A
Resorts of every kind have sprung up to cater to the Englishman^ need to spend a part of the year, however briefly, by the seaside. No town in Britain is more than eighty miles from the sea and there are seaside resorts all round the coast. On a summer Sunday most of the roads that lead to the sea axe congested with cars full of people eager to get a breath of sea air. In the evening when everyone is full of food, ice-cream and lollipops, there is the long slow drive home on roads crowded with returning cars.
Briton
Brighton is one of the best-known south coast resorts and is very popular for day trip excursions. It is only fifty miles from London and can be reached by fast train in an hour. At the weekend the pebbled beaches are thronged with people sunbathing or picking their way to the water’s edge for a dip.
Bournemouth
Located a hundred miles from London, the beaches are wide and sandy. White houses line the cliff tops and narrow valleys, densely wooded with pine trees, reach down to the shore. The area near to the town of Torquay on the Devon coast is sometimes called the English Riviera and the climate is so mild that palm trees grow along the seafront.
Blackpool
On the north-west coast, a popular resort for the people in the industrial north, Blackpool is a gay, noisy town, famous for its amusement facilities and the magical lights. At night people travel from miles around to see the extravaganza（盛大表演） of lights decorating the sea front.
Southend
On the east coast at the mouth of the Thames, Southend is, like Brighton, one of the favorite resorts of Londoners. The pier here is the longest in Britain and offers a great variety of differing entertainments.
21. Why do people often have a long slow drive home on roads in summer?
A. Because it is extremely far from the sea.
B. Because people are full of food, ice-cream and lollipops.
C. Because too many returning cars often make a traffic jam.
D. Because people are attracted in the resorts so they leave slowly.
22. Which resort is famous for its entertainments and grand lights?
A. Blackpool. B. Bournemouth.
C. Briton. D. Southend.
23. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. There are palm trees growing near Bournemouth.
B. Southend has the longest pier in Britain.
C. People crowded into the water’s edge at Briton for a quick swim.
D. Southend is a better preferred resort than Briton by London locals.
