1 . In 2011, artist Grimanesa Amorós stepped off a boat made of totora reeds (芦苇) onto an island—also made of totora reeds — in the northwest portion of Lake Titicaca. It’s home to one of the world’s most innovative achievement of human engineering: the Uros Islands.
The man-made floating islands, which are home to the native Uros people, are created by putting layers upon layers of totora roots and reeds. This water-resistant plant grows in the lake and is the lifeblood of the Uros community. It is used to make boats, houses, roofs, mattresses (床垫) and more. The plant is also eaten and serves as medicine, and its flowers are used to make tea.
However, the Uros weren’t always dependent on the totora. More than 500 years ago, the growing Inca Empire began to invade the Uros’ mainland villages. To beat this threat, the Uros began to build the islands, which could be launched deep into Lake Titicaca, away from danger. Hundreds of years later, there are now about 120 of these constructed islands, with around 1,300 people living on them.
To build the islands, the Uros first gather large blocks of totora roots. Multiple blocks are pulled together, and the roots and reeds mix naturally to form a layer about 1 to 2m thick. The totora reed is laid on top of this floating base. The Uros use a long tool to reach deep down into the water and cut the plant above the base. Then, the reeds are dried in the sun for one to four weeks and bundled (捆绑) together using a rope. Once dried, totora reeds are placed in alternating directions on top of the root blocks and become the ground that the Uros walk and build their homes on.
Today, urban influences are evident on the islands: Solar panels power bedroom lights and small TVs; a radio station operates on the main island. It’s evident that these modern changes and tourism have changed the Uros’ life on the lake. One thing remains certain, though. As long as there is totora growing at Lake Titicaca, the islands’ rooted foundation will stay the same.
1. Which word can best describe the role totora reeds play in the Uro’s life?| A．Essential. | B．Symbolic. | C．Protective. | D．Sustainable. |
| A．To develop tourism. | B．To maintain their lifestyle. |
| C．To escape from enemies’ attack. | D．To be separated from the world. |
| A．The key to selecting building materials. | B．The procedure of building the islands. |
| C．The difficulty of living on the island. | D．The method of spotting reeds. |
| A．Fancy Lifestyles of the Uros | B．Innovative Building Materials |
| C．Floating Homes on Lake Titicaca | D．A Must-see Tourist Attraction of Lake Titicaca |
Placed among the busy streets of Washington, D. C. is a large public garden that many Americans have never heard of. The U. S. National Arboretum (植物园) includes
Government scientists are in charge of the 180-hectare area. Their main goal is
The arboretum is home to one of the
While the scientists do their work, the public
The Xi’an City Wall is the most complete city wall that has survived China’s long history. It
We accessed the wall through the South Gate. The wall is 12 meters high and from here you can see streams of people moving inside and outside the City Wall.
After
We
Jingdezhen porcelain(瓷器)is Chinese porcelain produced in or near Jingdezhen in southern China. Jingdezhen has produced porcelain
Although being a remote town in a hilly area, Jingdezhen is near the quality porcelain stone and forests which can provide plenty of wood for the kilns. It also has
Jingdezhen has produced a great variety of
China has countless attractions. The Great Wall is
6 . The world maps will soon be altered to reflect an eighth continent! Dubbed "Zealandia" the landmass that lies east of Australia covers 4.9 million km. Over 94 percent of it is submerged (淹没的) in the southwest Pacific Ocean, with just the islands of New Zealand and New C aledonia visible above sea level.
To be clear, the underwater land is not a recent find. Researchers have known about its existence since 1995 when Bruce Luyendyk discovered and proposed an eighth continent that he called Zealandia. At the time, the area was dismissed as a collection of islands and land fragments (碎片), or at the most, classified as a micro continent—a landmass of continental crust that is not geologically connected to the nearest continent, in this case, Australia.
