Question

【题目】 Do you want to know something about the history of weather? Don't look at the sky. Don't look for old weather reports. Looking at tree rings is more important. Correct weather reports date back only one century, but some trees can provide an exact record of the weather even further back.

It is natural that a tree would grow best in a climate with plenty of sunlight and rainfall. It is also expected that little sunlight or rainfall would limit the growth of a tree. The change from a favorable to an unfavorable climate can be determined by reading the pattern of rings in a tree trunk. To find out the weather of ten years ago, count the rings of a tree trunk from the outside to the inside. If the tenth ring is far from the other rings, then it is certain that plenty of sunny and rainy weather occurred. If the rings are close together, then the climate was bad for the tree.

Studying tree rings is important not only for the history of weather, but also for the history of man. In a region of New Mexico you can find only sand--no trees and no people. However, many centuries ago a large population lived there. They left suddenly. Why?

A scientist studied patterns of dead tree rings which had grown there. He decided that the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees. Trees were necessary to make fires and buildings. So, after the people destroyed the trees, they had to move.

In this instance studying tree rings uncovered an exciting fact about the history of man.

【1】It is understood that in a favorable climate____________.

A.tree rings grow close together

B.tree rings grow far apart

C.trees in New Mexico will grow big and tall

D.people can cut down most of the trees in New Mexico

【2】Why did ancient people usually live where there were plenty of trees?

A.Trees provided them with shades.

B.Trees indicated plenty of sunlight and rainfall.

C.Trees were materials for cooking and building houses.

D.Trees provided them with fruit and food.

【3】Scientists are interested in studying tree rings because they can tell__________.

A.a lot about what happened in history.

B.whether a particular tree was healthy or not.

C.whether people took good care of the trees or not.

D.how old the trees were.

【4】By studying the dead tree rings in Mexico the scientist found out____________.

A.where the people had to go

B.what the people had to eat

C.how the people left

D.why the people had to leave

【5】The people had to leave the region of New Mexico because__________.

A.they had cut down all the trees

B.there were many trees there

C.they had no water

D.bad weather stopped the growth of trees

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】C

【3】A

【4】D

【5】A

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。主要介绍研究树木年轮对气象史以及人类历史的重要性。

【1】细节理解题。根据第二段“If the tenth ring is far from the other rings, then it is certain that plenty of sunny and rainy weather occurred”可知，气候适宜的条件下，年轮之间离着比较远。故选B。

【2】细节理解题。根据第四段“Trees were necessary to make fires and buildings”可知，古代人喜欢住在有很多树的地方是因为树木能够帮助他们做饭、建造房屋。故选C。

【3】细节理解题。根据第三段“Studying tree rings is important not only for the history of weather, but also for the history of man”可知，科学家研究树木年轮主要是想知道之前发生的事情，因为通过年轮可知了解气象史和人类历史。故选A。

【4】细节理解题。根据第四段“He decided that the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees”可知，科学家通过研究墨西哥死亡树的年轮发现了那里的人们离开的原因。故选D。

【5】细节理解题。根据第四段“He decided that the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees”可知，人们不得不离开那里的原因是他们砍倒了所有的树木。故选A。