Question

    Something’s happening at the lowest point on our planet.

The Dead Sea, a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west, is shrinking at an alarming rate - about 3. 3 feet per year, according to the environmentalist group Eco Peace Middle East. And human actions are largely to blame.

"It's not just like one country is punishing the Dead Sea: it's more like the whole area,” said photographer Moritz Kustner, who visited the area in February to work on his series "The Dying Dead Sea”.

The Dead Sea needs water from the other natural sources surrounding it, such as the Jordan River basin. But around the 1960s, some of the water sources it relied upon were diverted. Israel, for instance, built a pipeline during that time so it could supply water throughout the country.

Mineral extraction industries are another main reason the water levels are falling, experts say. The Dead Sea's minerals have been used as medicine and can often be found in cosmetics and other consumer products.

And then, of course, there's the Middle East's hot, dry climate, which makes it difficult for the lake to replenish itself. Last year, Israel and Jordan signed a $900 million deal in an effort to keep the Dead Sea's water levels stable. It includes building a canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea which would be able to not only supply water to Israel and Jordan but also to pump water into the Dead Sea.

But for now, Kustner shows us that the Dead Sea remains very much a place of interest, with people from all over the world going there to swim in its salty waters

The Dead Sea, known as the Salt Sea in the language of Hebrew, is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. And because of what has been happening over the years, the salt is only getting saltier.

1.How many reasons for the Dead Seas shrinking does the author mention in the text?

A.One B.Two

C.Three D.Four

2.What can we learn about the Dead Sea 's minerals?

A.They have practical value.

B.They are controlled by Israel.

C.They can be extracted very easily.

D.They are mainly used in heavy industry.

3.What does the underlined word "replenish” in Paragraph 6 probably mean?

A.To clean something. B.To improve something.

C.To fill something again. D.To find something again.

4.What would be the best title for the text?

A.What we should do to save the Dead Sea. B.More people travel to the Dead Sea.

C.Why the Dead Sea is salty. D.The Dead Sea is drying out.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.C

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。本文主要讲了死海，位于约旦和以色列交界，它是世界上最咸的湖，由于人为的原因，这里的水位正在以惊人的速度下降。

1.细节理解题。由But around the 1960s, some of the water sources it relied on were diverted.可知，上世纪60年代，死海赖以生存的部分流域被改道，这是死海萎缩的原因之一；由Mineral extraction industries are another main reason the water levels are falling，experts say. The Dead Sea's minerals have been used as medicine and can often be found in cosmetics and other consumer products可知专家表示，矿物开采是死海水位下降又一主因。死海中富含的矿物因其良好的疗效而受到欢迎，常被添加在护肤品以及其它消费品上，这是死海萎缩的原因之二；由And then, of course, there’s the Middle East’s hot, dry climate, which makes it difficult for the lake to replenish itself.可知中东炎热的天气，干燥的气候，也使得死海很难能够重新积蓄水分，这是死海萎缩的原因之三。故选C。

2.推理判断题。由第五段中的Mineral extraction industries are another main reason the water levels are falling, experts say. The Dead Sea’s minerals have been used as medicine and can often be found in cosmetics and other consumer products（矿物开采是死海水位下降又一主因。死海中富含的矿物因其良好的疗效而受到欢迎，常被添加在护肤品以及其它消费品上。）由此推断出死海的矿物质有实用价值，故选A。

3.词义猜测题。上文提到了死海萎缩的几个原因，所以这里意思是：此外，中东炎热的天气，干燥的气候，也使得死海很难能够重新积蕃水分。由划线单词所在句子的下句话：Last year, Israel and Jordan signed a $900 million deal in an effort to keep the Dead Sea's water levels stable（去年，以色列和约旦签署了9亿美金的生意，试图保持死海的水位保持稳定）也可推知，划线句句意是强调死海的自我修复功能。所以“replenish”的意思是再加满，故选C。

4.主旨大意题。由文章第一段和第二段中的Something’s happening at the lowest point on our planet. The Dead Sea, a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west, is shrinking at an alarming rate（在地球的最低点有事情在发生。位于约旦和以色列交界，世界上最咸的湖死海，正在以惊人的萎缩）可知，这篇文章主要讲死海的萎缩、枯萎。故选D。