It was June 8, 1816 and it was early summer in Vermont, US. Yet, a wild winter snow-storm was going on. Nearly a foot of snow covered the fields which had been planted crops only weeks before. This storm would kill all of the crops. At the time, people struggled to understand what had caused the weather to change so wildly. It is only now, more than 200 years later, that scientists have finally solved the mystery. The cause of the extreme weather was an event that took place a year earlier and 10, 000 miles away. It all started with a volcano called Mount Tambora.
Mount Tambora sits on the island of Sumbawa, a beautiful land with rushing streams, gentle hills, and thick jungles, in Indonesia. Nobody had any reason to think the peaceful mountain was in fact a volcano. It had been asleep for centuries, but on April 5, 1815, Tambora woke up.
The first eruption shook the island and sent up streams of fire and ash. But that was nothing compared with what would come five days later, on April 10. The volcano exploded with a huge cloud of gas, fire and ash shot high into the sky. The day turned midnight black, but the mountain turned red as rivers of lava（岩浆）flowed down the mountain.
The eruption went on for more than three days, which instantly killed at least 12, 000 people living on and around Mount Tambora. Ash and lava ruined the island’s soil and poisoned its rivers and streams. Rice fields were destroyed. No fruits or vegetables would grow.
There were no fish to catch; almost every animal had been killed. The eruption of Tambora in 1815 was the deadliest and most powerful volcanic eruption in human history.
1. Why did it snow heavily in Vermont in the summer of 1816?| A．Vermont was located in the southern part of the earth. |
| B．Vermont had serious environmental pollution. |
| C．A faraway volcano erupted a year earlier. |
| D．A huge earthquake hit Vermont. |
| A．To lead in the topic. | B．To present an argument. |
| C．To introduce Vermont. | D．To explain the cause of a volcano. |
| A．On June 8, 1816. | B．On April 13, 1816. |
| C．On April 5, 1815. | D．On April 10, 1815. |
| A．The process of the eruption was made up of three stages. |
| B．Tambora asleep for centuries woke up in the end. |
| C．The eruption of Tambora broke a historic record. |
| D．The eruption of Tambora led to a terrible disaster. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A volcanic eruption in Iceland has sent ash across northern Europe. Airlines have stopped or changed the flights across the Atlantic Ocean, leaving hundreds of passengers stuck in airports.
Grimsvom is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Europe. What makes Grimsvom different is that it lies under a huge glacier (冰川) of ice up to 12 maters thick. The hot volcano heats up the ice above it, which then forms a layer (层) of water between the glacier and the volcano. This layer of water puts pressure on the volcano, keeping it stable. As the water flows out from under the glacier, the pressure lifts. The lava (岩浆) from the volcano then comes up to the surface. This is exactly what happened today.
Now, airlines have to make changes to their flights so as not to fly through the clouds of volcanic ash. According to KLM, one of Europe’s biggest airlines, airplanes cannot go under the cloud or over it. Going through the cloud can result in ash getting stuck in the airplane’s engines, causing damage to the plane.
The eruption has also caused problems for animals in Iceland. The volcano left ash and sharp. Glass-like rocks all over the countryside. Farmers are keeping their animals inside to stop them from eating ash-covered grass to the sharp object.
1. What makes Grimsvom different from other volcanoes?| A．It is below ice. | B．It lies under the sea. |
| C．It is the largest volcano. | D．It is lava affects the airlines. |
| A．The slow flow of water. | B．The low water temperature. |
| C．The thick glacier. | D．The water pressure. |
| A．People stop traveling in Europe. |
| B．Airlines suffer from the loss of planes. |
| C．It becomes dangerous for animals to eat outside. |
| D．Farmers have lost many of their animals. |
| A．a research paper. | B．a newspaper report. |
| C．a class presentation. | D．a geography textbook. |
【推荐2】Chongqing, a city of more than 32 million people, faced an unheard-of test this summer with a heat wave and drought causing a series of large wildfires since Aug 17.
Local residents have safeguarded their hometown in every way possible, with thousands of volunteers from all walks of life fighting the fires with professionals.
Under a very hot sun, some residents used chain saws(锯) to fell trees to make fire barriers. Others rode motorcycles on newly formed paths to take firefighters and supplies up a mountain, while some volunteers carried food and drinks on their backs by foot. Women and children helped organize supplies and clear the ground, and performed other essential tasks.
On Thursday night, as wildfires approached a man-made barrier on Jinyun Mountain in Beibei district, a total of more than 1000 firefighters and volunteers stood alongside the barrier with fire extinguishers. Seen from overhead, their lights formed a silver wall against the raging fire.
The residents’ stories have touched many people.
“Chongqing people are really amazing.“ said Du Hailang, head of the Beijing Emergency Rescue Association, an NGO founded in 2007 that has taken part in many overseas rescue operations. Du and 10 other members of the association joined the fire rescue team in Chongqing last week.
