Tuvalu is located in the South Pacific. It is tiny and has only nine islands with a population of just 11,000. In 1999, it was the third- poorest country in the world. The islanders earned just $1,000 each year.
But then something unusual happened. Tuvalu received an internet domain (领土) name—the letters “tv”. These letters were very interesting for many companies around the world. A communication company from California offered to buy the domain name “tv” for $40 m. For the Tuvalans this was a very large amount of money. The islanders became very rich.
Because of global warming, and because the islands are only 3m above sea level, Tuvalu will probably become the first country in the world that will disappear under the sea.
You can already see signs of the rising sea on Tuvalu. Some beaches are disappearing and you can see tree roots by the ocean. Cyclones（旋风）used to be very rare but they now appear a few times a year, and the rains that come with the cyclones cause flooding. Despite these problems, the Tuvalans had their new money. They could use it to buy themselves a future. Or at least they could use it to buy some time. Paul Lindsay, a documentary film-maker, took these questions with him all the way to Tuvalu, and came back with an incredible (难于置信的)story. As the water rises, the Tuvalans are using the money to develop the land. They are building new houses, planning nightclubs, restaurants and hotels and new cars are driving around on new roads. The residents do not think this is strange: “Just because we are sinking, it doesn’t mean we don’t want to raise our standards of living.” Sam Teo, Tuvalu’s minister for natural resources told Lindsay.
1.Which of the following information about Tuvalu is WRONG?
A. It only has a population of 11,000 people.
B. The average income of the Tuvalans is $1000 in 1999.
C. Tuvalu is only 3m high above sea level.
D. The Tuvalans received $40 million when they sold the domain name.
2.The biggest problem for the Tuvalans is _________.
A. poverty B. global warming
C. The small population D. cyclones
3.Which of the following match the beginnings with the endings is correct?
①The Tuvalans became rich…
②By the end of the century…
③The Tuvalans are spending their money
④When the sea rises…
a.on roads, cars and new buildings
b.the sea will cover the islands completely.
c.the Tuvalans will have to leave their islands
d.when they sold their internet domain name.
A.①-d, ②-b, ③-a, ④-c B. ①-c, ②-d, ③-b, ④-a
C.①-c, ②-b, ③-a, ④-d D. ①-d, ②-c, ③-a, ④-b
4.Why did Paul Lindsay come to Tuvalu?
A. To make a documentary film to record the life of the Tuvalans.
B. To understand the living condition of the Tuvalans.
C. To know how the Tuvalans survive despite all of their problems.
D. To discover the reason for the Tuvalans not to improve their living standards.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
Tuvalu is located in the South Pacific. It is tiny and has only nine islands with a population of just 11,000. In 1999, it was the third- poorest country in the world. The islanders earned just $1,000 each year.
But then something unusual happened. Tuvalu received an internet domain (领土) name—the letters “tv”. These letters were very interesting for many companies around the world. A communication company from California offered to buy the domain name “tv” for $40 m. For the Tuvalans this was a very large amount of money. The islanders became very rich.
Because of global warming, and because the islands are only 3m above sea level, Tuvalu will probably become the first country in the world that will disappear under the sea.
You can already see signs of the rising sea on Tuvalu. Some beaches are disappearing and you can see tree roots by the ocean. Cyclones（旋风）used to be very rare but they now appear a few times a year, and the rains that come with the cyclones cause flooding. Despite these problems, the Tuvalans had their new money. They could use it to buy themselves a future. Or at least they could use it to buy some time. Paul Lindsay, a documentary film-maker, took these questions with him all the way to Tuvalu, and came back with an incredible (难于置信的)story. As the water rises, the Tuvalans are using the money to develop the land. They are building new houses, planning nightclubs, restaurants and hotels and new cars are driving around on new roads. The residents do not think this is strange: “Just because we are sinking, it doesn’t mean we don’t want to raise our standards of living.” Sam Teo, Tuvalu’s minister for natural resources told Lindsay.
1.Which of the following information about Tuvalu is WRONG?
