单选题
For centuries Dutch engineers have been fighting a war against water. Their main enemy is the sea. A large part of the country is below sea level. In fact, Holland is also called the "Netherlands" which means "low land", Very tall and strong walls, called dykes, have been built to keep out the sea. But in very rough weather the sea may suddenly burst through a dyke. Great damage can be caused by floods when this happens.
Three large rivers are also part of the problem. These rivers are the Rhine, the Maas and the Scheldt. They flow through Holland into the North Sea. They have cut many passages across the country. At low tide, the rivers flow into the sea as usual. But at high tide, the sea can flow into the rivers! This is because the land is so low.
The battles against the water never end, but they have made Holland a bigger and bigger country. In order to prevent floods, the engineers take or reclaim land that was under water. The Dutch have been reclaiming land for seven hundred years.
Land is usually reclaimed from a passage between islands. Two dykes are built across the passage, so they block the water between them. Then the engineers dig long canals and pump the water into them. At low tide, the canals empty the water into the sea.
Because the land is so low, water from the sea and rivers can rise up through the ground. For this reason, the pumps continue working even the land has been drained (that is, when the water has been pumped away). The dykes contain gates, and through these the water is pumped out. In many parts of Holland, pumps must be working all the time. If they stopped, there will be very bad floods.
单选题
Water is the main threat to Holland because ______.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 文章开头提到荷兰工程师们几个世纪以来就一直同水做斗争，这个国家的主要敌人就是大海。接着文章提到“A large part of the country is below sea level. In fact, Holland is also called the "Netherlands" which means "low land". ”这句话意为“大部分国土都位于海平面以下，而荷兰的国名也表示‘低地’的意思”。很显然，这就是水对于荷兰来说是一个主要威胁的原因。故选B。
单选题
"Netherlands" means ______.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 根据第一段第四句话“In fact, Holland is also called the "Netherlands" which means "low land". ”可知，“Holland”也被称为“Netherlands”，意为“低地”。故选C。
单选题
Holland is threatened not only by the sea, but also by ______.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 文章第一段主要谈到海洋对荷兰的威胁，而根据第二段第一句话“Three large rivers are also part of the problems. ”可知，三条大河也是荷兰面临的问题的一部分。由此可推知，荷兰也受到三条大河的威胁。故选B。
单选题
The Holland claim land from the sea in order to ______.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 根据文章第三段第二句话“In order to prevent floods, the engineers take or reclaim land that was under water. ”可知，为了防止洪水，工程师们才开拓海平面以下的土地。故选A。
单选题
If pumps stop working there will be very bad floods because ______.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 根据文章最后一段前两句“Because the land is so low, water from the sea and rivers can rise up through the ground. For this reason, the pumps continue working...”可知，由于陆地太低，海水和河水会上涨并漫过陆地。正是因为这一原因，抽水泵才要不停地工作。故选D。