Question

The Pacific island nation of Nauru used to be a beautiful place. Now it is an ecological disaster area. Nauru’s heartbreaking story could have one good consequence — other countries might learn from its mistakes.

For thousands of years, Polynesian people lived the remote island of Nauru, far from western civilization. The first European to arrive was John Fearn in 1798. He was the British captain of the Hunter, a whaling ship. He called the island Pleasant Island.

However, because it was very remote, Nauru had little communication with Europeans at first. The whaling ships and other traders began to visit, bringing guns and alcohol. These elements destroyed the social balance of the twelve family groups on the island. A ten-year civil war started, which reduced the population from 1,400 to 900.

Nauru’s real troubles began in 1899 when a British mining company discovered phosphate (磷酸盐)on the island. In fact, it found that the island of Nauru was nearly all phosphate, which a very important fertilizer for farming. The company began mining the phosphate.

A phosphate mine is not a hole in the ground; it is a strip mine. When a company strip-mines, it removes the top layer of soil. Then it takes away the material it wants. Strip mining totally destroys the land. Gradually, the lovely island of Nauru started to look like the moon.

In 1968, Nauru became one of the richest countries in the world. Every year the government received millions and millions of dollars for its phosphate.

Unfortunately, the leaders invested the money unwisely and lost millions of dollars. In addition, they used millions more dollars for personal expenses. Soon people realized that they had a terrible problem — their phosphate was running out. Ninety percent of their island was destroyed and they had nothing. By 2000, Nauru was financially ruined. Experts say that it would take approximately $433,600,000 and more than 20 years to repair the island. This will probably never happen.

1.What might be the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A. To seek help for Nauru’s problems.

B. To give a warning to other countries

C. To show the importance of money

D. To tell a heartbreaking story of a war.

2.The ecological disaster in Nauru resulted from _______.

A. soil pollution       B. phosphate overmining

C. farming activity      D. whale hunting

3.Which of the following was a cause of Nauru’s financial problem?

A. Its leaders misused the money

B. It spent too much repairing the island

C. Its phosphate mining cost much money

D. It lost millions of dollars in the civil war.

4.What can we learn about Nauru from the last paragraph?

A. The ecological damage is difficult to repair.

B. The leaders will take the experts’ words seriously.

C. The island was abandoned by the Nauruans

D. The phosphate mines were destroyed

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.A

4.A

【解析】

试题分析: 文章讲述了瑙鲁原来是一个美丽的岛国，可是由于过度开采岛上的资源，面临生态问题。

1.B考察细节理解题。根据文意 Nauru’s heartbreaking story could have one good consequence — other countries might learn from its mistakes可知作者写这篇文章的目的是希望别的国家能够从中吸取教训，所以答案是B。

2.B考察细节理解题。根据文意A phosphate mine is not a hole in the ground; it is a strip mine. When a company strip-mines, it removes the top layer of soil. Then it takes away the material it wants. Strip mining totally destroys the land. Gradually, the lovely island of Nauru started to look like the moon.可知瑙鲁的生态危机是由于过度开采磷酸盐造成的，所以答案是B。

3.A考察细节理解题。根据文意Unfortunately, the leaders invested the money unwisely and lost millions of dollars. In addition, they used millions more dollars for personal expenses.可知造成瑙鲁财政危机的原因是征服领导人投资不明智，并且把钱用在个人消费上所以答案是A。

4.

考点：环境类阅读。