By the mid-nineteenth century, the term "ice-box" had entered the American language, but ice was still only beginning to affect the diet of ordinary citizens in the United States: The ice trade grew with the growth of cities. Ice was used in hotels, taverns, and hospitals, and by some forward-looking city dealers in fresh meat, fresh fish, and butter. After the Civil War (1861-1865), as ice was used to refrigerate freight cars, it also came into household use. Even before 1880, half the ice sold in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and one-third of that sold in Boston and Chicago, went to families for their own use. This had become possible because a new household convenience, the icebox, a precursor of the modern refrigerator, had been invented.
Making an efficient icebox was not as easy as we might now suppose. In the early nineteenth century, the knowledge of heat, which was essential to a science of refrigeration, was rudimentary. The common sense that the best icebox was one that prevented the ice from melting was of course mistaken, for it was the melting of ice that performed the cooling. Nevertheless, early efforts to economize ice included wrapping the ice in blankets, which kept the ice from doing its job. Not until near the end of the nineteenth century did inventors achieve the delicate balance of insulation and circulation needed for an efficient ice-box.
But as early as 1803, an ingenious Maryland farmer, Thomas Moore, had been on the right track. He owned a farm about twenty miles outside the city of Washington, for which the village of Georgetown was the market center. When he used an icebox of his own design to transport his butter to market, he found that customers would pass up the rapidly melting stuff in the tubs of his competitors to pay a premium price for his butter, still fresh and hard in neat, one-pound bricks. One advantage of his icebox, Moore explained, was that farmers would no longer have to travel to market at night in order to keep their produce cool.
1.What is the main idea of this passage?
A.The influence of ice on the diet. B.The transportation of goods to market.
C.The development of refrigeration. D.Sources of the term "ice-box".
2.According to the passage, when did the word "icebox" become part of the American language?
A.In 1803. B.Around 1850. C.During the Civil War. D.Before 1880.
3.The word "rudimentary" in Para. 2 is closest in meaning to______.
A.basic B.sufficient C.necessary D.undeveloped
4.The sentence "Thomas Moore, had been on the right track." (Para. 3) indicates that______.
A.Moore's farm was not far away from Washington
B.Moore's farm was on the right road
C.Moore's design was completely successful
D.Moore was suitable for the job
5.Which following conclusion is right according to this article?
A.Icebox is the origin of modern refrigerator.
B.Icebox can keep ice from melting.
C.Difference between icebox and refrigerator is that the latter is electric.
D.Both icebox and refrigerator can keep meat, fish and butter fresh.
长难例句分析
［长难例句］Even before 1880, half the ice sold in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and one-third of that sold in Boston and Chicago, went to families for their own use.
［结构分析］本句子是一个简单句。主干是“...half the ice...and one-third of that...went to families...”。Even before 1880作时间状语，过去分词结构“sold in New York...”作后置定语，for their own use作目的状语。
［参考译文］甚至在1880年前，在纽约、费城、巴尔的摩冰总销量的一半，在波士顿和芝加哥冰总销量的三分之一进入了家庭以做家用。
［长难例句］The commonsense that the best icebox was one that prevented the ice from melting was of course mistaken, for it was the melting of ice that performed the cooling.
［结构分析］本句中，主干是“The commonsense notion...was of course mistaken...”。that引导的从句是主语sense的同位语，“for...cooling”作原因状语。原因状语中使用了强调句型，被强调的部分是这个从句的主语the melting of ice。
［参考译文］那种认为最好的冰盒就是阻止冰融化的常识当然是错误的，因为正是冰的融化导致冷却。
［长难例句］Not until near the end of the nineteenth century did inventors achieve the delicate balance of insulation and circulation needed for an efficient icebox.
