Many people assume Egypt is, and always has been, a desert. But considering that climates and landscapes can change over time and that humans have been known to change natural environments, was ancient Egypt a desert?
The simple answer is no. Not all of Egypt, ancient or modern, qualifies as a desert. Areas near the Nile River tend to be lusher (草木繁茂的), and Egyptians — in both ancient and modern times — have had a successful system of agriculture. However, the environment has changed over Egypt’s history, and the construction of the Aswan High Dam (坝) across the Nile between 1960 and 1970 changed the landscape greatly.
Some areas of Egypt that are now desert were wetter in the past. One famous example is the “Cave of Swimmers” in southwestern Egypt. Today, the area is very dry, but thousands of years ago, it was wetter, and some of the rock art found in caves in the area appears to show people swimming, according to the British Museum.
The Aswan High Dam caused some areas in southern Egypt to flood, leading to the creation of Lake Nasser. Many people had to move, and some archaeological (考古的) sites ended up underwater. The construction of the dam also ended the natural flooding of the Nile. The creation of Lake Nasser also led to more moisture (水分) in the air in some areas of southern Egypt.
One effect of the generally higher Nile River levels during the Bronze Age is that around 2500 B. C., when the pyramids at Giza were constructed, the “Khufu branch”, a vanished (消失的) branch of the Nile River, came right next to the pyramids (金字塔). This branch allowed for materials to be transported to the site by boat, aiding in pyramid construction.
The ancient Egyptians who lived by the Nile in some ways viewed themselves as living on an island in the Nile Valley, with the deserts as a sort of great sea.
1. What can we know about “Cave of Swimmers”?| A．It used to be very dry. | B．The rock art shows it used to be wet. |
| C．It’s near the British Museum. | D．It shows ancient Egyptians loved art. |
| A．It saves some Egypt archaeological sites. |
| B．It brings in too much trouble for Egyptians. |
| C．It affects Egypt both positively and negatively. |
| D．It leads to more moisture in the air in the whole Egypt. |
| A．By making Nile River water level higher. |
| B．By helping people build pyramids more easily. |
| C．By making ancient Egyptians live on an island. |
| D．By leading some branches of the Nile River disappear. |
| A．Was Ancient Egypt a Desert? | B．Do You Know Deserts in Egypt? |
| C．Was Egypt a Great Country? | D．Do You Know Ancient Egypt? |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Unique and distinct to Rwanda, milk bars make many of our communities get together. They are places to meet for breakfast or lunch. They are also places to socialize with people of different backgrounds. While it is difficult for strangers to understand these local milk bars, they reflect a little-known truth about how intrinsic cows and milk are to Rwandan culture.
Pascal Kubwimana, a taxi-moto operator who has been coming to Kuruhimbi almost every day for two years, says he is not going anywhere. “I love the milk here,” he said, washing down his bread and beans with a litre of hot milk. “It helps me feel good all day when I have it for breakfast. I even take some home in the evening. My children love it.”
With around 70% of Rwanda’s population engaged in agriculture, cows are an economic advantage as well as a symbol of wealth and social status in rural areas. In fact, cows are held in such high regard here that it’s common to include the animal into your child’s name. Many traditional Rwandan dances are also inspired by cows. In the Umushayayo, which is often characterized as a sort of Rwandan ballet, women imitate the gentle movements of cows while showing their beauty and grace. And in the Ikinyemera, Igishakamba and other dances, men and women stretch their arms upward to represent cow horns.
In Rwanda, when you want to wish someone well, you say “gira inka” (may you have a cow) or “amashyo” (have thousands of cows), and you’ll hear the response, “amashongore” (have thousands of female cows). When you want to express profound gratefulness, you say “nguhaye inka” (I give you a cow).
1. What can people do in milk bars according to paragraph 1?| A．Wear unique clothing. | B．Learn to prepare lunch. |
| C．Communicate with others. | D．Drink free specially-made milk. |
| A．He is fond of the milk bars. |
| B．He usually gets help from the barkeepers. |
| C．He often takes his children to the milk bars. |
| D．He dislikes staying too long in the milk bars. |
| A．The large population of Rwanda. | B．The traditional dances in Rwanda. |
| C．The importance of cows in Rwanda. | D．The agricultural development of Rwanda. |
| A．To wish someone well. | B．To convey deep thanks. |
| C．To congratulate someone. | D．To respond to someone’s question. |
【推荐2】The World Monuments Fund (WMF) is a group that identifies (确认) and helps to save important structures and land areas around the world. Recently, the WMF listed 93 endangered places in 47 countries. Here are a few of the places on the list.
