Question

    Many people enjoy the beauty of the snow. But do you really know the snow? Here are three biggest snow myths that will surprise you.

First of all, it’s a myth that no two snowflakes are the same. In 1988, a scientist found two identical snow crystals that had both formed in a snow storm in Wisconsin, USA. Since then scientists have come to learn that snowflakes can only form into 35 different shapes. Although scientists are also unsure why exactly the various shapes of snowflake form, they have identified eight major shapes, with each of these eight shapes having several different variations.

“Snow is white” is the second biggest myth. It’s actually colorless. Snow is made up of ice particles, and ice is translucent, which means that light does not pass through it easily, but rather it gets reflected. When light hits a snowflake, it gets reflected back from the snowflake’s many surfaces, often bouncing between these surfaces, and because of this that light is reflected back to our eyes as the color white. This is why, up close or magnified, a snowflake always looks clear, yet in reality appears as white.

Lastly, snow doesn’t always appear to us as the color white. Not counting the infamous yellow snow that everyone knows never to eat, you can also get naturally blue snow or even pink snow.

Deep snow can sometimes appear blue in color because the extra layers of snow create a filter for light, which causes more red light to be absorbed by the snow than blue light, meaning that it looks blue.

Likewise, snow can sometimes appear pink in mountainous regions or coastal Polar Regions due to it containing cryophilic fresh-water algae that have a red pigment in them.

As an interesting bonus fact, the fur of Polar Bears is actually made up of translucent fibers, trapping light between its many surfaces and making the Polar Bear look white, when in actuality if you were to examine a single piece of Polar Bear fur up close it would look clear – just like a snowflake.

It’s also a commonly known fact that, if shaved, a Polar Bear would be black in color. The reason a Polar Bear’s skin is black is because black is the color which locks in the most heat.

1.According to the passage, the underlined word “myth” means _________.

A.tale B.riddle

C.mystery D.misunderstanding

2.Why does a snowflake appear as white?

A.Because snow is white.

B.Because snow is made up of ice particles.

C.Because ice is translucent, light does pass through it easily.

D.Because the lights reflect back and forth between the snowflakes’ surfaces.

3.Which of the statement is true?

A.Polar Bears’ black skin can help them keep warm.

B.The color of the snowflakes are white, yellow, blue and pink.

C.Scientists have identified eight minor shapes of the snowflake.

D.The snow absorbs more blue light than red light, making it look blue.

4.Which of the following doesn’t belong to the three biggest snow myths?

A.Snow is white B.Snow always looks white

C.No two snowflakes are the same D.Polar Bear fur looks clear--just like a snowflake.

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.A

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述了人们对于雪的三个误区。

1.

词句猜测题。根据文章第二段“In 1988, a scientist found two identical snow crystals that had both formed in a snow storm in Wisconsin, USA.”可知一名科学家发现了两个完全相同的雪结晶。因此没有两片完全相同的雪花这种观点只是一种传言的，故此处myth译为“传言”。故选A项。

2.

细节理解题。根据文章第三段“When light hits a snowflake, it gets reflected back from the snowflake’s many surfaces, often bouncing between these surfaces, and because of this that light is reflected back to our eyes as the color white.”可知当光线照射在雪上，雪花的众多冰晶表面会将其反射回去，通常是在各表面间来回反射，也正因为如此，反射进我们眼睛中的光线就呈现出了白色。故选B项。

3.

细节理解题。根据文章最后一段“The reason a Polar Bear’s skin is black is because black is the color which locks in the most heat.”可知，北极熊的黑色皮肤可以锁住最多的热量，从而起到保暖的作用。故选A项。

4.

细节理解题。根据文章第二段“First of all, it’s a myth that no two snowflakes are the same.”，第三段““Snow is white” is the second biggest myth.”和第四段“Lastly, snow doesn’t always appear to us as the color white.”可知，关于雪的三个误区分别是：一是世界上不存在两片相同的雪花；二是雪是白色的；三是雪看起来总是白色的。故选D项。