Growing numbers of scientists therefore see Antarctica as a distant-early-warning sensor, where potentially dangerous global trends may be spotted before they show up to the north. One promising field of investigation is glaciology. Scholars from the United States, Switzerland, and France are pursuing seven separate but related projects that reflect their concern for the health of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet a concern they believe the world at large should share.

　　The Transantarctic Mountain, some of them more than 14,000 feet high, divide the continent into two very different regions. The part of the continent to the "east" of the mountains is a high plateau covered by an ice sheet nearly two miles thick. "West" of the mountain, the half of the continent south of the Americas is also covered by an ice sheet, but there the ice rests on rock that is mostly well below sea level. If the West Antarctic Ice Sheet disappeared, the western part of the continent would be reduced to a sparse cluster of island.

　　While ice and snow are obviously central to many environmental experiments, others focus on the mysterious "dry valley"of Antarctica, valleys that contain little ice or snow even in the depths of winter. Slashed through the mountains of southern Victoria Land, these valleys once held enormous glaciers that descended 9,000 feet from the polar plateau to the Ross Sea. Now the glaciers are gone, perhaps a casualty of the global warming trend during the 10,000 years since the ice age. Even the snow that falls in the dry valleys is blasted out by vicious winds that roars down from the polar plateau to the sea. Left bare are spectacular gorges, rippled fields of sand dunes, clusters of boulders sculptured into fantastic shapes by 100-mile-an-hour winds, and an aura of extraterrestrial desolation.

　　Despite the unearthly aspect of the dry valleys, some scientists believe they may carry a message of hope of the verdant parts of the earth. Some scientists believe that in some cases the dry valleys may soak up pollutants faster than pollutants enter them.

　　1. What is the best title for this passage?

　　[A] Antarctica and environmental Problems.

　　[B] Antarctica: Earth's Early-Warning station.

　　[C] Antarctica: a Unique Observation Post.

　　[D] Antarctica: a Mysterious Place.

　　2. What would the result be if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet disappeared?

　　[A] The western part of the continent would be disappeared.

　　[B] The western part of the continent would be reduced.

　　[C] The western part of the continent would become scattered Islands.

　　[D] The western part of the continent would be reduced to a cluster of Islands.

　　3. Why are the Dry Valleys left bare?

　　[A] Vicious wind blasts the snow away.

　　[B] It rarely snows.

　　[C] Because of the global warming trend and fierce wind.

　　[D] Sand dunes.

　　4. Which of the following is true?

　　[A] The "Dry Valleys" have nothing left inside.

　　[B] The "Dry Valleys" never held glaciers.

　　[C] The "Dry Valleys" may carry a message of hope for the verdant.

　　[D] The "Dry Valleys" are useless to scientists.

　　參考答案：

　　1. A 2. D 3. C 4. C

　　The men who race the cars are generally small, with a tight, nervous look. They range from the early 20s to the middle 40s, and it is usually their nerves that go first.

　　Fear is the driver's constant companion, and tragedy can be just a step behind. Scarcely a man in the 500 does not carry the scars of ancient crashes. The mark of the plastic surgeon is everywhere, and burned skin is common. Sometimes a driver's scars are invisible, part of his heritage. Two young drivers, Billy Vukovich and Gary Bettenhausen, raced in their first 500 in 1968. Less than 20 years before, their fathers also competed against one another on the Indy track—and died there.

　　All this the drivers accept. Over the years, they have learned to trust their own techniques, reflexes, and courage. They depend, too, on a trusted servant—scientific engineering. Though they may not have had a great deal of schooling (an exception is New Zealand's Bruce McLaren, who has an engineering degree), many drivers are gifted mechanics, with a feeling for their engines that amount to kinship.

　　A few top drivers have become extremely wealthy, with six-figure incomes from prize money, endorsements, and jobs with auto-product manufacturers. Some have businesses of their own. McLaren designs racing chassis (底盤). Dan Gurney's California factory manufactured the chassis of three of the first four ears in the 1968 Indy 500, including his own second place car.

　　Yet money is not the only reason why men race cars. Perhaps it isn't even the major reason. Three-time Indy winner(1961, 1964, 1967) A. J. Foyt, for example, can frequently be found competing on dirty tracks in minor-league races, where money, crowds and safety features are limited, and only the danger is not. Why does he do it? Sometimes Foyt answers, "It's in my blood. " Other times he says, "It's good practice. " Now and then he replies, "Don't ask dumb questions. "

　　26. The statement "it is usually their nerves that go first" means_______.

　　A. at first they all have a nervous look

　　B. they often find they can't bear the tension even if they are in good condition

　　C. someday they find they can't make responses to any risk

　　D. they can continue their career at most until the middle 40s

　　27. It can be inferred that a car accident is often coupled with_______.

　　A. a plastic surgeon B. a companion

　　C. a risk D. a fire

　　28. The invisible scars of the drivers mentioned in the second paragraph refers to_______.

　　A. the regrets left by their fathers B. the fears left by their fathers

　　C. the cars left by their fathers D. the heritage left by their fathers

　　29. Bruce McLaren is different from most of the drivers in that_______.

　　A. he himself designs chassis B. he has an engineering degree

　　C. he manufactures chassis D. he is a gifted mechanic

　　30. A. J. Foyt often takes part in minor-league races for_______.

　　A. prize money B. blood test

　　C. cheers from the crowd D. enjoyment

　　答案

　　26. B 27. D 28. A 29. B 30. D