Unit5WarmingUp&Reading阅读理解APoweredbycourageanddetermination,FelicityAston,33,becamethefirstpersontoskialoneacrossAntarcticaon15Jan.,2012.Astonfinishedthe59-daytripalmostexactlyacenturyafterRoaldAmundsenfirstreachedtheSouthPolein1911.Astoncrossed1,084milesfromtheRossIceShelftoHerculesInlet.Aston,afreelancetravelwriterandexplorer,facedtemperaturesthataveraged—25degreesasshepulledtwosledsacrosstheiceandthicksnowonhernearlytwo-monthtrip.ThescariestmomentcamewhenhertwolightersfailedtoworkwhileshewasintheTransantarcticMountains.Thelightersstartedworkingagainatloweraltitudes.WhileearlyAntarcticexplorerswerecutofffromtheoutsideworld,Aston’saccesstoasatellitephonemeantthatfriendsandfamilycouldfollowheronlineassheregularlytweeted(在Twitter上发微博)andmadealmostdailypodcasts(播客)aboutherjourney.AninteractivemapshowedAston’sprogressinrealtime.Andwhilesheskied,Astonlistenedtobands.OnNewYear’sEveshenotedthattherewouldbenochampagne.Nowinewithhertotoastthenewyearbuttreatingherselftospoonfulsofthepeanutbutter,Astontweetedasthenewyearapproached.InAston’slastpodcast,theemotionaltravelerrecordedaftershereachedHerculesInlet,“IseemtohavegothereinarushorsomethingandIdon’treallyfeelpreparedforit,”saidAston.“Itfeelsamazingtobefinishedandgreatlysadthatit’soveratthesametime.”Weatherpermitting,Astonwillreturnhometodaywhereshesayssheislookingforwardtosome“redwineandahotshower”.1.WhatisAston’smostpossiblepurposetoskialoneacrossAntarctica?A.Tomemorizehumans’arrivalattheSouthPole.B.TobecomethefirstwomantocrosstheSouthPole.C.Tomakeanexplorationbyherselfandwriteaboutit.D.ToexploreAntarcticaanddoscienceresearches.2.WhatisthedifferencebetweenAston’stripandtheearlyexplorers’?A.Shebroughtanelectronicmapwithher.B.Shewasmonitoredbyaspecialsatellite.C.Shesufferedmuchlowertemperatures.D.Shewasfollowedonlineallthroughthetrip.3.ItwasthemostdifficultforAstonwhen.A.thetemperaturesfellbelow—5degreesB.hertwolightersfailedtoworkinmountainsC.therewasnochampagneonNewYear’sEveD.hertripacrossAntarcticawascomingtoanend4.Astonfeelsabouttheendingofhertrip.A.depressedandsorryB.amazedbutsadC.excitedandproudD.tiredbutcheerfulBDeathValley,oneofAmerica’sgreatnationalparks,isaplaceofstrangeandsilentbeauty.Asbeautifulasthisplaceis,itsnameprovidesevidenceofveryrealdanger.DeathValleyisalandofbeautifulyetdangerousextremes.Therearemountainsthatreachmorethan3,000metersintothesky.ThereisaplacecalledBadwaterthatisthelowestareaoflandintheWesternHemisphere.Iftherewerewaterthere,itwouldbe86metersbelowtheleveloftheocean.DeathValleycanbedangerouslycoldduringthewintermonths.StormsinthemountainscanproducesuddenfloodingontheflooroftheValley.Theairtemperatureduringthesummerhasbeenashighas57℃.Thesuncanheatthegroundsothatthetemperatureoftherocksandsoilcanbeashighas74℃.TheextremeheatofDeathValleyhaskilledpeopleinthepast.Itwillcontinuetokillthosewhodonothonorthisextremeclimate.DeathValleydoesnotforgivethosewhoarenotcareful.DeathValleyisagoodexampleoftheviolenceofnature.Itcontainsevidenceofseveralancientvolcanoesthatcausedhugeexplosions.EvidenceofoneoftheseexplosionsiscalledUbehebeCrater.Theexplosionleftahugeholeinthegroundalmostakilometerandahalfwide.InmanyareasofDeathValleyitiseasytoseewherethegroundhasbeenpushedupviolentlybymovementdeepintheEarth.Thismovementhascreatedunusualandbeautifulrockformations.Somearered.Othersared...
