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
Highest Mountains in the World
Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant (休眠的) volcano, is the highest mountain in Africa. Its summit is 5,895 meters above sea level. Located in Tanzania, it is the largest free-standing mountain rise in the world, meaning it is not part of a mountain range. Kilimanjaro is made up of three volcanoes: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. Kibo is the summit of the mountain and the tallest of the three volcanic formations. While Mawenzi and Shira are extinct, Kibo is dormant and could possibly erupt again.
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in Asia and the highest mountain in the world. Its summit is 8,848.86 meters above sea level. It is located in the Himalaya Mountain Range on the border of Nepal and China. The Chinese name is Chomolungma, which means “Mother Goddess of the World”. The Nepali name is Sagarmatha, which has various meanings.
Denali
Denali is the highest mountain in North America. Its summit is 6,193 meters above sea level. It is located in the USA, in the state of Alaska. “Denali” comes from Koyukon, a traditional native Alaskan language, and means “the tall one”. This name had been used for many generations and was used by early non-native researchers and naturalists. But in 1896, William A. Dickey, a prospector (探矿者), began calling Denali “Mount McKinley”, in honor of William McKinley, a presidential candidate at the time.
Mount Vinson
Mount Vinson is the highest mountain on Antarctica. Its summit is 5,140 meters above sea level. It is located in the summit plateau of Vinson Massif, near the base of the Palmer Peninsula in western Antarctica. Mount Vinson is part of the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains. It was spotted from the air by U.S. pilot Lincoln Ellsworth in 1935.
21. Why is Kibo the most dangerous one among the three volcanoes?
A. It is the highest of the three volcanoes.
B. It is covered with snow all through the year.
C. It is home to a great number of wild animals.
D. It is likely to erupt again sometimes in the future.
22. Which mountain stands between two countries?
A. Mount Kilimanjaro. B. Mount Everest. C. Denali. D. Mount Vinson.
23. Who was the first to discover Mount Vinson?
A. A Japanese. B. An Australian. C. A Frenchman. D. An American.
