2009年高考英语阅读理解专项训练——地理类

2009年高考英语阅读理解专项训练——地理类(1)Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its alkali sand. Almost 20 percent of this area is well below sea level, and Badwater, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States.Long ago the Panamint Indians called this place “Tomesha”—the land of fire. Death Valley’s present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been declared a National Monument(纪念碑) and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has hardly ruined the special beauty of this place.Here nature created a lot of surprising, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and variable parts of Death Valley is the Devil’ s Golf Course, where it seems hard for one to tell reality from terrible dreams. Sand sculptures(沙雕) stand on a frightening ground, as evening shadows move and lengthen.1. _______ is the lowest place in the desert.A. TomeshaB. Death ValleyC. NevadaD. Badwater2. The name of the valley comes from _______.A. an Indian nameB. the death of the minersC. the local peopleD. a National Movement3. From the passage we can learn that _______.A. no one had ever known the desert before the minersB. it’s still not easy to travel across the desertC. people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desertD. people have changed the natural sight of the desert4. Devil Golf Course is famous for _______.A. the frequent windB. the colors of the sandC. dream-like sightsD. the sand sculptures5. From the passage we can see that the writer _______ the Death Valley.A. appreciatesB. is fearful ofC. dislikesD. is tired of【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…and Badwater, a salt water pool, is about 280 feet below sea level and the lowest point in the United States 可推知此题答案为D。

2. B. 推断题。

根据…when a group of miners coming across from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story… 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-marked roads where good services can be found easily… 可以判断 C 为最佳答案。

4. C. 细节题。

根据…where it seems hard for one to tell reality from terrible dreams 可推知答案为C。

5. A. 推断题。

根据the special beauty of this place…like the sights on the moon… ever-changing…showing the most unusual colors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。

(2)The Erie Canal was the first important national waterway built in the US. It crossed New York from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River. It joined the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. The canal served as a route over which industrial goods could flow into the west, and materials could pour into the east. The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nation’s largest city.The building of the canal was paid for entirely by the state of New York. It cost $ 7 143 789, but it soon gained its price many times over. Between 1825, when the canal was opened, and 1882, when toll charges(过运河费) were stopped, the state collected $121 461 891.For a hundred years before the Erie was built, people had been talking about a canal which could join the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. The man who planned the Erie Canal andcarried the plan through was De Witt Clinton. Those who were against the canal laughingly called it “Clinton’s Ditch(沟)”. Clinton talked and wrote about the canal and drew up plans for it. He and Governor Morris went to Washington in 1812 to ask for help for the canal, but they were unsuccessful.Clinton became governor of New York in 1817, and shortly afterwards, on July 4, 1817, broke ground for the canal in Rome, N.Y. The first part of the canal was completed in 1820. As the canal grew, towns along its course developed fast. The length of the canal is 363 miles.1. We can see that the Erie Canal ________.A. joined the Great Lakes togetherB. crossed New York from north to southC. played an important part in developing New York CityD. was the first waterway built in the US2. It can be inferred that ________ into the Atlantic Ocean.A. the Great Lakes flowB. the Hudson River flowsC. Lake Erie flowsD. the Erie Canal flows3. Which of the following is true according to the passage?A. The Erie Canal brought profits of over $114, 000, 000.B. It’s 363 miles from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.C. The West was more advanced than the East when the canal was built.D. Many other states helped New York built the canal.4. Which of the following is true according to the passage?A. Clinton broke ground for the canal at both ends.B. Clinton started building the canal before he became governor.C. All parts of the canal were completed at the same time.D. Construction of the canal took eight years.【答案解析】本文介绍了Erie Canal的作用及修建过程。