Sometime in the early 1960s, a significant thing happened in Sydney, Australia. The city discovered its harbor. Then, one after another, Sydney discovered lots of things that were just sort of there—broad parks, superb beaches, and a culturally diverse population. But it is the harbor that makes the city.

Andrew Reynolds, a cheerful fellow in his early 30s, pilots Sydney ferryboats for a living. I spent the whole morning shuttling back and forth across the harbor. After our third run Andrew shut down the engine, and we went our separate ways—he for a lunch break, I to explore the city.

“I’ll miss these old boats,” he said as we parted.

“How do you mean?” I asked.

“Oh, they’re replacing them with catamarans. Catamarans are faster, but they’re not so elegant, and they’re not fun to pilot. But that’s progress, I guess.”

Everywhere in Sydney these days, change and progress are the watchwords(口号), and traditions are increasingly rare. Shirley Fitzgerald, the city’s official historian, told me that in its rush to modernity in the 1970s, Sydney swept aside much of its past, including many of its finest buildings. “Sydney is confused about itself,” she said. “We can’t seem to make up our minds whether we want a modern city or a traditional one. It’s a conflict that we aren’t getting any better at resolving(解决).”

On the other hand, being young and old at the same time has its attractions. I considered this when I met a thoughtful young businessman named Anthony. “Many people say that we lack culture in this country,” he told me. “What people forget is that the Italians, when they came to Australia, brought 2000 years of their culture, the Greeks some 3000 years, and the Chinese more still. We’ve got a foundation built on ancient cultures but with a drive and dynamism of a young country. It’s a pretty hard combination to beat.”

He is right, but I can’t help wishing they would keep those old ferries.

1.What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A Sydney’s striking architecture.

B The cultural diversity of Sydney.

C The key to Sydney’s development.

D Sydney’s tourist attractions in the 1960s.

解析：选C。C 主旨大意题。根据第一段“Sometime in the early 1960s, a significant thing happened...The city discovered its harbor.”以及“But it is the harbor that makes the city.”可知，本段主要介绍了悉尼发展的关键是港口。故选C。

2.What can we learn about Andrew Reynolds?

A He goes to work by boat.

B He looks forward to a new life.

C He pilots catamarans well.

D He is attached to the old ferries.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据第二段“Andrew Reynolds, a cheerful fellow in his early 30s, pilot Sydney ferryboats for a living. (30岁出头的Andrew Reynolds是个快乐的小伙子，他在悉尼担任渡轮领航员为生。)”、第三段“I’ll miss these old boats.”以及第五段“Catamarans are faster, but they’re not so elegant, and they’re not fun to pilot. (双体船更快，但它们不那么优雅，驾驶起来也不有趣。)”可知，渡轮领航员Andrew Reynolds喜欢老式渡船。故选D。

3.What does Shirley Fitzgerald think of Sydney?

A It is losing its traditions.

B It should speed up its progress.

C It should expand its population.

D It is becoming more international.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。根据倒数第三段“Shirley Fitzgerald, the city’s official historian, told me that in its rush to modernity in the 1970s, Sydney swept aside much of its past, including many of its finest buildings. (悉尼的官方历史学家Shirley Fitzgerald告诉我，在20世纪70年代奔向现代化的过程中，悉尼把很多它的过去都抛在了一边，包括许多最漂亮的建筑。)”可推知，Shirley Fitzgerald认为悉尼匆忙奔向现代化，正在失去它的传统。故选A。

4.Which statement will the author probably agree with?

A A city can be young and old at the same time.

B A city built on ancient cultures is more dynamic.

C Modernity is usually achieved at the cost of elegance.

D Compromise should be made between the local and the foreign.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。根据倒数第二段“On the other hand, being young and old at the same time has its attractions.”以及可推知，作者认为一座城市可以同时既年轻又古老。故选A。