A. It only has a population of 11,000 people.
B. The average income of the Tuvalans is $1000 in 1999.
C. Tuvalu is only 3m high above sea level.
D. The Tuvalans received $40 million when they sold the domain name.
2.The biggest problem for the Tuvalans is _________.
A. poverty B. global warming
C. The small population D. cyclones
3.Which of the following match the beginnings with the endings is correct?
①The Tuvalans became rich…
②By the end of the century…
③The Tuvalans are spending their money
④When the sea rises…
a.on roads, cars and new buildings
b.the sea will cover the islands completely.
c.the Tuvalans will have to leave their islands
d.when they sold their internet domain name.
A.①-d, ②-b, ③-a, ④-c B. ①-c, ②-d, ③-b, ④-a
C.①-c, ②-b, ③-a, ④-d D. ①-d, ②-c, ③-a, ④-b
4.Why did Paul Lindsay come to Tuvalu?
A. To make a documentary film to record the life of the Tuvalans.
B. To understand the living condition of the Tuvalans.
C. To know how the Tuvalans survive despite all of their problems.
D. To discover the reason for the Tuvalans not to improve their living standards.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Tuvalu, a tiny country in the Pacific Ocean, has asked for help as it fears it will be swallowed up by the sea.
Storms and huge waves are a constant threat and none of Tuvalu's nine little islands is more than five metres above sea level. Salt water is already entering the country's drinking water supply, as well as damaging plants that produce fruit and vegetable. Without urgent help, the country's days are numbered.
But Tuvalu is not the first place to face sinking into the sea. Venice, a historic city in Italy best known for its canals, has sunk about 24 cm over the past 100 years. Experts say that it will have sunk another 24 cm by 2050. A century ago, St. Mark's Square, the lowest point in the city, flooded about nine times a year. Nowadays, it happens more than 100 times. While Venice is slowly sinking into the mud on which it stands, Tuvalu's rising sea level is caused by global warming.
The average global temperature has increased by almost 0. 5 centigrade degrees over the past century, scientists expect it to rise by extra 1.3 degrees over the next 100 years.
Warmer weather makes glaciers(冰川) melt, adding more water to the ocean. The warmer temperatures also make water expand, so it takes up more space, causing the sea level to rise. The sea level has risen 10.25 cm in the last 100 years.
The main cause of global warming is human pollution. Through burning coal, oil and gas, people have been increasing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as CO2. This adds to the power of the greenhouse effect, making the planet even warmer.
Many scientists believe that, if the warming is not stopped, there will be huge climate changes. The sea level could rise by one meter this century.
Should this come true, the sea will swallow up millions of homes and the world will be flooded with "climate refugees" looking for somewhere to live.
1. We can infer from the second paragraph that .
A. Tuvalu is in danger of being swallowed up by the sea
B. all Tuvalu's islands are about five metres above the sea level
C. drinking water in Tuvalu has been destroyed
D. Tuvalu is often flooded by storms and waves
2.The author uses Tuvalu and Venice as examples in order to explain .
A. they are the first places sinking into the sea
B. they are both sinking into the mud where they stand
C. they will disappear in the future
D. their trouble is caused by global warming
3.What does "climate refugees" mean?
A. People who are forced away from their homeland by climate.
B. Climate changes.
C. Rare animals.
D. Climate effect.
4.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Tuvalu's nine little islands are less than five meters above the sea level.
B. The average global temperature has risen by 13 centigrade degrees over the past 100 years.
C. The warmer temperature causes the sea level to rise.
D. There will be huge climate changes unless the warming is stopped.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The Republic of Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. It was one of the poorest nations in the region. Within the last five years, however, it has become a hot spot for adventure travelers. In 2006 it was voted the happiest place on Earth. The reason is not that Vanuatu are the richest but that Vanuatu has white-sand islands, clear waters, the world’s most accessible live volcano, great diving and food that grows faster than it can be picked.
With a population of about 221,000, Vanuatu has 113 languages, which is a result of 3,000 years of immigration from many Pacific countries. There are three official languages: English, French, and Bislama. Bislama developed from South Pacific English, a simplified language that traders and other foreigners used it to communicate with speakers of the many local languages.
