阅读理解之史地常识类(共3篇，限时22分钟)A(2013辽宁大连双基测试)Under the cold clear water of Lake Huron, researchers have found a fiveandahalffootlong piece of wood that is 8,900 years old. The wood, which is tapered (使成锥形) on one side in a way that looks deliberate, may provide important clues to a mysterious period in North American prehistory.“This was the stage when humans gradually shifted from hunting large animals to fishing, gathering and agriculture，” said anthropologist John OShea. “But because most of the places in this area that prehistoric people lived in are now under water, we dont have good evidence of this important shift itself. We just have clues from before and after the change.”With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), OShea and his colleague Guy Meadows began exploring the area several years ago. In 2009 they reported finding a series of stone features that they believe were “drive lanes” used by ancient Indian hunters.Since that discovery, OShea and Meadows have worked on identifying human campsites, which are typically located away from hunting areas. On their 25foot boat, the researchers first spotted the ancient wood object using a small piece of equipment with a camera. Then a team of divers including OShea went down about 100 feet to get it.The woods age has now been fixed by means of carbon dating. It is currently undergoing more detailed analyses to determine whether there has been human modification, which visual examination suggests. “The first thing you notice is that it appears to have been shaped with a rounded base and a pointed tip，” OShea said. “It must have been created. It looks like it might have been used as a tent pole or a pole to hang meat.”In addition to the wood, the researchers have collected many other samples from the bottom of the lake. OShea and his colleagues will need to wait for calmer weather before they can resume their search for evidence of human life under the great lake.语篇解读：考古学家们的新发现有望印证远古人类从游猎文明到农耕文明的转变。1During the mysterious period mentioned in the passage, the Lake Huron area _.Awas deserted by ancient IndiansBwitnessed the start of agricultureCwas taken up by large animalsDbegan to be covered by water解析：选B推理判断题。从第一、二段的“. may provide important clues to a mysterious period in North American prehistory . when humans gradually shifted from hunting large animals to fishing, gathering and agriculture”可知B项正确。2Whats the fourth paragraph mainly about?AHow the wood was found.BWhy the wood is important.CPreparations that were made for the discovery of the wood.DConclusions the experts have made from the discovery of the wood.解析：选A主旨大意题。本段主要交代了 John OShea 和同事们从何时开始使用何种方法找到了这块木头。3According to the passage, _.Aexperts havent found out the age of the woodBexperts first noticed the wood when they were divingCthe wood was probably a humanmade toolDthe wood is the most important discovery among all the samples found under the lake解析：选C推理判断题。从第五段的最后一句可知C项正确。4What do we know about the future plan of John OShea and his colleagues?AThey will explore another lake soon.BThey will study the weather around Lake Huron.CThey will have a long holiday before going back to work.DThey will continue to explore Lake Huron.解析：选D细节理解题。从文章最后一句可知答案。B(2013天津和平区二模)100 years after the sinking of the Titanic, experts are still debating what caused the tragedy. Now, new research by British historian Tim Maltin points to an unusual optical illusion (视错觉) that may have hidden the iceberg that caused the Titanics deadly crash.Maltin read weather records from survivors and the ship logs to research his theory. The Titanic sailed from warm Gulf Stream waters into the freezing Labrador Current. There, the air column was cooling from the bottom up, creating layers of cold air below layers of warmer air. This is called a thermal inversion (逆温)“The thermal inversion，” Maltin says, “caused light to refract (折射), abnormally downward.” The refraction created a mirage (海市蜃楼): objects appeared higher and therefore nearer than they actually were, before a false horizon.The area between the false horizon and the real horizon appeared as haze (霾). The iceberg was hidden in the haze, so those aboard the Titanic didnt see it until the ship was about to collide with it. As Titanic First Officer William McMaster Murdoch recalled, “That iceberg came right out of the haze.” But by that time, the Titanic was too close to avoid hitting it.Shortly before the Titanic hit the iceberg, it sailed into the view of another ship, the Californian. But the refraction of the light made it appear too near and too small to be the Titanic the largest ship in the world at the time. The Californian signaled to the Titanic by the Morse lamp, which uses flashes of light to send signals. The Titanic, now in trouble, al