19.One day,around Christmas time,fishermen off the west coast of Peru started on their traditional fishing trip.Much to their surprise,there were no fish!They knew immediately what had happened.Tales from years gone by had told them this was the result of El Nino which sometimes stop fishing for many months!
El Nino is a warm current that comes and goes along the west coast of South America.It got its name from fishermen in Peru more than a century ago.Every few years,they noticed a sudden warming in the normally cool Pacific water where they fished.Because this warming often came about around Christmas,they called it El Nino,which is Spanish for the"Christ Child".Generally,El Nino occurs every three to seven years and lasts only a few weeks to a month or more.
El Nino warms the water it flows through.Because the fish and sea birds need cold water to live,many of them die when El Nino comes through.El Nino also causes both floods and droughts.It is believed that El Nino may have caused the 1993Mississippi and 1995California floods.And at the same time,it may have caused droughts in South America,Africa and Australia.
El Nino has occurred thirteen times within the last fifty years,bringing natural disasters to many countries such as Indonesia and Peru.However,El Nino does not often trouble China.During this period China was badly hit by El Nino only once.In 1998,North China had a terrible drought,while South China was troubled by floods.
32.The underlined word"current"(in Paragraph 2)most probably refers to"A".
A.water B.wind C.a(chǎn)tmosphere D.climate
33.According to the passage,which of the following is TRUE about El Nino?D
A.It happens in November and December.
B.It was named by some Spanish fishermen.
C.It only happens in South America.
D.It lasts a few weeks or more.
34.If El Nino happens,the following will take place EXCEPTB.
A.rises in temperature of the sea water
B.diseases spreading around the world
C.floods and droughts
D.death of fish and sea birds
35.The purpose of this passage isC.
A.to discuss the prevention of El Nino
B.to explain how El Nino trouble farmers
C.to let us know about El Nino
D.to tell us how to prepare for El Nino.
分析 本文是一篇說明文,讓人們了解更多關(guān)于El Nino暖流現(xiàn)象的知識.
解答 32.A 詞義猜測題.根據(jù)后面that comes and goes along the west coast of South America.m沿著南美西部海灣流動.第三段第一句El Nino warms the water it flows through.El Nino使溫暖的水流過.可推知劃線單詞的意思最有可能是:水流.故選A.
33.D 細(xì)節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)最后一段最后一句El Nino occurs every three to seven years and lasts only a few weeks to a month or more.El Nino每3到7年發(fā)生一次,持續(xù)幾周到一個月或更長時間.故選D.
34.B 細(xì)節(jié)理解題.第三段第一句El Nino warms the water it flows through.El Nino使溫暖的水流過,也就是讓海水的溫度升高;排除A;根據(jù)El Nino also causes both floods and droughts.El Nino也帶來洪水和干旱.可排除C;根據(jù)Because the fish and sea birds need cold water to live,many of them die when El Nino comes through.魚和海鳥需要冷水,所以當(dāng)El Nino經(jīng)過時他們當(dāng)中很多會死去的.可排除D.故選B.
35.C.主旨大意題.縱觀全文,介紹El Nino的情況就是為了讓人們了解更多關(guān)于El Nino.故選C.
點評 本類文章時代氣息濃郁,但專業(yè)詞語較多,增加了閱讀難度.考生平時可以有意識地從報刊雜志上找一些較難的閱讀材料來閱讀,以培養(yǎng)自己迎難而上的心理素質(zhì).