【填空答案】

1. colonist: n. ［C］someone who settles in a new colony 开拓殖民地的居民，拓殖者
2. reed: n. ［C］a type of tall plant like grass that grows in wet places 芦苇
3. straw: n. ［U］the dried stems of wheat or similar plants that are used for animals to sleep on, and for making things such as baskets, mats etc 秸秆（如麦秆等）
4. shingle: n. ［C］one of many small thin pieces of building materials, especially wood, used to cover a roof or wall（覆盖屋顶或墙用的）木瓦；屋面板；墙面板
5. slate: n. ［U］a dark grey rock that can easily be split into flat thin pieces 板岩，板石
6. clay: n. ［U］heavy sticky soil that can be used for making pots, bricks etc 黏土
7. tile: n. ［C］a flat square piece of baked clay or other material, used for covering roofs, floors etc（屋顶、地板等上用的）瓷砖，地砖
8. longevity: n. ［U］formallong life 【正式】 长寿；technicalthe length of a person or animal’s life【术语】（人或动物的）寿命

【听力原文】

In the seventeenth century, the colonists here thatched their roofs with reeds and straw, just as they had done in England. After a while, though, they began to replace the thatch with wooden shingles because wood was so plentiful. And eventually, other roofing materials like stone, slate, and clay tiles came into use.
It's a real shame that most people today don't realize how strong and long lasting a thatched roof is. In Ireland, where thatching is still practiced, the roofs can survive winds of up to one hundred ten miles per hour. That's because straw and reeds are so flexible. They bend but don't break in the wind like other materials can. Another advantage is that the roofs keep the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter. And then, of course, there's the roofs' longevity --- the average is sixty years, but they can last up to a hundred. With all these reasons to start thatching roofs again, wouldn't it be wonderful to see this disappearing craft return to popularity?

来源:可可英语 http://www.kekenet.com/menu/201208/195161.shtml