Ⅰ. 阅读理解
Flying down a 488-meter-long slide provides plenty of excitement for most people. But for those who like more extreme adventures, Nicaragua offers an even more exciting slide experience. The thought of racing down an active volcano with only a board is enough to get most people hot under the collar. But for thrill-seeking sports fanatics, boarding down a 2, 380-foot-high volcano at the speed of 80 km/h is the coolest sport around.
Thousands of travelers are heading to the foothills of Nicaragua’s Cerro Negro to take part in the new sporting craze (狂热). Surfers, dressed in protective jump suits, knee-pads and helmets, receive brief instructions and then try sliding down a short slope(斜坡). After that, it’s time for the real thing. Sitting on their specially-constructed boards, surfers push off and fly straight down a 488-meter-long slope. The black volcanic ash provides a dusty, dirty ride. But boarders usually arrive at the bottom with smiles on their faces.
Phillip Southan, owner and manager of Bigfoot Hostel and Green Pathways Tours, said, “We started offering this trip in 2005 and it has become so popular. This is a unique tour as nowhere else in the world can you board down an active volcano. ”
“What we offer is a tour for everyone with absolutely no experience. One of the greatest attractions of the tour is that you get a bit of everything. Since 2005, more than 10, 000 people have traveled to Cerro Negro to give it a try. ”
“When you are on the top you will have the opportunity to stand near the crater(火山口) and see a smoking volcano. But the biggest risk is that you will take the chance of getting some scratches if you fall over. ”
“Many years of experience has taken this tour to a level where it is safe but still fun and for some people a little frightening. We are always working on ways to continue improving it for the future. ”
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文。介绍了能够给你带来刺激体验的赛罗内格罗的火山滑梯。
1. Which words can best describe the slide in Cerro Negro?
A. Secure but tiring.
B. Enjoyable but risky.
C. Popular but demanding.
D. Worthwhile but painful.
【解析】选B。细节理解题。根据第二、三、四段的介绍可知, 赛罗内格罗的火山滑梯会带来令人愉快的滑行体验, 再根据第五段中的“But the biggest risk is that you will take the chance of getting some scratches if you fall over”可知, 最大的风险是如果你跌倒了会被划伤, 由此可知, 赛罗内格罗的火山滑梯虽然好玩但有风险, 故B项正确。
2. What do the underlined words “the real thing” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Sliding down the volcanic slope.
B. Escaping the black volcanic ash.
C. Heading to the mountaintop alone.
D. Receiving professional slide instructions.
【解析】选A。词义猜测题。根据画线词后的“Sitting on their specially-constructed boards, surfers push off and fly straight down a 488-meter-long slope. ”可知, 人们坐在特制的滑板上从488米长的斜坡上直冲而下, 由此可知, 画线词指的就是从火山坡上滑下来, 故A项正确。
3. In what way is the slide in Cerro Negro special?
A. It is available to everyone.
B. It has the longest slope worldwide.
C. It is based on an active volcano.
D. It offers specially-constructed boards.
【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据第三段中的“This is a unique tour as nowhere else in the world can you board down an active volcano”可知, 赛罗内格罗的火山滑梯的独特之处在于它位于一口活火山上, 故C项正确。
4. What makes the slide in Cerro Negro relatively safe according to Phillip Southan?
A. High-tech safety facilities.
B. Knowledge and skills from practice.
C. Advanced training guidance on the slide.
D. Staff’s familiarity with the surroundings.
【解析】选B。推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“Many years of experience has taken this tour to a level where it is safe but still fun and for some people a little frightening. ”可知, 多年的经验使火山滑梯安全又有趣, 由此可知, Phillip Southan认为实践中的知识和技巧使火山滑梯相对安全, 故B项正确。
【知识拓展】长难句分析
But the biggest risk is that you will take the chance of getting some scratches if you fall over.
分析: But表示转折, 其中that引导表语从句, if引导条件状语从句, 意为“如果”。
翻译: 但最大的风险是, 如果你跌倒了, 你可能会被划伤。