Most of the islands are mountainous and of volcanic origin. There are several active volcanoes in Vanuatu, including Yasur on the island of Tanna, one of the world’s most accessible volcanoes. If you’ve ever fancied getting close to a volcano, here’s your chance.
Vanuatu Post’s Underwater Post Office has quickly become one of the busiest post offices for postcards in the world! Visitors from around the world want to experience the world’s first under- water post office. The Post Office is only 50 meters offshore and at just three meters below the surface, very appealing to the young and young at heart. Since opening in 2003, the underwater post office has received about 100,000 visitors. They have posted one of the waterproof（防水的）postcards available in Vanuatu; these cards are collected regularly by one of Vanuatu Post’s four trained divers. The underwater branch is manned daily for usually about an hour, longer with demand.
1.Vanuatu was voted the happiest place on Earth because _________.
A. it’s the poorest nation in the region
B. it’s Vanuatu that is the richest
C. it’s a favorite place for adventurers
D. it’s blessed with abundant nature
2.Which of the following is true about Vanuatu?
A. Bislama developed from local Pacific French.
B. Yasur is one of the live volcanoes in Vanuatu.
C. Vanuatu has more than 113 official languages.
D. Underwater Post Office has opened for 5 years.
3.Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?
A. Working at the underwater branch B. Great diving in amazing Vanuatu
C. A hot spot for adventure travelers D. The busiest post office on Earth
4.What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
A. Various languages. B. Underwater diving.
C. Food in Vanuatu. D. History of Vanuatu.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Bungee jumping is not a new activity. Men on Pentecost Island in the South Pacific have been doing land jumping for hundreds of years. The men tie long vines(藤) from plants around their ankles（踝关节）. They spend days building tall towers out of vines and logs(圆木). Then they jump off them.
According to their beliefs, the first land diver was a woman. She decided to run away from her rude husband. So she climbed up a tall tree and tied some vines around her feet. Her husband also climbed up the tree and tried to catch her, but the woman jumped and the man followed. The vines saved her life, but her husband died.
This ancient custom caught the interest of some students at Oxford University in England. In the late 1970s, they formed a group called the Dangerous Sports Club. They were some of the first people to test several of what are now called extreme sports. They are said to have invented modern bungee jumping.
In the spring of 1979, members of the group jumped off the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, England. They were attached to the bridge by a bungee cord, a long elastic rope that stretches. The group soon received even more attention when they organized a bungee jump off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.
A man named A. J. Hackett of New Zealand decided to make the sport into a business. He started developing bungee ropes and material with a friend. They held a major jump in 1987 off the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. They later got permission to open the first bungee jumping operation on the Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand. Many people paid 75 dollars to jump off the bridge with a bungee cord attached to their ankles.
1.The second paragraph tries to tell us________________.
A．a story about a woman land diver
B．the beginning of modern bungee jumping
C．the beginning of land jumping on Pentecost Island
D．a story about a brave woman and her rude husband
2.The underlined word them in the first paragraph refers to__________.
A．plants B．tall towers C．vines D．logs
3. The Dangerous Sports Club first caught people’s attention when they jumped off_________.
A．the Eiffel Tower B．the Kawarau Bridge
C．the Golden Gate Bridge D．the Clifton Suspension Bridge
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Cape Verde is an African country that contists of 10 main islands and 5 tiny ones. It lies in the Atlantic Ocean, about 400 miles west of Senegal on the African mainland .
Cape Verde has a population of about 329,000 and a total area of 1,557 square miles. Sao Tiago, the largest island , covers 383 square miles. There are no people living on Santa Luzia, the last of the ten larger islands,nor on the five small islands.
Praia,the capital of Cape Verde,is on Sao Tiago.However,the largest city,Mindelo,is on Sao Vicente, the sixth largest island of the group. Portugal(葡萄牙)ruled the islands from the 1460's until 1975,when Cape Verde became independent. Now Cape Verde is a republic with an elected president.
About 70 per cent of the people of Cape Verde have mixed black African and Portuguese (葡萄牙的) blood. The rest of the population are mostly black Africans.
