At first, the earth’s surface（表面） layer (层) was made up of huge blocks of hard, solid rocks. Then slowly, the rocks broke up into smaller and smaller pieces. Finally stones, pebbles (卵石) and grains of sand were formed. Many sorts of plants and animals lived and died on the surface of the earth. Their remains mixed up with the stones, pebbles and formed soil. The outmost layer of the earth is soil.

There are many ways in which large pieces of rock break into smaller ones. Wind, water. heat and cold help to break up rocks. When winds blow grains of sand against a large rock for a long time, the softer layers of the rock are slowly worn away. These leave holes and cracks (裂缝) in the rock, which become bigger and finally the rock breaks up into smaller pieces.

The moving water of streams and rivers also helps to break up rocks. As the water moves along, it carries with it small pieces of rock. These rub the larger ones. Thus, the larger rocks are worn down to smaller pieces.

The heat of the sun is also helpful to breaking up rocks. When the sun shines, the rocks become very hot. If these rocks are suddenly cooled, they may crack. Ice also plays a part in making soil. Water in the carcks can turn into ice in cold weather. As this happens, it becomes bigger and the cracks become wider, and finally break into smaller pieces.

1. According to the passage, soil____________ .

　 A. forms very slowly

　 B. is a mixture of stones, pebbles and sand

　 C. makes up the layers of the earth

　 D. is becoming smaller and smaller

2. How many factors are mentioned in helping break up rocks?

　 A. Three.　　 B. Four.　　 C. Five.____________ D. More than five.

3. Which of the follwing speeds up（加速） the breaks of rocks most?

　 A. Hot weather.________________________　　 B. Cold water.

　 C. Sharp changes in temperature.　　 D. More dead plants in the cracks.

4. Which of the following is NOT true?

　 A. The remains of many plants and animals formed soil.

　 B. If a large rock never moves, it will never break up.

　 C. Even if a large rock never moves, it will break up.

　 D. Ice in the cracks helps to break up rocks.

5. The best title for this passage should be____________ ?

　 A. Soil From Rocks

　 B. Ways to Break up Rocks

　 C. Soil on the Earth

　 D. Soil, Outmost Layer of the Earth

 

　　Richard Gray was a famous explorer. He was also a millionaire. He had visited every country in the world. He had crossed the Antarctic, flown across the Atlantic by balloon, and climbed Mount Everest. Last year he decided to walk across Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth. He walked for days over the hot desert sand. One night he found the camp where he had been the night before. Gray had walked in a circle. He was lost.

　　Two days later he had drunk all his water. He couldn't walk. He crawled to the top of a sand dune（沙丘）, and there he saw a man. The man was wearing smart, clean trousers, a white shirt and a tie. Gray crawled over to him.

　　“Water…water…”he said.

　　“I'm terribly sorry, old boy,” replied the man, “but I haven't got any water with me.”

　　“Help me!” shouted Gray, “I'm a rich man…a millionaire…I'll give you anything.”

　　“That's very nice of you, old boy,” said the man. “Look, I can't give you any water, but would you like to buy my tie?”

　　“A tie? Of course not!” screamed Gray, and crawled away. He crawled slowly up the next sand dune. His mouth was full of sand. His lips were cracked（破裂）and dry. He couldn't breathe. He reached the top of the dune and there he saw a huge good hotel. Girls were swimming in the large swimming pool. Beautiful fountains were all around the hotel.

　　“Is it a mirage?” he thought. “Am I dying?” He stood up and staggered（蹒跚）down the dune.

　　A waiter in shining white uniform came out of the door.

　　“Water…water…a bath! Food!” screamed Gray.

　　“I'm sorry, you can't come into this hotel,” said the waiter.

　　“Why not? I've got plenty of money… I'm a millionaire.”

　　“Ah,” replied the waiter, “but you aren't wearing a tie !”

(1) The famous explorer ________.

[　　]

A．had crossed the Antarctic and the Atlantic by balloon

B．had traveled all over the world

C．had walked across Death Valley

D．had ever been a millionaire

(2) Death Valley is _________.

[　　]

A．a valley where people may die from loss of water

B．a dead place where people dare not go

C．a terribly hot valley where people may die of heat

D．a place's name

(3) Gray saw __________ from the top of the next dune.

[　　]

A．a large good hotel

B．many swimming girls

C．a lot of drinking water

D．a beautiful mirage

(4) At last Richard Gray ________.

[　　]

A．got some water to drink

B．was not permitted to enter the hotel

C．was very sorry for the waiter

D．was dying

　　Richard Gray was a famous explorer. He was also a millionaire. He had visited every country in the world. He had crossed the Antarctic, flown across the Atlantic by balloon, and climbed Mount Everest. Last year he decided to walk across Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth. He walked for days over the hot desert sand. One night he found the camp where he had been the night before. Gray had walked in a circle. He was lost.

　　Two days later he had drunk all his water. He couldn't walk. He crawled to the top of a sand dune（沙丘）, and there he saw a man. The man was wearing smart, clean trousers, a white shirt and a tie. Gray crawled over to him.

　　“Water…water…”he said.

　　“I'm terribly sorry, old boy,” replied the man, “but I haven't got any water with me.”

　　“Help me!” shouted Gray, “I'm a rich man…a millionaire…I'll give you anything.”

　　“That's very nice of you, old boy,” said the man. “Look, I can't give you any water, but would you like to buy my tie?”

　　“A tie? Of course not!” screamed Gray, and crawled away. He crawled slowly up the next sand dune. His mouth was full of sand. His lips were cracked（破裂）and dry. He couldn't breathe. He reached the top of the dune and there he saw a huge good hotel. Girls were swimming in the large swimming pool. Beautiful fountains were all around the hotel.

　　“Is it a mirage?” he thought. “Am I dying?” He stood up and staggered（蹒跚）down the dune.

　　A waiter in shining white uniform came out of the door.

　　“Water…water…a bath! Food!” screamed Gray.

　　“I'm sorry, you can't come into this hotel,” said the waiter.

　　“Why not? I've got plenty of money… I'm a millionaire.”

　　“Ah,” replied the waiter, “but you aren't wearing a tie !”

(1) The famous explorer ________.

[　　]

A．had crossed the Antarctic and the Atlantic by balloon

B．had traveled all over the world

C．had walked across Death Valley

D．had ever been a millionaire

(2) Death Valley is _________.

[　　]

A．a valley where people may die from loss of water

B．a dead place where people dare not go

C．a terribly hot valley where people may die of heat

D．a place's name

(3) Gray saw __________ from the top of the next dune.

[　　]

A．a large good hotel

B．many swimming girls

C．a lot of drinking water

D．a beautiful mirage

(4) At last Richard Gray ________.

[　　]

A．got some water to drink

B．was not permitted to enter the hotel

C．was very sorry for the waiter

D．was dying

She suggested a skilled worker _____ to get the machine _____.

　 A. send for; repair 　 B. be sent for; repaired
　 C. sending for; repairing 　 D. be sent for; to repair