The area south of the Thames at Greenwich has a long history. Throughout time different buildings have been constructed on the same site. The Palace of Placentia, an English Royal Palace built in 1447, no longer exists apart from a few remains under the present buildings.
The grand buildings on the South Bank of the Thames at Greenwich were designed by Sir Christopher Wren, most famous for St. Paul’s Cathedral. The buildings were finally completed in 1745, although some parts started to be used as early as 1705. They’re now part of a university — having served as a naval（海军）hospital and a naval college and the setting for several cinemas.
But the buildings stand on a site which has a much longer history, of which now only a part remains that is below the ground. For nearly two hundred years, from around 1450 to 1650, Greenwich was one of the main royal palaces of England. Some of the most famous English rulers, such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, not only lived there, but also were born there.
Henry VIII put an armory（兵工厂）there, and there were also gardens, a great fountain (喷泉) and a mass of buildings. The Palace was also in a strategic location, because at the time either side of Greenwich on the Thames were important Royal Dockyards (船厂).
Eventually, though, the Palace fell into disrepair. In 1664, the King at the time, Charles II, decided to replace it with completely new buildings in a modern style. Only a cellar (地窖) from the former Royal Palace now remains, under one of the new buildings. Its red brick, typical of the 16th century, contrasts (对比) sharply with the white stone above it.
Would you like to join us to have a good view of Greenwich?
小题1:We can learn from the passage that the Palace of Placentia _____.
A．had served as a university
B．was constructed with white stones
C．was designed by Christopher Wren
D．was of particular importance in a war小题2: The buildings on the South Bank of the Thames at Greenwich now _____.
A．are in need of repair
B．differ from those in the 16th century
C．were designed in the style of Elizabeth I
D．have a history of more than half a century小题3:According to the passage, when did the Palace of Placentia disappear from the ground?
A．In the late 1400s.
B．In the early 1600s.
C．In the late 1600s.
D．In the early 1700s.小题4:Where can we most probably read this passage?
A．In a science report.
B．In a personal diary.
C．In a geography textbook.
D．In a travel magazine.
