Unfortunately for any readers working hard on a Friday aftemoon, Keynes jumped at his conclusion too soon. Even Ms. O'grady, now demanding a longer weekend, is pessimistic inher timescale. A four-day week is apparently achievable"in this century".

24. The underlined phrase"leap at "in Paragraph 2 probably means _______.

　A. Refuse B.grab C. abandonD. obtain

25. We can infer from the last paragraph that Ms. O'grady _______.

　A.calls for an urgent attention to her suggestion

　B. feels confident of making longer weekend a reality

　C. regrets coming up with the idea of a longer weekend

　D. realizes the idea of longer weekend remains a distant dream

26. What is the text mainly about?

　A. A longer weekend isn't that practical.

　B. The French oppose a longer weekend

　C. A longer weekend causes lower efficiency.

　D. A three-day weekend is a fresh idea in Europe.

　　Palaces are known for their beauty and splendor, but they offer little protection againstattacks. It is easy to defend a fortress (堡垒),but fortresses are not designed with thecomfort of a king or queen in mind. When it comes to structures that are both majestic andwell-defended, the classic European castle is the best example of design. Across the agescastles changed, developed, and eventually fell out of use, but they still command thefascination of our culture.

　　Castles were originally built in England by Norman invaders. In 1066. As William theConqueror advanced through England, he defended key positions to secure the land he hadtaken. The castles he built allowed the Norman lords to draw back to safety when threatenedby English rebellion. Castles also served as bases of operation for offensive attacks. Troopswere summoned to（召集）, organized around, and deployed (部署) from castles. In thisway castles served both offensive and defensive roles in military operations.

　　Not limited to military purposes, castles also served as offices from which the lord wouldadminister control over his kingdom. That is to say, the lord of the land would hold court inhis castle. Those that were socially beneath the lord would come to report the affairs of thelands that they governed and pay tribute to the lord. They would address conflicts, handlebusiness, feast, and enjoy festivities, In this way castles served as important social centers inmedieval England. Castles also served as symbols of power. Built on important andnoticeable sites overlooking the surrounding areas, castles constantly appeared in thebackground of many peasants'lives and served as a daily reminder of the lords strength.

　　Now, castles no longer serve their original purposes. However, the remaining castlesreceive millions of visitors each year from those who wish to experience the glory of a timelong passed.

27. The author introduces the topic of the text by _______.

　A.making an assumption B. giving an example

C. making comparison D. giving arguments