四川洪雅县2016高考英语二轮阅读理解训练(5)[史地自然型阅读理解(一)]ThePacificislandnationofNauruusedtobeabeautifulplace
Nowitisanecologicaldisasterarea
Nauru'sheartbreakingstorycouldhaveonegoodconsequence—othercountriesmightlearnfromitsmistakes
Forthousandsofyears,PolynesianpeoplelivedintheremoteislandofNauru,farfromWesterncivilization
ThefirstEuropeantoarrivewasJohnFearnin1798
HewastheBritishcaptainoftheHunter,awhalingship
HecalledtheislandPleasantIsland
However,becauseitwasveryremote,NauruhadlittlecommunicationwithEuropeansatfirst
Thewhalingshipsandothertradersbegantovisitit,bringinggunsandalcohol
Theseelementsdestroyedthesocialbalanceofthetwelvefamilygroupsontheisland
Atenyearcivilwarstarted,whichreducedthepopulationfrom1,400to900
Nauru'srealtroublesbeganin1899whenaBritishminingcompanydiscoveredphosphate(