Travelers to the Arctic islands of Svalbard w...

Travelers to the Arctic islands of Svalbard would find a rough, ice-hardened land, sheltering polar bears in its frozen landscapes. This group of Norwegian islands is the land of the “midnight sun” with almost 24 hours of sunlight during the winter months. It is also home to one of the most important storage facilities in world farming — the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

The seed vault was opened in 2008 in an effort to safeguard the world’s food supply for future generations. Svalbard is the perfect frozen environment to house seed samples, set inside an Arctic mountain at 130 meters above sea level, so it is unlikely to be flooded. Low humidity , geological stability, and the surrounding permafrost can keep seed-keeping places cool, dry, and usable for centuries.

Seed gene banks from around the world have sent food crops seeds for safety in case a natural disaster or environmental damage destroys existing supplies. Worldwide there are more than 1.700 seed gene banks that store seeds locally and many choose to send back-up samples to facilities like the Svalbard’s vault.

There is space in the global vault for 4.5 million different crop varieties with each variety storing on average 500 seeds, meaning it can house 2.5 billon seeds. There are around one million seed samples from 80 institutes in the vault at present so there is a lot of spare capacity for the vegetables, grains, peas and beans that are banked annually. On the top of that, there are rare flowers from the Myanmar rain forests.

The largest numbers of samples in the vault are varieties of rice and wheat. The seed vault has been listed as one of the most influential projects of the past 50 years for its efforts. Seeds themselves are not kept for farmers or gardeners to grow produce. Their true value is as a genetic resource in plant upbringing to create new crop varieties.

1.What makes Svalbard a global seed vault?

A.Its eco-friendly tourism. B.Its rich supplies of food.

C.Its favorable environment. D.Its strong sunlight in winter.

2.Why do many seed gene banks send food crop seeds to the Svalbard’s vault?

A.To protect them from climate changes. B.To exchange them for new crop seeds.

C.To make sure of the safety of food supplies. D.To compare them with new crop varieties.

3.What can be inferred about the Svalbard’s vault from Paragraph 4?

A.It values plant different types of plant. B.It has little space for newcomers.

C.It is costly for most institutes. D.It sees a big increase in seed samples every year.

4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A.To explain how to store seeds safely. B.To introduce an influential seed vault.

C.To seek sponsors for world seed vaults. D.To call on seed institutes to work together.

高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

Managing a popular tourist attraction can be kind of like throwing a party — everyone wants to come and have fun, but nobody wants to help clean up when it's over. But the Faroe Islands have come up with a creative way to take care of their home and welcome visitors at the same time.

An official notice on the islands' national tourism website reads "closed for maintenance (维护), open for voluntourism.”Following a successful plan this year, the country has made the decision to "close” its major tourism sights and attractions during the weekend of April 16-17, 2020. Hotels will be open, and flights will continue. That weekend, people all over the Faroe Islands will be working on environmental protection projects.

However, people who are just dying to visit the Faroe Islands during that weekend can sign on to help with the housekeeping. The islands are looking for 100 volunteers to come to the country to help with the caretaking efforts. There were thousands of applications for the 2019 plan, so would-be islanders better apply fast.

"For us, tourism is not all about numbers, " Director at Visit Faroe Islands told CNN Travel earlier this year." We welcome visitors to the islands each year, but we also have a responsibility to our community and to our beautiful environment, and our aim is to protect the islands, ensuring responsible growth." The first group of voluntourists included travelers from Mexico, Israel, Australia, China and the United States. The director said that because of the surprising popularity of the volunteering weekend in 2019, the Faroes will host the event yearly. According to the Faroes' tourism authority, visits to the country have increased by 10% over the past few years.

1.Who can visit the Faroe Islands on April 16-17, 2020?

A.Any tourists. B.Selected voluntourists.

C.Housekeepers. D.All islanders.

2.Why do the Faroes host the yearly event?

A.To protect and develop their home. B.To make more money in tourism.

C.To attract more foreign visitors. D.To please the tourists.

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A.All travelers have a chance to volunteer in 2020.

B.The Faroe Islands are likely to hold a party yearly.

C.The plan has made some difference in recent years.

D.Some tourism sights and attractions are closed for all.

4.What's the writer's attitude towards the voluntourism?

A.Indifferent. B.Doubtful. C.Negative. D.Objective.

5.In which section of a newspaper can you probably find this article?

A.Sports. B.Travel. C.Technology. D.History.

高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

Lake Inari, Finland

High above the Arctic Circle and close to Finland's border with Russia, Lake Inari is a year- round Heaven. Dark, snowy winters make it wonderful for catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights. Its tree-lined banks produce a burnt orange during autumn and in summer, you can swim in its cold shallows.

