Rivers are the veins of the Earth, transporti...

Rivers are the veins of the Earth, transporting the water and nutrients (营养物) needed to support the planet’s ecosystems, including human life. While many nutrients are essential to the survival of life, there is one element transported by water in rivers that holds the key to life and to the future of our planet — carbon.

Carbon is everywhere and understanding the way it moves and is either released or stored by the Earth system is a complex science in itself. Carbon starts its journey downstream when natural acid rain, which contains carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,　 melts minerals in rocks. This helps transform carbon dioxide to bicarbonate (碳酸氢盐) in the water that then flows in our rivers. This is a very long process, which is one of the main ways carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere. Carbon is transported by rivers to oceans and once that carbon reaches the ocean, it is stored naturally in deep sea sediments (沉淀物) for millions of years.

As carbon travels down a river, different processes may impact whether it continues to flow downstream or whether it is released into the atmosphere. For example, human engineering, like extensive dam construction, will result in dramatic changes to how water and sediments travel down the river. Some carbon that fails to reach the sea may return to the atmosphere in some way, which causes more warming.

Earth’s climate is closely related to the carbon cycle. We all know about the essential role of plants in consuming carbon dioxide, but do we know enough about rivers? Changing the chemistry and the course of rivers may have significant impacts on how they transport carbon. Remember: wherever we live, we all live downstream.

1.Where is the carbon in rivers originally from?

A.The atmosphere. B.The rocks.

C.The acid rain. D.The upstream areas.

2.Why is human engineering mentioned in Paragraph 3?

A.To show how important to life carbon is.

B.To explain how necessary it is to build dams.

C.To show how a natural process is interrupted.

D.To explain how humans fight global warming.

3.What does the author want to convey in the last paragraph?

A.We’d better move upstream to live.

B.We should protect plants along rivers.

C.We’d better seek more help from plants.

D.We should be cautious about river management.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A.What Humans Do with Rivers

B.How Rivers’ Transporting Carbon Counts

C.What the Carbon Cycle Means to Us

D.How Living Downstream Affects the Earth

高三英语中等难度题查看答案及解析

With advances in transportation and information technology, even the most remote places on Earth are within reach of the traveler. In fact, tourism is now the world’s largest industry, with nature tourism growing the fastest. 1. In response to this increasing appreciation of nature experiences, a new form of travel has arisen called ecotourism.

2. The Nature Conservancy adopts the concept explained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Environmentally responsible travel to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature that promotes conservation, has a low visitor influence and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local people.

Increased tourism to sensitive natural areas without appropriate planning and management can threaten (威胁) the whole of ecosystems and local cultures.3. Likewise, local communities and can be harmed in numerous ways by crowded foreign visitors and wealth.

4. Ecotourism can provide much-needed reveriues (收益) for the protecting of national parks and other natural areas, which might not be available from other sources.

Additionally, ecotourism can provide a practical economic development alternative for local communities with few other income-generating options. Besides, ecotourism can increase the level of education and activism (积极) among travelers.5.

A. What is ecotourism?

B. The growth of the ecotourism income is also beneficial to the local people.

C. And it makes them more enthusiastic and effective spokesmen for conservation.

D. But most of the tourism in natural areas nowadays is not ecotourism at all.

E. However, this same growth does good to both conservation and local communities.

F. People want to experience nature, but should try not to affect the natural environment.

G. The increase of visitors to ecologically sensitive areas can lead to much environmental damage.

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean, an S-shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles. The Atlantic Ocean, in a sense, replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization. Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic Ocean is rich in oceanic liveliness all the time. It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.

“Storm at Sea”, a short poem written around 700, is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic Ocean.

When the wind is from the west

All the waves that cannot rest

To the east must thunder on

Where the bright tree of the sun

Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.

As the poem suggests, the Atlantic Ocean is never dead and dull. It is an ocean that moves, impressively and endlessly. It makes all kinds of noise---it is forever thundering, boiling, crashing and whistling.