The Rice Paddies (稻田) in the Philippines
These paddies were started in the 1600s and have been used for about 400 years. They were dug from a steep, rocky mountainside by people who lived in the area before modern machines were invented. The WMF wants to preserve the paddies because they are examples of advanced engineering and building by farmers who had the simplest tools. The paddies also show the clever ways that some people used when they were farming hundreds of years ago.
The Desert Castles of Uzbekistan
Desert castles and forts rise from the sandy plains of Uzbekistan, a nation in central Asia. Some of the mud structures are 2-600 years old. Over the years, hundreds of forts were built to help protect farmers from invaders. Now the structures are crumbling (坍塌) due to centuries of exposure to the wind.
Italy’s Ghost Town
In the 1950s, parts of the town of Craco were damaged by earthquake. Then, in 1963, a huge landslide forced 1,800 residents to leave the town for a nearby valley. It was the first time in 1,200 years that no one had lived there. The earthquakes stopped in the 1970s, but its residents never returned. The empty but beautiful town has become a favorite of Hollywood movie-makers, with whom it is becoming more and more popular.
A Market in Bahrain
This 200-year-old covered building is an important pan of life for people in Bahrain, a city in the Middle East. Several smaller markers are placed under one roof. Some of the original building still stands, though much of it has been changed. Today, some people are thinking about tearing down the old building and putting up a new shopping center in its place.
1. Rice paddies have been placed on the list by the WMF because they.| A．are the oldest paddies in the world |
| B．are the only remaining hand-dug paddies |
| C．show the achievements of fanners without using modern machines |
| D．are the original source of fanners’ simple tools |
| A．The rice paddies in the Philippines. |
| B．The desert castles of Uzbekistan. |
| C．Italy’s ghost town. |
| D．The market in Bahrain. |
| A．its ghost mystery |
| B．its unique scenery |
| C．its terrible climate |
| D．its function as a movie location |
| A．natural disasters happened frequently in Craco in the past |
| B．the residents left Craco because of the terrible earthquakes |
| C．there are 47 member countries in the WMF |
| D．the desert castles are mainly used to ensure the security of Uzbekistan now |
【推荐3】Does your local town have a nickname? If so, what does it say about the area and the people who live there?
Many cities are recognized across the world by their unofficial titles. New York is the Big Apple. London is the Big Smoke, and Los Angeles is famously called La La Land.
Now Britain's National Mapping Agency(规划局), Ordnance Survey, and the British Linguistics (语言学)Charity, the English Project, are launching an interactive project to uncover the nicknames people use for local places.
The project, which was launched last week to coincide with English Language Day, is called Location Lingo. It aims to identify the names people use every day, whether it's a term of endearment(昵称) or a hate name.
The University of Winchester's Professor Bill Lucas is a leader of the English Project.He explains that unofficial place names often show what people think about a place.“The name that people conjure up or create for a place forms an emotional connection, ”he says, “So Basingstoke becomes Amazingstoke, Swindon is known as Swindump. Padstow, hometown of chef Rick Stein, is nicknamed Padstein.”
Basingstoke is a town in central England. The local nickname, Amazingstoke, shows the love that locals seem to have for the area. Swindon, on the other hand, is sometimes called Swindump, showing that local people think it's a big dump. Stanford Le Hope in Essex is called Stanford No Hope by locals. And Padstow in Cornwall is so closely associated with the local celebrity Rick Stein that it's become known as Padstein.
Since launching the online database (数据
库) last week, the creators have already received 3,000 alternative titles for places and landmarks.
Some also say that the project could even have a practical use. Glen Hart, Ordnance Survey's head of research, says the information could be very helpful to the emergency services, for example. “By having the most complete set of nicknames, we could help the emergency services quickly locate the right place, and maybe even save lives, ”he says.
1. The Big Smoke refers to________.| A．NewYork | B．London |
| C．Paris | D．Los Angeles |
| A．On Christmas | B．On Easter |
| C．On English Language Day | D．On Thanksgiving Day |
| A．make up | B．break up |
| C．join up | D．pick up |
| A．beautiful | B．clean |
| C．dirty | D．attractive |
| A．The project is meant to save lives. |
| B．The project is well received. |
| C．The project can be of practical use. |
| D．The project is of great value. |
【推荐1】When it comes to bringing up children, everybody agrees that it is not an easy task. Every parent watches eagerly the child’s acquisition (学会) of each new skill — the first spoken words, the first independent steps, or the beginning of reading and writing. It is often tempting (吸引人的) to hurry the child beyond his natural learning speed, but this can set up dangerous feelings of failure and states of worry in the child. This might happen at any stage. A baby might be forced to learn something too early. A young child might be encouraged to learn to read before he knows the meaning of the words he reads. On the other hand, though, if a child is left alone too much, or without any learning chances, he loses his natural enthusiasm for life and his desire to find out new things for himself.
Parents vary greatly in their degree of strictness towards their children. Some may be especially strict in money matters. Others are strict with the time of coming home at night or being on time for meals. In general, the controls show the needs of the parents and values (价值观) of society as much as the children’s own happiness.
When it comes to the development of moral standards (道德标准) in the growing child, consistency (前后一致性) is very important in parental teaching. To say “No” to a thing one day and excuse it the next is no foundation for morality (道德). Also, parents should realize that “example is better than precept”. If they are not sincere and do not practice what they preach (说教), their children may grow confused and emotionally insecure when they grow old enough to think for themselves, and realize they have been to some extent cheated.
A sudden realization of a big difference between their parents’ principles and their morals can be a dangerous disappointment.
1. Eagerly watching the child’s acquisition of new skills ___________.| A．is common among parents |
| B．should be avoided |
| C．sets up dangerous states of worry in the child |
| D．will make him lose interest in learning new things |
| A．should encourage them to read before they know the meaning of the words they read |
| B．should neither push them too hard nor leave them alone too much |
| C．should not expect too much of them |
| D．should create as many learning opportunities as possible |
| A．idea | B．instruction | C．behavior | D．punishment |
| A．consistently make sure of the security of their children |
| B．realize the big difference between adults and children |
| C．say “No” to the things that have no foundation in morality |
| D．obey the rules themselves |
【推荐2】Perhaps you have heard a lot about the Internet, but what is it, do you know? The Internet is a network. It uses the telephone to join millions of computers together around the world.
Maybe that doesn’t sound very interesting. But when you’ve joined to the Internet, there are lots and lots of things you can do. You can do with all kinds of information on the World Wide Web (WWW). You can use QQ to chat with your friends, and they will make responses in a few seconds. You can send E-mails to your friends, and they can get them in a few seconds. You can also go shopping by the Internet without going out.
There are many different kinds of computers now. They all can be joined to the Internet. Most of them are small machines sitting on people’s desks at home, but there are still many others in schools, offices or large companies. These computers are owned by people and companies, but no one really owns the Internet itself.
There are lots of places for you to go into the Internet. For example, your school may have the Internet. You can use it during lessons or free time. Libraries often have computers joined to the Internet. You are welcome to use it at your spare time.
Thanks to the Internet, the world is becoming smaller and smaller. It is possible for you to work at home with a computer in front, getting and sending the information you need. It is also possible for you to discuss some projects or assign the work on the Internet instead of at a meeting. In addition, you can buy or sell whatever you want by the Internet. But do you know 98% of the information on the Internet is in English? So what will English be like tomorrow?
1. What is the passage mainly about?| A．Computers. | B．Information. |
| C．Internet. | D．E-mails. |
| A．The headmaster. | B．No one. |
| C．The manager. | D．The officer. |
| A．English is important in using the Internet. |
| B．The Internet is more and more popular. |
| C．Most of the information is in English. |
| D．Every computer must have the Internet. |
【推荐3】Garbage has been negatively connected with germs(细菌), dirt and useless junk. However, a recent art exhibition proved that “useless” things can have practical significance.
Dear Pretty Rubbish, an art event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWFN) and digital media art company Blackbow, was held in Beijing. It looked at wasteful consumption (消耗) and asked questions about the relationship between our lifestyles and our garbage.
“We hope that everyone who visited the show can think about how ‘useless things’ are produced why they are throw away, and whether ‘useless things’ are really useless, ”said Cao Yujia, the design director of Blackbow.
