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In the middle of the 19th century, a fever dream of riches beyond measure drew countless explorers west to the mountains of central California. Although the gold rush ended up being a bust for many who sought a fortune, some of those explorers discovered a natural treasure that would draw permanent settlers to Yosemite Valley in the following decade.
Vast wilderness, beautiful mountains, countless waterfalls, and abundant wildlife drew Native Americans to Yosemite roughly 10, 000 years ago. The first non-native tourists arrived in the mid-1850s after reports from gold seekers told of an area of breathtaking beauty that no words were able to describe.
Fortunately, some of Yosemite’s earliest settlers recognized that Yosemite’s natural beauty and resources needed to be preserved for future generations. In the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed a grant to protect Yosemite permanently, thus making it the nation’s first land to be dedicated to recreation and setting the stage for what would become the national park system.
One of Yosemite’s earliest ambassadors was Scottish-American naturalist and writer John Muir. After living in Yosemite for a few years, he helped define its proposed boundaries. He also wrote articles that helped lead to its official title as a national park in 1890. He later co-founded the Sierra Club in 1892 to advocate for its continued preservation and protection.
Located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California, Yosemite National Park runs across nearly 748, 000 acres, almost 95% of which is wilderness. Around four million visitors come to Yosemite each year to camp, hike its miles of trails, climb its rock formations, and photograph its impressive sights. Are you ready to visit Yosemite National Park? Which of Yosemite’s sights would you most like to experience?
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文。主要介绍了美国风景优美之地——约塞米蒂的历史以及约塞米蒂国家公园的特点。
1. Which of the following best explains “bust” underlined in Paragraph 1?
A. Memory. B. Symbol.
C. Failure. D. Challenge.
【解析】选C。词义猜测题。根据Although和画线词后的“. . . some of those explorers discovered a natural treasure”以及历史知识可知, 尽管淘金热最终以许多淘金者的失败而告终……但其中一些探索者发现了一个自然宝藏, 由此可知画线词词义为“失败”。
2. When did the first non-native tourists come to Yosemite?
A. After it was discovered by gold seekers.
B. When the gold rush finally came to a stop.
C. Before Native Americans found its beauty.
D. When it became a national park in 1890.
【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据第二段中的“The first non-native tourists arrived in the mid-1850s after reports from gold seekers told of an area of breathtaking beauty that no words were able to describe. ”可知, 第一批非本地游客是在听淘金者说这里有难以用语言描绘的美景后来到约塞米蒂的。
3. What do we learn about John Muir?
A. He was the first to build the national park.
B. He helped set the boundaries of Yosemite.
C. He wrote to collect money for Yosemite.
D. He gave Yosemite an official name.
【解析】选B。细节理解题。根据第四段中的“After living in Yosemite for a few years, he helped define its proposed boundaries. ”可知, 在约塞米蒂居住多年后, John Muir帮助确定了约塞米蒂的边界。
