2013高考英语二轮阅读理解高效训练（1）及答案（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. Tomesha B. Death Valley
C. Nevada D. Badwater
2. The name of the valley comes from _______.
A. an Indian name B. the death of the miners
C. the local people D. a National Movement
3. From the passage we can learn that _______.
A. no one had ever known the desert before the miners
B. it’s still not easy to travel across the desert
C. people can find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desert
D. people have changed the natural sight of the desert
4. Devil Golf Course is famous for _______.
A. the frequent wind B. the colors of the sand
C. dream-like sights D. the sand sculptures
5. From the passage we can see that the writer _______ the Death Valley.
A. appreciates B. is fearful of
C. dislikes D. 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。
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Peanuts to This
Proudly reading my words, I glanced around the room, only to find my classmates bearing big smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. Confused, I glanced toward my stone-faced teacher. Having no choice, I slowly raised the report I had slaved over, hoping to hide myself. “What could be causing everyone to act this way?”
Quickly, I flashed back to the day Miss Lancelot gave me the task. This was the first real talk I received in my new school. It seemed simple: go on the Internet and find information about a man named George Washington. Since my idea of history came from an ancient teacher in my home country, I had never heard of that name before. As I searched the name of this fellow, it became evident that there were two people bearing the same name who looked completely different! One invented hundreds of uses for peanuts, while the other led some sort of army across America. I stared at the screen, wondering which one my teacher meant. I called my grandfather for a golden piece of advice; flip (掷) a coin. Heads—the commander, and tails—the peanuts guy. Ah! Tails, my report would be about the great man who invented peanut butter, George Washington Carver.
Weeks later, standing before this unfriendly mass, I was totally lost. Oh well, I lowered the paper and sat down at my desk, burning to find out what I had done wrong. As a classmate began his report, it all became clear, “My report is on George Washington, the man who started the American Revolution.” The whole world became quite! How could I know that she meant that George Washington?
Obviously, my grade was awful. Heartbroken but fearless, I decided to turn this around. I talked to Miss Lancelot, but she insisted: No re-dos; no new grade. I felt that the punishment was not justified, and I believed I deserved a second chance. Consequently, I threw myself heartily into my work for the rest of the school year. Ten months later, that chance unfolded as I found myself sitting in the headmaster’s office with my grandfather, now having an entirely different conversation. I smiled and flashed back to the embarrassing moment at the beginning of the year as the headmaster informed me of my option to skip the sixth grade. Justice is sweet!
60. What did the author’s classmates think about his report?
A. Controversial. B. Ridiculous.
C. Boring. D. Puzzling.
61. Why was the author confused about the task?
A. He was unfamiliar with American history.
B. He followed the advice and flipped a coin.
C. He forgot his teacher’s instruction.
D. He was new at the school.
62. The underlined word “burning” in Para. 3 probably means _______.
A. annoyed B. ashamed
C. ready D. eager
63.In the end, the author turned things around _______.
A. by redoing his task
B. through his own efforts
C. with the help of his grandfather
D. under the guidance of his headmaster
【答案及解析】
60.B B. ridiculous 可笑的。第一段中only to find my classmates bearing big smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes.
61.A 第二段中 Since my idea of history came from an ancient teacher in my home country, I had never heard of that name before.
62.D I lowed down the paper and sat down at my desk,我不知道发生了什么，所以在我发言后，希望知道为什么大家如此反应的原因，即eager to find out what I had done wrong.
63.B 第四段中Consequently, I threw myself heartily into my work for the rest of the school year.
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(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 and carried 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 together
B. crossed New York from north to south
C. played an important part in developing New York City
D. was the first waterway built in the US
2. It can be inferred that ________ into the Atlantic Ocean.
A. the Great Lakes flow B. the Hudson River flows
C. Lake Erie flows D. the Erie Canal flows
3. 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。
1. C. 细节题。根据文章第1段最后一句The Erie Canal helped New York develop into the nation’s largest city 及全段内容，可推知此题答案为C。
2. B. 推断题。根据文章第1段第2句和第3句：运河from Buffalo on Lake Erie Troy to Albany on the Hudson River 横跨了New York 把the Great Lakes和the Atlantic Ocean联系起来了可推知此题答案为B。
3. A. 推断题。通过比较文章第2段第2句 It cost $ 7, 143, 789 和第2段最后一句中的…the state collected $121, 461, 891可推知此题答案为A。
4. D. 推断题。根据文章最后一段第1句中的…on July 4, 1817, broke ground for the canal in Rome, N.Y. 和第2段第2句中的 Between 1825, when the canal was opened… 可推知此题答案为D。
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