Question

Stepping into a pool of water is common enough, but who could ever imagine stepping into a pool of fish? In February of 1974, Bill Tapp, an Australian farmer, saw a rain of fish that covered his farm. How surprised he must have been when he heard many fish hitting against his roof!

　　 What caused this strange occurrence? This is a question that had long puzzled people who study fish. The answer turned out to be a combination of wind and storm.

　　When it is spring in the northern part of the world, it is fall in Australia. Throughout the autumn season, terrible storms arise and rains flood the land. The strong winds sweep over Australia like huge vacuum cleaners, collecting seaweed, pieces of wood, and even schools of fish. Strong winds may carry these bits of nature for many miles before dropping them on fields, houses, and astonished people.

　　Although they seem unusual, fish-falls occur quite frequently in Australia. When Bill Tapp was asked to describe the scene of fish, he remarked, “They look like millions of dead birds falling down.” His statement is not surprising. The wonders of the natural world are as common as rain. Nature, with its infinite wonders, can create waterfalls that flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky.

　　56. What is this passage about?

　　A. A sad story. 　　　　　　　　　　　　B. A rain of fish.

　　C. Australia’s northern part.　　　　　D. The damage done by floods.

　　57. Fish-falls occur in Australia_________ .

　　A. quite often 　　　　　　B. on large farms

　　C. only in winter　　　　　D. when the air is calm

　　58. It is a known fact that ________.

　　A. one should watch where one steps

　　B. Bill Tapp is a scientist who studies farming

　　C. the natural world can never create waterfalls that fall upward

　　D. the seasons in the southern part are different from those in the northern part

　　59. The word “infinite” is closest in meaning to _________.

　　A. easy 　　　B. difficult 　　　C. countless 　　　D. dangerous

Answer 1

56-59 BADC

解析:

　56．選B。文章主要討論了問什么會下魚雨這種奇異的自然現(xiàn)象。A. A sad story與文章無關(guān)；文章只在解釋魚雨的成因是提到Australia’s northern part與南部季節(jié)不同，以及與會帶來的洪水，但并非主要話題。

　　57．選A。從最后一段Although they seem unusual, fish-falls occur quite frequently in 　　　　Australia中的frequently可知。

　　58．選D。從文章第三段When it is spring in the northern part of the world, it is fall in 　　　　Australia.可知。A選項內(nèi)容文章沒有提到過。文章第二行Bill Tapp, an Australian farmer可知

　　　　B選項錯。從文章最后一句Nature, with its infinite wonders, can create waterfalls that

　　　　flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky可知C選項錯。

　　59．選C。從上文The wonders of the natural world are as common as rain中的as common as rain可推知C對。