3. Why are the Dry Valleys left bare?

A Vicious wind blasts the snow away.　　　　　　　　 B It rarely snows.

C Because of the global warming trend and fierce wind.　 D Sand dunes.

2. What would the result be if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet disappeared?

A The western part of the continent would be disappeared.

B The western part of the continent would be reduced.

C The western part of the continent would become scattered Islands.

D The western part of the continent would be reduced to a cluster of Islands.

1. What is the best title for this passage?

A Antarctica and environmental Problems.

B Antarctica: Earth’s Early-Warning station.

C Antarctica: a Unique Observation Post.

D Antarctica: a Mysterious Place.

5. We entered the war against Germany

A because Germany declared war.

B because Japan was an ally of Germany.

C after Germany had signed the Nazi-soviet Pact.

D after peaceful efforts had failed.

B. Antarctica and Environment

　　　　 Antarctica has actually become a kind of space station – a unique observation post for detecting important changes in the world’s environment. Remote from major sources of pollution and the complex geological and ecological systems that prevail elsewhere, Antarctica makes possible scientific measurements that are often sharper and easier to interpret than those made in other parts of the world.

　　　　 Growing numbers of scientists therefore see Antarctica as a distant-early-warning sensor, where potentially dangerous global trends may be spotted before they show up to the north. One promising field of investigation is glaciology. Scholars from the United States, Switzerland, and France are pursuing seven separate but related projects that reflect their concern for the health of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet – a concern they believe the world at large should share.

　　　　 The Transantarctic Mountain, some of them more than 14,000 feet high, divide the continent into two very different regions. The part of the continent to the “east” of the mountains is a high plateau covered by an ice sheet nearly two miles thick. “West” of the mountain, the half of the continent south of the Americas is also covered by an ice sheet, but there the ice rests on rock that is mostly well below sea level. If the West Antarctic Ice Sheet disappeared, the western part of the continent would be reduced to a sparse cluster of island.

　　　　 While ice and snow are obviously central to many environmental experiments, others focus on the mysterious “dry valley” of Antarctica, valleys that contain little ice or snow even in the depths of winter. Slashed through the mountains of southern Victoria Land, these valleys once held enormous glaciers that descended 9,000 feet from the polar plateau to the Ross Sea. Now the glaciers are gone, perhaps a casualty of the global warming trend during the 10,000 years since the ice age. Even the snow that falls in the dry valleys is blasted out by vicious winds that roars down from the polar plateau to the sea. Left bare are spectacular gorges, rippled fields of sand dunes, clusters of boulders sculptured into fantastic shapes by 100-mile-an-hour winds, and an aura of extraterrestrial desolation.

　　　　 Despite the unearthly aspect of the dry valleys, some scientists believe they may carry a message of hope of the verdant parts of the earth. Some scientists believe that in some cases the dry valleys may soak up pollutants faster than pollutants enter them.

4.　　　 The Neutrality Act of 1939

A permitted the selling of arms to belligerent nations.

B antagonized Japan.

C permitted the British to trade only with the Allies.

D led to Lend-Lease Act.

3.　　　 American Policy during the years 1935-1936 may be described as being

A watchful.　 B isolationist.　 C peaceful.　 D indifferent.

2. The Lend-Lease Act was designed to

A help the British.

B strengthen the national defense of the United States.

C promote the Atlantic Charter.

D avenge Pearl Harbor.

1. One item occurring before 1937 that the author does not mention in his list of actions that alienated the American public was

A the burning of the Reichstag.　 B German plans for conquest.

C Nazi barbarism.　　　　　　 D the persecution of religious groups.

4. What is the author’s attitude toward diet?

A Persuasive.　 B Critical.　 C Indifferent.　 D Adversative.

第54天

A. The Neutrality of American in the Early World War II

　　　　 The establishment of the Third Reich influenced events in American history by starting a chain of events which culminated in war between Germany and the United States. The compete destruction of democracy, the persecution of Jews, the war on religion, the cruelty and barbarism of the Nazis, and especially the plans of Germany and her allies, Italy and Japan, for world conquest caused great indignation in this country and brought on fear of another world war. While speaking out against Hitler’s atrocities, the American people generally favored isolationist policies and neutrality. The Neutrality Acts of 1935 and 1936 prohibited trade with any belligerents or loans to them. In 1937 the President was empowered to declare an arms embargo in wars between nations at his discretion.

　　　　 American opinion began to change somewhat after President Roosevelt’s “quarantine the aggressor” speech at Chicago (1937) in which he severely criticized Hitler’s policies. Germany’s seizure of Austria and the Munich Pact for the partition of Czechoslovakia (1938) also aroused the American people. The conquest of Czechoslovakia in March, 1939 was another rude awakening to the menace of the Third Reich. In August, 1939 came the shock of the Nazi-soviet Pact and in September the attack on Poland and the outbreak of European war. The United States attempted to maintain neutrality in spite of sympathy for the democracies arrayed against the Third Reich. The Neutrality Act of 1939 repealed the arms embargo and permitted “cash and carry” exports of arms to belligerent nations. A strong national defense program was begun. A draft act was passed (1940) to strengthen the military services. A Lend Act (1941) authorized the President to sell, exchange, or lend materials to any country deemed necessary by him for the defense of the United States. Help was given to Britain by exchanging certain overage destroyers for the right to establish American bases in British territory in the Western Hemisphere. In August, 1940 President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met and issued the Atlantic Charter which proclaimed the kind of a world which should be established after the war. In December, 1941, Japan launched the unprovoked attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor. Immediately thereafter, Germany declared war on the United States.

3. Which of the following ways is NOT mentioned for diet?

A Doing exercises.　 B Not eating sugar.　 C Not eating fat.　 D Taking sauna baths.