Unst, Shetland Isles, Scotland

The most northerly occupied island of the British Isles, Unst is a wild, rough place where seas crash into the dramatic Muckle Flugga sea stacks(海栈). The latter are a harbor for gannets- a large bird during breeding season, with birdwatchers also treated to the sight of searching for great skuas(贼鸥).

Zagori, Greece

While Greece's islands are praised for their beauty, the mainland's charms are easily overlooked. But one of the most breathtaking mountain ranges in Europe lies here, in the region of Zagori, Epirus. The Vikos Gorge makes for a perfect day's hiking. While Mount Astrakas' snow-capped top is a sight to see as the days close in, showing that Greece is far more than just a summer destination. Keep an eye out for Zagori's stone bridges, especially the three- arched Kaligeriko, close to the village of Kipi.

Yorkshire Dales, England

The Yorkshire Dales are the England of the imagination. Its narrow lanes lined with dry stone walls draw cyclists’ attention to dizzying adventures, while its moody hills continually attract walkers, no matter the weather. Geological wonders such as the limestone(石灰石) sights of MalhamCove and Gordale Scar make it perhaps the most beautiful part of the British Isles.

1.Where would you like to go if you are a bird-lover?

A.Lake Inari. B.Unst, Shetland Isles. C.Zagori. D.Yorkshire Dales.

2.What can you do in the Vikos Gorge?

A.Go hiking. B.Seek adventures.

C.Swim in its cold shallows. D.Watch the Northern Lights.

3.What makes Yorkshire Dales attractive to walkers?

A.Dry stone. B.The weather. C.Moody hills. D.The limestone sights.

高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

Close to the North Pole, remote and rocky Plateau Mountain in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard seems an unlikely（不可能的）spot for any global effort to safeguard agriculture. In this cold and deserted environment, no grains, no gardens, no trees can grow. But at the end of a 130-meter-long tunnel cut out of solid stone is a room filled with humanity’s most precious treasure, the largest and most diverse seed collection------ more than a half-billion seeds.

A quiet rescue mission（任务）is under way. With growing evidence that unchecked climate change will seriously affect food production and threaten the diversity（多样性）of crops around the world, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault represents a major step towards ensuring the preservation（保存） of hundreds of thousands of crop varieties. This is a seed collection, but more importantly, it is a collection of the traits（特点）found within the seeds: the genes that give one variety resistance（抵抗力）to a particular pest and another variety tolerance（忍耐力）for hot, dry weather.

Few people will ever see or come into contact with the contents of this vault. In sealed（密封的）boxes, behind many locked doors, monitored by electronic security systems, enveloped in below-zero temperatures, and surrounded by tons of rock, hundreds of millions of seeds are protected in their mountain fortress（设防的地方）. Frozen in such conditions inside the mountain, seeds of most major crops will remain viable for hundreds of years, or longer. Seeds of some are capable of keeping their ability to grow for thousands of years.

Everyone can look back now and say that the Seed Vault was a good and obvious idea, and that of course the Norwegian government should have approved（批准通过）and funded it. But back in 2004, when the Seed Vault was first proposed, it was viewed as a crazy, impractical, and expensive idea.

We knew that nothing would provide a definite guarantee（保证）. But we were tired, fed up, and frankly scared of the steady, greater losses of crop diversity. The Seed Vault was built by optimists who wanted to do something to preserve options so that humanity and its crops might be better prepared for change.

The Seed Vault is about hope and commitment（承诺）—about what can be done if countries come together and work cooperatively to accomplish something significant, long-lasting, and worthy of who we are and wish to be.

1.According to the passage, what’s the Seed Vault ?

A.It’s a tunnel where the collected seeds are displayed.

B.It’s a stone room that contains the seeds of endangered crops.

C.It’s a seed gene bank that stores diverse seeds for future agriculture.

D.It’s a lab where researchers study how to keep the diversity of crops.

2.What does the underlined word “viable” in Paragraph 3 refer to ?

A.rare B.clean

C.alive D.valuable

3.What is the third paragraph mainly about ?

A.How the seeds are preserved.

B.Where people keep the seeds.

C.Why the seeds are protected.

D.What people do to study the seeds.

4.We can know from the passage that ____________.

A.the Seed Vault offers a solution（解决办法）to climate change

B.most countries took part in rescuing the seed varieties

C.the Seed Vault is sure to prevent the loss of crop diversity

D.many people considered building the Seed Vault unwise and crazy at first.

