Cities usually have a good reason for being where they are, like a nearby port or river. People settle in these places because they are easy to get to and naturally suited to communications and trade. New York City, for example, is near a large harbour at the mouth of the Hudson River.Over 300 years its population grew gradually from 800 people to 8 million.But not all cities develop slowly over a long period of time.Boom towns grow from nothing almost overnight.In 1896,Dawson,Canada,was unmapped wilderness(荒野).But gold was discovered there in 1897,and two years later,it was one of the largest cities in the West,with a population of 30,000.
Dawson did not have any of the natural conveniences of cities like London or Paris.People went there for gold.They travelled over snow-covered mountains and sailed hundreds of miles up icy rivers.The path to Dawson was covered with thirty feet of wet snow that could fall without warning.An avalanche(雪崩)once closed the path,killing 63 people.For many who made it to Dawson,however,the rewards were worth the difficult trip.Of the first 20,000 people who dug for gold,4,000 got rich.About 100 of these stayed rich men for the rest of their lives.
But no matter how rich they were,Dawson was never comfortable.Necessities like food and wood were very expensive.But soon,the gold that Dawson depended on had all been found.The city was crowded with disappointed people with no interest in settling down,and when they heard there were new gold discoveries in Alaska,they left Dawson City as quickly as they had come.Today,people still come and go—to see where the Canadian gold rush happened.Tourism is now the chief industry of Dawson City—its present population is 762.
【语篇导读】城市自有它形成的原因。本文主要介绍加拿大城市Dawson(道森),它昔日因为金矿而迅速兴起,现在则只能以旅游业作为主产业。
1.What attracted the early settlers to New York City?
A.Its business culture.
B.Its small population.
C.Its geographical position.
D.Its favourable climate.
答案 C
解析 细节理解题。由第一段第二、三句“People settle in these places because they are easy to get to and naturally suited to communications and trade. New York City, for example, is near a large harbour at the mouth of the Hudson River.”可知,像纽约市这样的城市往往占据重要的地理位置,交通、通信和贸易方便,由此推知答案为C项。
2.What do we know about those who first dug for gold in Dawson?
A.Two-thirds of them stayed there.
B.One out of five people got rich.
C.Almost everyone gave up.
D.Half of them died.
答案 B
解析 推理判断题。由第二段末的“Of the first 20,000 people who dug for gold, 4,000 got rich. About 100 of these stayed rich men for the rest of their lives.”可知,最早来淘金的20,000人里,有4,000人依靠挖掘黄金致富,占总人数的1/5,所以答案为B项。
3.What was the main reason for many people to leave Dawson?
A.They found the city too crowded.
B.They wanted to try their luck elsewhere.
C.They were unable to stand the winter.
D.They were short of food.
答案 B
解析 细节理解题。由最后一段中的“But soon, the gold that Dawson depended on had all been found. The city was crowded...when they heard there were new gold discoveries in Alaska, they left Dawson City as quickly as they had come.”可知,金矿被开采殆尽,特别是当得知阿拉斯加发现新的金矿后,人们已经没有兴趣继续留在这里。据此得出导致很多人离开Dawson的主要原因是要到别处寻找新的金矿,答案为B项,A项并非原因;C项文中没有提及,所以排除;最后一段虽然提到“Necessities like food and wood were very expensive.”,但这并不是导致人们离开的主要原因,所以排除D项。
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.The rise and fall of a city.
B.The gold rush in Canada.
C.Journeys into the wilderness.
D.Tourism in Dawson.
答案 A
解析 主旨大意题。A项“一座城市的兴衰”;B项“加拿大淘金热”;C项“荒野之旅”;D项“道森的旅游业”。文中主要介绍加拿大城市Dawson(道森)因为金矿而崛起,又因为金矿被开采殆尽而衰落,经济只能依靠旅游业支撑,所以A项能准确概括文章内容;文章重心在讲城市的形成,而非淘金热活动本身,所以B项排除;C项与文章内容不符,排除;道森的旅游业只在文章最后一段最后一句提到,不能作为主旨内容。
