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16. The White House1
The White House has been the home of every United States president except George Washington2 . Abigail Adams3 was the first“First Lady” to move into the Pennsylvania Avenue mansion. She used to hang her family’s laundry in the unfinished East Room4. The White House was burned by the British during the War of 1812. Soon after, the house was rebuilt and painted white, and it has been known as the White House ever since .
The White House is both a public house and a private home. Its character changes with each new president. Gas lighting was installed in 1848, but bathrooms were not added until thirty years later. By 1950 , the building was no longer safe to live in . The Truman5 family moved out while repairs were made. Jacqueline Kennedy6 developed the plan to decorate the White House as it is today.
The 132 -room mansion is furnished with antiques, portraits of the presidents, and other art work. The President’s Oval Office7 and staff offices are on the ground floor. The state reception rooms are on the first floor. The second and third floors are where the president and his family live.
The job of President is very demanding. Every minute of every day is planned. The President may start with a breakfast meeting with his Cabinet, move on to the East Room for a press conference, meet with a foreign ambassador in the Blue Room, then end the day at a dinner in the State Dining Room.
The President and his family share their home with the public every morning. Long lines stretch for blocks. They wait for a chance to see the nation’s most popular house, and possibly a glimpse of the President.
阅读自测
Ⅰ. Fill in the blanks with proper prepositions:
1. He was known_______ a great novelist.
2. My mother is known_______ her cooking.
3. He’s known_______ everyone as a good actor.
Ⅱ. Answer the following questions:
1. What happened to the White House during the War of 1812?
2. How is the White House furnished?
