2023年全国甲卷 B
Terri Boltonis a dab hand when it comes to DIY(do-it-yourself). Skillde at putting up shelves and piecing together furniture,she never pays someone else to do a job she can do herself.
She credits these skills to her late grandfather and builder Derek Lloyd. From the age of six,Terri,now 26,accompanied Derek to work during her school holidays. A day's work was rewarded with & 5 in pocket money. She says:"I'm sure I wasn't much of a help to start with. painting the rooms and putting down the flooring throughout the house. It took weeks and is was backbreaking work,but I know he was proud of my skills."
Terri, who now rents abhouse with friends in Wandsworth, South West London, says DIY also saves her from losing any deposit when a tenancy(租期)comes to an end. She adds:"I've moved house many times and I alwsys like to personalise my room and put up pictures, So, it's been useful to know how to cover up holes and repaint a room to avoid any charges when I've moved out"
With millions of people likely to take on DIY projects over tha coming weeks, new research shows that more than half of people are planning to make the most of the long, warm summer days to get jobs done. The average spend per project will be around s 823. Two thirds of people aim to improve their comfort while at home. T fifth wish to increase the value of their house. Thouth DIY hsa traditionally been seen as male hobby, the research shows it is women now leading the charge.
24.Which is closest in meaning to"a dab hand" in paragraph 1?
A.An artist.
B.A winner.
C.A specialist.
D.A pioneer.
25.Why did Terri's grandfather give her f 5 a day?
A.For a birthday gift.
B.As a treat for her work.
C.To support her DIY projects.
D.Toencourage her to take up a hobby.
26.How did Terri avoid losing the deposit on the house she rented?
A.By making it look like before.
B.By furmishing it herself.
C.By splitting the rent with a roommate.
D.By cancelling the rental agreement.
27.What trend in DIY does the research show?
A.It is becoming more costly.
B.It is getting more time-consuming.
C.It is turning into a seasonal industry.
D.It is gaining popularity among females.
答案及解析：
24. C. A specialist.
在第一段中，"a dab hand" 这个短语用来形容Terri Bolton在DIY方面非常擅长。这个短语的意思是指在某方面非常熟练或专业的人。因此，"a specialist" 与 "a dab hand" 在意义上最接近。
25. B. As a treat for her work.
文章中提到，Terri从六岁开始就在学校假期陪同她的祖父Derek Lloyd工作，并且一天的工作后会得到5英镑的零花钱。这表明这笔钱是作为她工作的奖励，而不是生日礼物、支持她的DIY项目或鼓励她培养爱好。
26. A. By making it look like before.
文章中提到，Terri知道如何掩盖洞孔和重新粉刷房间，以避免搬出时被扣保证金。这意味着她通过将房间恢复到原来的样子来避免失去押金。
27. D. It is gaining popularity among females.
文章最后一段提到，尽管DIY传统上被视为男性的爱好，但研究表明现在是由女性在引领这一潮流。这表明DIY正在女性中变得越来越受欢迎。
