历史地理英语阅读(2)

分类英语阅读

States, cliffs (悬崖) and deep valleys were formed from thick mud that once lay beneath a sea more than millions of years ago. Over the centuries, the water dried up. Wind, sand , rain, heat and cold all wore away at the remaining rocks. The faces of the desert mountains are always changing –-very, very slowly ---as these forces of nature continue to work on the rock.

Most deserts have a surprising variety of life. There are plants, animals and insects that have adapted to life in the desert. During the heat of the day, a visitor may see very few signs of living things, but as the air begins to cool in the evening, the desert comes to life. As the sun begins to rise again in the sky, the desert once again becomes quiet and lonely.

31. Many plants may survive in deserts when__________________.

A. the rain is spread out in a year B. the rain falls only in a few weeks

C. there is little rain in a year D. it is dry all the year round

32. Sand dunes are formed when___________________.

A. sand piles up gradually B. there is plenty of rain in a year

C. the sea has dried up over the years D. pieces of rock get smaller

33. The underlined sentence in the third paragraph probably means that in a desert there is____________.

A. too much sand B. more sand than before

C. nothing except sand D. something else besides sand

34. It can be learned from the text that in a desert____________.

A. there is no rainfall throughout the year B. life exists in rough conditions

C. all sand dunes are a few feet high D. rocks are worn away only by wind and heat

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

A. Even if it rains, a desert may come into being.

B. When evening comes, most animals go to sleep in the deserts.

C. After the sun sets, various living things can be seen in the deserts.

D. We can find cliffs were formed from thick mud that lay under the sea for over several centuries.

C

The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses(兵马俑) are the most significant archeological excavations (挖掘) of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum（陵墓）, Lintong County, Shaanxi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.

Upon ascending （登上）the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had begun to work for his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is estimated that many buried treasures and sacrificial （献祭的）objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC).

The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries. No. 1 Pit is the largest, first opened to the public on China's National Day, 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front, followed by war chariots at the back.

No. 2 Pit, found in 1976, is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood. It was unveiled (揭幕) to the public in 1994. Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also in 1976, 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the