15.The Mississippi
The Mississippi is a great river whose relationship with man goes way back beyond its discovery in the 16th century.The River Indians used it as a highway and as a source of food,and it was they who gave it its name-"misi"meaning"great"and"sipi"meaning"water".When the length of its branch,the Missouri,is added to it,the Mississippi becomes greater(71)C..From the source of the Missouri to the tip of the delta (三角洲),it is 2,480 miles long.
Great rivers are likely to suffer floods.In 1927 the Mississippi flooded 26 thousand acres,sweeping away farms,towns,everything in its path.In 1938 its floods drowned or killed 200 people and made millions homeless.Today the river has largely been controlled.(72)B.
Industries have spread down some of the waterways of the delta,but otherwise the delta is a remote place,the homeland of a little colony of French Canadians that the British drove out of Nova Scotia in the 18th century.They still speak French,mixed with English,Indian,Spanish and Negro idioms.They keep to themselves,fanning the rich soil of the delta.(73)G.
(74)D.Pioneers who first reached its banks wondered not only where it went,but what lay beyond.In 1764 the French founded a city on the right bank of the river,and named it after their king,Louis XV.This city,named St.Louis,became the jumping-off place for the adventurous men and women who opened up the Great Plains,and the way to the Far West.
Some 40 years earlier,at the beginning of the 18th century,the French had founded another city just above the Mississippi delta,New Orleans.(75)A.New Orleans is one of the great ports of the world,and one of the greatest terminals for both sea and river traffic.
A.It was the Mississippi that made the city what it is
B.Levees,high banks built of earth,hold back the flood waters
C.Therefore,as we know,it's the third longest river in the world
D.It is known that the"Great Water"has also been a frontier river
E.However,they paddled up and down the Mississippi in their boats to seek their fortune
F.The"Great Water"always remains a thread,for the streets of the city are below the level of the river
G. They call themselves Cajuns,who have actually been leading fairly primitive lives and preserving their own traditions.
分析 文章介紹了密西西比河名字的由來以及密西西比三角洲的發(fā)展史.
解答 71.C考查上下文聯(lián)系.根據(jù)上句When the length of its branch,the Missouri,is added to it,the Mississippi becomes greater加上它支流--密蘇里河的長度,密西西比河變得更壯觀了.因此密西西比河成為世界上第三大長河.故選C項.
72.B考查上下文聯(lián)系.根據(jù)上句Today the river has largely been controlled.現(xiàn)在密西西比河大部分已經(jīng)得到控制,那么下句應(yīng)該談治理的手段.因此選B項.
73.G考查上下文聯(lián)系.第三段主要講三角洲歷史和居民.G選項的意思是:他們稱自己為卡津人,保持著原始的生活方式和自己的傳統(tǒng).故選G項.
74.D考查上下文聯(lián)系.根據(jù)下文講述的密西西比河的歷史,可以推斷第一句是本段的主題句或過渡句.句意:眾所周知,"The Great Water"是一條邊境河流.選D項.
75.A考查上下文推斷.根據(jù)上句the French had founded another city just above the Mississippi delta,New Orleans.法國人在密西西比三角洲上建立了另一個城市,新奧爾良市.可知,是密西西比河塑造了新奧爾良市現(xiàn)在的樣子.故選A項.
點評 本文是說明文,題目要求從7個選項中選擇恰當(dāng)?shù)恼Z句填入空格處.這種類型的題目關(guān)鍵是符合邏輯和語境,要強調(diào)從上下文中尋找具體的解題依據(jù).