科学探索，揭秘未知世界

第一部分 阅读（共两节，满分50分）

第一节 （共15小题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分）

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。

A

As the effects of climate change set in， coastal cities such as the Italian city of Venice and the American city of New Orleans are slowly sinking. So is Bangkok. Officials in the city and scientists say they do not know how long people will be able to continue living in the Thai capital.

Thailands military rulers are considering action. The National Reform Council wants the government to form a committee to deal with the warnings that Bangkok could be permanently underwater many years from now.

The Saen Saeb Canal was built in Bangkok long time ago. In a neighborhood near the waterway， walkways are breaking up. Walls of homes， small businesses and an Islamic center appear to be bending. The area is sinking by about two centimeters a year， which is twice the average rate of the rest of Bangkok.

“I dont know what to do，” says Vijitri Puangsiri who has lived in the neighborhood for 44 years. Her home needs to be repaired every year because of the sinking ground. The walkway in front of her century⁃old house where she operates a small restaurant must also be repeatedly repaired.

“If you travel on the canal boats， you can see how hollow（凹陷的） this is，” Somsak Kongeeng says. “The buildings are sinking because they were not built on solid foundations.” He jokes that if we came back to see him again in 20 years， the water level would be almost as high as his head. But he is also partly serious. That might be only a small overstatement in a city that is， on average， just two meters above sea level.

Observers say two reasons for the sinking are rising sea level and too much pumping of groundwater. Another reason， they say， is the decision made by developers to build so many high⁃rises because they will earn quantities of money by doing so. This kind of development worries those who are concerned about the rising water level.

1. What should we do to slow down the sinking of Bangkok in a practical way？

A. Replace the loose soil with concrete.

B. Control the pumping of groundwater.

C. Forbid the construction of high⁃rises.

D. Stop the rising of sea level.

2. What is the authors purpose of writing the text？

A. To appeal to the protection of the sinking city.

B. To explain the reasons for the sinking.

C. To stress the significance of Bangkok.

D. To inform us of the situation of Bangkok.

3. What is the best title for the text？

A. The Saen Saeb Canal—the cause of the sinking

B. A warning from Bangkok

C. Bangkok—a coastal city at risk

D. Reasons for sinking buildings

B

Music is said to be a universal language. But for Chase Burton， a deaf film⁃maker， music has always been a different experience.

“When I was a kid， Id lie on the floor above our garage so that I could feel the vibrations （震动） from my brothers band rocking out below my body. That was one of the first times I began building a relationship with music，” said Burton.

In 2016， his ability to experience music changed completely， thanks to the California⁃based technology company Not Impossible Labs. It designed a vibrating suit that enables deaf people to “feel” music through their skin. The suit can translate audio into a range of vibrating pulses （脉冲） that are felt at 24 contact points. Burton has been wearing the suit for four years. “The sound drums on different parts of my body，” said Burton. “Maybe it will strike me in my ankles first. And then Ill start to feel the vibrations in my back and wrists.”

The creators want to extend the musical experience beyond the deaf community. In 2018， they gave out 150 vibrating suits at a rock concert where half the audience members were deaf and half could hear. Since then， the creators have been working to improve the technology and want the suit to become a consumer product accessible to all， which will be used in live sports broadcasts， or video games.

As a writer and director， Burton has been working to make the movie world more inclusive. For his latest movie， he hired all⁃deaf staff and actors. Burton hopes that the vibrating suits will be available to his film audiences in the future. He believes that the suits can improve emotions while people are watching a movie for normal people as well as the deaf. “I see the tech as a real opportunity to help people understand that music or movies dont always need to be enjoyed through the ears，” said Burton.

4. What do the underlined words “drums on” in paragraph 3 probably mean？

A. Hits.      B. Affects.    C. Changes.   D. Reflects.

5. Why were normal people provided with the vibrating suit by the creators at the rock concert？

A. To attract more users.

B. To promote the sale.

C. To make people enjoy music.