［结构分析］本句是倒装结构。主句是“did inventors achieve...icebox”，时间状语是“not until...century”。否定副词置于句首，主句的主谓就要不完全倒装，即把助动词提前。
［参考译文］直到接近19世纪末期，发明家们才完成了有效冰盒所必需的隔热与循环的精确平衡。
全文参考译文
冰盒这个词到19世纪中期就已经进入了美国语言中了，不过那时冰还只是开始对美国普通城市人的食品产生影响。伴随着城市的发展，冰的交易也增多。在宾馆、酒馆、医院，冰被一些有远见的城市商人用在鲜肉、鲜鱼和黄油的保鲜上。美国内战后，当冰被用在冷藏车上时，它也进入了家庭。甚至在1880年前，纽约、费城、巴尔的摩冰总销量的一半，波士顿和芝加哥冰总销量的三分之一进入了家庭以做家用。这些之所以成为可能，都是因为一种新的家庭用具——冰盒，现代冰箱的前身——被发明出来。
制作一个有效的冰盒并不像我们现在想象的那么容易。作为制冷科学关键因素的热学在19世纪早期还没有得到发展。那种认为最好的冰盒就是阻止冰融化的常识当然是错误。因为导致冷却的是冰的融化。然而，早期节约冰的努力也包括将冰包裹起来阻止冰的融化。直到接近19世纪末期，发明家们才完成了有效冰盒所必需的隔热与循环的精确平衡。
但早在1803年时，一个天才的马里兰农夫，Thomas Moore，就曾经走对了路。他拥有一个距华盛顿城20多英里的农场，乔治镇是这个地区的中心市场。当他用自己设计的冰盒往市场运送黄油时，他发现顾客们会拒绝购买他的竞争对手们满盆快速溶化的黄油，而会出高价购买他的仍然新鲜干爽的、一磅重的黄油块。Moore解释说，冰盒的优点之一就是农夫们有了它以后，从此无须为了保持黄油的干爽而晚上再到市场来。
题目答案与解析
1.本文的主旨是什么？
A.冰对人们饮食的影响。 B.货品向市场的运输。
C.冷藏技术的发展。 D.“冰盒”一词的来源。
【答案】C
【解析】从文中内容可知，作者一开始谈到冰盒的在美国出现，逐渐进入美国家庭，后面又提到人们一直都在尝试着更有效的利用冰来保鲜。从中可知C项为正确答案。
2.根据本文，在美国语言中“冰盒”一词是什么时候出现的？
A.1803年。 B.1850年左右。 C.在美国内战期间。 D.1880年前。
【答案】B
【解析】本题的依据是文章的第一句“By the mid-nineteenth century, the term 'ice-box’had entered the American language”，从中可知B项为正确答案。
3.和第二段中rudimentary这个词的意思最接近的是______。
A.基本的 B.足够的 C.必要的 D.发展不充分的
【答案】D
【解析】本题可参照第二段的第二句。这句话的意思是“在19世纪早期，作为制冷科学关键因素的热学只是还没有……”，而后面紧接着的一句是“那种认为最好的冰盒就是阻止冰融化的常识当然是错误的”，从这句话可以判断当时人们对热学并不了解，引申这个意思的话就可以知道rudimentary的意思肯定是负面的，因此D项是正确答案。
4.“Thomas Moore，就曾经走对了路”这句话（第三段）说明了______。
A.Moore的农场离华盛顿不远 B.Moore的农场就在路边
C.Moore的设计很成功 D.Moore适合这项工作
【答案】C
【解析】本题可参照第三段。从中可知，Moore是一个天才的农夫，他自己设计了一个冰盒并应用于自己黄油的保鲜上，因而让自己的产品卖得好价钱，因此C项为正确答案。
5.按照本文的意思，下面的结论中哪个是正确的？
A.冰箱是现代电冰箱的起源。
B.冰箱可以保持冰不溶化。
C.冰箱和电冰箱的区别在于后者是用电推动的。
D.冰箱和电冰箱都能保持肉、鱼和奶油新鲜。
【答案】D
【解析】本题考查对文章的理解。第一个选项中，origin和precursor不是等同的概念，所以不合适。第二个选项与文中的意思正相反。第三个选项是主管臆测，文中没有明确阐述。只有第四个选项合适。
