单选题 {{B}}Passage 3{{/B}}
Thousands of years ago, in the middle of an ocean, miles from the nearest island, an undersea volcano broke out. The hot liquid piled higher and higher and spread wider and wider. In this way, an island rose up in the sea.
As time went on, hot sun and cool rains made the rock split and break to pieces. Sea waves dashed against the rock. In this way, soil and sand came into being.
Nothing lived on the naked soil. And then the wind and birds brought plant seeds, spiders and other little creatures there. Only plants could grow first. Only they, in sunlight, could produce food from the minerals of the soil, water and air. While many animals landed on the island, they could find no food. A spider spun its web in vain, because there were no insects for its web to catch. Insects couldn't stay until there were plants for them to eat. So plants had to be the pioneer life on this new island.
单选题 The passage centers on ______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】文章从火山爆发讲起，谈到岛屿的形成，岛上沙土的形成，植物的产生以及随后动物的产生，所以文章的中心是“生命的产生”。
单选题 According to the passage, the island got its first soil from ______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】第二段前两句：As time went on, hot sun and cool rains made the rock split and break to pieces. Sea waves dashed against the rock．“随着时间的推移，炎热的太阳和凉爽的雨水使(岛上的)岩石分化、破裂。海浪不断击打着岩石。”所以岛上的土壤是岩石演变而成的。
单选题 The word "naked" (Para. 3) could be replaced by which of the following?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】naked指“裸的(土)”，bare裸露的，hidden隐藏起来的，new新的，mysterious神秘的。
单选题 The order of coming into being on the island is ______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】文章依次论述了火山的爆发——岛屿的形成——沙土的形成——动植物的生长，而植物的产生是动物生存的前提(only plants could grow first：植物必须先于其他生物产生)。A项“土壤、植物、动物”的顺序正确。
单选题 According to the passage, which of the following is true?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】第三段第三句：Only plants could grow first．“植物必须先于其他生物产生。”紧接着文章论述了为什么必须先产生植物——只有植物可以为动物提供食物。C项“没有植物，昆虫就不能在岛上生存”正确。