Question

    The first breath-taking pictures of the Earth taken from space showed it as a solid ball covered by brown land masses and blue-green oceans. We had never seen the Earth from that distance before. To us, it appeared as though the Earth had always looked that way and always would. Scientists now know, however, that the surface of the Earth is not as permanent (永久的) as we had thought.

Scientists explain that the surface of our planet is always moving. Continents moves about the Earth like huge ships at sea. They float on pieces of the Earth's outer skin. New outer skin is created as melted rock pushed up from below the ocean floor. Old outer skin is destroyed as it rolls down into the hot area and melts again.

Only since the 1960s have scientists really began to understand that the planet Earth is a great living machine. Some experts have said this new understanding is one of the most important revolutions in scientific thought. The revolution is based on the work of scientists who study the movement of the continents－a science called plate tectonics.

The modern story of plate tectonics begins with the German scientist Alfred Wegener. Before World War One, Wegener argued that the continents had moved and were still moving. He said the idea first occurred to him when he observed that the coastlines of South America and Africa could fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. He proposed that the two continents might have been one and then split apart.

Wegener was not the first person to wonder about the shape of the continents. About 500 years ago, explorers thought about it when they made the first maps of Americas. The explorers noted the east coast of North America and South America would fit almost exactly into the west coast of Europe and south Africa. What the explorers did not do, but Wegener did, was to investigate the idea that the continents move.

1.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A.The coastline of India and Africa fit together.

B.Our ancient thought that the surface of the earth is still.

C.Alfred Wegener was not the first person to investigate the idea that the continents move.

D.We didn't see the Earth from far away until we saw the picture taken in the space.

2.The last word of the third paragraph "tectonics" means" "______".

A.study of building B.study of the earth structure

C.study of the earth surface D.study of designing

3.What did the explorers find?

A.The east coastlines of North America and the west coast of Europe could fit together.

B.The coastlines of North America and Africa could fit together.

C.The coastlines of South America and Africa could fit together.

D.The coastlines of North America and India could fit together.

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.A

【解析】

本文讲述了地球不是一成不变的，地球的表面总是在移动，和板块构造学的故事。魏格纳观察到南美洲和非洲的海岸线可以像拼图中的两块一样拼合在一起时，提出了大陆漂移学说。

1.细节判断题。根据第4段第3句“… he observed that the coastlines of South America and Africa could fit together like two pieces of a puzzle.”可知“南美洲和非洲的海岸线可以像拼图中的两块一样拼合在一起。不是‘印度和非洲的海岸线可以拼合在一起’”，故A错误；本文没有提到“我们古代认为地球表面是静止的。”可知B错误；根据第5段最后一句“What the explorers did not do, but Wegener did, was to investigate the idea that the continents move.”可知“阿尔弗雷德.魏格纳是第一个提出大陆漂移学说的人”，故C错误；根据第段第1和2句“The first breath-taking pictures of the Earth taken from space showed it as a solid ball covered by brown land masses and blue-green oceans. We had never seen the Earth from that distance before.”可知“直到我们看到在太空中拍摄的照片，我们才从很远的地方看到地球。”故D正确，选D。

2.词义猜测题。study of building建筑研究；study of the earth structure地球结构研究；study of the earth surface地表研究；study of designing设计研究。根据此句“The revolution is based on the work of scientists who study the movement of the continents—a science called plate tectonics.（这场革命是以研究大陆运动的科学家的工作为基础的—一门叫做板块构造学的科学。）”句意可知"tectonics"意思是“地球结构研究”，故选B。

3.细节题。根据第5段第3句“The explorers noted the east coast of North America and South America would fit almost exactly into the west coast of Europe and south Africa.（探险家们注意到，北美和南美的东海岸几乎与欧洲和南非的西海岸完全吻合。）”可知“探险家们发现北美的东海岸和欧洲的西海岸可以结合在一起。”故选A。