[解析]
(1)C.细节理解题.根据第一段But now in many other homes,this china﹣and﹣silver elegance has given way to a stoneware (粗陶) and informality,with dresses in an informal and ordinary look可知,在如今的许多家庭中,人们往往非正式地吃晚餐.故选C.
(2)B.细节理解题.根据第三段Even dinner parties,if they happen at all,have gone informal.In a time of long work hours and busy family schedules,busy hosts insist,rightly,that it's better to share a takeout pizza on paper plates in the family room than to wait for the perfect moment or a"real"dinner party.可知,即使他们发生了晚餐聚会,在忙碌的工作时间和忙碌的家庭日程中,忙碌的主人坚持认为,最好在家庭活动室的纸盘上分享外卖披萨,而不是等待完美的时刻或"真正的"晚餐.故选B.
(3)D.推理判断题.根据第二段Last week Royal Doulton,the largest employer in Stoke﹣on﹣Trent,announced that it is removing 1,000 jobs﹣﹣one﹣fifth of its total workforce.上周,特伦特河畔斯托克(Stoke﹣on﹣Trent)最大的雇主皇家道尔顿(Royal Doulton)宣布,它将取消1,000个工作岗位 ﹣ 占其员工总数的五分之一.可以推测出,'皇家道尔顿'是瓷器的生产者.故选D.
(4)C.细节理解题.根据第一段But now in many other homes,this china﹣and﹣silver elegance has given way to a stoneware (粗陶) and informality,with dresses in an informal and ordinary look.For hosts and guests,the change means greater simplicity and comfort.For makers of fine china in Britain,it means economic hard times.但是现在在许多其他家庭中,这种瓷器已经让位于粗陶.对于主人和客人来说,这种变化意味着更加简单和舒适.对于英国的精品瓷器制造商而言,这意味着经济困难时期.可知,陶瓷行业裁员的主要原因是人们生活方式的改变.故选C.