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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
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To the west and off the European Continent, there are several thousands of islands on the Continental shelf (大陆架). They are generally called the British Isles. Of all these isles, the largest one is called Great Britain. For the convenience’s sake, it is often shortened to Britain. Still to the west of Great Britain is the second largest island known as Ireland. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland(UK) is made up of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and a number of smaller islands around them. The total area of the country is some 240,000 square kilometers with a population of about 57 million.
Great Britain runs nearly 1,000 kilometers from south to north and extends, at the widest part, about 500 kilometers from west to east. Its area is some 230,000 square kilometers. Great Britain is traditionally divided into three parts, or countries: England in the south, Scotland in the north, and Wales in the southwest. There are discernible (可辨别的) differences between them even now.
England is the largest and most developed of all the three. Its area, about 130,000 square kilometers, takes up nearly 60% of the whole island. Its population is more than 46million which makes up 85% of the country’s whole population. The importance of England is so great in Britain that some foreigners just say “England” when they mean Britain. The same is true of the custom of speaking of the British people as the English who are the majority in the United Kingdom. Scotland is the second largest both in area and population. It has an area of about 78,760 square kilometers, less than 30% of the whole island, with a population of 5million, less than one-tenth of the whole population.
Wales is the smallest of the three both in area and population. In area, 20,700 square kilometers, it makes up less than 9% of the total area while its population, 2.7 million, does not exceed (超过) 5% of the whole.
1.The British Isles is made up of ________.
A. the European Continent and Great Britain
B. the UK and the Republic of Ireland
C. England, Scotland and Wales
D. several thousands of islands to the west and off the European Continent
2.Which of the following figures shows the correct position of Great Britain？
A.
B. 
C. 
D. 
3.From the third paragraph we can infer that Great Britain has a population of about ________ million.
A. 46 B. 54 C. 60 D. 57
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE？
A. Great Britain is six times larger than Wales in area.
B. England is six times larger than Scotland in area.
C. Scotland is six times larger than Wales in area.
D. England is six times larger than Wales in area.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
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New Zealand is an island country in the southwest of Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main lands—the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Maui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu, and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometers east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometers south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. The country’s varied topography（地形）and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to volcanic eruptions. New Zealand’s capital city is Wellington, while the city that has the largest population is Auckland.
Polynesians settled in the islands that were to become New Zealand somewhere between 1250 and 1300 AD, and developed a unique Maori culture. In 1642, Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer became the first European to sight New Zealand In 1840. Representatives of the British Crown（王室） and Maori Chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, making New Zealand a British colony. Today, the majority of New Zealand’s population of 4.5 million is of European descent(血统), and the indigenous(土著的) Maori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand’s culture is mainly originated from Maori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English predominant(主要的).
New Zealand is a developed country with a market economy that mainly consists of the exports of dairy products, meat and wine, along with tourism. New Zealand is a high-income economy and ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as health, education, economic freedom and quality of life.
1.What does the underlined word “comprises” in Paragraph 1 mean?
A. Loses B. Conquers.
C. Explores. D. Includes.
2.What can be inferred from the text?
A. New Zealand was the last land to be settled by humans.
B. The indigenous Maori takes up the largest population in New Zealand.
C. The formation of the Southern Alps has something to do with volcanic eruptions.
D. New Zealand’s culture is mainly originated from Maori and early Dutch settlers.
3.Who made great contributions to Maori culture according to the text?
A. Polynesians. B. Dutch.
C. British Crown. D. Tonga.
4.What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?
A. The developing aims of New Zealand.
B. The economic situation of New Zealand.
C. The high ranks that New Zealand government has got.
D. The achievements that New Zealand government has got.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern of Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main lands—the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Maui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu, and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometers east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometers south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. The country’s varied topography（地形）and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to volcanic eruptions. New Zealand’s capital city is Wellington, while the city that has the largest population is Auckland.
Polynesians settled in the islands that were to become New Zealand somewhere between 1250 and 1300 AD, and developed a unique Maori culture. In 1642, Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer became the first European to sight New Zealand In 1840, representatives of the British Crown（王室） and Maori Chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, making New Zealand a British colony. Today, the majority of New Zealand’s population of 4.5 million is of European descent(血统), and the indigenous(土著的) Maori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand’s culture is mainly originated from Maori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English predominant(主要的).
