Clock making is a traditional craft which involves the building and repair of clocks. But it is now on the red list drawn up by the Heritage Crafts Association(HCA), which has warned that more specialists are retiring than entering the profession.

David Poole, a former master, said, “The shortage of clock makers is a problem. Whereas there used to be clock makers on the high street, a clock repair shop is a rare sight today. People will find it extremely difficult to identify anyone to repair their clocks.”

There are only about 250 makers and repairers left across Britain, according to HCA’s research. When specialists are near retirement, they often cannot afford to take on apprentices(学徒)as happened in the past. Besides, it is feared that the few training courses that have survived will not fill the gaps.

Howard Walwyn, a leading dealer in Kensington, warned that, if expertise in repairing is lost, clocks will become inanimate objects rather than living things, adding, “Most clock makers have fiddled with(捣鼓)clocks as kids, taking them apart, and trying to get them to work. The problem is that young kids now are spending all their time in front of screens and show little interest in clock making. I've got some younger clock makers, but they're few and far between.”

“There are also concerns that too many clock makers are prepared to use modern mechanical solutions to make a clock work, even if those solutions are aesthetically(审美地)wrong,” said Jonathan Betts, an adviser to the National Trust. He added, “Museum collections and more sensitive private collectors would much rather not have a clock cleaned so it looks brand new, but an awful lot of restorers reject that.” Mr. Poole, who became a clock maker in the1990s,said,“There are few people coming into the business. Most people who are in it are edging towards retirement, as am I. If people aren't skilled, all those lovely things won't be looked after properly.”

【小题1】What does the underlined phrase "on the red list"in paragraph 1 mean?

A．On top of standard.	B．In need of improvement.
C．In response to demand.	D．At risk of extinction.

【小题2】What belongs to a traditional practice in the clock making field?

A．Its pairing each apprentice with a specialist.

B．Its tailoring training programs for apprentices.

C．Its bringing in new blood by employing apprentices.

D．Its postponing experienced specialists' retirement age.

【小题3】What prevents young kids from being clock makers according to Howard Walwyn?

A．A relatively low salary.	B．The lack of interest in clock making.
C．The tough employment environment.	D．A limited number of training courses.

【小题4】What is Jonathan Betts' concern?

A．Many repairers adopt modern methods in clock making.

B．Many restorers are incapable of fixing mechanical clocks.

C．Private collectors show no interest in traditional techniques.

D．Museums refuse to include cleaned clocks in their collections.