“The man-made wall was unbelievable, but shocking. It really showed Chinese people’s determination to defend their homeland.” Du said.
The outstanding work of the volunteers and the hospitality of local residents impressed the firefighters, too···
Bai Xueguang, from Gansu Forest Fire Brigade, said, “I never imagined that I would have ice cream and cold drinks at a fire rescue site.”
Zhou Hongyu, from Yunnan Forest Fire Brigade, said every volunteer he met at the scene asked him if he needed anything “It was the first time I had taken a motorcycle to reach a fire scene. We really appreciate the locals’ hospitality. Their support has been wonderful.” Zhou said.
1. What test that never had happened before did Chongqing face this summer?| A．A heat wave. | B．Drought. | C．Wildfires | D．Flood. |
| A．To show their enthusiasm. | B．To impress professional firefighters. |
| C．To get paid from it. | D．To protect their homeland. |
| A．Responsible and helpful | B．Enthusiastic and faithful |
| C．Reliable and honest | D．Ambitious and determined |
| A．No pains, no gains. | B．Hard work pays off. |
| C．Love breaks down barriers. | D．Many hands make light work. |
【推荐3】Super Typhoon Mangkhut to Hit Philippines, Southeast Asia
As the United States prepares for Hurricane Florence, an even bigger ocean storm, Super Typhoon Mangkhut, is set to hit Southeast Asia. The storm also threatens the Philippines and Hong Kong.The super typhoon, known as Ompong in the Philippines, has winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour. That is considered a category 5 hurricane in North America, the most severe level.
More than 4 million Filipinos live in areas the storm could affect. Emergency officials say nearly 48,000 houses in high-risk areas are made of light materials and could be damaged by the powerful winds.
Experts say Super Typhoon Mangkhut could cause landslides and flooding across the northern Philippine island of Luzon.
The super typhoon is expected to reach the Philippines Saturday at the start of the harvest season in Luzon. The island is a major agricultural producer and farmers are trying to save their crops.
Forecaster Meno Mendoza shows the path of Super Typhoon Mangkhut, locally named “Typhoon Ompong,” as it approaches the Philippines at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in Manila, Sept, 12, 2018.
Mangkhut already has hit the U.S. — island territory of Guam. The Pacific Daily News reported the storm flooded streets, brought down trees and cut electrical service. About 80 percent of the island was without power but service restarted by Thursday morning.Mangkhut is the 15th storm to hit the Philippines and the most powerful to hit Asia this year. Last week, Typhoon Jebi (飞燕) struck Japan killing more than 10 people.
This is adapted for Learning English based on AP and other reports. Mario Ritter was the editor.Write to us in the Comments Section.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word Mangkhut in Chinese?| A．芒果 | B．飞燕 | C．山竹 | D．曼谷 |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．In an English learning magazine. | B．In a newspaper. |
| C．On the Internet. | D．In a TV Program. |
| A．Mangkhut has already hit the Philippines and Hong Kong. |
| B．Mangkhut has hit Japan last week. |
| C．Among the hurricanes mentioned in the passage, Mangkhut is the most powerful. |
| D．The houses in high-risk areas are very strong. |
【推荐1】Although I love watching Olympic diving, I’ve never understood why athletes hurry off to the showers and then proceed to relax in a hot tub (热水浴池) after each dive. They’re already wet. They’re only in the pool for a handful of seconds, so it’s not like they need to get cleaned up. And doesn’t taking a shower serve the same purpose as sitting in a hot tub?
Actually, that’s what Olympic divers usually do between dives as they know very well about the importance of warm-ups and cool-downs. So, what’s the actual reason?
As it turns out, showers and hot tubs are used pretty interchangeably by the swimming pool. However, there is a need for both. First, let’s start with why divers need to take a shower between dives. It has to do with body temperature and keeping their muscles relaxed. As you can imagine, practicing dives in the pool, then having to keep your body warm in a shower, and then jumping off a 10-meter platform and into cold water couldn’t be comfortable for anyone. Going back and forth between these warm and cool temperatures can cause a diver’s muscles to tense or cramp up (痉挛), which can lead to injuries to the muscles. Showers allow an Olympic diver to recover and prevent that.
In that way, showers and hot tubs serve the same purpose. A hot tub is generally used if you have a bit more time between dives and have already stretched. The shower walls on the pool deck can typically provide enough space for more divers at the same time, and they’re especially helpful for athletes who need to stretch or who only have a few minutes between dives. Just like Olympic swimmers depend on thick clothes to keep their muscles warm, Olympic divers rely on these methods to stay loose. If you ask me, it’s not a bad way to pass the time!