New Zealand is a developed country with a market economy that mainly consists of the exports of dairy products, meat and wine, along with tourism. New Zealand is a high-income economy and ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as health, education, economic freedom and quality of life.
1.What does the underlined word “comprises” in Paragraph 1 mean?
A. Loses B. Conquers.
C. Explores. D. Includes.
2.What can be inferred from the text?
A. New Zealand was the last land to be settled by humans.
B. The indigenous Maori takes up the largest population in New Zealand.
C. The formation of the Southern Alps has something to do with volcanic eruptions.
D. New Zealand’s culture is mainly originated from Maori and early Dutch settlers.
3.Who made great contributions to Maori culture according to the text?
A. Polynesians. B. Dutch.
C. British Crown. D. Tonga.
4.What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?
A. The developing aims of New Zealand.
B. The economic situation of New Zealand.
C. The high ranks that New Zealand government has got.
D. The achievements that New Zealand government has got.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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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
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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
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Japan is an island country in the Pacific Ocean. As the Japanese students already know, four main islands and more than 3,000 small ones stretch from north to south for about 1,300 miles. As for the climate of the country, well, it’s hot and humid(潮湿) in summer, but it is quite cold and wet in Japan during winter. Typhoons, which are violent tropical storms, often threaten Japan during the fall. That’s, of course, during the harvest season.
The population of Japan is about 110,5 million. It may seem hard to believe, but the average population density(密度) of the country is about 678 persons per square mile.
About two thirds of the entire population lives in Japan’s cities. The other one third lives in the suburbs or in the countryside. No other country in southern or eastern Asia has such a large urban, or city population. Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, is the most density-populated city in the world. At last count there were more than 11.5 million people living in Tokyo.
1.Why is Japan called an island country? Because ______.
A. Japan is a small country
B. it is on the Pacific Ocean
C. it has thousands of big and small islands
D. Japan has hundreds of small islands
2.Typhoons often attack Japan during______.
A. spring B. summer
C. autumn D. winter
3.Most of the people in Japan live_____.
A. in the rural areas B. in the countryside
C. around the cities D. in the cities
4.The most densely-populated city in the world is_____.
A. New York B. Shanghai
C. London D. the capital of Japan
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Sitting on the peaceful coast of Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, watching the sun move quietly into the sea, you shouldn’t forget that Charles Darwin (1809-1882) arrived here in 1835. He stayed on the islands for five weeks, observing various animals. This finally inspired (启发) his famous work, On the Origin of Species. You can certainly follow Darwin’s footsteps and enjoy a trip from four to seven days to the islands.
The islands are certainly a paradise (天堂) for wildlife, as there are no natural killers on the islands and the number of boats and visitors is under government control. Though you cannot walk freely as Darwin did about 200 years ago, each day is as impressive as it could be.
The most well-known animals of the Galapagos is the giant tortoise(巨型海龟), which can be seen moving slowly around the highlands of Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the archipelago(群岛). Some of these creatures are so old that they might have been seen in their youth by Darwin himself.
Despite strict control over activities and timing, your stay on the Galapagos will be remembered as a chain of incomparable pictures: diving with sea lions that swim and play within inches of you; feeling small sharks touch your feet as you swim; and, most magically, seeing a whale and her baby surface with a great breath of air.
Travelling between the islands and observing the wildlife that so inspired Darwin, you will feel as though you are getting a special view of an untouched world. At night you will sleep on board the ship, leaving the wildlife in complete occupation of the islands, which are as undisturbed now as they have been since the beginning of time.
1.What do we know about Darwin’s visit to the islands?
A. He was attracted by well-known animals of the islands.
B. He completed his famous book on the islands.
C. He was touched by the geography of the islands.
D. He studied different creatures on the islands.
2.Which of the following plays a role in making the islands “a paradise for wildlife”?
A. People cannot visit the islands as they wish.
B. Local government forbids killing wildlife.
C. Animals on the islands feed on grass.
D. Tourists are not allowed to touch the animals.
3.Your stay on the islands will be most impressive mainly because of________.