It is easy to imagine the Atlantic Ocean trying to draw breath----perhaps not so noticeably out in mid-ocean, but where it meets land, its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach. It imitates nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature. It is filled with co-living existences, too: unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony, giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat, a kind of sub-ocean vitality. And it has a psychology. It has personalities: sometimes peaceful and pleasant, on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.

1.Unlike real inland seas, the Atlantic Ocean is __________.

A. always energetic

B. lacking in liveliness

C. shaped like a square

D. favored by ancient poets.

2.The writer uses the poem “Storm at Sea” for the purpose of ___________.

A. describing the movement of the waves

B. showing the strength of the storm

C. presenting the power of the ocean

D. proving the vastness of the sea

3.In the last paragraph, the Atlantic Ocean is compared to ___________.

A. a beautiful and poetic place

B. a person of blood and flesh

C. a world of interest and wonder

D. a lovely animal

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean, an S-shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles. The Atlantic has, in a sense, replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization. Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic is rich in oceanic liveliness. It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.

“Storm at Sea”, a short poem written around 700, is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic.

When the wind is from the west

All the waves that cannot rest

To the east must thunder on

Where the bright tree of the sun

Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.

As the poem suggests, the Atlantic is never dead and dull. It is an ocean that moves, impressively and endlessly. It makes all kinds of noise—it is forever thundering, boiling, crashing, and whistling.

It is easy to imagine the Atlantic trying to draw breath—perhaps not so noticeably out in mid-ocean, but where it meets land, its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach. It mimics(模仿) nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature. It is filled with symbiotic (共生的) existences, too: unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony, giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat, a kind of sub-ocean vitality. And it has a psychology. It has personalities: sometimes peaceful and pleasant, on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.

1.Unlike real inland seas, the Atlantic Ocean is______.

A. always energetic                                        B. lacking in liveliness

C. shaped like a square                                  D. favored by ancient poets

2. What is the purpose of using the poem “Storm at Sea” in the passage?

A. To describe the movement of the waves.

B. To show the strength of the storm.

C. To represent the vitality of the ocean.

D. To prove the vastness of the sea.

3.In the last paragraph, the Atlantic is compared to______.

A. a beautiful and poetic place               B. a flesh and blood person

C. a wonderful world                      D. a lovely animal

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean, an S-shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles. The Atlantic has, in a sense, replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization. Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic is rich in oceanic liveliness. It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.

“Storm at Sea”, a short poem written around 700, is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic.

When the wind is from the west

All the waves that cannot rest

To the east must thunder on

Where the bright tree of the sun

Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.

As the poem suggests, the Atlantic is never dead and dull. It is an ocean that moves, impressively and endlessly. It makes all kinds of noise—it is forever thundering, boiling, crashing, and whistling.

It is easy to imagine the Atlantic trying to draw breath—perhaps not so noticeably out in mid–ocean, but where it meets land, its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach. It mimics(模仿) nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature. It is filled with symbiotic existences, too; unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony, giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat, a kind of sub-ocean vitality. And it has a psychology. It has personalities: sometimes peaceful and pleasant, on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.

1.Unlike real inland seas, the Atlantic Ocean is ________.

A. always energetic

B. lacking in liveliness

C. shaped like a square

D. favored by ancient poets

2.What is the purpose of using the poem “Storm at Sea” in the passage?

A. To describe the movement of the waves.

B. To show the strength of the storm.

C. To represent the power of the ocean.

D. To prove the vastness of the sea.

3.What does the underlined word “symbiotic” mean?

A. Living together.                    B. Growing fast.

C. Moving harmoniously.                D. Breathing peacefully.

4.In the last paragraph, the Atlantic is compared to ________.

A. a beautiful and poetic place

B. a flesh and blood person

C. a wonderful world

D. a lovely animal

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean, an S-shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles. The Atlantic has, in a sense, replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization. Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic is rich in oceanic liveliness. It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.

