英语专四 短文听力 Passage 7-3

 短文

Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage.

Alaska, which was called Russian America before it was sold to the U. S. of America, joined the Union as the 49th state in 1959. Alaska is now the largest of all the 50 states. A wide open frontier of dense¹ lowland forests, midrange frozen² tundra³, and the towering peaks and glaciers⁴ of its many mountain ranges，are the elements which combine to make Alaska one of America's harshest⁵ and most foreboding states. (18) It was in 1867 that President A. Johnson's Secretary of State > Seward bought Alaska from the Russians at a cost of $7.2 million. (19) The buying of the huge northern land mass seemed at first something foolishly done. Not only was Alaska difficult to reach, but it was also hard to live in，and appeared to have no importance in the time of war. Besides, there are volcanoes there as Alaska lies on the Pacific “ring of fire”. In Alaska large treeless areas are covered with snow all year round. For these reasons (19) the buying of Alaska was called “Seward’s Folly⁶” at the time. However, in 1896 gold was found in Alaska, and people poured into the land quickly. Since then other important natural resources were discovered, including oil. Soon people changed their thinking about “Seward’s Folly”. (20) But most people visit Alaska in order to see the endless beauty of nature that the northern land discloses⁷ to them. For instance, there are about 11，000 islands in Alaska. And in a certain area of Alaska the sun does not set for 82 days every year.

 

题目

Passage 7

Questions 18 to 20 are based on the following passage. At the end of the passage，you will be given IS seconds to answer the questions ?

Now，listen to the passage.

18. When did the U.S.A. buy Alaska from the Russians?

A. In 1869. B. In 1959. C. In 1867. D, In 1872.

19. What did people think of the buying of Alaska at first?

A. Seward’s Folly.

C. Johnson’s Folly.

20. Why do tourists go to Alaska?

A. To enjoy its freezing weather.

C. To study its volcanoes.

B. Alaska’s Folly.

D. President’s Folly.

B. To study its importance in war.

D. To enjoy its beauty of nature.

 

答案解析

Passage 7

18.  C细节题。文中明确提到，在1867年，约翰逊总统的国务卿Seward以7.2 million (720万）美元的价格买下了 Alaska。

19. A细节题。文中明确提到，起初买下阿拉斯加这件事情似乎是something foolishly done，并被人们称为“Seward’s Folly”（苏厄德的荒唐事）。

20. D细节题。文章结尾处提到，大部分游览阿拉斯加的人来这里都是为了 see the. . . beauty of nature that the northern land discloses to them(欣赏北部地区展现 给他们的自然美景）。

 

1 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

2 frozen   

adj.冻结的，冰冻的

参考例句：

• He was frozen to death on a snowing night.在一个风雪的晚上，他被冻死了。
• The weather is cold and the ground is frozen.天寒地冻。

3 tundra   

n.苔原，冻土地带

参考例句：

• The arctic tundra is at the top of the world around the North Pole.北极冻原是指北极点周边的地区，是世界最高的地方。
• There is a large amount of methane gas under the Siberian tundra.西伯利亚的冻土地带之下有大量的甲烷气体。

4 glaciers   

冰河，冰川( glacier的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Glaciers gouged out valleys from the hills. 冰川把丘陵地带冲出一条条山谷。
• It has ice and snow glaciers, rainforests and beautiful mountains. 既有冰川，又有雨林和秀丽的山峰。 来自英语晨读30分（高一）

5 harshest   

adj.刺耳的( harsh的最高级 )；粗糙的；严厉的；残酷的

参考例句：

• Cheating deserves our harshest condemnation. 作弊理应受到我们最严厉的谴责。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Fannie and Freddie's harshest critics want the companies shut down. 对两房抱有最严厉意见的人，希望两家公司停业关门。 来自互联网

6 folly   

n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话

参考例句：

• Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
• Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。

7 discloses   

说出( disclose的第三人称单数 )； 揭露； 使显露； 使暴露

参考例句：

• As I am regretting the advent of dark, the Yangtze discloses a new night-time enchantment. 当我正为夜色降临而惋惜的时候，黑夜里的长江却向我展开另外一种魅力。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
• When that person discloses, my part in this business will cease and determine. 那个人一出面，我和这件事的关系就从此结束了。