In the cold Arctic of Norway, there is a small town called Longyearbyen where a surprising law exists: no one is allowed to die. This unusual rule is not meant to be funny but is based on serious environmental reasons. The town is located in a permafrost area, meaning the ground is always frozen. Because of this, buried bodies do not decompose, which creates a lack of space and may preserve old viruses, posing health risks to the living.

This issue became especially clear when scientists discovered that the bodies of people who had died from the Spanish flu decades ago still contained the virus. The finding helped experts study the virus and develop better medical responses. It also confirmed the importance of the burial ban. As a result, today, people who are seriously ill or near death are sent to mainland Norway. The local cemetery is closed, and even burying ashes is not allowed due to the risk of animals digging them up.

Similarly, a small Spanish town named Lanjaron also once banned dying, though for very different reasons. Known for its mineral water and health culture, Lanjaron faced a practical problem: its cemetery was full and couldn’t be expanded. In 1999, the mayor decided to use humor to draw attention to this issue — he made it illegal for anyone in town to die.

Although the ban was meant as a joke, many local residents, especially older people, did not understand it was satire. They felt confused and anxious. Some families had to enlarge their own tombs or make arrangements in nearby towns. Despite the initial confusion, the unusual law successfully gained international attention and highlighted a common problem in many aging communities. Eventually, the cemetery was expanded, and today people remember the “no dying” ban as a funny and creative chapter in the town’s history.

Both examples show how unusual laws can draw public attention to real problems. While one was based on environmental concerns and the other on lack of space, each used a creative approach to address a serious issue.

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1.1.What mainly led to the no-death law in Longyearbyen?

A Religious customs.

B The extreme local climate.

C Shortage of medical workers.

D Fears of animal attacks.

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。第一段说明，禁令是由于永冻土（the ground is always frozen）这一特殊气候环境导致遗体无法分解，从而引发健康问题。故选B。

2.2.What was the real purpose of the no-death law in Lanjaron?

A To punish sick people.

B To become famous globally.

C To solve a practical problem.

D To protect public health.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。第三段提到说明，兰哈龙颁布该法令的真正目的是引起人们对公墓已满、无法扩建这一实际问题的关注，进而推动解决。故选C。

3.3.The underlined word “satire” (Paragraph 4) refers to something that is ______.

A serious and official

B humorous and critical

C traditional and cultural

D scientific and important

解析：选B。B 词义猜测题。第四段中提到该禁令是“satire”，结合划线词前文的“Although the ban was meant as a joke”尽管禁令只是一个玩笑，可知，它是用幽默方式批评墓地不足的问题未能解决。故选B。

4.4.What is the main purpose of the passage?

A To explain virus risks.

B To compare two towns.

C To solve space issues.

D To talk about special laws.

解析：选D。D推理判断题。文章先讲述挪威朗伊尔城因永久冻土导致尸体不腐烂、存健康风险，出台 “禁止死亡” 的法律；再介绍西班牙兰哈龙镇因墓地满员，以幽默方式推出同类法律，最后总结两地法律虽背景不同，但均为解决实际问题的特殊举措。全文围绕 “两个小镇的特殊法律” 展开，选项 D “Talk about special laws”（谈论特殊法律）精准覆盖核心内容，符合主旨。 A “Explain virus risks”（解释病毒风险）仅对应挪威小镇法律的部分原因，属于细节而非主旨；B “Compare two towns”（对比两个小镇）偏离重点，文章并非对比小镇本身，而是通过小镇的特殊法律展开；C “Solve space issues”（解决空间问题）仅涉及西班牙小镇的问题，且文章未提供 “解决空间问题” 的通用方法，仅为个案描述，故排除。故选D。