1 . I am not a morning person, but as I stand on the boulder (巨大的砾石) in the early dawn, my mind is sharp and alert. I am more than awake, concentrating on the vast endlessness below.
There is a noticeable lack of early birdsong here; no hiss of offshore wind fanning the waves. The only sound is my breath, heavy after the scramble to the top. It is by no means a difficult climb, but I had to hurry to beat the sun.
“If you stand at the top of Kubu Island just before sunrise,” said one of the returning visitors, “You can see the arc (弧线) of the Earth.”
He was right.
From up here the horizon cuts not so much a line as an arc.
Soon my feeling of being in the moment is replaced with something as strange and ancient as this place itself. My breathing calms and becomes shallow. My heartbeat slows. I am first surrounded by in silence. I am a tiny, shrinking spot. Then I disappear completely.
They say that astronauts looking down on Earth gain a sense of perspective that changes them forever. They begin to understand how much we are a part of our planet, and how much it is a part of us. The astronauts are 400 kilometres off the surface of Earth, and while the top of Kubu Island is only 10 metres high, there is something about this pile of boulders that sends you into orbit.
Kubu Island isn’t actually an island, but rather, an outcrop of ancient rocks that are up to two billions year old. It was once rested on the edge of a vast lake. As the water evaporated, it created the huge Makgadikgadi Pan (马卡迪卡迪盐沼盆地), one of the world’s largest salt pans.
Ancient tribes and civilizations have migrated and lived here, first to fish from its rocks and then to commune with nature and its spirits. Today, adventurers and tourists come here to marvel at this strange pile of boulders with baobab trees (猴面包树) growing out of it. These trees are estimated to be 3,000 or 4,000 years old; they are really impressive not only for their size but also because they seem to have so much to tell about the history of this island.
This is the gift that Kubu Island gives and the power that it has. This tiny, weird outcrop — if not in the middle of nowhere, then certainly on the edge of it — can give you a sense of yourself that very few places can. A sense of yourself as a person on this planet and, somehow, way beyond it.
1. Which of the following can best describe Kubu Island?A.It is a “small” island, surrounded by waves and water. |
B.It is an “ancient” island, featuring recreational activities. |
C.It is a “dry” island, surrounded by a sea of salt. |
D.It is a “remote” island, resting on the edge of a vast lake. |
A.feel anxious for | B.pose danger to |
C.be grateful to | D.be amazed at |
A.recommend a unique travel route to a peaceful and silent island |
B.encourage readers to reflect more on themselves while travelling |
C.inform readers of a mysterious place that deserves to be explored |
D.advise readers to visit an island which is peculiar in its original state |
地理位置:广东省中部
面积:约7500平方公里
历史:2200年;海上丝绸之路起点
人口:约1000万
气候:年平均气温20℃~22℃
美誉:花城;多元化城市
词汇提示:海上丝绸之路: the Maritime Silk Road 多元化:multicultural(adj.)
注意:可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
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6 . The huge stone human statues of Easter Island have fascinated the world for centuries, but now a new research has solved one of the biggest mysteries (谜团) why the statues are located where they are.
Easter Island has more than 600 statues, built by different families hundreds of years ago. It is thought the statues represent their ancestors. However, it was previously a mystery why many of them were around the coast. While scientists have suggested the sites may have a connection with the island’s resources (资源), the latest research is the first attempt to look into such views.
Researchers focused on the east of the island, where various resources are located, and looked at the distribution (分布) of 93 statues built before European sailors arrived in the 18th century. After finding no connection with the rock used for the construction, they considered whether the statues were found near other important resources.
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The results, said Lipo, made sense, as drinking water is important for the islanders and it is not practical to have to walk miles to get it.
1. The new research is thought to be unique because it is the first_________.A.to find the statues located around the coast |
B.to connect the statues with the islanders’ ancestors |
C.to examine the connection between statues and resources |
D.to suggest a connection between statues and resources |
A.To suggest that the horses have got used to sea water. |
B.To provide evidence of drinking water on the coast. |
C.To describe an interesting thing which is rare to see. |
D.To show that the island has a great shortage of water. |
A.The islanders had learned to dig wells. |
B.The islanders could rely on inland lakes. |
C.The streams would run off at different site. |
D.The islanders could walk miles to get water. |