Lesson 7 Houses Made of Snow
1、ALL the winter, the Esquimaux live in huts made of snow. These huts are very clean and white when they are new, but they soon turn dirty; and when the summer comes they begin to melt.
2、Sometimes the Esquimaux find logs of wood on the shore, which have been drifted by the waves from some other country; and these they gather, and build their huts with them.
3、When they cannot get wood, they use the pure white snow. It is frozen so hard that it keeps firm all through the winter. Sometimes, when the hut becomes very warm with the lamps, and the people, and the dogs, the walls begin to drip a little, but a piece of fresh snow rubbed over the place soon mends it.
4、The windows of these huts are not made of glass, but of ice.
5、Though there is no fire in the hut, it is as warm as the Esquimau can bear it. He warms it with his lamp; which is nothing but a vessel like a saucer, full of oil. A great many little wicks float on the oil, and he lights them all. The burning wicks make the room warm. A cooking-pot hangs over the lamp; but he often eats his meat raw.
6、He has no chairs or tables, for he does not know how to make them; but there is a raised ledge all round the hut, covered with warm skins. This is his seat during the day，and his bed at night. But under the skins there is nothing but snow.
7、When the warm weather comes, the Esquimau is glad to get away from the snow hut. Its walls begin to melt, and he gets wet as he lies in bed, and often catches cold. He is therefore very glad to escape from it to his tent, which forms his summer residence.
(312 words)
Exercises
Ⅰ. How well did you read?
1. [note the fact] Where do the Esquimaux live all the winter?
A. In houses made of stones.
B. In fl ats made of bricks.
C. In huts made of snow.
2. [check the details] How do the Esquimaux sometimes get wood to build with?
A. They cut down trees.
B. The waves drift logs of wood from some other country to the shore.
C. They grow trees themselves.
3. [note the fact] How do the Esquimaux mend the walls when they melt a little?
A. They use some pieces of fresh snow to repair them.
B. They use some bricks to mend them.
C. They use some pieces of paper to mend them.
4. [note the fact] What are the windows made of?
A. Glass. B. Ice. C. Mirror.
5. [check the details] How do the Esquimaux warm the house?
A. They warm it with lights.
B. They warm it with fi re.
C. They warm it with lamps.
6. [evaluate the information] Where does an Esquimau sleep at night?
A. In a bed. B. On a raised ledge. C. In a sleeping bag.
7. [note the fact] Where does an Esquimau live in summer?
A. In a cave. B. In a hut. C. In a tent.
Ⅱ. Read for words.
1. Choose one best paraphrase or Chinese meaning for the underlined words.
(1) Sometimes, when the hut becomes very warm with the lamps, and the people, and the dogs, the walls begin to drip a little. (Para. 3, Line 3)
A. melt away B. turn dirty C. stay firm
(2) The burning wicks make the room warm. (Para. 5, Line 3)
A. 烛台 B. 灯芯 C. 灯泡
(3) A cooking-pot hangs over the lamp; but he often eats his meat raw. (Para. 5, Line 4)
A. overcooked B. cold C. not cooked
2. Choose one best paraphrase or Chinese meaning for the underlined expressions.
(1) A piece of fresh snow rubbed over the place soon mends it. (Para. 3, Line 4)
A. 传给 B. 揉搓 C. 触碰
(2) There is a raised ledge all round the hut, covered with warm skins. (Para. 6, Line 2)
A. 突出的窗台 B. 抬高的雪橇 C. 升高的椅子
(3) When the warm weather comes, the Esquimau is glad to get away from the snow hut. (Para. 7, Line 7)
A. leave B. come into C. stay in
Ⅲ. Summary writing.
In no more than 80 words, summarize the whole text according to the following questions. Do not include anything that is not in the passage.
1. How do the Esquimaux sometimes get wood to build with?
2. What do they use when they cannot get wood?
3. How long does one of these houses last?
4. How do they mend the walls when they get out of repair?
5. What are the windows made of?
6. How is the house warmed?
7. What kind of bed does it contain?
8. Where do the Esquimaux live in summer?