A
The World’s Largest Libraries
British Library(United Kingdom，London)
The British Library was created by Act of Parliament in 1972；previously，the library had been part of the British Museum，where the famous circular reading room had accommodated researchers including Karl Marx，who worked on‘Das Kapital’there，as well as Oscar Wide and Mahatma Gandhi．The British Library is now housed in a new building in St．Pancras，London，where its treasures include two Gutenberg bibles，the Lindisfarne Gospels and one of Leonardo da Vmci’s notebooks．
Library of Congress(United States，Washington，D．C．)
Founded in 1800 with the private collection of Thomas Jefferson，the Library of Congress is in effect the USA’s National Library．It receives two copies of everything published in the United States．The Library of Congress wag burned by the British Army in 1812，and severely damaged by fire again in 1851．The collection includes many rare books，drawings and two Stradivarius violins．
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library developed gradually in the nineteenth century from the merger and acquisition(收购兼并)of a number of public and private collections；it has many branches in different districts of New York City．It remains a structure which combines public and private finance and governance．Treasures held at the library include a Gutenberg Bible．
Russian State Library(Moscow)
Founded in 1862 as the Moscow public library and museum，this collection became the State Library in 1925．In consequence it receives copies of all Russian publications，and also holds large collections of maps，journals，music scores and recordings．Its possessions include the Archangel Gospel，a codex in the Slavonic language dating from 1092．
1. Which library met with two big losses in history?
A. British Library． B. Library of Congress．
C. New York Public Library． D. Russian State Library．
2. What can we find in the Russian State Library?
A. Lindisfame Gospels． B. Stradivarius violins．
C. A Gutenberg Bible． D. The Archangel Gospel．
3. What do we know from the text?
A. Karl Marx and Oscar Wide worked as librarians in the British Library．
B. The Library of Congress receives two copies of all publications in Russia．
C. The New York Public Library is supported by state and personal donation．
D. The Russian State Library possesses a Gutenberg Bible in Slavonic．
【答案】1. B 2. D 3. C
【解析】
本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了世界上四个最大的图书馆。
【1题详解】
推理判断题。根据Library of Congress(United States，Washington，D．C．)中The Library of Congress wag burned by the British Army in 1812，and severely damaged by fire again in 1851．可知，Library of Congress在历史上遭受了两次重大损失。故选B。
【2题详解】
细节理解题。根据Russian State Library(Moscow)中Its possessions include the Archangel Gospel，a codex in the Slavonic language dating from 1092．可知，我们在the Russian State Library能找到The Archangel Gospel。故选D。
【3题详解】
推理判断题。根据New York Public Library中It remains a structure which combines public and private finance and governance．可知，New York Public Library得到国家和个人捐赠的支持。故选C。