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The Top 4 Beaches on the East Coast

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Great point, at the easternmost end of the island of Nantucket, is one of the most secret beaches in the world. That's because you need a four﹣wheel drive vehicle and a beach permit to get there. Once you do, you'll find miles of beachfront and a historic lighthouse.

Block Island, Rhode Island

Accessible by ferry, Block Island oozes New England charm. It's worth the effort to get to Mohegan Bluffs, where you can experience a set of 141 wooden steps leading down to the sand. With clay cliffs and a view that reaches Montauk at the eastern tip of Long Island, this beach is especially unique.

East Hampton, New York

Named the best beach in the county in 2013, Main Beach in East Hampton is known for its wide stretch of sand plus a snack bar, bathrooms, and lockers. On﹣site parking is only available to village residents but there are free beach shuttles available.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Located off the coast of Georgia, this 5, 700﹣acre barrier island is famous for its nesting sea turtles and hermit crabs. Glory Beach got its name because producers of the 1989 movie Glory, featuring Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington, built a long boardwalk to the beach that remains in place.

1.Which has one of the most private beaches in the world？

A.Jekyll Island, Georgia.

B.Block Island, Rhode Island.

C.Nantucket, Massachusetts.

D.East Hampton, New York.

2.What may attract the visitors to go to Mohegan Bluffs？

A.Climbing the clay cliffs.

B.Experiencing the warm sand.

C.Admiring the scenery of Montauk.

D.Walking along a set of 141 wooden steps.

3.What can we learn about Jekyll Island according to the passage？

A.Jekyll Island is famous for its nesting sea fishes and hermit crabs.

B.Jekyll Island is located on the east coast of the United States.

C.There is a wide boardwalk to Glory Beach on Jekyll Island.

D.Glory Beach is named after the producers of the movie Glory.

高一英语阅读选择简单题查看答案及解析

1.What will elephant volunteers do?

A.Sweep the enclosure of elephants.

B.Take food for elephants at 6:30 am.

C.Watch satellite television on elephants.

D.Wash elephants in the lake in the afternoon.

2.What do we know about the Gorilla safari?

A.You can find gorillas in Kenya and Canada.

B.You will get a cold in the mountain forests.

C.Visitors need to pay $220 to see gorillas.

D.There are about 10 trips to visit gorillas.

3.What’s the aim of these activities?

A.To help build more national parks.

B.To help protect the wild animals.

C.To help deal with the pollution in cities.

D.To help solve the problem of global warming.

高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

单词拼写，写出空缺单词，每空限填一词。

1.If she couldn't find her way out of the forest, it would be hard for her to______(生还).

2.Companies must try to improve the______(质量)of their products.

3.I______(认出)him in the street though we hadn't seen each other for 10 years.

4.He______(说服)her to attend the meeting, even though she did not want to.

5.Why are you so______(关心)about the latest news of the contest?

6.There is enough______(证据)to show that he was present on Tuesday night.

7.We invited her to our party but she did not______(做出反应)to our invitation.

8.He deserves a reward for his devotion to our country's______(教育).

9.Jack is very______(可靠的),so if he says he'll do something, he will do it.

10.Most people like Mr. Bean's performance because it's very______(幽默的).

高一英语单词拼写中等难度题查看答案及解析

Shanghai lies _____ the west of the Pacific Ocean, where you can’t find many islands ____ the coast.

高一英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

Qingdao lies_____ the west of the Pacific Ocean, where we can not find many islands _____ the coast.

A. on; off         B. to; along            C. on; along          D. in; off

高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is plagues(疫病) that flesh receives.

The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses(病毒) passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated Arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes.

During the First World War soldiers who spent long periods in the trenches(战壕), cold and wet, showed no increased tendency to catch colds.

At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty room. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose.

If, then, cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? Despite the most pains—taking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on.

1.How many examples does the writer offer to support his argument?

A.3 B.4 C.5 D.6

2.Arctic explorers may catch colds when ________.

A.they are working in the isolated Arctic regions

B.they are writing reports in terribly cold weather

C.they are free from work in the isolated Arctic regions

D.they are coming into touch again with the outside world

3.What happened to the volunteers taking part in the experiments in the Common Cold Research Unit?

A.They suffered a lot. B.They never caught colds.

C.They often caught colds. D.They became very strong.

4.Which can we learn from the text?

A.Colds are not all caused by cold.

B.The Eskimos never suffer from colds.

C.People suffer from colds just because they like to stay indoors.

D.It's uncertain why people are more likely to catch colds in the winter.

5.What is the text mainly about?

A.The experiments on the common cold.

B.Some treatments for the common cold.

C.The continued spread of common colds.

D.The reason and the way people catch colds.

高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析