A. a closer view of animals B. Darwin’s inspiring trip
C. The beautiful sea views D. various daring activities
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Calapagos as a Paradise for Adventures
B. A Unique Attraction for wildlife Lovers
C. Charles Darwin as a symbol of Galapagos
D. A successful Example of wildlife protection
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
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Sitting on the peaceful coast of Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, watching the sun move quietly into the sea, you shouldn’t forget that Charles Darwin (1809-1882) arrived here in 1835. He stayed on the islands for five weeks, observing various animals. This finally inspired his famous work, On the Origin of Species. You can certainly follow Darwin’s footsteps and enjoy a trip from four to seven days to the islands.
The islands are certainly a paradise (天堂) for wildlife, as there are no natural killers on the islands and the number of boats and visitors is under government control. Though you cannot walk freely as Darwin did about 200 years ago, each day is as impressive as it could be.
The most well-known animals of the Galapagos is the giant tortoise，which can be seen moving slowly around Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the archipelago(群岛). Some of these creatures are so old that they might have been in their youth by Darwin himself.
Despite strict control over activities and timing, your stay on the Galapagos will be remembered as a chain of incomparable pictures; diving with sea lions that swim and play within inches of you; feeling small sharks touch your feet as you swim; and most magically, seeing a whale and her baby surface with a great breath of air.
Travelling between the islands and observing the wildlife that so inspired Darwin, you will feel as though you are getting a special view of an untouched world. At night you will sleep on board the ship, leaving the wildlife in complete occupation of the islands, which are as undisturbed now as they have been since the beginning of time.
1. What do we know about Darwin’s visit to the islands?
A. He studied different creatures on the islands
B. He completed his famous book on the islands
C. He was touched by the geography of the islands
D. He was attracted by well-known animals of the islands
2. Which of the following plays a role in making the islands “a paradise for wildlife”?
A. Animals on the islands feed on grass.
B. Local government forbids killing wildlife.
C. People cannot visit the islands as they wish.
D. Tourists are not allowed to touch the animals.
3. Your stay on the islands will be most impressive mainly because of.
A. the beautiful sea views B. Darwin’s inspiring trip
C. a closer view of animals D. various daring activities
4. How many kinds of animals are mentioned in this passage?
A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5
5. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage ？
A. A Unique Attraction for wildlife Lovers
B. Calapagos as a Paradise for Adventures
C. Charles Darwin as a symbol of Galapagos
D. A successful Example of wildlife protection
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Sitting on the peaceful coast of Galapagos Islands. Ecuador, watching the sun move quietly into the sea, you shouldn't forget that Charles Darwin (1809-1882) arrived here in 1835. He stayed on the islands for five weeks, observing various animals. This finally inspired his famous work, On the Origin of Species. You can certainly follow Darwin's footsteps and enjoy a trip from four to seven days to the islands.
The islands are certainly a paradise (天堂) for wildlife, as there are no natural killers on the islands and the number of boats and visitors is under government control. Though you cannot walk freely as Darwin did about 200 years ago, each day is as impressive as it could be.
The most well-known animal of the Galapagos is the giant tortoise (巨型海龟), which can be seen moving slowly around the highlands of Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the archipelago (群岛). Some of these creatures are so old that they might have been seen in their youth by Darwin himself.
Despite strict control over activities and timing, your stay on the Galapagos will be remembered as a chain of incomparable pictures: diving with sea lions that swim and play within inches of you; feeling small sharks touch your feet as you swim; and, most magically, seeing a whale and her baby surface with a great breath of air.
Travelling between the islands and observing the wildlife that so inspired Darwin, you will feel as though you are getting a special view of an untouched world. At night you will sleep on board the ship, leaving the wildlife in complete occupation of the islands, which are as undisturbed now as they have been since the beginning of time.
1.What do we know about Darwin's visit to the islands?
A. He completed his famous book on the islands
B. He was touched by the geography of the islands
C. He studied different creatures on the islands
D. He was attracted by well-known animals of the islands
2.Which of the following plays a role in making the islands "a paradise for wildlife"?
A. People cannot visit the islands as they wish.
B. Animals on the islands feed on grass.
C. Local government forbids killing wildlife.
D. Tourists are not allowed to touch the animals.
3.Your stay on the islands will be most impressive mainly because of _____.
A. Darwin's inspiring trip
B. The beautiful sea views
C. a closer view of animals
D. various daring activities
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Galapagos as a Paradise for Adventures
B. Charles Darwin as a Symbol of Galapagos
C. A successful Example of Wildlife Protection
D. A Unique Attraction for Wildlife Lovers
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
B. 
C. 
D. 