However, after observing the areas features on an underwater topography map, New Zealand geologist Nick became convinced that Zealandia is a continent. Mortimer says that while Zealandia is much smaller than our seven continents, at over half the size of Australia, it is unfair to classify it as a microcontinent. The geologist argues, “If you could pull the plug on the world’s oceans, then Zealandia would probably long ago have been recognized as a continent.”
Geologist Christopher Scotese argues that too much of the landmass is underwater, asserting it’s “almost a continent the way Pluto is almost a planet.” Richard Ernst, a geologist, proposes coining a new term minicontinent—for Zealandia. He thinks this is perfect given that it is too large to be called a microcontinent and too small to be classified as a full-sized continent. Given that there is no international panel to decide the fate of Zealandia, its future as a continent is uncertain. Mortimer hopes that if supporters start using the term Zealandia, it may eventually catch on. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but for now, we will have to be satisfied with just seven continents!
1. According to the text, Zealandia ________.| A．was found and named by Bruce Luyendyk |
| B．is made of a lot of visible islands |
| C．is connected to Australia geologically |
| D．covers 94% of the southwest Pacific Ocean |
| A．Enter | B．Uncover |
| C．Sail | D．Fold |
| A．It is too small to be a full-sized continent. |
| B．Some sections of it is just 7 miles thick. |
| C．Most of it lies under water. |
| D．It was once just part of the continent Australia. |
| A．Is Minicontinent a New Name for Zealandia? |
| B．Is a Continent Appearing in the Pacific Ocean? |
| C．Is the World Map Going to Be changed? |
| D．Is "Zealandia" an Eighth Continent? |
7 . Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in the United States, covering a wide area with its 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 Indians called this place “Tomesha”— the land of fire. Death Valley’s present name dates back to 1849, when a group of miners coming from Nevada became lost in its unpleasantness and hugeness and their adventure turned out to be a sad story. Today Death Valley has been called a National Monument (遗迹) and is crossed by several well-marked roads where good services can be found easily. Luckily the change created by human settlement has scarcely (几乎没有) ruined the special beauty of this place.
Here nature created a lot of surprising sights, almost like the sights on the moon, ever-changing as the frequent (频繁的) wind moves the sand about, showing the most unusual colors. One of the most astonishing and changeable 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. According to the first paragraph, ______ is the lowest place in the United States.| A．Tomesha | B．Death Valley |
| C．Nevada | D．Badwater |
| 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 now find gas-stations, cafes and hotels in the desert |
| D．people have greatly changed the natural sight of the desert |
| A．the frequent wind | B．the colors of the sand |
| C．dream-like sights | D．the sand sculptures |
| A．appreciates | B．is fearful of |
| C．dislikes | D．is tired of |
8 . Every year about 40,000 people attempt to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. They
Hearing these stories, I’m
However, I soon
The best of a Kilimanjaro
Does Kilimanjaro
| A．keep | B．mix | C．connect | D．bring |
| A．stories | B．buildings | C．crowds | D．reporters |
| A．position | B．age | C．face | D．name |
| A．silent | B．skeptical | C．serious | D．crazy |
| A．discover | B．argue | C．decide | D．advocate |
| A．equipment | B．grass | C．camps | D．stones |
| A．remote | B．quiet | C．tall | D．clean |
| A．new | B．special | C．significant | D．necessary |
| A．paying off | B．spreading out | C．blowing up | D．fading away |
| A．atmosphere | B．experience | C．experiment | D．sight |
| A．studied | B．observed | C．explored | D．regarded |
| A．view | B．quality | C．reason | D．purpose |
| A．scientists | B．climbers | C．locals | D．officials |
| A．holding on to | B．going back to | C．living up to | D．giving way to |
| A．changes | B．clears | C．improves | D．permits |
| A．match | B．imagine | C．count | D．add |
| A．village | B．desert | C．road | D．lake |
| A．Obviously | B．Easily | C．Consequently | D．Finally |
| A．permanent | B．little | C．fresh | D．artificial |
| A．enjoy | B．deserve | C．save | D．acquire |
9 . It's always adventurous and romantic to visit an island country. Take a look at some breathtakingly beautiful island countries in the world, which everyone should visit at least once in his lifetime
Maldives
It' s believed that Maldives is one of the most popular honeymoon(蜜月) places as well as one of the most beautiful island countries. Situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Maldives is made up of a series of ancient coral reefs that grow up along the sides of ancient volcanoes, with fascinating beaches
Fiji
Fiji has plenty of surprises for any adventurous traveler. It is famous for the worlds best surf scenes, attracting many surfing lovers to ride the great waves. Well, if surfing is not for you and you love sitting on the beach and relaxing, hiking or seeing breathtaking waterfalls, Fiji is also a suitable island country to visit
Malta
Malta, a beautiful southern European country in the Mediterranean Sea, has a rich history and culture. There are amazing sky-high cliffs to climb>, wonderful temples to visit and lots of amazing places to go diving. There are plenty of interesting things to explore here and everyone can find something to enjoy. The historic part of Malta is shown in its architecture. great walled cities, and many underground tunnels.
