阅读理解 Most earthquakes occur within the upper 15 miles of the earth''s surface. But earthquakes can and do occur at all depths to about 460 miles. Their number decreases as the depth increases. At about 460 miles one earthquake occurs only every few years. Near the surface earthquakes may run as high as 100 in a month, but the yearly average does not vary much. In comparison with the total number of earthquakes each year, the number of disastrous earthquakes is very small. The extent of the disaster in an earthquake depends on many factors. If you carefully build a toy house with an Erector set, it will still stand no matter how much you shake the table. But if you build a toy house with a pack of cards, a slight shake of the table will make it fall. An earthquake in Agadir, Morocco, was not strong enough to be recorded on distant instruments, but it completely destroyed the city. Many stronger earthquakes have done comparatively little damage. If a building is well constructed and built on solid ground, it will resist an earthquake. Most deaths in earthquakes have been due to faulty building construction or poor building sites. A third and very serious factor is panic. When people rush out into narrow streets, more deaths will result. The United Nations has played an important part in reducing the damage done by earthquakes. It has sent a team of experts to all countries known to be affected by earthquakes. Working with local geologists and engineers, the experts have studied the nature of the ground and the type of most practical building code for the local area. If followed, these suggestions will make disastrous earthquakes almost a thing of the past. There is one type of earthquake disaster that little can be done about. This is the disaster caused by seismic sea waves, or tsunamis. (These are often called tidal waves, but the name is incorrect. They have nothing to do with tides.) In certain areas, earthquakes take place beneath the sea. These submarine earthquakes sometimes give rise to seismic sea waves. The waves are not noticeable out at sea because of their long wave length. But when they roll into harbours, they pile up into walls of water 6 to 60 feet high. The Japanese call them "tsunamis", meaning "harbour waves", because they reach a sizable height only in harbours. Tsunamis travel fairly slowly, at speeds up to 500 miles an hour. An adequate warning system is in use to warn all shores likely to be reached by the waves. But this only enables people to leave the threatened shores for higher ground. There is no way to stop the oncoming wave.
单选题 Which of the following CANNOT be concluded from the passage?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】第一段谈到At about 460 miles one earthquake occurs only every few years.而C)说不可能在地下460米处发生地震,明显与句意不符。
单选题 The destruction of Agadir is an example of_________.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】第二段开始就举例说地震的危害程度与建筑的牢固程度有关,然后提到Agadir的地震,它的程度很轻,却摧毁了城市。本段最后又总结了地震造成死亡的原因与建筑的地基和结构有关。可见引用Agadir的毁灭主要是说明不良的建筑结构。
单选题 The United Nations'' experts are supposed to_________.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】第三段谈到联合国专家组的活动及其重要性,末句If followed,these suggestions will make disastrous earthquakes almost a thing of the past.表明联合国是给出“建议”。B)proposals与文中的suggestions意思一致。
单选题 The significance of the slow speed of tsunamis is that people may_________.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】最后一段谈到没有可以阻止海啸的方法,但由于海啸的速度较慢,只能提前警告人们离开危险区域。