1. If you visit Cape Verde,you will find
A. people only on the ten main islands.
B. about 200 people on every square mile of land.
C. people on all the islands except Santa Luzia.
D. no people on the six smallest islands.
2. Five hundred years ago Cape Verde was
A. a free country.
B. a colony (殖民地).
C. an unknown country.
D. a republic.
3. Three out of ten people living in Cape Verde are of
A. mixed Portuguese and African ancestry (祖先).
B. Portuguese ancestry.
C. either Portuguese or African ancestry.
D. African ancestry.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Welcome to Olympic National Park!
The park is located in the western state of Washington and it covers more than 400,000 hectares. Each area of the park offers visitors something special. Here are some places to go.
Elwha Valley
The Elwha Valley is in the central part of the park. It is the Olympic Peninsula’s largest watershed (分水岭). Long ago, the rivers in this area held the most salmon (鲑鱼) outside of Alaska. In the 1920s, a growing community of settlers built two hydroelectric (水力发电) dams to provide energy for the local economy. The dams created many problems for the river. They decreased the water in the rivers, which caused the fish population in the area to decrease. This affected the other animals that depended on fish for food.
The community later decided to take some measures to solve these problems. Today, the Elwha River is the site of one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects in National Park Service history.
Hurricane Ridge
Hurricane Ridge is a mountain area in the northern part of the park. It is easy to enter, and provides incredible views of the Olympic Mountains.
The ridge has many hiking paths. In winter, people come here to ski. They also come here to take part in other fun winter activities, like sledding and snowboarding.
Hurricane Ridge usually has snow from December through the end of March. Visitors must be prepared for icy roads and severe weather.
The Coast
The westernmost part of the park is Pacific coastline. Olympic National Park has many breathtaking beaches.
Rialto Beach is known for its tall seastacks (海蚀柱). These formations are tall towers of rock standing in the sea. Kalaloch Beach is known for its white sand. It also has three national wildlife refuges, which protect the area’s bird and fish species.
The coastline areas offer hiking and camping. They are some of the most popular places in the park.
1.What happened to the Elwha River after the two dams were built?
A. Local settlers had enough energy.
B. Local settlers made more money.
C. The Elwha Valley was formed.
D. The ecosystem was greatly affected.
2.Which place is most suitable for winter activities?
A. Elwha Valley B. Hurricane Ridge
C. Rialto Beach D. Kalaloch Beach
3.What’s the purpose of the passage?
A. To attract visitors to the park,
B. To introduce the parkas history.
C. To show the variety of the park.
D. To stress the importance of ecosystem.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
My father and I stayed at the South Lake Hotel for a week when we visit Beijing last month. It is in the downtown area, but it is easy to go to anywhere from the hotel by public transport. We lived in a comfortably double-room with a big bath. What I liked best were the free high-speed Internet connection in the room. I checked my email messages every day. I also shared for my friends many photos taking in Beijing. The food was wonderful with reasonable prices, and we enjoyed several local dish.
It is such great hotel that I would recommend it to any friend of me who is going to Beijing.
高二英语短文改错中等难度题查看答案及解析
The Galapagos Islands are in the Pacific Ocean, off the western coast of South America. They are a rocky, lonely spot, but they are also one of the most unusual places in the world. One reason is that they are the home of some of the last giant tortoises left on earth.
Weighing hundreds of pounds, these tortoises go slowly around the rocks and sand of the islands. Strangely, each of these islands has its own particular kinds of tortoises. There are seven different kinds of tortoises on the eight islands, and each kind is slightly different from the other.
Hundreds of years ago, thousands of tortoises were around these islands. However, all that changed when people started landing there. When people first arrived in 1535, crews would seize as many tortoises as they could. They would roll the tortoises onto their backs when they were brought onto the ships. The tortoises were completely helpless once on their backs, so they could only lie there until used for soups and stews. Almost 100,000 tortoises were carried off in this way.
The tortoises faced other problems, too. Soon after the first ships, settlers arrived, bringing pigs, goats, donkeys, dogs and cats. All of these animals ruined life for the tortoises. Donkeys and goats ate all the plants that the tortoises usually fed on, while the pigs, dogs and cats ate thousands of baby tortoises each year. Within a few years, it was hard to find any tortoise eggs or even any baby tortoises.
Finally, in the 1950s, scientists decided that something must be done. The first part of their plan was to remove as many cats, dogs and other animals as they could from the islands. Next, they tried to make sure that more baby tortoises would be born; This slow, hard work continues today, and, thanks to it, the number of tortoises is now increasing every year. Perhaps these wonderful animals will not disappear after all.
1.What makes the Galapagos Islands unusual?
A.The biggest islands in the Pacific Ocean.
B.Rocky, lonely spot.
C.The giant tortoises.
D.Many homes for tourists.
2.What can be learned from Paragraph 2?
A.Tortoises weigh a hundred pounds.
B.Tortoises move around very fast.
C.There are different kinds of tortoises.
D.Tortoises are larger than the ones in other places.
3.What did first comers to the island do with tortoises hundreds of years ago?
A.People cooked them as food.
B.Scientists took measures to protect them.
C.Pigs, dogs and cats ate many baby tortoises.
D.Settlers brought other tortoises to the islands.
4.What happened soon after people brought animals to the islands?
A.Tortoise eggs were kept in safe containers.
B.The animals ate the tortoises’ food and eggs.
C.The tortoises continued to wander freely.
D.The tortoises fought against the other animals.
5.What happened to the tortoises because of the scientists’ effort?
A.The tortoises began to disappear gradually.
B.The number of tortoises began to decrease.
C.Scientists took away other animals off the islands.
D.There are more and more giant tortoises on the islands.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The tiny fire in the stove gradually ______, and it was getting dark outside.
A. died down B. put down
C. set down D. keep down
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
In the countries of South and Southeast Asia, the elephant has been an important part of the culture, economy and religion for centuries. And nowhere more so than in Thailand. Unlike its African cousin, the Asian elephant is easily domesticated（驯化）. The rare so-called white elephants have actually lent the power of royalty (皇室)to its rulers，and until the 1920s the national flag was a white elephant on a red background. To the early Western visitors, the country's romantic name was“ Land of the White Elephant".
Today, however, the story is very different. Out of work and out of land, the Thai elephant struggles for survival in a nation that no longer needs it. The elephant has found itself more or less deserted by previous owners who have moved on to a different economic world and a society in the western part. And while the elephant's problems began many years ago, now it has a very low national advantage.
How does the national symbol turn into ignored animals? It is a story of worse environment and the changing lives of the Thais themselves. According to Richard Lair, Thailand's expert on the Asian elephant and author of the report Gone Astray, at the turn of the last century, there may well have been as many as 100,000 national elephants in the country.
In the north of Thailand alone, it was estimated（估计）that more than 20,000 elephants were employed in transport, 1,000 of them alone on the road between the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Saen.
This was at a time when 90 percent of Thailand was still forest---a habitat that not only supported the animals but also made them necessary to carry goods and people. Nothing ploughs through thick forest better than lots of sure-footed elephants.
By 1950 the elephant population had dropped, but still to the number of 13, 397. However, today there are probably no more than 3,800, with another l,350 wandering free in the national parks. But now, Thailand's forest covers only 20 percent of the land. This deforestation（采伐森林）is the central point of the elephant's difficult situation, for it has effectively put the animals out of work. This century, as the road network grew, the elephant's role as a beast of burden decreased.
1.What can we know about African elephants from the passage?
A. It is of little value to domesticate them.
B. It is hard to domesticate them.
C. They are living a better life than Asian elephants.
D. Their fate is quite similar to that of Asian elephants.
2.Thailand was once called "Land of the White Elephant" because ________.
A. white elephant was a national symbol until the 1920s
B. white elephant is rarely seen and thus very special
C. white elephant has helped kings to gain the ruling authority
D. this name was so romantic that it was popular among visitors
3.Why is the Thai elephant "out of work", according to the author?
A. Because there are too many elephants but too few jobs.
B. Because the elephants can't do labor work any longer.
C. Because the government pays little attention to the problem.
D. Because the elephants are no longer useful to their owners.
4.The passage is most probably from ________.
A. a travel guide
B. a history book
C. a popular science magazine
D. an official announcement
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析