherworkinglife.

Americanshaveawarmthandfriendlinesswhichislesssuperficialthanmanyforeignersthink.Theyareconsideredsentimental.Whenonceremonialoccasionstheyseeaflag,orattendparadescelebratingAmerica'sgloriouspast,tearsmaycometotheireyes.Reunionwithfamilyandfriendstendtobeemotional,too.Theyliketodresscorrectly,evenif"correctly"meansflamboyant.Theylovetoboast,thoughoftenwithtongueincheek.Theycanlaughatthemselvesandtheircountry,andtheycanbeveryself-critical,whileremainingalwaysintenselypatriotic.Theyhaveawideknowledgeofeverydaythings,andkeeninterestintheirparticularcityandstate.Foreignerssometimescomplain,howeverthattheyhavelittleinterestorknowledgeofoutsideworld.

TheAmericanshaveapassionforgrandeur.Theirskyscrapers,bridgesanddamsoftenhaveasplendorwhichmatchesinbeautyandscalethecountry'snaturalworld.

IsthesoleaimofmostAmericanstomakemoneyandpossessluxurieswhichcouldbecalledexcessive?ThemajorityofAmericanswouldcertainlydenythis,thoughmostfeelproudtoamasswealthandpossessionsthroughhardwork.IntheUS,about90%ofthepopulationiswell-offenoughtoexpectabrighterfuture.TheUSAstillhasoneofthehigheststandardsoflivingintheworld,although,atthepresenttime,10%arebelowwhatthegovernmentconsideredtobethe"povertyline".WhiletheseunderprivilegedreceivethehelpfromtheGovernment,theyhavenohighhopeforfuture.Itisfromthis"underclass"andthosewhotakeadvantageofit,thatmostoftheviolencesprings—theviolencewhichistheleastpleasantaspectofAmericansociety.

Americansarebeginningtorealizethatthisterribleproblemofpovertyistheirproblemandnotjusttheirgovernment's.IthasbeensaidthatanindividualAmericanisgenerous,butthatAmericannationishard.

TheUSisreputedtobeaclasslesssociety.Thereiscertainlynotmuchsocialsnobberyandjobsnobbery.Themanualworkerisusuallyquiteateaseinanycompany.Thisispartlyexplainedbythefactthatallincomegroupsgotogethertothesameschools.Americansarefarmoreraceconsciousthantheyareclassconscious.9.

Whichofthefollowingistrueaccordingtothefirstparagraph?A.Americantakeagreatprideonbeingabletotakeinitiativesintheirownhands.B.Americansareveryproudofbeingcourageousandwarm.C.Americansholdtightlytheirfighttomakeuptheirownminds.D.Americansareabhorrentofdependingonotherpeople.正確答案：A

10.

Thestatementinthefirstparagraphthat"TheaverageAmericanchangeshisorherjobnineortentimesduringhisorherworkinglife"indicatesthattheaverageAmericanisA.fickleB.despondantC.flexibleD.susceptible正確答案：C

11.

WhichofthefollowingcanbestdescribetheaverageAmericanbothasanindividualandasocialperson?A.Criticallysympatheticandpatrioticallyemotional.B.Sentimentallycriticalandtrulypatriotic.C.Sympatheticallyemotionalandreasonablypatriotic.D.Sentimentallypatrioticandemotionallytouchyandcritical.正確答案：B

12.

"Theseunderprivileged"refersto______.A.theaverageAmericanB.thosethatabovethe"povertyline"C.thosethatarepoverty-strickenD.thosewell-offpeople正確答案：C

13.

Theuseoftheword"underprivileged"isrhetoricallycalled______.A.simileB.metonymyC.hyperboleD.euphemism正確答案：D

14.

ThelastparagraphindicatesthatAmericans______A.arenotsomuchsuperiorityorinteriorityconscious.B.areveryparticularabouttheirsocialandeconomicstatus.C.donotcaremuchabouthowtheyactinthesocietyasanindividual.D.lookuptothosewealthypeopleandlookdownonthosethatarepoor.正確答案：A

15.

WhichofthefollowingstatementsisNOTtrue?A.Comparedwithpeopleinothercountries,Americansplacemoreemphasisonwhattheycandointhesociety.B.MostAmericansseldomgetfrustratedbythewealthandhighsocialandeconomicstatusofotherfellowAmericans.C.ThemindsofmostAmericansareheavilyaffectedbyotherpeopleemotionallyandpsychologicaly.D.MostAmericansareneithersociallysnobbishnorculturallyandeconomicallysnobbish,thoughtheydoliketobewealthy.正確答案：C

OxfordandCambridgeUniversityBoatClubshavebothtakentheopportunitytotraveltoSpainthismonthtotraininlesstestingweatherconditionsthanthosewhichhave,quiteliterally,alreadyblownaroundtheUKinJanuaryof2007.

Eachgroupofathleteshasbeenfocusedontrainingtothemaximum,workingontechniqueandmoldingthemselvesintotwopotentialfightingunitsperClubforthe2007BoatRace,sponsoredbyXchanging.OnesetwillbeintheBlueBoatforeachclubandonesetwillraceasreservesinIsis,forOxford,andGoldie,forCambridge.

