1、地理类(1)Move Earthits no science fictionLONDON-Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets（彗星）in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer,
2、colder part of the solar system.This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA ） engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planeteffectively doubling its w
3、orking life.The plan put forward by Dr Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams,needs carefully directing a comet or asteroid so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.“Earths orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move
4、 to a higher orbit away from the Sun,”Laughlin said.Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated.In the short term,
5、 the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously compromise” our biosphere（生物圈） by cooking us.Thats why the group decided to try to save Earth.The plan has
6、one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation（误算）in orbit could fire it straight at Earth with deadly consequences.There is also the question of the Moon. As
7、the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position it is “most likely the Moon would be stripped away from Earth,” it states. This would greatly change our planets climate.1. What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?A. A few comets are m
8、oving to the direction of Earth.B. Earths working life is coming to an end soon.C. Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive.D. The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth.2.If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of _years.A.12 billion B.6 billion C.18 billion
9、 D.24 billion3.What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?A. The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the moon.B. Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death.C. The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth.D. Earths working life
10、might be greatly shortened.4.What does the underlined word “compromise” mean?A. provide B. benefit C. share D. endanger5.Which of the following best shows how the plan would work?【答案解析】本文介绍了由于地球升温,人们想办法拯救地球,把地球移动一下所用的办法及产生的结果.1. C. 细节题: 由第一句来定:to prevent our planet from over-heating.2. A 细节题: 由第二自然段
11、第二句来定: could add another 6 billion years to use3. A 细节题: 由倒数第二段定.4. D. 推理题: by cooking us 来推断.5. A. 细节题: 第五自然段中的 close 来定.(2)Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its alkali sand. Almost 20 percent of this area is well below sea level, and Bad
12、water, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States. Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place “Tomesha” the land of fire. Death Valleys present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unplea
13、santness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument(纪念碑) and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beau
14、ty of this place. Here nature created a lot of surprising, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and variable parts of Death Valley is the Devil s Golf Course, where it seems hard for
15、one to tell reality from terrible dreams. Sand sculptures(沙雕) stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen. 1. _ is the lowest place in the desert. A. Tomesha B. Death ValleyC. Nevada D. Badwater2. The name of the valley comes from _. A. an Indian name B. the death of the mine
16、rsC. the local people D. a National Movement3. From the passage we can learn that _. A. no one had ever known the desert before the minersB. its still not easy to travel across the desertC. people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desertD. people have changed the natural sight of the de
17、sert4. Devil Golf Course is famous for _. A. the frequent wind B. the colors of the sandC. dream-like sights D. the sand sculptures5. From the passage we can see that the writer _ the Death Valley. A. appreciates B. is fearful ofC. dislikes D. is tired of【答案解析】本文介绍了美国的一个著名沙漠“死亡谷”名称的由来以及 “死亡谷”奇特的风光。1
18、. D。细节题。根据 and Badwater, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States 可推知此题答案为 D。2. B。推断题。根据 when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story 可知“死亡谷”的名称来源
19、于这些迷路矿工的死亡。3. C。推断题。根据 well-marked roads where good services can be found easily 可以判断 C 为最佳答案。4. C。细节题。根据 where it seems hard for one to tell reality from terrible dreams 可推知答案为 C。5. A。推断题。根据 the special beauty of this placelike the sights on the moon ever-changingshowing the most unusual colors 等关键
20、词语可以知道作者是带着赞赏的语气来描述“死亡谷”的。(3) The Erie Canal was the first important national waterway built in the US. It crossed New York from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River. It joined the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. The canal served as a route over which industrial goods could f
21、low into the west, and materials could pour into the east. The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nations largest city.The building of the canal was paid for entirely by the state of New York. It cost $ 7 143 789, but it soon gained its price many times over. Between 1825, when the canal wa
22、s opened, and 1882, when toll charges(过运河费) were stopped, the state collected $121 461 891.For a hundred years before the Erie was built, people had been talking about a canal which could join the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. The man who planned the Erie Canal and carried the plan through was
23、 De Witt Clinton. Those who were against the canal laughingly called it “Clintons Ditch(沟)”. Clinton talked and wrote about the canal and drew up plans for it. He and Governor Morris went to Washington in 1812 to ask for help for the canal, but they were unsuccessful. Clinton became governor of New
24、York in 1817, and shortly afterwards, on July 4, 1817, broke ground for the canal in Rome, N.Y. The first part of the canal was completed in 1820. As the canal grew, towns along its course developed fast. The length of the canal is 363 miles.1. We can see that the Erie Canal _. A. joined the Great L
25、akes togetherB. crossed New York from north to southC. played an important part in developing New York CityD. was the first waterway built in the US2. It can be inferred that _ into the Atlantic Ocean.A. the Great Lakes flow B. the Hudson River flowsC. Lake Erie flows D. the Erie Canal flows3. Which
26、 of the following is true according to the passage?A. The Erie Canal brought profits of over $114, 000, 000.B. Its 363 miles from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.C. The West was more advanced than the East when the canal was built.D. Many other states helped New York built the canal.4. Which o
27、f the following is true according to the passage?A. Clinton broke ground for the canal at both ends.B. Clinton started building the canal before he became governor.C. All parts of the canal were completed at the same time.D. Construction of the canal took eight years.(14 CBAD) 【答案与解析】本文介绍了 Erie Cana
28、l 的作用及修建过程。1. C。细节题。根据文章第 1 段最后一句 The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nations largest city 及全段内容，可推知此题答案为 C。2. B。推断题。根据文章第 1 段第 2 句和第 3 句：运河 from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River 横跨了 New York 把 the Great Lakes 和 the Atlantic Ocean 联系起来了可推知此题答案为 B。3. A。推断题。通过比较文章第 2 段第 2 句 It cost $ 7, 143, 789 和第 2 段最后一句中的the state collected $121, 461, 891 可推知此题答案为 A。4. D。推断题。根据文章最后一段第 1 句中的on July 4, 1817, broke ground for the canal in Rome, N.Y. 和第 2 段第 2 句中的 Between 1825, when the canal was opened 可推知此题答案为 D。