“Storm at Sea”, a short poem written around 700, is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic.

When the wind is from the west

All the waves that cannot rest

To the east must thunder on

Where the bright tree of the sun

Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.

As the poem suggests, the Atlantic is never dead and dull. It is an ocean that moves, impressively and endlessly. It makes all kinds of noise—it is forever thundering, boiling, crashing, and whistling.

It is easy to imagine the Atlantic trying to draw breath—perhaps not so noticeably out in mid-ocean, but where it meets land, its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach. It mimics(模仿) nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature. It is filled with symbiotic existences, too; unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony, giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat, a kind of sub-ocean vitality. And it has a psychology. It has personalities: sometimes peaceful and pleasant, on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.

1.Unlike real inland seas, the Atlantic Ocean is______.

A．always energetic 　　　　 B．lacking in liveliness

C．shaped like a square　　　 D．favored by ancient poets

2.What is the purpose of using the poem “Storm at Sea” in the passage?

A．To describe the movement of the waves.

B．To show the strength of the storm.

C．To represent the power of the ocean.

D．To prove the vastness of the sea.

3.What does the underlined word “symbiotic” mean?

A．Living together.　　　　 B．Growing fast.

C．Moving harmoniously. 　 D．Breathing peacefully.

4.In the last paragraph, the Atlantic is compared to______.

A．a beautiful and poetic place B．a flesh and blood person

C．a wonderful world 　　　　　　　 D．a lovely animal

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean, an S-shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles. The Atlantic Ocean, in a sense, replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization. Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic Ocean is rich in oceanic liveliness all the time. It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.

“Storm at Sea”, a short poem written around 700, is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic Ocean.

When the wind is from the west

All the waves that cannot rest

To the east must thunder on

Where the bright tree of the sun

Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.

As the poem suggests, the Atlantic Ocean is never dead and dull. It is an ocean that moves, impressively and endlessly. It makes all kinds of noise---it is forever thundering, boiling, crashing and whistling.

It is easy to imagine the Atlantic Ocean trying to draw breath----perhaps not so noticeably out in mid-ocean, but where it meets land, its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach. It imitates nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature. It is filled with co-living existences, too: unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony, giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat, a kind of sub-ocean vitality. And it has a psychology. It has personalities: sometimes peaceful and pleasant, on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.

1.Unlike real inland seas, the Atlantic Ocean is __________.

A. always energetic　　　　　　　　　 B. lacking in liveliness

C. shaped like a square　　　　　　　 D. favored by ancient poets.

2.The writer uses the poem “Storm at Sea” for the purpose of ___________.

A. describing the movement of the waves

B. showing the strength of the storm

C. presenting the power of the ocean

D. proving the vastness of the sea

3.In the last paragraph, the Atlantic Ocean is compared to ___________.

A. a beautiful and poetic place　　　　　　　　 B. a person of blood and flesh

C. a world of interest and wonder　　　　　　 D. a lovely animal

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean, an S-shaped body of water covering

33 million square miles. The Atlantic has, in a sense, replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization. Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic is rich in oceanic liveliness. It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.

“Storm at Sea”, a short poem written around 700, is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic.

When the wind is from the west

All the waves that cannot rest

To the east must thunder on

Where the bright tree of the sun

Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.

As the poem suggests, the Atlantic is never dead and dull. It is an ocean that moves, impressively and endlessly. It makes all kinds of noise-it is forever thundering, boiling, crashing, and whistling.

It is easy to imagine the Atlantic trying to draw breath-perhaps not so noticeably out in mid-ocean, but where it meets land, its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach. It mimics(模仿)nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature. It is filled with symbiotic existences, too: unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony, giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat, a kind of sub-ocean vitality. And it has a psychology. It has personalities: sometimes peaceful and pleasant, on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.

