Passage 

The development of Jamestown in Virginia during the second half the seventeenth century was closely related to the making and the use of bricks. There are several practical reasons why bricks become important to the colony.

Although the forests could initially supply sufficient timber, the process of lumbering(采伐) was extremely difficult, particularly because of the lack of roads.

Later, when the timber on the peninsular (半岛) had been depleted (耗尽)，wood had  to be brought from some distance. Building stone was also in short supply. However, as clay was plentiful. It was inevitable that the colonists should turn to brick—making.

In additional to practical reason for using brick as the principal construction material, there was also an ideological reason. Brick represented durability and permanence. The Virginia Company of London instructed the colonists to build hospitals and new residences out of brick.

In 1662, the Town Act of the Virginia Assembly provided for the construction of thirty-two brick buildings and prohibited the use of wood as a construction material. Had this law ever been successfully en forced, Jamestown would have been a model city. Instead, the residents failed to comply fully with the law; and by 1699 Jamestown had collapsed into a pile of rubble with only three or four habitable houses.

1. In the first half of 1600’s. most buildings in Jamestown were probably   C    .

A) earth  B) stone  C) wood  D) brick

2. which of the following was NOT a reason for using brick in construction?  D  

  A) Wood had to be brought from some distance.

  B) There was considerable clay available.

  C) The lumbering process depended on good roads.

  D) The timber was not of good quality.

3. It can be inferred from the passage hat settlers who built with bricks in the 1600’s were   B   .

  A) planning to return to England

  B) obeying the laws

  C) not concerned about durability

  D) interested in large residences

4. It can be inferred from the passage that prior to the action of the Virginia Company of London, Jamestown had an insufficient number of   B     .

A) colonists   B) medical facilities    C) clay sources     D) bricklayers

5. According to be passage, what eventually happened to Jamestown?  A  

A) It was practically destroyed.         B) It became a model city.

C) It remained the seat of government.   D) It was almost completed.