[单项选择] The word "brick" did not appear in the English Language before the fifteenth century. Bricks may have been known in Britain before then, but they were no common enough to be mentioned by any writer. We know that they were used in ancient Egypt, in India, and in the Roman Empire; they were used again in parts of Europe; but there is a strange gap in the history of brick making which left Britain, at least, without bricks for building for several hundred years. When they did arrive in Britain, it was in a very strange way. In the fifteenth century Britain’’s wool trade was still flourishing and shiploads of wool were exported to other countries, among them Germany and Holland. These ships would have had to return empty, unless their captains were able to pick up a return cargo, and no captain likes an empty ship. For another thing, it is a great waste of space. Rather than return home with an empty ship the captains would fill up with anything, and at about this time somebody ha
A. Europe.
B. Ancient Egypt, in India, and in the Roman Empire.
C. The brickworks in southeast England.
D. It was not mentioned in the passage.

[单项选择] The word "brick" did not appear in the English Language before the fifteenth century. Bricks may have been known in Britain before then, but they were no common enough to be mentioned by any writer. We know that they were used in ancient Egypt, in India, and in the Roman Empire; they were used again in parts of Europe; but there is a strange gap in the history of brick making which left Britain, at least, without bricks for building for several hundred years. When they did arrive in Britain, it was in a very strange way. In the fifteenth century Britain’’s wool trade was still flourishing and shiploads of wool were exported to other countries, among them Germany and Holland. These ships would have had to return empty, unless their captains were able to pick up a return cargo, and no captain likes an empty ship. For another thing, it is a great waste of space. Rather than return home with an empty ship the captains would fill up with anything, and at about this time somebody ha
A. earlier than it did in Europe
B. long before fifteenth century
C. around fifteenth century
D. before the British actually used it as building material