Stepping into a pool of water is common enough, but who could ever imagine stepp

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Stepping into a pool of water is common enough, but who could ever imagine stepping into a pool of fish? In February of 1974, Bill Tapp, an Australian farmer, saw a rain of fish that covered his farm. How surprised he must have been when he heard many fish hitting against his roof!
　　 What caused this strange occurrence? This is a question that had long puzzled people who study fish. The answer turned out to be a combination of wind and storm.
　　When it is spring in the northern part of the world, it is fall in Australia. Throughout the autumn season, terrible storms arise and rains flood the land. The strong winds sweep over Australia like huge vacuum cleaners, collecting seaweed, pieces of wood, and even schools of fish. Strong winds may carry these bits of nature for many miles before dropping them on fields, houses, and astonished people.
　　Although they seem unusual, fish-falls occur quite frequently in Australia. When Bill Tapp was asked to describe the scene of fish, he remarked, “They look like millions of dead birds falling down.” His statement is not surprising. The wonders of the natural world are as common as rain. Nature, with its infinite wonders, can create waterfalls that flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky.
　　56. What is this passage about?
　　A. A sad story. 　　　　　　　　　　　　B. A rain of fish.
　　C. Australia’s northern part.　　　　　D. The damage done by floods.
　　57. Fish-falls occur in Australia_________ .
　　A. quite often 　　　　　　B. on large farms
　　C. only in winter　　　　　D. when the air is calm
　　58. It is a known fact that ________.
　　A. one should watch where one steps
　　B. Bill Tapp is a scientist who studies farming
　　C. the natural world can never create waterfalls that fall upward
　　D. the seasons in the southern part are different from those in the northern part
　59. The word “infinite” is closest in meaning to _________.
　　A. easy 　　　B. difficult 　　　C. countless 　　　D. dangerous

答案

56.B；57.A；58.D；59.C

解析

56．选B。文章主要讨论了问什么会下鱼雨这种奇异的自然现象。A. A sad story与文章无关；文章只在解释鱼雨的成因是提到Australia’s northern part与南部季节不同，以及与会带来的洪水，但并非主要话题。
57．选A。从最后一段Although they seem unusual, fish-falls occur quite frequently in
　　Australia中的frequently可知。
58．选D。从文章第三段When it is spring in the northern part of the world, it is fall in　　　　      Australia.可知。A选项内容文章没有提到过。文章第二行Bill Tapp, an      Australian farmer可知B选项错。从文章最后一句Nature, with its infinite wonders, can create waterfalls that flow upward and fish that fall out of the sky可知C选项错。
59．选C。从上文The wonders of the natural world are as common as rain中的as common as rain可推知C对。