The organizers said that all the raw materials for the exhibition were collected from community garbage cans.
Artists Zhou Yuxuan and Liu Yifan collected nylon cable ties (尼龙扎带), LED lights and beverage bottles from designers’ workshops to create a work where plastics, in the shape of cells “grow” in a corner. There, the lights blink (闪烁) regularly to imitate (模仿) “breathing”. When people walk near it, the work responds by forming light patterns, as if communicating with the visitor.
Speaking about the work, Zhou said. “It’s like some kind of communication between humans and plastics.” Plastic has a life longer than almost any creature, taking centuries to break down. Though people blame plastics for damage to the environment, they are a big part of our daily lives.
“So we want to ask the question: Although the damage continues, whether there is a way for humans to reconcile (调和) with plastics,” said Zhou.
Liu said that plastic waste can be used to make clothes “Re-use of plastics will be a future trend, ” he said. Cable ties are a useful and common material for fastening. Many people will buy a large bundle of them but only use a few pieces. The rest of cable ties could be re-used as a decoration in handicrafts.
“This exhibition calls for everyone to re-think their wasteful lifestyle full of single-use plastics and make changes, ”said Cao.
1. What was the purpose of Dear Pretty Rubbish?| A．To inspire people to reflect on waste management. |
| B．To remind people to live a healthy lifestyle. |
| C．To encourage people to use more plastic. |
| D．To teach people how to recycle different kinds of garbage. |
| A．Communication is important for everyone. |
| B．A community’s garbage is full of hidden treasures. |
| C．Creativity can change your life. |
| D．Plastics could be reused to reduce pollution. |
| A．An art exhibition held in Beijing. |
| B．The rise of a new lifestyle. |
| C．The many uses of plastics. |
| D．An introduction of two artists and their works. |
【推荐1】Geothermal (地热的) power generation is one of our most stable renewable energy resources. Heat generated below the Earth’s surface can provide an almost unlimited supply to power and heat homes. And while geothermal electricity only accounts for around one percent of global generation, that is set to at least triple by 2050.
The Geysers in California is the world’s largest geothermal electricity complex. It produces enough electricity from its 18 power plants for 725,000 homes, totaling 20 percent of the state’s renewable energy. Superheated “dry steam” is channeled from a large sandstone reservoir heated by a large magma chamber (岩浆房) more than four miles beneath the surface.
Heat is captured from its passage through the rock and the heated water converts into electricity. Cooled water is then recycled and pumped back to gather more heat. EGS (enhanced geothermal systems) technologies will open up many more sites for geothermal energy. “You can effectively put a power plant anywhere,” said Will Pettit, director of the Geothermal Resources Council. “All you have to do is drill deep enough and you will find hot rock.”
Most geothermal plants actually use a flash steam technique, where hot water (at 360F or 180C) is drawn up, passed into lower pressure tanks and flashed into steam to power a turbine (涡轮机). Binary cycle (双元循环) plants are the growth technology because they can operate at lower water temperatures and more diverse geographical locations. They use moderately hot water to heat a secondary fluid with a lower boiling point—as low as 135F—to drive turbines.
Geothermal plants already emit 11 times less carbon dioxide per unit of electricity than the average US coal power plant. They can also operate 24 hours a day to provide a solid base load for homes and businesses.
There are drawbacks too. Seismic activity around drilling wells is a factor. High investment costs are another. But the US government is backing the sector with multi-million dollar funds to push forward advanced EGS research. Geothermal energy is set to play a big part in the low-carbon electricity future.
1. What is the significance of EGS (enhanced geothermal systems) technologies?| A．They have made geothermal energy less sustainable. |
| B．They have greatly reduced the need for drilling in geothermal sites. |
| C．They allow for more efficient use of geothermal resources. |
| D．They have opened up new methods of generating electricity from water. |
| A．Power plants are not affected by water. |
| B．Hot water is used to power a turbine directly. |
| C．Binary cycle plants are less restricted to sites. |
| D．A flash steam technique is a must in geothermal plants. |
| A．Perfect. | B．limited . | C．impractical. | D．promising. |
| A．Businesses have been competing to gain an advantage in geothermal power. |
| B．Geothermal power is likely to be a great chance to sustainable power. |
| C．Traditional power has been replaced by geothermal power in America. |
| D．EGS technologies have come into widespread application around the world. |
【推荐2】The popular documentary series Aerial China (航拍中国) recently returned to the small screen. The latest and fourth season of it gives a perspective that is both excellent and informative. As the final of the series, the new season was shot across 11 provincial-level regions and started in the spring of 2020.
