第一节（共12小题；每小题2.5分，满分30分）
A
As a geothermal scientist, I know that boiling rivers exist—but they are always near volcanoes. You need a lot of heat to make that much water boil. We were working in the volcanic gap, a 950-mile-long area that covers most of Peru, where there hasn’t been active volcanism for the past two million years.
Yet we’d found the Shanaya, a name originated from “heating thing”. My measurements averaged 190°-195°F. The locals think it’s so hot because of the Yacumama, or “water mother”—a spirit who gives birth to waters—represented by a snake-head-shaped rock at the origin of the heated water.
I had to cut my way through the bush at the side of the river to take temperature readings. All the while, right next to me was this very hot, fast-flowing body of water. A friend at the nearest village had told me, “Use your feet like eyes.” You can’t see heat, but you can feel it when you step near it. I wore sandals(凉鞋）.
I was at a part of the river measuring 210°F, standing on a rock the size of a sheet or paper, when the rain fell. It was like a curtain rising. The temperature differential between the rain and the river caused a whiteout. I couldn’t see, but I whistled to let my partner know I was OK.
At 130°F flesh cooks, and the water around me was nearing twice that. My eyes would have cooked in less than a minute, and I couldn’t have seen how to get out. I saw rats fall in, their eyes turning milky white. I kept whistling.
After 15 minutes the rain stopped and the steam cleared. A hard rain in most situations would have been nothing important. Here, for a matter of minutes, it thinned the line between researching and being boiled alive.
1. What do we know about boiling rivers?
A. They are always found not far from volcanoes.
B. They were discovered two million years ago.
C. Geothermal scientists doubt their existence.
D. Most of them can be found in Peru.
2. Why did the author wore sandals ?
A. It was convenient to wear sandals in the river.
B. He was advised to do so by his friend.
C. He wanted to feel heat with his feet.
D. The temperature was high there.
3. What happened to the author when it rained?
A. He signaled to his partner for help.
B. He was in danger of losing his life.
C. He raised a curtain to protect himself.
D. He fell down because of his blindness.
4. What is the best title for the text?
A. Water near volcanoes.
B. Milky white eyes.
C. Boiling point.
D. A hard rain.
【答案】1. A 2. C 3. B 4. C
【解析】
【分析】本文是一篇记叙文。作者作为作为一名地热科学家，知道沸腾的河流一般存在在火山附近，本文叙述了作者在过去的200万年里都没有活火山活动的区域找到沸腾河流Shanaya的惊险经历。
【1题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段的首句“As a geothermal scientist, I know that boiling rivers exist—but they are always near volcanoes.（作为一名地热科学家，我知道有沸腾的河流存在——但它们总是在火山附近。）”可知沸腾的河流总是离火山不远。故选A。
【2题详解】
细节理解题。根据第三段中“A friend at the nearest village had told me, “Use your feet like eyes.” You can’t see heat, but you can feel it when you step near it. I wore sandals(凉鞋）.（一位住在最近村庄的朋友告诉我:“要把你的脚当眼睛用。”“你看不见热，但当你走近它时，你可以感觉到它。我穿着凉鞋。）”可知作者穿凉鞋是为了感觉热度。故选C。
【3题详解】
推理判断题。根据第五段“At 130°F flesh cooks, and the water around me was nearing twice that. My eyes would have cooked in less than a minute, and I couldn’t have seen how to get out.（在130华氏度的温度下，肉可以被煮熟，而我周围的水接近这个温度的两倍。我的眼睛会在一分钟内被烤熟，而且我不知道怎么出去。）”可知作者陷入了非常危险的境地，随时可能被煮熟。所以判断出下雨时作者有失去生命的危险。故选B。
【4题详解】
主旨大意题。根据文章的主题句“I know that boiling rivers exist—but they are always near volcanoes.（我知道有沸腾的河流存在，它们总是在火山附近。）”以及作者找到沸腾河流Shanaya的细节可知本文叙述了作者在过去的200万年里都没有活火山活动的区域找到沸腾河流Shanaya的惊险经历。可知C选项“ 沸点”为短文最佳标题。故选C。
