2013年公共英语考试二级阅读材料（六）

It seems that there are hundreds of different styles of houses, and we have a different name for each one. Here are some types of North American houses: A-Frame —A modern A-shaped house with its roof spreading down towards the ground on both sides. They often have large windows on the front and back. They are popular as cottages.转自:考试网 - []

Co-operative —A unit owned by a company where a buyer gets a share in it. The user’s rights and obligations1 are governed by a member’s agreement. Different laws in the U.S. and Canada govern co-operatives.

Condominium —A multi-unit building, with each unit owned by a different person. The building and the land are owned by all of the unit owners.

Federal —Often made of brick, this is a big two-story house with a front door in the center, and sidelights and a fanlight window2 above the door. It has windows on the front and sides of the house as well as a chimney on one side of the house.

Mansard —This two-story house gets its name from its roof, which has two slopes3. The lower slope is steeper than the upper one. The roof continues over the second story of the house only to be interrupted by small windows.

Normandy —These brick houses with steeply sloped roofs are made to look like small French castles. They usually have two stories with a small balcony4.

Romanesque —These impressive houses are typically made from brick or stone, with rounded towers and special entrance-ways.