阅读理解专题训练

Task 1

After graduating from Harvard University， I have been living in Xiamen for more than six years， but every time I visit Kulangsu， it feels special. When I first visited the island， it felt like stepping back in time， right into an era when people were closer to one another.

The island， also known as Gulangyu， is Xiamen's most famous tourist spot. Its historical settlement has been listed as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage since 2017. Kulangsu is the place where the 19th-century traders from abroad and China built their mansions. Consequently，Victorian architecture scattered across the island was influenced by merchants from all around the world. Many foreigners can spot little reminders of their country， one such recent example being that of a friend from Georgia who told me she had uncovered a trail of Georgian traces on the island，once again underlining the importance of Kulangsu back in the 19th century.

Thanks to its special mix of cultural and historical elements，Kulangsu makes you feel enriched， and makes you want to know more about its history. Moreover，thanks to the fact that it is a pedestrian-only island， visitors can enjoy long walks traversing（穿过） the historical settlement.

Kulangsu is a magical place at any time of year. During the cooler winter days，it'll be mostly you and the sound of wind going solo when visiting the island. I remember the Christmas in 2015，when I visited Kulangsu with my boyfriend. We walked around， enjoying the calm and entered one of Kulangsu's churches. Christmas is the most important holiday in the Czech Republic， a time when the whole family gathers and at- tends church at night. It was of special importance to me to follow this tradition in China with my own new family.

The island is well known in musical circles （especially in classical ones） and the people of Kulangsu have a special gift for making music. The name of the island itself is connected to the notion of sound-kulang meaning drum waves. Kulangsu is only 3 square kilometers， but piano ownership per capita ranks No. 1 in the nation. It is host to China's only piano museum， also one of the world's largest with more than 200 pianos in shapes and sizes you may have never seen before.

1.What is the reason why the author likes Kulangsu？

A. It makes the author feel unique when visiting every time.

B. It is the most famous tourist attraction in Xiamen.

C. It has been listed as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.

D. It has luxury houses built by Chinese and foreign merchants.

2. What's the purpose of the example of the Georgian woman？

A. To demonstrate the unique architectural style of the island.

B.To exhibit the Victorian style architecture on the island.

C. To display the Georgian style architecture on the island.

D. To show many kinds of architectural styles of the island.

3.Where does the author come from according to the text？

A.USA.

B.Georgia.

C.Czech.

D.China.

4. What's special about Kulangsu in music？

A. China's only piano museum is located there.

B. It is host to the world's largest piano museum.

C. The total number of pianos in Kulangsu ranks first in China.

D.The people there have a special gift for making musical instruments.

Task 2

The North Atlantic right whale can easily be identified by the white calluses on its head，which are very noticeable against the whale's dark gray body. It has a broad back without a dorsal fin and a long arching mouththat begins above the eye. A baleen whale， it feeds by swimming through a swarm of plankton with its mouth open and the head slightly above the surface. Right whales are found more often in coastal waters，especially during the breeding season.

In a sad change of fortune， the North Atlantic right whale is in deep trouble again after centuries of hunting. Recent population trends are so awful that experts predict the whale could disappear within 20 years， making it the first great whale to go extinct in modern times.

At a meeting of the Society for Marine Mammalogy，whale experts reported that roughly 100 mature females remain， but they are not living long enough or reproducing quickly enough for the species to survive. Ship strikes have long been a threat，and deadly entanglements（缠绕） in commercial fishing equipment are becoming more serious.

Eubalaenaglacialis，the North Atlantic right whale-it is easy to kill and rich in valuable blubber（鲸脂）-is one of three right whale species. It is found along North America's east coast， producing young in the winter in waters off Florida and migrating to summer feeding waters off New England and northeastern Canada. Its accessible habitat has made it one of the world's best documented large whales.

Entanglement，however， appears to be causing more damage because of increased fishing in areas where the whales are looking for food. By studying field reports and rope scars found on whales，researchers have concluded that about 50 North Atlantic right whales become entangled each year. Entangled whales often drown or die from starvation or injuries. Overall， 58% of the right whale deaths since 2009 were due to entanglements， a big jump from 25% between 2000 and 2008，says Scott Kraus，marinemammalogist of the New England Aquarium in Boston.