Question

【題目】 Paintings found on the walls of caves in the Sahara Desert suggest that a few thousand years ago, large quantities of plants grew there and covered the desert floor. Many curious and unusual insects, birds and animals got enough food that allowed them to grow and reproduce. At that time, huge river systems and many oases s【1】 growing communities (社團(tuán), 社區(qū)) where a large number of people lived.

Research scientists believe that the land became a desert for several reasons. For centuries people there have wandered from place to place in search of food, water and grazing (吃草) land for their animals. These people have always considered the number of animals they have as a sign of w【2】. It is considered more important to have 100 sick and starving animals than 15 healthy ones. The large herds (群) have been allowed to go freely and graze on desert plants and grass. Over time, large sections of land have been left uncovered. B【3】 overgrazing, these people cut down whatever trees they could find and used them for firewood. The sand was unable to hold on to the great heat of the day, so nighttime temperatures often drop below freezing and n【4】 was left to hold the soil together.

Scientists have been studying different ways to bring back the green desert. Through research and experiments, they hope to be able to produce plants that will once again support the life there. Huge holes f【5】 with much water lie under the desert surface. Scientists believe this rainwater simply flew down through the sand over hundreds of years and collected in the big, rocky holding tanks. By making use of the sun's power, scientists in the Sahara have made experiments in which they got huge amount of electricity. This electricity was then used to operate drilling machines and pumps to pull the rainwater from the underground tanks. By drilling the hole one mile deep into the floor of the desert, one machine was able to recover more than 80 gallons of ice-cold water each second, or 288,000 gallons per hour.

Scientists have had some s【6】 turning this wasteland into useful farmland. Today the desert is dotted with huge wheat fields watered by a system of pipes that carry water from the underground tanks. Farmers have also learnt that plants grow better if seeds are planted next to stones. Studies show that stones provide protection from the sun, allowing seeds to grow in a shady and cool environment. In addition to that, greenhouses have been built to protect plants from the sunshine so that l【7】 water is needed. Another idea is to grow plants that can live on a diet of salt water, since the ocean is so near to the desert.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】supported

【2】wealth

【3】By

【4】nothing

【5】filled

【6】success

【7】less

【解析】

文章大意：本文是一篇說明文，介紹了撒哈拉沙漠曾經(jīng)有多種多樣的動(dòng)植物，是人類過度放牧、濫砍亂伐導(dǎo)致了沙漠的形成和擴(kuò)大，因此可以推斷，如果當(dāng)?shù)厝死^續(xù)沿襲他們的老傳統(tǒng)，會(huì)導(dǎo)致沙漠繼續(xù)擴(kuò)大，現(xiàn)在科學(xué)家們正努力讓它重新富有生命。

【1】句意：當(dāng)時(shí)，巨大的河流系統(tǒng)和許多綠洲支撐著大量人口居住的生長(zhǎng)社區(qū)。

根據(jù)句子結(jié)構(gòu)可知，此句缺少謂語動(dòng)詞，結(jié)合句意和首字母提示可知，此空是“支撐”的意思，故答案為supported。

【2】句意：這些人一直認(rèn)為他們擁有的動(dòng)物數(shù)量是財(cái)富的象征。

根據(jù)空前介詞of可知，此空應(yīng)填名詞、代詞或動(dòng)名詞，結(jié)合句意和首字母提示可知，此空是“財(cái)富”的意思，故答案為wealth。

【3】句意：由于過度放牧，這些人砍伐了他們能找到的任何樹木，并將它們用作木柴。

根據(jù)空后動(dòng)名詞overgrazing，可知此空應(yīng)填介詞，結(jié)合句意和首字母提示可知，此空是“由于”的意思，故答案為By。

【4】句意：沙子無法承受白天的酷熱，所以夜間的溫度常常降到零度以下，沒有什么東西能把土壤粘在一起。

根據(jù)句子結(jié)構(gòu)可知，此句缺少主語，結(jié)合句意和首字母提示可知，此空是“沒有什么東西”的意思，故答案為nothing。

【5】句意：沙漠表面下有許多充滿水的大洞。

根據(jù)句子結(jié)構(gòu)可知，此句缺少謂語動(dòng)詞，結(jié)合句意和首字母提示可知，此空是“充滿”的意思，故答案為filled。

【6】句意：科學(xué)家們已經(jīng)成功地把這片荒地變成了有用的農(nóng)田。

根據(jù)空前不定代詞some可知，此空應(yīng)填名詞，結(jié)合句意和首字母提示可知，此空是“充滿”的意思，故答案為success。

【7】句意：此外，還建造了溫室，以保護(hù)植物免受陽(yáng)光照射，從而減少用水。

根據(jù)空后名詞water可知，此空應(yīng)填形容詞，結(jié)合句意和首字母提示可知，此空是“更少的”的意思，故答案為less。

題目要求根據(jù)首字母提示填寫適當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~補(bǔ)全短文，考查學(xué)生對(duì)語境的理解能力及對(duì)所學(xué)詞匯的把握和運(yùn)用能力，做題時(shí)，先把上下文語境或句意與首字母提示結(jié)合起來，推出所需單詞；然后根據(jù)語法知識(shí)填寫單詞的適當(dāng)形式。例如，第1小題，句意：當(dāng)時(shí)，巨大的河流系統(tǒng)和許多綠洲支撐著大量人口居住的生長(zhǎng)社區(qū)。根據(jù)句子結(jié)構(gòu)可知，此句缺少謂語動(dòng)詞，結(jié)合句意和首字母提示可知，此空是“支撐”的意思，故答案為supported。