Inthesemoderntimes,theHeadCoachforeachclubhasahugeinputonselectioneventhoughthecrewisstillnamedbythePresident.Justtwentyyearsagothebalancewasnotquitethesame.

Theyear1987willalwaysberememberedinthehistoryofthisgreatRaceastheyearofthe"mutiny"atOxford.Itisatalewhichhassincebeenretoldandreworkedinbothabookandamovie.

ThiswastheseasonforwhichmatureScottishstudent,DonaldMacdonald,waselectedPresident,havingallreadywonaBluein1986.Macdonaldre-appointedDanielTopolski(nowarenownedrowingjournalistandbroadcaster)asChiefCoach.

Partofthe1986/87squadatOxfordincludedAmericanChrisClark,nowacoachatanAmericanUniversity,andfourfellowUSinternationals.

Allegedly,asplitappearedinthesquadbetweentheAmericanquintet;allexperiencedandleadingoarsmen,andthoserowersclosesttoMacdonald.TheScot'sgroupwerehappytofollowTopolski'sregimewhilsttheotherswerenotsosure.

FollowingacontentiousseatracingtrialinJanuaryof1987,TopolskidecidedtomoveClarktothebow-sideofthebeat.Clarkdisagreed.Topolskiheldfirm.AsaresultClarkandhis"group"withinthesquaddecidednottorowandsoughtatakeover.

ThesquabblewasplayedoutextensivelyintheUKnationalmediaandcaughtthepublicimagination.Macdonaldsoughtsupportfromthecollegecaptainsandeventuallywonavoteofconfidenceby28votesto11.

WithouttheAmericans,theOxfordcrewwasimmediatelyconsideredalostcause.Cambridgewereoverwhelmingfavoritestowin.

Asitturnedout,though,thiswasaRacewhichwouldprovewhysport,andparticularlyTheBoatRace,canbesofascinating.16.

Thephase"blownaround"underlinedinParagraph1isclosestinmeaningto______.A.discussB.walkaroundC.doubtD.visit正確答案：A[解析]根據(jù)文中第一段的內(nèi)容“whichhave,quiteliterally,alreadyblownaroundtheUKinJanuaryof2007”可知，在2007年一月討論英國(guó)的情況。選項(xiàng)中的A項(xiàng)為“探討，討論”符合文意。B項(xiàng)“繞……走”，C項(xiàng)“質(zhì)疑”，D項(xiàng)“參觀”，這三項(xiàng)均不符合題意。

17.

Itcanbeinferredthat"Isis"and"Goldie"arethenamesoftwo______.A.placesB.teamsC.racesD.clubs正確答案：B[解析]根據(jù)文中第一段的“OxfordandCambridgeUniversityBoatClubs.”和第二段的“OnesetwillbeintheBlueBoatforeachclubandonesetwillraceasreservesinIsis,forOxford,andGoldie,forCambridge.”可以推斷出，Isis和Goldie是劃船俱樂(lè)部?jī)蓚€(gè)隊(duì)的名稱，所以應(yīng)該選擇B。A項(xiàng)“地名”，C項(xiàng)“賽事名稱”，A、C從兩個(gè)單詞出現(xiàn)的位置可以看出和地名、比賽名稱沒(méi)有關(guān)系；D項(xiàng)“俱樂(lè)部名稱”，俱樂(lè)部名稱是牛津大學(xué)和劍橋大學(xué)俱樂(lè)部，所以D不正確，所以這三項(xiàng)都不符合題意。

18.

Accordingtothepassage,increw-naming,thePresident______.A.hasnoinfluenceintheHeadCoach'sopinionB.giveslittlecaretotheideaoftheHeadCoachC.usedtobetheonlyonetomakedecisionsD.hadgreatersay20yearsagothantoday正確答案：D[解析]根據(jù)第三段的內(nèi)容“Inthesemoderntimes,theHeadCoachforeachclubhasahugeinputonselectioneventhoughthecrewisstillnamedbythePresident.Justtwentyyearsagothebalancewasnotquitethesame.”可知，D項(xiàng)“主席20年前比現(xiàn)在說(shuō)話更有分量”符合文意。A項(xiàng)“主席對(duì)總教練的觀點(diǎn)沒(méi)有影響”，B項(xiàng)“很少在意主教練的主意”，C項(xiàng)“主席過(guò)去是唯一作決定的人”，這三項(xiàng)和文意不符合。

19.

Theword"it"underlinedinParagraph4refersto______.A.theyear1987B.RaceC.OxfordD.abookandamovie正確答案：A[解析]根據(jù)文中第四段的內(nèi)容可知，It在此處指代的是前面提到的theyear1987。所以正確答案是A選項(xiàng)。

20.

Theboldfacedword"quintet"inParagraph7refersto______.A.threepeopleB.fourpeopleC.fivepeopleD.sixpeople正確答案：C[解析]quintet的原意是“五重奏，五重唱；男子籃球隊(duì)；五位字節(jié)”，再根據(jù)文中第六段的內(nèi)容“Partofthe1986/87squadatOxfordincludedAmericanChrisClark,nowacoachatanAmericanUniversity,andfourfellowUSinternationals.”可知，quintet應(yīng)該是5個(gè)人，所以應(yīng)該選擇C。A項(xiàng)“三個(gè)人”，B項(xiàng)“四個(gè)人”，D項(xiàng)“六個(gè)人”，這三項(xiàng)明顯不正確。

21.

