The-|||-oldest houses are usually those closest to the town center.Many people live in the suburbs,-|||-areas on the edge of a town.Some suburbs consist of new housing estates(住宅区),while-|||-others were originally villages that have become joined to the town as it has grown.-|||-Some people prefer to live in a village and travel into the nearby town to work. --|||-ges are considered to be pleasant places to live,as they are quieter and less polluted than-|||-towns and are closer to the countryside.They usually contain a range of houses,including-|||-old cottages and new houses and bungalows(小平房).-|||-Many British people prefer to buy a house rather than rent one,because they can dec-|||-orate or alter it to suit their own taste and because they believe they will have more priva-|||-cy.Young people and those who cannot afford to buy a house live in rented accommoda--|||-tion.Some rent a furnished bedsit (or bedsitting room ),a combined bedroom and sitting-|||-room,and share washing and cooking facilities.Others rent a flat or house,often sharing-|||-the cost with friends.-|||-Houses are bought and sold through estate agents. Few people can afford to buy a-|||-house outright(一次付清),so they have to take out a mortgage (=loan) with a bank or-|||-building society(房贷信用社).-|||-1.What do we learn about towns and cities in Britain?-|||-A)They are no longer as prosperous as two centuries ago-|||-B)They have become more densely populated in recent years.-|||-C)They have grown ever bigger during the last two hundred years.-|||-D) They contain a range of houses the oldest of which are in downtown areas.-|||-2.Where do many people in Britain prefer to live?-|||-A)In the downtown areas.-|||-B)Near their workplaces.-|||-C)In remote villages.-|||-D)In the suburbs.-|||-3.Many British people prefer to buy a house rather than rent one,because __-|||-A)they are now rich enough to buy it-|||-B) they want to enjoy a more independent life b-|||-C)they hate to pay the increasingly high rent-|||-D)they can hardly settle down without a house of their own-|||-4.How do young people in Britain who cannot afford a house solve their housing problem?-|||-A)They share a room with a friend.-|||-B)They stay with their parents.-|||-C)They take out a mortgage with a bank-|||-D)They rent a room,a flat,or a house.-|||-1on-|||-Read the following passages and choose the best answer to each of the multi--|||--choiee guestions.