PeoplelivingonpartsofthesouthcoastofEnglandfaceaseriousproblem.In1993theownersofalargehotelandofseveralhousesdiscoveredtotheirhorrorthattheirgardenshaddisappearedovernight.Theseahadeatenintot

　　PeoplelivingonpartsofthesouthcoastofEnglandfaceaseriousproblem.In1993theownersofalargehotelandofseveralhousesdiscoveredtotheirhorrorthattheirgardenshaddisappearedovernight.Theseahadeatenintothesoftlimestone(石灰石)cliffsonwhichtheyhadbeenbuilt.Whileexpertswerestudyingtheproblemthehotelandseveralhousesdisappearedaltogetherslidingdownthecliffandintothesea.

　　Erosion(侵蚀)ofthewhitecliffsalongthesouthcoastofEnglandhasalwaysbeenaproblembutithasbecomemoreseriousinrecentyears.Dozensofhomeshavehadtobeabandonedastheseahascreptfartherandfartherinland(向内陆).Expertshavestudiedtheareasandmostaffectedandhavedrawnupamapforlocalpeopleforecastingtheyearinwhichtheirhomeswillbeswallowedupbythehungrysea.

　　Angryownershavecalledonthegovernmenttoerectseadefensestoprotecttheirhomes.Governmentsurveyorshavepointedoutthatinmostcasesthisisimpossible.Newseawallswouldcosthundredsofmillionsofpoundsandwouldmerelymakethewavesandcurrentsgofurtheralongthecoastshiftingtheproblemfromonareatoanother.Thedangerislikelytocontinuetheysayuntilthewavesreachaninlandareaofhardrockthatwillnotbeeatenaslimestoneis.MeanwhileifyouwanttobuyacheaphousewithanuncertainfutureapplytoahouseagentinoneofthethreatenedareasonthesouthcoastofEngland.Youcangetahouseforaknockdownpricebutitw=mayturnouttobeaknockdownhome.

　　1.WhatisthecauseoftheproblemthatpeoplelivingonpartsofthesouthcoastofEnglandface?

　　A.TherisingofthesealevelB.Theexperts’lackofknowledge.

　　C.Thewashing-awayoflimestonecliffs. D.Thedisappearanceofhotelshousesandgardens.

　　2.Theexperts’dutyontheproblemoferosioncan_____.

　　A.warnpeoplewhosehomesareindanger. B.provideaneffectivewaytoslowitdown.

　　C.helptopreventitfromworsening. D.leadtoitseventualsolution.

　　3.Itisnotpracticaltobuildseadefensestoprotectagainsterosionbecause______.

　　A.houseagentsalongthecoastdonotsupporttheidea.

　　B.itistoocostlyandwillendangerneighboringareas.