1. What does the underlined word “proceed” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Prefer. | B．Continue. | C．Tend. | D．Stop. |
| A．To fully clean their body. | B．To rest and wait for the results. |
| C．To avoid possible muscle injuries. | D．To stop themselves from catching a cold. |
| A．Hot tubs are as important as showers for divers. |
| B．Olympic swimmers need to stay warm using hot tubs. |
| C．Hot tubs are often used by divers having little time between divers. |
| D．The shower walls are designed for divers who have already stretched. |
| A．To provide some diving advice for us. |
| B．To compare cold showers with the hot bath. |
| C．To explain the difference between warm-ups and cool-downs. |
| D．To tell us why divers take a shower and sit in a hot tub after diving. |
【推荐2】Japan is known to have higher than average rates of stomach cancer. Recently, the town of Kaneyama in Yamagata Prefecture decided to get its 6, 000 residents (居民) tested.
However, the frozen urine samples (尿样) are not tested in conventional ways. Instead, Professor Masao Miyashita and his team are using them in a trial to determine if specially trained cancer-sniffing dogs can accurately detect the disease. Though the study is still in its early stages, Miyashita is thrilled with the results. He said, “In our research so far, cancer detection dogs have been able to find signs of cancer with an accuracy of nearly 100 percent.”
Researchers have known about the animals’ superior sensory skills for decades. However, their ability to detect cancer in humans came to light in 1989, after a dog sniffed out early-stage malignant melanoma (恶性黑色素瘤) on a patient’s leg in London. Since then, scientists from many countries have conducted studies to test dogs’ great skill at identifying cancer chemicals.
While most dogs can be trained for the task, researchers say the best candidates are dogs that are precise, quiet, and perhaps even a little shy. The training process is similar to how dogs are taught to learn any trick — by rewarding them with treats! However, it takes much longer because the dogs have to learn to separate the “cancer scent (气味)” from the thousands of organic compounds (有机化合物) in the human body. Researchers begin by exposing the dogs to urine samples from people with cancer, people with other diseases, and patients with no health issues, Once the dogs are able to accurately identify cancer, they are further trained to detect particular kinds of cancer.
Successful as they may be, experts think dogs are unlikely to replace conventional tests. For one, it takes about seven years and costs as much as $45,000 to train a single dog. Klaus Hackner, a researcher and physician who studies dogs detecting cancer in breath samples at Krems University Hospital in Austria, is also not convinced dogs can be relied upon alone. Patients, therefore, have to receive further tests to confirm if they have the disease.
1. What do we know about the cancer-sniffing dogs mentioned in Paragraph 2?| A．They have done a great job. |
| B．They are trained in a special way. |
| C．They can easily learn to distinguish cancer. |
| D．They can be seen in many Japanese hospitals. |
| A．Offer readers some advice. |
| B．Add some background information. |
| C．Summarize the previous paragraphs. |
| D．Introduce a new topic for discussion. |
| A．Smart and brave. | B．Active and faithful. |
| C．Strong and patient. | D．Careful and peaceful. |
| A．They should work as a team. |
| B．They need to receive more training. |
| C．They can replace doctors in detecting cancer. |
| D．They should be used together with traditional tests. |
【推荐3】For those who always want to try out new things and to experience exciting flavors that come directly from Mother Earth, foraging subscription boxes (觅食订阅箱) can provide wild ingredients (材料) that no traditional supermarket has on its shelves.
Oak leaf tea, acom coffee, and pine pollen syrup are just a few of the seasonal ingredients people can now get thanks to projects such as the Forage Box. This delivery service collects wild food very few people know about, and sends it to the subscribers monthly. In this way, everyone can surprise their loved ones with delicious meals.
“The flavors are big and bold that’s the point. The idea is to show there’s a lot more going on when nature gets to farm it,” said Jim Parum, creator of the Forage Box. Since he started the project, he spends his days foraging for ingredients in environments such as the countryside, forests and the coast. The idea of the Forage Box is not to send out meal boxes but new ingredients, so information about cooking these wild items is also offered in the boxes. Delicious and inspiring recipes can also be found on the company’s website.
Underlying this project is the belief that nature has a lot to offer and can provide us with much tastier and healthier ingredients than those in the supermarket. The project works well as people are looking for ways to deal with the challenge of climate change while living healthier lives.
In the past, organic food was only available in specialty health food stores, but now it has a much more mainstream (主流) following worldwide. In the United States alone, it reached 50 billion dollars in value in 2019, up from 13.26 billion in 2005. This shows growth of nearly 300 percent over this period.
Miles Irving, an international wild food expert, said, “For us, foraged food is a very powerful way to reconnect people with the land, and this provides all sorts of benefits to physical, mental, emotional and community health.”
1. What can we say about the idea of the Forage Box?| A．It is simple. | B．It is creative. | C．It is crazy. | D．It is traditional. |
| A．Cooking directions. | B．Shopping guidance. |
| C．Brand advertising. | D．Packaged meals. |
| A．like to lead a green lifestyle by choosing healthy food in nature |
| B．believe it will help them develop good eating habits |
| C．expect to surprise their loved ones with tasty food |
| D．are curious to try unfamiliar food in nature |
| A．Food prices have risen sharply. | B．Food quality has improved a lot. |
| C．Organic food has gained in popularity. | D．The variety of food has changed quickly. |
