Before Alaska became part of the U.S., it had been owned by Russia. Trading posts and small settlements were scattered along the coast. The rest of land was left unexplored. The Russians were mainly interested in the wealth of furs from the vast herds of seals they found there.
By the mid-1800’s, most of the seal herds had been wiped out, and Russia no longer wanted to keep Alaska. William Seward, Secretary of State for President Johnson, believed the United States should buy Alaska from Russia. President Johnson wasn’t so sure it was a wise way to spend U.S. money, but he agreed to let Seward discuss it with the Russians. Acting quickly, Seward made a deal. On March 30, 1867, he signed an agreement for the U.S. to pay seven million dollars for the land.
Many people thought it was a foolish waste of America’s money. They called the deal “Seward’s folly”. Then gold was discovered in Alaska and public opinion changed quickly.
Seward did not live to see the true value of Alaska. He died in 1872, five years after making the purchase (购买). Each year, Alaska’s natural resources(资源) have brought in many times the $7,000,000 paid for it. Natural gas, coal, oil, lumber, seafood and other minerals, besides the gold first found, have made it a valuable addition to the United States. In 1959, Alaska be-came the 49th state of the United States.
【小题1】The Russians wanted to sell Alaska because _ .A．they thought it wasn’t a good placeB．they thought it didn’t belong to RussiaC．they couldn’t find enough seals thereD．they wanted to earn more money from the U.S.【小题2】When Seward signed the agreement, many people thought _ .A．it was a successful dealB．it had its true valueC．he wasted U.S. money D．he was clever【小题3】Which of the following things was found first in Alaska?A．Gas.B．Coal.C．Oil.D．Gold.【小题4】The best title for this passage would probably be _ .A．Alaska, a beautiful placeB．Alaska with natural resourcesC．Alaska, the 49th state of the U.S.D．Alaska, home to sealsC
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(答案→)C
解析：
【小题1】C 细节题。根据第二段1,2行By the mid-1800’s, most of the seal herds had been wiped out, and Russia no longer wanted to keep Alaska.说明C 正确。
【小题2】C 细节题。根据第三段1,2行Many people thought it was a foolish waste of America’s money. They called the deal “Seward’s folly”.说明很多人都认为购买阿拉斯加是浪费钱，故C正确。
【小题3】D 细节题。根据第四段3,4行Natural gas, coal, oil, lumber, seafood and other minerals, besides the gold first found说明黄金是最新被发现的，故D正确。
【小题4】C 主旨大意题。文章主要介绍了阿拉斯加成为美国一个州的过程，故C正确。