26、

Everyone heard of the San Andreas fault（断层），which constantly threatens California and the West Coast with earthquakes．But how many people know about the equally serious New Madrid fault in Missouri?

Between December of 1811 and February of 1812，three major earthquakes occurred，and all centered around the town of New Madrid， Missouri， on the Mississippi River．Property damage was severe．Buildings in the area were almost destroyed．Whole forests fell at once，and huge cracks opened in the ground，releasing some strong smell of chemicals．

The Mississippi River itself completely changed character，developing sudden rapids and whirlpools（急流和旋涡）．Several times it changed its course，once according some observers， it actually appeared to run backwards．Few people were killed in the New Madrid earthquakes， probably simply because few people lived in the area in 1811:but the severity of the earthquakes were shown by the fact the shock waves rang bells in church towers in Charleston，South Carolina，on the coast．Buildings shook in New York City，and clocks were stopped in Washington D．C．

Scientists now know that America’s two major faults are essentially different．The San Andreas is a horizontal（水平的） boundary between two major land masses that are slowly moving in opposite directions．California earthquakes result when the two masses make a sudden move．

The New Madrid fault，on the other hand，is a vertical（垂直的）fault; at some point， possibly hundreds of millions of years ago，rock was pushed up toward the surface．Suddenly，the volcanoes cooled and the rock collapsed，leaving huge cracks．Even now， the rock continues to settle downwards，and sudden sinking motion causes earthquakes in the region．The fault itself， a large crack in this layer of rock， with dozens of other cracks that split off from it， extends from northeast Arkansas through Missouri and into southern Illinois．

Scientists who have studied the New Madrid fault say there have been numerous smaller quakes in the area since 1811;these smaller quakes indicate that larger ones are probably coming， but the scientists say they have no method of predicting when a large earthquake will occur．

1．This passage is mainly about_____．

A．the New Madrid fault                      B．the San Andreas

C．the causes of fault                        D．current scientific knowledge about faults

2．Which of the following pictures best describes the type of the New Madrid fault?

A．                          B．                       C．                  D．

3．This passage implies that _____．

       A．horizontal faults are more dangerous than vertical faults

       B．vertical faults are more dangerous than horizontal faults

       C．a lot of people would die if the 1811 New Madrid earthquakes happened today

       D．the volcanoes that caused the New Madrid fault are still alive．

23、Dear College Dean

It is my understanding that this college has received a large donation to be used to improve the quality of life for students: expand the bookstore or add computers to the computer lad. It is the tradition of his school to promote education and to be the pioneer of new technology. That is why I strongly argue in favor of the addition of more computers to the computer lab.

Although expanding the campus bookstore to include CDs, gifts, and a snack bar will give a nicer look to the college, we have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for students. What do we want for our students and our college? Do we want our college to be known as a place with a great bookstore where you can find CDs and gifts, or as a place where the students can explore and research in their field using the best tools provided by technology? In addition, there are already several snack bars on campus, and there are music stores nearby, so students do not depend on the college bookstore for these things.

We live in a highly technological world and computers play an increasingly important role in how we live. As a learning institution, this college has the responsibility to offer its students the best technology to help them prepare for their future. Many students will be expected to be familiar with the latest software and other tools when they go on to work or to graduate school.

While they are in college, students find they are expected to use computers. Many professors expect students to use computers to do homework or to complete projects. Students are asked to create PowerPoint presentations and use spreadsheets and database programs, as well as to research many topics on the Internet. Since students are competing for good grades, those who have limited access to computers are at a great disadvantage. Furthermore, being able to do projects using the computer enhances the process of learning, giving students the opportunity to find information that without a computer would be much more difficult to find.

If there are more computers, students will also be able to complete their work more efficiently. No more will they have to wait in line, paper and disk in hand, while scanning the room for an empty chair and computer. No longer will they have to sit and wait while an outdated computer struggles to follow their commands. Having more new and faster computers available will enable students to finish their work more quickly.

The more computers are used in society the more colleges will depend on them as a tool of teaching and learning. Making computers more available to students facilitates their learning process by making the process easier, more interesting, more engaging, and in the process enhancing their quality of life

1．The purpose of the author in writing the passage is         .

A．to describe the problems caused by lack of computers

B．to explain why students are in great need of computers

C．to tell us what benefits students can gain from computers

D．to persuade the Dean to purchase more advanced computers

2．From the passage we can infer that          .

A．present computers in the college cannot meet the demands of the students

B．computers in the college will be updated to meet the student's demands soon

C．the college has the responsibility to help the students to prepare for their future

D．it is also necessary to expand the college bookstore by using part of the donation

3．In paragraph 4, the author mainly wants to tell us that         .

A．computers are beneficial to students' academic success

B．computers are helpful to student's competition for success

C．students find it convenient to do assignments by using computers

D．students wish to use the money to buy more advanced computers

4．Which of the following shows the organization of the passage?

A．            B．

C．           D．

CP: Central Point   P: Point      SP: Sub-point（次要点）        C: Conclusion