[单项选择]Germany’s chimney sweeps—hallowed as bringers of good luck, with their black top hats and coiled-wire brushes— are under attack. Last week the European Commission’s directorate for the internal market revived proceedings against an antiquated German law that protects sweeps against competition. The country’s chimney sweeps enjoy a near-perfect monopoly. Germany is divided into around 8000 districts, each ruled by its own master sweep who usually employs two more sweeps. Although this is a private enterprise, the maintenance and inspection service provided is compulsory and prices are set by the local authority: sweeps cannot stray outside their district, nor can householders change their sweep even if they loathe him. This rule cuts both ways. "There are some customers I can’t stand either," says one Frankfurt sweep.
The rationale is simple: chimney-sweeping and related gas and heating maintenance in Germany are treated as a matter of public safety. Annual or semi-annual visits ar
A. Chimney-sweeping is impotant in Germany because it is treated as a matter of public safety.
B. Chimney-sweeping visit was done every a year and a half.
C. Before 1937, chimney sweeps are German and work in their districts.
D. Heinrich Himmler revised the law because he can use sweeps as local spies.