Question

    Everybody knows that Earth spins from west to east. That is to say, it appears to be spinning counterclockwise(逆时针)when viewed from above the North Pole.

But what if Earth started spinning the other way?

Scientists from Germany have made a computer simulation(模拟)in which Earth spins in the opposite direction-clockwise when viewed from above the North Pole. This showed them some interesting things about the weather and topography(地形地貌)on Earth, live Science reported.

As Earth spins in a counterclockwise direction, it shapes ocean currents(洋流).The direction of the spin, together with wind, produces different weather around the globe(全球).

But a backwards spin changes the ocean currents and winds. Therefore, the climate(气候)is different. Western areas of continents(大陆)on Earth cool down as the eastern parts warm up.  Winters become even colder in northwestern Europe, while eastern Russia becomes warmer than before. Rain no longer falls on the planet's wettest places.

Another result of a backward spin is that Earth becomes greener. Scientists found that global desert(沙漠)areas reduce from 42 million square kilometers to 3l. million square kilometers. This may have something to do with the changing climate.

Therefore, you can see rich green landscapes from Central Africa to the Middle East, which are mostly covered by deserts now. More surprisingly, the Sahara Desert becomes an oasis(绿洲).

_______ . They just appear in some places that they never appeared in before. Deserts would cover North America, where countries like the United States and Canada lie. Sand dunes(沙丘)would replace the Amazon rainforest in South America.

A backward spin would keep the major characteristics of Earth's topography, such as the size, shapes and positions of continents and oceans. But it would also change the interactions between circulating(环流)air, ocean and topography, lead scientist Florian Ziemen told Live Science.

1.Why would the climate be different if Earth spins backwards?

A.Because there won't be any more large oceans.

B.Because the ocean currents and winds will be changed.

C.Because it will change the amount of sunlight that Earth can receive.

D.Because Earth will become greener without deserts.

2.What will a backwards spin bring to the Earth?

A.Winters will become colder. B.No rain will fall in summer.

C.Eastern Russia will become warmer. D.The Sahara Desert will become smaller.

3.The story tells us that ________ .

A.Earth used to spin in the opposite direction

B.a backwards spin would cause interesting changes on Earth

C.global desert areas have become smaller

D.a backwards spin would change Earth's topography completely

4.Which of the following sentences can be put at the beginning of the eighth paragraph?

A.Sadly, deserts would cover North America. B.Luckily, deserts would disappear(消失).

C.Anyway, deserts would replace the Amazon rainforest. D.However, deserts don't disappear.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.B

4.D

【解析】

文章大意：文章主要讲的是每个人都知道地球从西向东转，那么如果颠倒了地球自转方向会发生什么呢？来自德国的科学家们做了这样一个假设的实验，他们颠倒了地球的自转方向，发现地球上的洋流、气候都发生了变化。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第五段第一、二行“But a backwards spin changes the ocean currents and winds. Therefore, the climate(气候)is different”“但是反向旋转会改变洋流和风。因此，气候是不同的”，故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据文章第五段第三、四行“while eastern Russia becomes warmer than before”“而俄罗斯东部比以前暖和”，故选C。

3.细节理解题。根据文章第三段第一、二行“Scientists from Germany have made a computer simulation(模拟)in which Earth spins in the opposite direction-clockwise”“来自德国的科学家做了一个计算机模拟，在这个模拟中，地球以逆时针方向旋转”可知，A说法是错误的；根据文章第4至7段可知，地球逆转会引起地球上的洋流和风、气候、沙漠的变化可知这个故事告诉我们地球逆转会引起地球上有趣的变化，B说法是正确的；根据文章第六段第一、二、三行“scientists found that global desert(沙漠)areas reduce from 42 million square kilometers to 3l. million square kilometers. This may have something to do with the changing climate”“科学家发现全球沙漠面积从4200万平方公里减少到300万平方公里。这可能与气候变化有关”可知，C说法不如B说法全面；根据文章最后一段第一、二行“A backward spin would keep the major characteristics of Earth's topography, such as the size, shapes and positions of continents and oceans”“逆转将保持地球地形的主要特征，如大陆和海洋的大小、形状和位置”可知，D说法是错误的，故选B。

4.细节理解题。根据所给空前面的句子“More surprisingly, the Sahara Desert becomes an oasis”“更令人惊讶的是，撒哈拉沙漠变成了绿洲”和后面的句子“They just appear in some places that they never appeared in before”“它们只是出现在一些以前从未出现过的地方”，故知此处说的是：但是，沙漠没有消失，故选D。