Since he was a child, Don Cameron has been interested in anything that flies. He grew up on the outskirts of Glasgow and, as a student at Glasgow University, joined the University Air Squadron. Interest in the mechanics of movement, if not flight, was a family tradition. His grandfather was an engineer, who turned his hand to making model steam engines and boats.Don Cameron's first job was at Bristol Aircraft, where he worked as an engineer. He then had jobs in the steel works at Lanwern and for Rio-Tinto Zine in Bristol working with computers. In the mid-sixties came news of American experiments with hot air balloons that crossed the Atlantic, so he and a couple of friends decided to build their own balloon. Probably the first hot air balloon in western Europe, they called it the Bristol Belle. Now there are 300 balloons in this country alone—and at least two-thirds of them have been made by the firm Don Cameron set up, Cameron Balloons.At 40 he has already been halfway round the world by balloons. In 1972 he piloted the first hot air balloon to cross the Swiss Alps; and later that year he took part in what he calls "an odd expedition" to the Sahara Desert, with two balloons and a truck to carry the gas. He has crossed the Channel by balloon and even flown in the Arctic Circle in one. He started the business in the basement of the large Victorian house, where he lives with his wife Kim and two children. Now Cameron Balloons has its own premises in an old church hall in Bristol, making about 150 balloons a year. They include specially designed balloons for advertising purposes. The firm exports all over the world and is setting up a factory in America, where balloons will be made for them under license. The turnover is now around 500000 a year and there is a staff of about 25.He began working with balloons ______.A as a relaxation from his work on aircraftB as part of his job at the timeC as a hobbyD when he heard that some Americans had crossed the Atlantic in one
Since he was a child, Don Cameron has been interested in anything that flies. He grew up on the outskirts of Glasgow and, as a student at Glasgow University, joined the University Air Squadron. Interest in the mechanics of movement, if not flight, was a family tradition. His grandfather was an engineer, who turned his hand to making model steam engines and boats.
Don Cameron's first job was at Bristol Aircraft, where he worked as an engineer. He then had jobs in the steel works at Lanwern and for Rio-Tinto Zine in Bristol working with computers. In the mid-sixties came news of American experiments with hot air balloons that crossed the Atlantic, so he and a couple of friends decided to build their own balloon. Probably the first hot air balloon in western Europe, they called it the Bristol Belle. Now there are 300 balloons in this country alone—and at least two-thirds of them have been made by the firm Don Cameron set up, Cameron Balloons.
At 40 he has already been halfway round the world by balloons. In 1972 he piloted the first hot air balloon to cross the Swiss Alps; and later that year he took part in what he calls "an odd expedition" to the Sahara Desert, with two balloons and a truck to carry the gas. He has crossed the Channel by balloon and even flown in the Arctic Circle in one. He started the business in the basement of the large Victorian house, where he lives with his wife Kim and two children. Now Cameron Balloons has its own premises in an old church hall in Bristol, making about 150 balloons a year. They include specially designed balloons for advertising purposes. The firm exports all over the world and is setting up a factory in America, where balloons will be made for them under license. The turnover is now around $500000 a year and there is a staff of about 25.
He began working with balloons ______.
A as a relaxation from his work on aircraft
B as part of his job at the time
C as a hobby
D when he heard that some Americans had crossed the Atlantic in one
题目解答
答案
根据第一段,Don Cameron 对飞行的兴趣始于童年(“Since he was a child”),并在大学期间加入大学航空队(“as a student at Glasgow University, joined the University Air Squadron”)。然而,题目询问的是他开始制作热气球的原因。
第二段提到,1960年代中期,Don Cameron 听到美国进行热气球横跨大西洋的实验后,与朋友决定建造自己的热气球(“In the mid-sixties came news of American experiments with hot air balloons that crossed the Atlantic, so he and a couple of friends decided to build their own balloon”)。这表明他制作热气球的直接原因是受到美国实验的启发。
选项分析:
A. 作为飞机工作之余的放松:不符合,他制作热气球并非出于工作压力。
B. 作为当时工作的一部分:他当时在 Bristol Aircraft 工作,但未提及与热气球相关。
C. 作为爱好:虽然他确实有飞行兴趣,但题目强调“开始制作热气球”的原因。
D. 当他听说一些美国人用热气球横跨大西洋时:与原文一致,他正是受到美国实验的启发。
综上,正确答案是 D。
答案:D. when he heard that some Americans had crossed the Atlantic in a hot air balloon