“The experience from the previous three seasons makes us more capable to follow wild animals while avoiding disturbing them,” says Yu, chief director of the series. China has made great efforts to protect endangered wildlife species and their habitats in recent years, and it has become much easier to spot rare species in the wild. Taking Tibetan antelopes as an example, the plateau-based creatures were difficult to encounter in the past, but the expansion of their population and enhanced research on their living patterns have allowed the camera crew to tailor plans to follow the animals.
Most close-ups for the season were shot by photographers from helicopters or cameras installed on drones (无人机). The vital moment for a successful shot depends on the mood of the animals or how good the weather is,” Yu says. In an attempt to fully show China’s huge changes over the past decade, the documentary series consulted experts from different fields to help select the most attractive shooting sites. In the final season, Aerial China has used 73 helicopters and 320 drones to shoot footage over an area of 900,000 kilometers, and selected around 1,000 staffers. More than 30 teams were assigned to shoot in different cities for the fourth season.
The previous three seasons have been watched by 850 million TV viewers and seen online over140 million times. For fans of the series, the director says he hopes that the new season will draw a bigger audience with its unusual perspective to show them China like never seen before.
1. Which can best replace the underlined word “perspective” in the first paragraph?| A．Reference. | B．Viewpoint. | C．Mention. | D．Standard. |
| A．To indicate a successful encounter. | B．To introduce new living patterns. |
| C．To show a biological improvement, | D．To save endangered wildlife species. |
| A．The team members’ roles. | B．The splendid shooting sites. |
| C．The hi-tech devices for shooting. | D．The efforts spent in the season. |
| A．This is the last but one season. | B．This season is well worth viewing. |
| C．The series is popular with TV reviewers. | D．The series is intended for Chinese fans. |
【推荐3】If you’ve ever worried that we’ve solved all the mysteries of nature, fear not. Minnesota’s Devil’s Kettle Falls has been attracting hikers and geologists for generations. At the falls, along Lake Superior’s North shore, a river forks at a rock outcrop. While one side runs down a two-step stone bank and continues on like a normal waterfall, the other side falls into a deep hole and disappears apparently forever.
And this baffling situation only gets strange when geologists start explaining Devil’s Kettle (水壶). Consider, for instance, the sheer quantity of water pouring into the kettle every minute of every day. While the idea of some kind of broad, underground river is an exciting device in movies, the reality is that those sorts of deep caves are rare.
Another idea is that millions of years ago, a hollow lava tube may have formed beneath the falls, in the subsurface layer of rock. Over time, the theory suggests, the falling water eroded (侵蚀) the surface and fell straight down into the ancient lava tube, providing wide-open access to the floor of Lake Superior. Again, there are problems with this theory, because no lava tubes have ever been found in any of the hundreds of exposed rock beds in the area.
In February 2017, scientists said that water that disappears into the rock at Devil’s Kettle rises again in the stream below the falls. To confirm the theory, scientists plan on conducting a dye trace during a low-water flow period. They’ll pour a vegetable-based dye into the pothole and watch where the dye comes to the surface again.
“What we think is happening is that the water is going in the kettle, and coming up pretty close to immediately downstream of the falls,” Green said.
Green admits that if the dye is found below the falls like the scientists suspect, then much of the Devil’s Kettle Falls mystery will be gone. “Were there a little bit of that,” he said, “the folks would not be going to stand there and wonder. But it will still be a fascinating spot, and a beautiful spot.”
1. What is the purpose of writing the first paragraph?| A．To explain the formation of waterfalls. |
| B．To describe a beautiful landscape scene. |
| C．To introduce a mysterious natural phenomenon. |
| D．To recommend an unusual waterfall to readers. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Curious. | C．Doubtful. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．By tracing the path of the water. |
| B．By controlling the direction of the stream. |
| C．By asking the folks to watch the surface. |
| D．By filling the pothole with a dye. |
| A．The mystery of Devil’s Kettle Falls |
| B．The discovery of Devil’s Kettle Falls |
| C．The disappearance of Devil’s Kettle Falls |
| D．The fascinating features of Devil’s Kettle Falls |
