Question

    What we have been aware of is that people from Italy speak Italian and people from Russia speak Russian. But have you ever wondered the reason why people speak Spanish in so many South American countries? Do you know why the brilliant footballers of Brazil speak Portuguese? And why is French the first language of some people in Canada? The answer is that all these countries belonged to European empires at one time. The next question is: how did these empires begin? To answer that question we have to probably go back to the 15^thand 16^thcenturies, the golden age of European explorers.

Although this period is known as the golden age of European explorers, it was not the beginning of European exploration. As you probably know, Marco Polo travelled a long way to China at the end of the 13^thcentury and some people say that the Vikings discovered America long before Columbus set sail in 1492. However, it is during this “golden” period that some famous voyages took place. Columbus' voyage to America is the best known voyage of exploration, but Ferdinand Magellan sailed round the world in this period, and Spanish explorers such as Central and Pizarro reached South America. Cortez defeated the Aztecs in what we now know as Mesico and Pizarro defeated the Incas in what we now know as Peru. The roots of the Spanish empire were established and that is why he Spanish language is so widely spoken in Central and South America today.

根据短文内容，选择最佳选项。

1.When is the golden age of European explorers?

A. The 15^th century B. The 16^th century.

C. The l3^th century. D. The 15^th and 16^th centuries.

2.Which is not the voyage of exploration taking place during the golden period?

A. Columbus sailed to America.

B. Marco Polo travelled to China.

C. Ferdinand Magellan voyaged round the world.

D. Cortez and Pizarro reached South America.

3.Who defeated the Aztecs in what we now know as Mexico?

A. Pizarro. B. Cortez. C. Incas. D. Columbus.

4.According to the passage，some countries in America didn't use to belong to      

A. Portugal. B. Spain. C. Canada. D. France.

5.From the passage，we can know that    .

A. Many countries in South America have been influenced by European countries

B. The period of the 15^thand 16^thcenturies was the beginning of the European exploration

C. European explorers occupied some American countries in a peaceful way

D. Ferdinand Magellan's voyage round the world is not famous at all

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.B

4.C

5.A

【解析】

短文大意：本文从欧洲人探险的角度解释了南美洲的许多国家都受到欧洲国家影响的原因。

1.题意：欧洲探险家的黄金时代是什么时候？

考查细节理解。根据“To answer that question we have to probably go back to the 15th and 16th centuries, the golden age of European explorers.”可知15世纪和16世纪是欧洲探险家的黄金时代，故选D。

2.题意：哪一次探险之旅不是发生在黄金时期？

考查细节理解。根据“the 15th and 16th centuries, the golden age of European explorers.”和“Marco Polo travelled a long way to China at the end of the 13th century”可知马可波罗去中国不是发生在欧洲探险的黄金时期，故选B。

3.题意：谁在我们现在所知的墨西哥打败了阿兹特克人？

考查细节理解。根据“Cortez defeated the Aztecs in what we now know as Mexico.”可知科尔特斯打败了阿兹特克人，故选B。

4.题意：根据这篇文章，美洲的一些国家过去不属于加拿大。

考查细节判断。A. 葡萄牙；B. 西班牙；C. 加拿大；D. 法国。根据第一段“But have you ever wondered the reason why people speak Spanish in so many South American countries? Do you know why the brilliant footballers of Brazil speak Portuguese? And why is French the first language of some people in Canada? The answer is that all these countries belonged to European empires at one time. ”可知加拿大和很多美洲国家过去是被欧洲殖民的国家，A、B、D三项都是欧洲国家，故选C。

5.题意：从文中，我们可以知道南美洲的许多国家都受到欧洲国家的影响。

考查细节判断。根据开头“But have you ever wondered the reason why people speak Spanish in so many South American countries? Do you know why the brilliant footballers of Brazil speak Portuguese? And why is French the first language of some people in Canada? The answer is that all these countries belonged to European empires at one time.”和最后“that is why he Spanish language is so widely spoken in Central and South America today.”可知因为被殖民的缘故，南美洲的许多国家都受到欧洲国家的影响，故选A。