A castle was the fortress (堡垒) and home of a king or nobleman.
Most of the castles we think of today were built in Europe. They were built from about 1, 000 AD to about 1, 500 AD, during a period known as the Middle Ages.
Castles played an important role after the fall of the Roman Empire. When a king granted land to nobles, the nobles promised in return to serve the king and provide him with soldiers. Nobles built castles on the lands given to them. But some nobles simply claimed land as their own and built a castle on it. That was asking for trouble. There were many power struggles between nobles and kings, and among the nobles themselves.
A typical stone castle had several main parts. At the centre of the castle was a tall and very strong building called the keep. This is where people in the castle made their last stand if the outer defences (防御) failed. The keep was set in a courtyard, where there were workshops, stables, and a kitchen.
High, thick walls surrounded the keep and the courtyard. Strong, round defensive towers stood at the corners of the walls. Guards walked along the tops of the walls and towers.
Many stone castles were surrounded by a wide ditch called a moat (护城河). Some moats were filled with water, but many were not. The only way into the castle was across a wooden drawbridge over the moat. If enemies attacked, the defenders raised the bridge. Then they lowered a heavy iron-and-wood barrier called a portcullis to block the entrance to the castle.
A well-built castle was a pretty safe place to be. Attackers had a hard time getting in. But they still had some options. They could go over the walls using ladders. They could smash (撞碎) through the walls or doors. Or they could dig under the walls and try to get part of the wall to fall down. If none of those things worked, they could just camp outside until the defenders ran out of food.
Attackers sometimes brought large machines called siege engines with them to break through castle doors or walls. This was a heavy wooden beam with a metal cap. In the early 1500s, cannons entered wide use in warfare. Cannonballs could dig into the base of stone walls and weaken them. The walls then fell under their own weight. As a result, castles were no longer needed.
29. The underlined word “That” refers to the fact that ________.
A.nobles built castles on the lands given to them | B.the nobles promised to serve the king in return |
C.some nobles simply claimed land as their own | D.the nobles provided the king with soldiers |
30. How many choices are mentioned to occupy a castle before the sixteenth century?
31. What can we infer from the passage?
A.Some castles were built to attract more visitors. |
B.Kings in ancient Europe were more generous. |
C.Portcullises were used to break through castle doors. |
D.Warfare must be common from 1, 000 AD to about 1, 500 AD. |
32. What is the best subtitle of the last two paragraphs?
A.Attacking a castle | B.Visiting a castle | C.A pretty safe place | D.Weakness of a castle |