Passage 11（2019 •北京市）

Huge Waves Destroying Arctic Ice Faster than Expected
Ice covers much of the Arctic Ocean（北冰洋）. Some pieces of ice are huge, like moving islands. As temperatures have increased, however, some of the ice has begun to disappear. Scientists have discovered huge waves（海浪）in the arctic waters.
The waves were discovered by accident in May, 2010. Scientist Aleksey Marchenko and his students set out on a trip. They wanted to study the icy waters.
On May 2, the ship traveled east and stopped next to a large chunk of ice around 50 miles from the small island of Hopen. Marchenko prepared to lead his students out onto the Ice.
"We were ready to go but when I went out, I discovered many cracks（裂缝）around," he remembers.
He decided to move the ship deeper into the ice to keep safe. The farther in they went, he thought, the harder the ice would become. As they pushed forward, however, the ship experienced small waves, and then bigger ones. Soon, the waves broke up the ice around the ship into thousands of smaller pieces．
Within an hour, Marchenko and his team saw a wave that was about 13 feet high. The ship's navigation（航行）system finally recorded the largest waves. They were more than 20 feet in height. The waves were so strong that they forced huge pieces of ice to jump up and down, breaking the ice into smaller pieces within just one hour. Scientists had never imagined that the process could happen so fast. The waves in these areas used to be small.
The speed and force of the huge waves there makes it impossible to know in advance when they are coming. That could be dangerous for navigators and local communities who are unprepared for huge waves or depend on sea ice to protect them. Wildlife like polar bears and walruses that depend on sea ice to live is also in danger.
Some scientists think people will soon see even bigger waves in these icy waters. As waves break up ice, the seas will become more open, and the waves will get even stronger. There are stormy times ahead.
34. When did Marchenko and his students discover huge waves in the arctic waters?
35. Why did Marchenko and his students set out on the trip?
36. What did Marchenko decide to do to keep safe?
37. How high were the largest waves recorded by the navigation system?
38. What is Paragraph 7 mainly about?
【答案与解析】
【文章大意】这篇短文讲述的是科学家们在北冰洋发现了海浪，海浪非常大，迫使巨大的冰块上下跳跃，在很短的时间内将冰块破碎成更小的冰块，而随着冰块的减少，海浪就会变得更大，这使得依赖冰块生存的北极熊、海象等野生动物处在危险之中。
34. In May.2010.    
【解析】根据短文第二段开头The waves were discovered by accident in May, 2010.可知，这些巨大的海浪是在2019年五月份，被科学家Aleksey Marchenko和他的学生们发现的。故答案为In May 2010.
35. Because they wanted to study the icy waters.    
【解析】根据短文第二段中Scientist Aleksey Marchenko and his students set out on a trip. They wanted to study the icy waters.可知，Marchenko和他的学生想要研究冰冷的海水。故答案为Because they wanted to study the icy waters.
36. He moved the ship deeper into the ice.    
【解析】根据短文第五段He decided to move the ship deeper into the ice to keep safe.可知，为了安全，Marchenko决定把船开到冰更深的地方。故回答He moved the ship deeper into the ice.
37. More than 20 feet.    
【解析】根据短文第六段The ship's navigation（航行）system finally recorded the largest waves. They were more than 20 feet in height.可知，导航系统记录的最大的海浪有20多英尺高。故答案为More than 20 feet.
38. The damage of the huge waters to people and wildlife in Arctic.
【解析】根据短文第七段That could be dangerous for navigators and local communities who are unprepared for huge waves or depend on sea ice to protect them. Wildlife like polar bears and walruses that depend on sea ice to live is also in danger.可知，这一段中主要介绍了巨大的海浪对航海人员、当地社区以及野生动物的危害。故答案为The damage of the huge waters to people and wildlife in Arctic.
【点睛】这是一篇科普说明文，短文中讲述了在北冰洋海域发现巨大海浪的过程，以及巨大海浪对人类以及野生动物的危害。文章主题明确，结构清晰，但短文中句式结构复杂，内容离学生们的日常生活较远，在理解上有一定的难度。题型是任务型阅读，要求根据文意回答问题，考查学生们对文章事实细节的理解。做题时，应先通读短文，了解文章大意；然后根据题目所问锁定文章相关段落或语句作答。例如第1小题，题目问的是发现海浪的时间，注意在短文中搜索数字、月份等关键词信息，根据第二段The waves were discovered by accident in May, 2010可知答案。第4小题同理，注意数字和关键词the largest waves。