2013届高三英语星级阶梯阅读练习二星级1ABeforeAlaskabecamepartoftheU.S.,ithadbeenownedbyRussia.Tradingpostsandsmallsettlementswerescatteredalongthecoast.Therestoflandwasleftunexplored.TheRussiansweremainlyinterestedinthewealthoffursfromthevastherdsofsealstheyfoundthere.Bythemid-1800’s,mostofthesealherdshadbeenwipedout,andRussianolongerwantedtokeepAlaska.WilliamSeward,SecretaryofStateforPresidentJohnson,believedtheUnitedStatesshouldbuyAlaskafromRussia.PresidentJohnsonwasn’tsosureitwasawisewaytospendU.S.money,butheagreedtoletSewarddiscussitwiththeRussians.Actingquickly,Sewardmadeadeal.OnMarch30,1867,hesignedanagreementfortheU.S.topaysevenmilliondollarsfortheland.ManypeoplethoughtitwasafoolishwasteofAmerica’smoney.Theycalledthedeal“Seward’sfolly”.ThengoldwasdiscoveredinAlaskaandpublicopinionchangedquickly.SewarddidnotlivetoseethetruevalueofAlaska.Hediedin1872,fiveyearsaftermakingthepurchase(购买).Eachyear,Alaska’snaturalresourceshavebroughtinmanytimesthe$7,000,000paidforit.Naturalgas,coal,oil,lumber,seafoodandotherminerals,besidesthegoldfirstfound,havemadeitavaluableadditiontotheUnitedStates.In1959,Alaskabecamethe49thstateoftheUnitedStates.71.TheRussianswantedtosellAlaskabecause______.A.theythoughtitwasn’tagoodplaceB.theythoughtitdidn’tbelongtoRussiaC.theycouldn’tfindenoughsealsthereD.theywantedtoearnmoremoneyfromtheU.S.72.WhenSewardsignedtheagreement,manypeoplethought______.A.hewastedU.S.moneyB.ithaditstruevalueC.itwasasuccessfuldealD.hewasclever73.WhichofthefollowingthingswasfoundfirstinAlaska?1A.Gas.B.Coal.C.Oil.D.Gold.74.Before1959,theUnitedStateshad______.A.37statesB.48statesC.49statesD.50states75.Thebesttitleforthispassagewouldprobablybe______.A.Alaska,abeautifulplaceB.AlaskawithnaturalresourcesC.Alaska,hometosealsD.Alaska,the49thstateoftheU.S.BTousitseemssonaturaltoputupanumbrellatokeepthewateroffwhenitrains,butactuallytheumbrellawasnotinventedasprotectionagainsttherain,Itsfirstusewasasashadeagainstthesun!Nobodyknowswhofirstinventedit,buttheumbrellawasusedinveryancienttimes.ProbablythefirsttouseitweretheChineseinthe11thcenturyBC.WeknowthattheumbrellawasusedinancientEgyptandBabylonasasunshade.Andtherewasastrangethingconnectedwithitsuse:itbecameasymbolofhonor.IntheFarEastinancienttimes,theumbrellawasallowedtobeusedonlybythoseinhighoffice.InEurope,theGreekswerethefirsttousetheumbrellaasasunshade.AndtheumbrellawasincommonlyusedinancientGreece.ButitisbelievedthatthefirstpersonsinEuropetousetheumbrellaasprotectionagainsttherainweretheancientRomans.DuringtheMiddleAges,theuseoftheumbrellapracticallydisappeared.ThenitappearedagaininItalyinthelatesixteenthcentury.Andagainitwasconsideredasasymbolofpower.By1680,theumbrellaappearedinFranceandlaterinEngland.Bytheeighteenthcentury,theumbrellawasusedagainstrainthroughoutmostofEurope.Umbrellashavenotchangedmuchinstyleduringallthistime,thoughtheyhavebecomemuchlighterinweight.Itwasn’tuntilthetwentiethcenturythatwomen’sumbrellasbegantobemade,inawholevarietyofcolors.76．Accordingtothispassage,theumbrellawasprobablyfirstinventedin2ancient_______.A．ChinaB．EgyptC．GreeceD．Rome77．Whichofthefollowingstatementsisnottrueabouttheumbrella?A．NooneexactlyknowswhotheinventoroftheumbrellawasB．Theumbrellawasfirstinventedtobeusedasprotectionagainstthesun.C．TheumbrellachangedmuchinstyleintheeighteenthcenturyD．InEurope,theGreekswerethe...
