1、语言伴侣(88)阅读理解The Pacific island nation of Nauru used to be a beautiful place.Now it is an ecological disaster area.Naurus heartbreaking story could have one good consequence other countries might learn from its mistakes.For thousands of years,Polynesian people lived in the remote island of Nauru,far
2、from western civilization.The first European to arrive was John Feam in 1798.He was the British captain of the Hunter, a whaling ship.He called the island Pleasant Island.However, because it was very remote, Nauru had little communication with Europeans at first.The whaling ships and other traders b
3、egan to visit, bringing guns and alcohol.These elements destroyed the social balance of the twelve family groups on the island.A tenyear civil war started, which reduced the population from 1,400 to 900.Naurus real troubles began in 1899 when a British mining company discovered phosphate (磷酸盐)on the
4、 island.In fact, it found that the island of Nauru was nearly all phosphate, which was a very important fertilizer for farming.The company began mining the phosphate.A phosphate mine is not a hole in the ground; it is a strip mine.When a company stripmines, it removes the top layer of soil.Then it t
5、akes away the material it wants.Strip mining totally destroys the land.Gradually, the lovely island of Nauru started to look like the moon.In 1968, Nauru became one of the richest countries in the world.Every year the government received millions and millions of dollars for its phosphate.Unfortunate
6、ly, the leaders invested the money unwisely and lost millions of dollars.In addition, they used millions more dollars for personal expenses.Soon people realized that they had a terrible problemtheir phosphate was running out.Ninety percent of their island was destroyed and they had nothing.By 2000,
7、Nauru was financially ruined.Experts say that it would take approximately $433,600,000 and more than 20 years to repair the island.This will probably never happen.解题导语:瑙鲁曾经是一个秀丽的地方,但由于人们无节制地开采磷酸盐,它可能永久不能再恢复原来的生态了。1What might be the authors purpose in writing the text?ATo seek help for Naurus problem
8、s.BTo tell a heartbreaking story of a war.CTo show the importance of money.DTo give a warning to other countries.解析:写作意图题。依据第一段“Naurus heartbreaking story could have one good consequenceother countries might learn from its mistakes.”可知选D。答案:D2What was Nauru like before the Europeans came?APeaceful a
9、nd attractive.BModern and open.CRich and powerful.DGreedy and aggressive.解析:细节理解题。依据第一段“The Pacific island nation of Nauru used to be a beautiful place.”可知选A。答案:A3The ecological disaster in Nauru resulted from _.Asoil pollutionBphosphate overminingCfarming activityDwhale hunting解析:细节理解题。依据最终一段“their
10、 phosphate was running out.Ninety percent of their island was destroyed and they had nothing.”可知选B。答案:B4Which of the following was a cause of Naurus financial problem?AIts phosphate mining cost much money.BIt spent too much repairing the island.CIts leaders misused the money.DIt lost millions of dol
11、lars in the civil war.解析:细节理解题。依据最终一段“the leaders invested the money unwisely and lost millions of dollars.In addition, they used millions more dollars for personal expenses.”可知选C。答案:C5What can we learn about Nauru from the last paragraph?AThe leaders will take the experts words seriously.BThe ecolo
12、gical damage is difficult to repair.CThe island was abandoned by the Nauruans.DThe phosphate mines were destroyed.解析:推理推断题。依据“Experts say that it would take approximately $433,600,000 and more than 20 years to repair the island.This will probably never happen.”可知选B。答案:B短文改错假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文,请你修改你
13、同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误,每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(),并在其下面写出该加的词。删除:把多余的词用斜线()划掉。修改:在错的词下划一条横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。留意:1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词。2只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。 Mary was an university student.She didnt have much money and her parents were not rich, and she had an uncle who had been fortunatel
14、y enough to collect great wealth.He always give her valuable Christmas and birthday presents.When her uncles birthday came round, Mary wanted buy him something really special, but because she was rich, she did not know how to get him.She went into the best shop in her town and explained what her pro
15、blem was to one of helpful shop assistant.Finally she asked, “What do you have for someone who has already got everything he wants or needs.”The assistant sighed deep and answered, “Envy, only envy.”答案:Mary was university student.She didnt have much money and her parents were not rich, she had an un
16、cle who had been enough to collect great wealth.He always her valuable Christmas and birthday presents.When her uncles birthday came round, Mary wanted buy him something really special, but because was rich, she did not know to get him.She went into the best shop in her town and explained what her problem was to one of helpful shop .Finally she asked, “What do you have for someone who has already got everything he wants or needs.” The assistant sighed and answered, “Envy, only envy.”