1. Unlike real inland seas, the Atlantic Ocean is __________.

A. always energetic　　　　　 B. lacking in liveliness

C. shaped like a square　　 D. favored by ancient poets

2. What is the purpose of using the poem “Storm at Sea” in the passage?

A. To describe the movement of the waves.　

B. To show the strength of the storm.

C. To represent the power of the ocean.　

D. To prove the vastness of the sea.

3.What does the underlined word “symbiotic” mean?

A. Living together.　　　　　　　　　 B. Growing fast.

C. Moving harmoniously.　　　　 　　 D. Breathing peacefully.

4.In the last paragraph, the Atlantic is compared to __________.

A. a beautiful and poetic place　

B. a flesh and blood person

C. a wonderful world　

D. a lovely animal

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean, an S-shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles. The Atlantic has, in a sense, replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization. Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic is rich in oceanic liveliness. It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.

“Storm at Sea”, a short poem written around 700, is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic.

When the wind is from the west

All the waves that cannot rest

To the east must thunder on

Where the bright tree of the sun

Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.

As the poem suggests, the Atlantic is never dead and dull. It is an ocean that moves, impressively and endlessly. It makes all kinds of noise—it is forever thundering, boiling, crashing, and whistling.

It is easy to imagine the Atlantic trying to draw breath—perhaps not so noticeably out in mid-ocean, but where it meets land, its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach. It mimics(模仿) nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature. It is filled with symbiotic existences, too: unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony, giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat, a kind of sub-ocean vitality. And it has a psychology. It has personalities: sometimes peaceful and pleasant, on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.

1.Unlike real inland seas, the Atlantic Ocean is______.

A．always energetic

B．lacking in liveliness

C．shaped like a square

D．favored by ancient poets

2.What is the purpose of using the poem “Storm at Sea” in the passage?

A．To describe the movement of the waves.

B．To show the strength of the storm.

C．To represent the power of the ocean.

D．To prove the vastness of the sea.

3.What does the underlined word “symbiotic” mean?

A．Living together.

B．Growing fast.

C．Moving harmoniously.

D．Breathing peacefully.

4.In the last paragraph, the Atlantic is compared to______.

A．a beautiful and poetic place

B．a flesh and blood person

C．a wonderful world

D．a lovely animal

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

(2013·高考重庆卷，D)Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean，an S­shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles.The Atlantic has，in a sense，replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization.Unlike real inland seas，which seem strangely still，the Atlantic is rich in oceanic liveliness.It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.

“Storm at Sea”，a short poem written around 700，is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic.

When the wind is from the west

All the waves that cannot rest

To the east must thunder on

Where the bright tree of the sun

Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.

As the poem suggests，the Atlantic is never dead and dull.It is an ocean that moves，impressively and endlessly.It makes all kinds of noise—it is forever thundering，boiling，crashing，and whistling.

It is easy to imagine the Atlantic trying to draw breath－perhaps not so noticeably out in mid­ocean，but where it meets land，its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach.It mimics(模仿)nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature.It is filled with symbiotic existences，too：unimaginable quantities of creatures，little and large alike，mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony，giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat，a kind of sub­ocean vitality.And it has a psychology.It has personalities：sometimes peaceful and pleasant，on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.

1.Unlike real inland seas，the Atlantic Ocean is________.

A.always energetic

B.lacking in liveliness

C.shaped like a square

D.favored by ancient poets

2.What is the purpose of using the poem “Storm at Sea” in the passage?

A.To describe the movement of the waves.

B.To show the strength of the storm.

C.To represent the power of the ocean.

D.To prove the vastness of the sea.

3.What does the underlined word “symbiotic” mean?

A.Living together.

B.Growing fast.

C.Moving harmoniously.

D.Breathing peacefully.

4.In the last paragraph，the Atlantic is compared to________.

A.a beautiful and poetic place

B.a flesh and blood person

C.a wonderful world

D.a lovely animal

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析