The discovery of the Antarctic not only provedone of the most interesting of all geographicaladventures, but created what might be called theheroic age of Antarctic exploration. By theirtremendous heroism, men such as Shakleton, Scott,and Amundsen caused a new continent to emergefrom the shadows, and yet that heroic age, littlemore than a century old, is already passing. Modernscience and inventions are revolutionizing the endurance, future journeys into these icy wasteswill probably depend on motor vehicles equipped with caterpillar traction rather than on thedogs that earlier discoverers found so invaluable and hardly comparable.
Few realize that this Antarctic continent is almost equal in size to South America, andenormous field of work awaits geographers and prospectors. The coasts of this continentremain to be accurately charted, and the maping of the whole of the interior presents aformidable task to the cartographers who undertake the work. Once their labors arecompleted, it will be possible to prospect the vast natural resources which scientists believe willfurnish one of the largest treasure hoards of metals and minerals the world has yet known, andalmost inexhaustible sources of copper, coal, uranium, and many other ores will becomeavailable to man. Such discoveries will usher in an era of practical exploitation of the Antarcticwastes.
The polar darkness which hides this continent for the six winter months will be defeated byhuge batteries of light, and make possible the establishing of air-fields for the futureinter-continental air services by making these areas as light as day. Present flying routes willbe completely changed, for the Antarctic refueling bases will make flights from Australia toSouth America comparatively easy over the 5,000 miles journey.
The climate is not likely to offer an insuperable problem, for the explorer Admiral Byrd hasshown that the climate is possible even for men completely untrained for expeditions into thosefrozen wastes. Some of his parties were men who had never seen snow before, and yet herecords that they survived the rigors of the Antarctic climate comfortably, so that, providedthat the appropriate installations are made, we may assume that human beings from allcountries could live there safely. Byrd even affirms that it is probably the most healthy climate inthe world, for the intense cold of thousands of years has sterilize this continent, and renderedit absolutely germfree, with the consequences that ordinary and extraordinary sickness anddiseases from which man suffers in other zones with different climates are here utterlyunknown. There exist no problems of conservation and preservation of food supplies, forthe latter keep indefinitely without any signs of deterioration; it may even be that latergenerations will come to regard the Antarctic as the natural storehouse for the whole world.
Plans are already on foot to set up permanent bases on the shores of this continent, andwhat so few years ago was regarded as a dead continent now promises to be a most activecenter of human life and endeavor.
1. When did man begin to explore the Antarctic?
A. About 100years ago.
B. In this century.
C. At the beginning of the 19th century.
D. In 1798.
2. What must the explorers be, even though they have modern equipment and techniques?
A. Brave and tough
B. Stubborn and arrogant.
C. Well-liked and humorous.
D. Stout and smart.
3. The most healthy climate in the world is___.
A. in South America.
B. in the Arctic Region.
C. in the Antarctic Continent.
D. in the Atlantic Ocean.
4. What kind of metals and minerals can we find in the Antarctic?
A. Magnetite, coal and ores.
B. Copper, coal and uranium.
C. Silver, natural gas and uranium.
D. Aluminum, copper and natural gas.
5. What is planned for the continent?
A. Building dams along the coasts.
B. Setting up several summer resorts along the coasts.
C. Mapping the coast and whole territory.
D. Setting up permanent bases on the coasts
答案:AACBD
大学英语四级阅读顺利过关的精练:7
最新大学英语四级阅读考试过关必备的训练(4)
最新大学英语四级阅读考试过关必备的训练(2)
英语四级阅读范文的精讲:我与狗狗的约定
最新大学英语四级考试完形填空的精学精练(第十篇)
名校名师精讲英语四级考试阅读题的讲义(16)
最新大学英语四级阅读全真模拟题的精练(第13篇)
最新四级阅读考试必备的范文:英凯特王妃
英语四级阅读范文的精讲:献给母亲的康乃馨
最新大学英语四级阅读全真模拟题的精练(第2篇)
最新大学英语四级阅读全真模拟题的精练(第3篇)
怎么才能远离英文四级考试的写作的障碍
大学英语四级阅读顺利过关的精练:4
最新大学英语四级阅读全真模拟题的精练(第7篇)
最新大学英语四级阅读全真模拟题的精练(第9篇)
最新大学英语四级阅读考试过关必备的训练(10)
最新大学英语四级阅读考试过关必备的训练(9)
英语四级学习方法的指导:提高阅读速度怎么做
最新大学英语四级阅读考试过关必备的训练(3)
最新大学英语四级阅读全真模拟题的精练(第6篇)
英语四级学习方法的指导:阅读四大逻辑关系之否定关系
大学英语四级完形题的解题:完形全攻略
名校最新大学英语四级阅读精讲的系列讲义:(157)
英语四级学习方法的指导:阅读四大逻辑关系之比较关系
最新大学英语四级阅读全真模拟题的精练(第16篇)
考生高分的指导:顺利过四级英语考试需要的各种方法
英语四级真题阅读长难句的分析(十六)
大学英语四级阅读顺利过关的精练:2
英语四级阅读范文的精讲:以书为伴
最新四级阅读考试必备的范文
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |