1 / 38 句0 词已学
【阅读理解】Reading: The Man Who Keeps the Tower Standing
Lin Wei stepped out of the lift on the 27th floor with a bucket of molten wax.
Chen Bo, the security guard, told him he had ten minutes before the lights went off.
Lin, 34, had worked in the tower since 2018, first as a cleaner and later as a maintenance worker.
The tower was finished in 2016 and stands 320 metres tall with 68 floors.
In 2019, 4.2 million people rode its lifts; last year, only 1.8 million did.
Inflation, remote work, and a fear of enclosed spaces had reduced its popularity.
Across the river, a newer 92-storey complex with a rooftop pool and a vertical garden attracted young and wealthy people.
Chen Bo said inspectors had found a damp problem in the east wing, where 1,200 servers were kept.
The heat from the servers was meant to be recycled, but the system had been changed three times to save money.
The last owner, a mainland conglomerate, cut the maintenance budget by 40 per cent in 2023.
Lin's wage was cut by 15 per cent and then frozen.
His wife and 11-year-old daughter lived in a town 300 kilometres west.
His daughter had never seen the sea, and he had cancelled a promised trip to take extra shifts.
The money went to his mother's nutritional supplements; she had a respiratory condition.
The tower's ventilation filters were six months overdue for replacement, and Lin's report about it led to nothing.
Chen Bo's son, a programmer, said the building was obsolete and the future was in software, not concrete.
Chen Bo replied that somebody had to keep the concrete standing.
At 9:45 the lights dimmed, and Lin took the service lift down.
On the way down, the lift stopped at the 14th floor, but the corridor was dark and empty.
Lin received a message from his wife: their daughter needed new shoes, size 36.
He replied that he would send money on Friday.
Outside, the night market was busy, and the smell of grilled meat mixed with exhaust fumes.
Lin walked past a billboard for the new tower that read 'Live Above It All'.
His bicycle was chained to a pole, and the chain was rusty.
He unlocked it, mounted, and pedalled away, soon just another figure in the traffic.
Questions
1. What happened to the number of people using the tower's lifts between 2019 and last year?
A. It fell from 4.2 million to 1.8 million. B. It stayed at about 3 million. C. It rose from 1.8 million to 4.2 million. D. It dropped to 1.2 million.
2. Why was the heat from the servers not being recycled properly?
A. The servers were moved to another building. B. The ventilation filters were replaced too often. C. The system had been altered three times to reduce costs. D. The east wing was closed for repairs.
3. What does the word 'obsolete' in paragraph 10 most likely mean?
A. Out of date and no longer useful. B. Very modern and expensive. C. Crowded and noisy. D. Dangerous and unstable.
4. What can be inferred about Lin's feelings towards his job?
A. He believes the management will soon improve conditions. B. He enjoys it and plans to stay forever. C. He is saving money to start his own business. D. He thinks about quitting but feels he has no other skills.
5. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Life of a Security Guard B. Keeping the Concrete Standing C. The Rise of a New Tower D. A City's Changing Skyline