Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean, an S-shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles. The Atlantic has, in a sense, replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization. Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic is rich in oceanic liveliness. It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.
“Storm at Sea”, a short poem written around 700, is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic.
When the wind is from the west
All the waves that cannot rest
To the east must thunder on
Where the bright tree of the sun
Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.
As the poem suggests, the Atlantic is never dead and dull. It is an ocean that moves, impressively and endlessly. It makes all kinds of noise—it is forever thundering, boiling, crashing, and whistling.
It is easy to imagine the Atlantic trying to draw breath—perhaps not so noticeably out in mid-ocean, but where it meets land, its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach. It mimics(模仿) nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature. It is filled with symbiotic existences, too: unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony, giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat, a kind of sub-ocean vitality. And it has a psychology. It has personalities: sometimes peaceful and pleasant, on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.
【小题1】Unlike real inland seas, the Atlantic Ocean is .A．always energeticB．lacking in livelinessC．shaped like a squareD．favored by ancient poets【小题2】What is the purpose of using the poem “Storm at Sea” in the passage?A．To describe the movement of the waves.B．To show the strength of the storm.C．To represent the power of the ocean.D．To prove the vastness of the sea.【小题3】What does the underlined word “symbiotic” mean?A．Living together.B．Growing fast.C．Moving harmoniously.D．Breathing peacefully.【小题4】In the last paragraph, the Atlantic is pared to .A．a beautiful and poetic placeB．a flesh and blood personC．a wonderful worldD．a lovely animalA
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(答案→)A
解析：
【语篇解读】本文是一篇论说文，题材是大西洋。全文讲述了大西洋是世界上最有生气的水体。大西洋充满了活力，充满了生机，它有心理活动，它有个性。
【小题1】细节题。难度：较易。题干第一段。根据Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic is rich in oceanic liveliness.（不像真正的静得不可思议的内陆海，大西洋富有海洋活力。）故选A项。
【小题2】推理判断题。难度：较难。根据第1段It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.（早在很就以前，大西洋的生命力就在古诗词中被大量的歌颂，或许这一点也不让人惊讶）。这一句话起着承上启下的作用，第2段接着引用了700多年前的一首小诗。故选C项。
【小题3】猜词词义。难度：中等。根据第4段It is filled with symbiotic existences, too: unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony,….根据冒号后面的解释，应该是“一起生存的”，只有A项符合。
【小题4】细节理解题。难度：中等。文章最后一段描述大西洋trying to draw breath（尝试着呼吸），it has a psychology. It has personalities（它有心理活动，它有个性。），就像一个有血有肉的人。故选C项。