地理类(1)MoveEarth—it’snosciencefictionLONDON-Scientistshavefoundanunusualwaytopreventourplanetfromoverheating:moveittoacoolerspot.Allyouhavetodoissendafewcomets(彗星)inthedirectionofEarth,anditsorbitwillbechanged.Ourworldwillthenbesentspinningintoasafer,colderpartofthesolarsystem.ThisideaforimprovingourclimatecomesfromagroupofUSNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration(NASA)engineersandAmericanastronomers.Theysaytheirplancouldaddanothersixbillionyearstotheusefullifetimeofourplanet—effectivelydoublingitsworkinglife.TheplanputforwardbyDrLaughlin,andhiscolleaguesDonKorycanskyandFredAdams,needscarefullydirectingacometorasteroidsothatitpassesclosebyourplanetandsendssomeofitsgravitationalenergytoEarth.“Earth’sorbitalspeedwouldincreaseasaresultandwewouldmovetoahigherorbitawayfromtheSun,”Laughlinsaid.EngineerswouldthendirecttheircometsothatitpassedclosetoJupiterorSaturn.Thecometwouldpickupenergyfromoneofthesegiantplanets.LateritsorbitwouldbringitbacktoEarth,andtheprocesswouldberepeated.Intheshortterm,theplanprovidesanidealwaytoglobalwarming,althoughtheteamwasactuallyconcernedwithamuchgreaterdanger.Thesuniscertaintoheatupinaboutabillionyearsandso“seriouslycompromise”ourbiosphere(生物圈)—bycookingus.That’swhythegroupdecidedtotrytosaveEarth.Theplanhasoneortwoworryingaspects,however.Forastart,spaceengineerswouldhavetobeverycarefulabouthowtheydirectedtheirasteroidorcomettowardsEarth.Thesmallestmiscalculation(误算)inorbitcouldfireitstraightatEarth—withdeadlyconsequences.ThereisalsothequestionoftheMoon.AsthecurrentissueofScientificAmericanmagazinepointsout,ifEarthwaspushedoutofitscurrentpositionitis“mostlikelytheMoonwouldbestrippedawayfromEarth,”itstates.Thiswouldgreatlychangeourplanet’sclimate.1.WhatmakesthescientistsplantomoveEarth?A.AfewcometsaremovingtothedirectionofEarth.B.Earth’sworkinglifeiscomingtoanendsoon.C.Earthwillbecometoohotformankindtokeepalive.D.ThemoonismovingfartherandfartherawayfromEarth.2.Iftheplanissuccessful,Earthwillhaveaworkinglifeof______years.A.12billionB.6billionC.18billionD.24billion3.Whatseriousproblemsmighttheplancauseaccordingtothepassage?A.ThecometmighthitEarthandmanmightlosethemoon.B.Earthmightbemovedtoofarawayandmanmightbefrozentodeath.C.ThecometmighthitJupiterorSaturnandneverreturntoEarth.D.Earth’sworkinglifemightbegreatlyshortened.4.Whatdoestheunderlinedword“compromise”mean?A.provideB.benefitC.shareD.endanger5.Whichofthefollowingbestshowshowtheplanwouldwork?【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:topreventourplanetfromover-heating.2.A细节题:由第二自然段第二句来定:couldaddanother6billionyearstouse3.A细节题:由倒数第二段定.4.D.推理题:bycookingus来推断.5.A.细节题:第五自然段中的close来定.(2)DeathValleyisoneofthemostfamousdesertsintheUnitedStates,coveringawideareawithitsalkalisand.Almost20percentofthisareaiswellbelowsealevel,andBadwater,asaltwaterpool,isabout280feetbelowsealevelandthelowestpointintheUnitedStates.LongagothePanamintIndianscalledthisplace“Tomesha”—thelandoffire.DeathValley’spresentnamedatesbackto1849,whenagroupofminerscomingacrossfromNevadabecamelostinitsunpleasantnessandhugenessandtheiradventureturnedouttobeasadstory.TodayDeathValleyhasbeendeclaredaNationalMonument(纪念碑)andiscrossedbyseveralwell-markedroadswheregoodservicescanbefoundeasily.Luckilythechangecreatedbyhumansettlementhashardlyruinedthespecialbeautyofthisplace.Herenaturecreatedalotofsurprising,almostlikethesightsonthemoon,ever-changingasthefrequentwindmovesthesandabout,showingthemostunusualcolors.OneofthemostastonishingandvariablepartsofDeathValleyistheDevil’sGolfCourse,whereitseemshardforonetotellrealityfromterribledreams.Sandsculptures(沙雕)standonafrighteningground,aseveningshadowsmoveandlengthen.1._______isthelowestplaceinthedesert.A.TomeshaB.DeathValleyC.NevadaD.Badwater2.Thenameofthevalleycomesfrom_______.A.anIndiannameB.thedeathoftheminersC.thelocalpeopleD.aNationalMovement3.Fromthepassagewecanlearnthat_______.A.noonehadeverknownthedesertbeforetheminersB.it’sstillnoteasytotravelacrossthedesertC.peoplecanfindgas-stations,cafesandhotelsinthedesertD.peoplehavechangedthenaturalsightofthedesert4.DevilGolfCourseisfamousfor_______.A.thefrequentwindB.thecolorsofthesandC.dream-likesightsD.thesandsculptures5.Fromthepassagewecanseethatthewriter_______theDeathValley.A.appreciatesB.isfearfulofC.dislikesD.istiredof【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.D。细节题。根据…andBadwater,asaltwaterpool,isabout280feetbelowsealevelandthelowestpointintheUnitedStates可推知此题答案为D。2.B。推断题。根据…whenagroupofminerscomingacrossfromNevadabecamelostinitsunpleasantnessandhugenessandtheiradventureturnedouttobeasadstory…可知“死亡谷”的名称来源于这些迷路矿工的死亡。3.C。推断题。根据…well-markedroadswheregoodservicescanbefoundeasily…可以判断C为最佳答案。4.C。细节题。根据…whereitseemshardforonetotellrealityfromterribledreams可推知答案为C。5.A。推断题。根据thespecialbeautyofthisplace…likethesightsonthemoon…ever-changing…showingthemostunusualcolors等关键词语可以知道作者是带着赞赏的语气来描述“死亡谷”的。(3)TheErieCanalwasthefirstimportantnationalwaterwaybuiltintheUS.ItcrossedNewYorkfromBuffaloonLakeErieTroytoAlbanyontheHudsonRiver.ItjoinedtheGreatLakeswiththeAtlanticOcean.