题目内容
The coast of the State of Maine is one of the most irregular in the world. A straight line running from the southernmost coastal city to the northernmost coastal city would measure about 225 miles. If you followed the coastline between these points, you would travel more than ten times as far. This irregularity is the result of what is called a drowned coastline. The term comes from the glacial(冰川的)activity of the Ice Age. At that time, the whole area that is now Maine was part of a mountain range that towered above the sea. As the glacier descended, however, it applied enormous force on those mountains, and they sank into the sea.
As the mountains sank, ocean water charged over the lowest parts of the remaining land. And the highest parts of the former mountain range, nearest the shore, remained as islands. Marine fossils found here are 225 feet above sea level indicating the level of the shoreline prior to the glacier.
The 2,500-mile-long rocky and jagged coastline of Maine keeps watch over nearly 2,000 islands. Many of these islands are tiny and uninhabited, but many are home to blooming communities. Mt. Desert Island is one of the largest, most beautiful of the Maine coast islands left behind by the glacier. Measuring 16 miles by 12 miles, Mt. Desert was very nearly formed as two distinct islands. It is split almost in half by Somes Sound, a very deep and very narrow stretch of water seven miles long.
For years, Mt. Desert Island, particularly its major settlement, Bar Harbor, has afforded summer homes for the wealthy. Recently, though, Bar Harbor has become a new arts community as well. But the best part of the island is the unspoiled forest land known as Acadia National Park. Since the island sits on the border between two different geographical zones, the park supports the plants and animals of both zones. It also lies in a major bird migration lane and is a resting spot for many birds.
The establishment of Acadia National park in 1916 means that this natural monument will be preserved and that it will be available to all people, not just the wealthy. Visitors to Acadia may receive nature instruction from the park naturalists as well as enjoy camping, hiking, cycling, and boating. Or they may choose to spend time at the museum learning about the Stone Age inhabitants of the island.
72.The large number of small islands along the coast of Maine is the result of __________.
A. the drowning of the Maine coastline
B. glacier’s forcing mountains into the sea
C. the irregularity of the Maine coastline
D. ocean water’s flooding the mountain range
73.From the passage, we learn that __________.
A. the coastline of Maine is ten times longer after the Ice Age
B. there are more than 2500 islands along the Maine coastline
C. Mt. Desert Island has been broken apart by a 7-mile-long water stretch
D. an arts community gave way to the summer homes on Mt. Desert Island
74.What CANNOT be inferred about the Acadia Nation Park?
A. It welcomes all the people, rich or poor.
B. It has much appeal for bird-watching lovers.
C. It offers visitors both entertainment and education.
D. It is a border between the two geographical zones.
75.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A. The past and the present of Maine B. The formation of Maine coastline
C. Efforts for preserving national parks D. Tourist attractions on Mt. Desert Island
BCDA
Given Australia’s size and the fact that early settlements were far apart, Australian society is remarkably homogeneous (同种的). Its citizens are fundamentally prosperous and the way of life in the major cities and towns is much the same however many miles divide them. It takes a sharp ear to identify regional accents. However, there is some difference in lifestyle between city dwellers and the country people. Almost 90 per cent of the population lives in the fast-paced cities along the coast and has little more than a passing familiarity with the desert. The major cities preserve pockets of colonial heritage, but the overall impression is modern, with new buildings reflecting the country’s youth. In contrast, the rural communities tend to be slow-moving and conservative. For many years, Australia was said to have “ridden on the sheep’s back”, a reference to wool being the country’s main money earner. However, the wool industry is no longer dominant. Much of Australia’s relatively sound economy is now achieved from natural coal and wheat, and by being the largest diamond producer in the world. Newer industries such as tourism and wine making are also increasingly important. Australians are generally friendly and relaxed, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. On the whole, Australia is a society without hierarchies (等级制度), an attitude generally held to stem from its prisoner beginnings.
Yet, contrary to widespread belief, very few Australians have true prisoner origins. Within only one generation of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, Australia had become a nation of immigrants. Originally coming almost entirely from the British Isles, today one in three Australians comes from elsewhere. Australia’s liberal postwar immigration policies led to an influx of survivors from war-torn Europe, most notably Greeks, Italians, Poles and Germans.
The emphasis has shifted in recent years and today the majority of new immigrants are from Southeast Asia. Today Australia is a ‘blend of nations’ and although some racism exists, it has generally been a successful experiment and the country is justifiably proud to have one of the most harmonious multicultural communities in the world.
【小题1】What does the writer mean by saying “It takes a sharp ear to identify regional accents.” in the first paragraph?
A.Australians speak Standard English with no local accents whatsoever. |
B.You have to practice a lot to learn to understand the different accents. |
C.The Australian regional accents are very difficult to understand indeed. |
D.There is not much difference between the accents in different areas of Australia. |
A.Most Australians have ancestors who were prisoners. |
B.The Australian economy is dependent on sheep exports. |
C.The majority of people living in Australia come from Europe. |
D.The pace of life is different in the city and in the country. |
A.Community | B.racism | C.blend of Nations | D.Southeast Asia |
A.there are no signs of Australia’s colonial past in its modern cities |
B.Australia’s recent immigration policy encourages immigrants from Southeast Asia |
C.immigrants from Southeast Asia have brought racial problems |
D.“riding on sheep’s back” resulted in slow development in rural communities |