Thesplitseemedtobecausedbythedisagreementbetween______.A.TopolskiandClarkB.MacdonaldandClarkC.MacdonaldandTopolskiD.theScottishstudentsandtheAmericanoarsmen正確答案：A[解析]根據(jù)文中第八段的內(nèi)容“TopolskidecidedtomoveClarktothebow-sideofthebeat.Clarkdisagreed.Topolskiheldfirm.AsaresultClarkandhis”group“withinthesquaddecidednottorowandsoughtatakeover.”

22.

Theword"squabble"underlinedinParagraph9isclosestinmeaningto______.A.argumentB.controversyC.disputeD.debate正確答案：A[解析]根據(jù)文中第九段的內(nèi)容“ThesquabblewasplayedoutextensivelyintheUKnationalmedia”可知，在英國(guó)媒體展開(kāi)了爭(zhēng)論。選項(xiàng)中的A項(xiàng)為“爭(zhēng)辯，爭(zhēng)論”符合文意。B項(xiàng)“論戰(zhàn)”，C項(xiàng)“糾紛”，D項(xiàng)“辯論”，這三項(xiàng)均不符合題意。

23.

Macdonaldhadtoseeksupportfromthecollegecaptainsbecause______.A.thepublicimaginedhewasnotcompetenttocommandhiscrewB.theChiefCoachTopolskilosttheexperiencedAmericanoarsmenC.theOxfordcrewwasunlikelytowintheRacewithouttheAmericansD.theAmericanswouldleavethesquadunlesstheyweretoleadit正確答案：D[解析]根據(jù)文中第八段的內(nèi)容“AsaresultClarkandhis'group'withinthesquaddecidednottorowandsoughtatakeover.”可知，克拉克和他的“集團(tuán)”內(nèi)的球隊(duì)決定不參加活動(dòng)而是接管船隊(duì)，所以應(yīng)該選擇D。A項(xiàng)“公眾猜測(cè)他不能指揮他的隊(duì)員”，B項(xiàng)“主教練失去了經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富的美國(guó)隊(duì)員”，C項(xiàng)“沒(méi)有美國(guó)人，牛津?qū)Σ淮罂赡苴A得比賽”，這三項(xiàng)都不是Macdonald尋求支持的原因。

24.

Theword"fascinating"underlinedinParagraph11isclosestinmeaningto______.A.attractingB.shockingC.surprisingD.horrifying正確答案：A[解析]根據(jù)文中第十一段的內(nèi)容“particularlyTheBoatRace,canbesofascinating”可知，特別是賽船比賽如此吸引人。選項(xiàng)中的A項(xiàng)為“引人入勝的”符合文意。B項(xiàng)“震驚的”，C項(xiàng)“吃驚的”，D項(xiàng)“令人恐懼的”，這三項(xiàng)均不符合題意。

25.

Fromthelastparagraphwecandrawtheconclusionthat______.A.OxfordwontheBoatRaceB.CambridgewontheBoatRaceC.theBoatRaceendedinatieD.theBoatRacewascancelled正確答案：A[解析]根據(jù)文中倒數(shù)第二段的內(nèi)容“WithouttheAmericans,theOxfordcrewwasimmediatelyconsideredalostcause.Cambridgewereoverwhelmingfavoritestowin.”可知，人們認(rèn)為，沒(méi)有關(guān)國(guó)隊(duì)員，牛津隊(duì)會(huì)輸，但結(jié)果是出人意料的，也就是說(shuō)，牛津隊(duì)贏了這場(chǎng)比賽。所以應(yīng)該選擇A。B項(xiàng)“劍橋隊(duì)贏得了比賽”，C項(xiàng)“比賽以平局結(jié)束”，D項(xiàng)“比賽被取消了”，這三項(xiàng)顯然和文中內(nèi)容不符合。

TheBritish

Historynotonlygivescitiestheirshape;italsomoldstheirself-image.Since1941,whenLondonemergedfromeightmonthsofbombingwithmanyofitslandmarkspulverizedbutitsresilienceintact,theBritishcapitalhasregardeditselfasindomitable.Butat9a.m.onawintryMonday,ashockwavecrackedthatimage,muchasaV-2rockethittingahousewoulddamageneighboringproperties.Londonerslearnedthatthecity'sentirefleetofbuseshadbeenrecalledtoitsdepots,defeatednotbybombs—theservicehadrunquixoticallybutwithoutinterruptionthroughouttheBlitz—butbysnow.Ameresixinches(5cm)ofit.

TosayBritainisn'tgoodatcopingwithsnowingwouldbetoexerciseBritishunderstatement.Heavysnowistooraretowarrantseriousinvestmentinequipment,especiallyinLondonandthesoutheast,wherethiswas,asexcitableweatherforecastersdeclared,thebigges