1. Which place will be most likely to be chosen by a newly-married couple according to the text?| A．Maldives | B．the Mediterranean Sea | C．Malta | D．Fiji |
| A．You can see the world's most breathtaking waterfalls |
| B．It is surfing lovers favourite island country |
| C．There are sky-high cliffs to explore. |
| D．You can try the world's longest |
| A．Hike on green plains | B．Ride the greatest waves |
| C．See breathtaking waterfalls | D．Explore underground tunnels |
10 . Construction on Knolly’s Tunnel began in 1896, and it was opened on August 13th, 1898 by the man it was named after--Sir Clement C. Knolly, Acting Governor of Trinidad. It linked Rio Claro with Port of Spain. Its architecture is still admired and studied today, and many are amazed that Knolly’s Tunnel has stood up to the earth’s movement over so many years.
Much research is being done on the tunnel. At the top of Knolly’s Tunnel are cottages covered with leaves, where visitors can sit and enjoy the beauty of nature. Standing at the beginning of Knolly’s Tunnel, you can see nothing but the tiny light at the end. The train tracks have been removed and replaced with small stones. Visitors can drive through the tunnel or walk through, but should do so in groups for safety. In the old days, there were no lights, but now there are street lights on the way to the tunnel, though not inside.
On your way in, you may notice some manholes on the walls of the tunnel. These were there for individuals to step into for safety as the train passed. Knolly’s Tunnel can be accessed through Tabaquite and through Mitchell Gap. The road was recently improved, but is better when you enter from Tabaquite, and there are signs on the road directing you to Knolly’s Tunnel.
On the drive to Knolly’s Tunnel there are two other cottages where visitors can sit and just enjoy nature. At the site itself, there is nothing to purchase to eat or drink, but in Tabaquite there are several bars, a restaurant, and food outlets. A gas station and a health centre are also close by.
For those who admire architecture, Knolly’s Tunnel is a must-see when visiting Trinidad. For the nature lovers, there is no better place for them to be and for the historians, they can walk or drive through Knolly’s Tunnel knowing that many of our ancestors toiled (worked hard) on its structure. So when you visit Trinidad, don’t forget to take a look at Knolly’s Tunnel!
1. Knolly’s Tunnel is special in __________.| A．its environment | B．its function |
| C．its location | D．its architecture |
| A．take a train tour through it | B．buy some snacks in it |
| C．drive through it | D．walk along the track through it |
| A．To suggest a visit to Knolly’s Tunnel. |
| B．To introduce the history of Knolly’s Tunnel. |
| C．To evaluate the value of Knolly’s Tunnel. |
| D．To witness the change of Knolly’s Tunnel |
| A．a geography textbook | B．a travel journal |
| C．a sports report | D．a health and fitness magazine |
