B (2024 福建中考)
Though oceans cover about 71 percent of the earth's surface, there's still a lot we don't know about them. Only about 20 percent of the seafloor has been mapped, and the remaining 80 percent is still a secret to us. Some scientists even think that 91 percent of sea animals have yet to be discovered.
So why do we know so little about the deep sea? Well, getting to those depths is very difficult and requires high technology that simply didn't come into being for most of human history. The first navigable submarine(可驾驶的潜水艇), for example, was built in 1620, and it couldn't go more than five metres below the surface. In fact, for a long time many scientists didn't even think that there could be any life at depths greater than 550 metres and didn't see much need to explore(探索) the deep sea. However, this changed in 1862 when life was discovered as far down as 945 metres below sea level with the help of a digging machine. Ten years later, around 4,700 species(物种) unknown before from the ocean floor were discovered.
Since then, high technology has been developed to help explore the deep sea, including satellites. But why is deep-sea exploration still so difficult? Well, at greater depths it is freezing(极冷的), everything is completely dark, and the pressure can be over 1,000 times greater than that on the surface.
Though we have the difficulties, it's important that we understand the seas. They help control the earth's temperature and produce half of the oxygen (O₂) in the air. They can also provide us with information about climate change. Our future depends on learning more about our oceans, and it is possible for us to really understand what is ongoing below the surface.
() 6. Why are some numbers listed in Paragraph 1?
A. To introduce how important oceans are.
B. To discuss why sea animals have yet to be found out.
C. To explain that oceans cover a large area of the earth.
D. To show that we have only a little understanding of oceans.
() 7. What caused the change of exploration into the deep sea?
A. High technology. B. Unknown species.
C. A pleasant environment. D. Valuable information.
() 8. What does the underlined word "They" in the last paragraph refer to?
A. Sea animals. B. The seas. C. The satellites. D. Many scientists.
() 9. What can we learn from the text?
A. It is difficult to build a navigable submarine.
B. The seas have a strong influence on our future.
C. The seas have no lives at a depth of 550 metres.
D. It is easier to go into the deep sea than we think.
()10. Which could be the best title for the text?
A. Hidden treasures in the deep sea
B. Unlocked secrets of the deep sea
C. Deep-sea exploration: into the freezing depths
D. Deep-sea exploration: the past and the future

【语篇导读】本文是一篇说明文,文章指出虽然地球表面约71%的面积被海洋覆盖,但人类对海洋知之甚少并分析了原因,强调了深海探索的重要性,呼吁我们需要更多地了解海洋。
6. D 提示:推理判断题。第一段中提到四个数字:地球表面约71%的面积被海洋覆盖,但我们对海洋仍有很多不了解的地方;只有大约20%的海床被绘制成地图,剩下的80%对我们来说仍然是个谜;有些科学家甚至认为有91%的海洋动物尚未被发现。由此推知,这些数字表明我们对海洋知之甚少。
7. A 提示:推理判断题。根据第二段倒数第二句"However,this changed in 1862 when life was discovered as far down as 945 meters below sea level with the help of a digging machine."和第三段第一句"Since then,high technology has been developed to help explore the deep sea,including satellites."可知,高科技使得深海探索发生变化。
8. B 提示:语义指代题。根据画线词上一句"Though we have the difficulties,it's important that we understand the seas."可知,尽管我们面临困难,但了解海洋非常重要。由此推知,此处的"They"指代上一句提到的海洋。
9. B 提示:细节理解题。根据最后一段最后一句"Our future depends on learning more about our oceans,and it is possible for us to really understand what is ongoing below the surface."可知,我们的未来取决于对海洋的更多了解,意即海洋对我们的未来有很大影响。
10. C 提示:最佳标题题。通读全文可知,文章讨论了深海探索的重要性和必要性,点明其面临的挑战,文中尤其强调了深海环境的极端条件,由此不难推知,文章以"深海探索——进入冰冷的深处"作为标题最合适。