题文
第三部分 阅读（共两节；满分30分）
阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，
并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
（A）
Australia, the last continent, was discovered by ships belonging to some European nations in the seventeenth century. These nations were less interested in changing it into a colony than in exploring it. As in the early history of the United States, it was the English who set up the settlements in Australia. This history and the geography of these two British colonies have some other things in common as well.
Australia and the United States are about the same in size, and their western lands are both not rich in soil. It was on the eastern coast of Australia and America that the English first settled, and both colonies soon began to develop towards the west. However, this westward movement took place more because the English were searching for better land than because the population was increasing. Settlements of the west part of both countries developed quickly after gold was discovered in America in 1849 and in Australia two years later.
Although the development of these two countries has a lot in common, there are some striking differences as well. The United States gained its independence from England by revolution while Australia won its independence without having to go to war. Australia, unlike the United States, was firstly turned into a colony by English prisoners and its economic development was in wheat growing and sheep raising. By 1922, for example, Australia had fifteen times more sheep than it had people or almost half as many sheep as there are people today in the United States. Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world.
41. Who turned Australia into a colony?
A. Britain. B. Several European countries.
C. The United States of America. D. None of the above.
42. In the early history of America and Australia, both colonies developed towards the west. The reason for it is that ________________________.
A. the population was increasing rapidly in the east
B. the English thought there might be richer land there
C. gold was discovered there
D. fewer people lived there
43. In the early 1920s, ________________________.
A. Australia had one fifteenth as many people as sheep
B. there were more sheep in Australia than in the United States
C. the population in Australia was greater than that of the United States
D. the United States had twice as many sheep as people
44. Australia, unlike the United States, ________________.
A. won its independence by peaceful means
B. did not discover gold until the late 1840s
C. was the last and biggest continent to be discovered
D. was not rich in gold in its western part
45. The last sentence of the passage “Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world” means “_________________________.”
A. The United States and Australia do not have main differences
B. The United States and Australia have much more in common than they have with other countries
C. The United States and Australia have nothing in common with the rest of the world
D. In common with the rest of the world, the United States and Australia have a lot of differences 题型：未知 难度：其他题型
答案
小题1:A
小题2:B
小题3:A
小题4:A
小题5:B
解析
略考点
据考高分专家说，试题“第三部分阅读（共两节；满分30分）阅读理.....”主要考查你对 [政治经济类阅读 ]考点的理解。政治经济类阅读
政治经济类文章的概念：
要做好这类阅读，平时就要注意了解国内外发生的政治经济大事，掌握一定背景知识，对这类文章的叙述特点及内容安排有一定了解，还要扩展这方面的词汇。阅读这类文章，要抓住文章的核心，即文章整体和各段主要在说什么，也要注意段落之间的逻辑关系。
如何备考政治经济类阅读理解题：
【题型说明】政治经济类阅读文章是高考常选材料之一。该类文章时代气息浓郁，语言鲜活，但熟字新义词、超纲词及专业词语多，长句、难句多。政治类文章大多数是同学们感性趣的内容，读起来倒有似曾相识的感觉，经济类文章读起来就像是雾里看花，文章看完，一头雾水。再加之这类文章的命题侧重于词义猜测、推理判断和文章主旨，同学们对这类题材是望而生畏。
【备考策略】建立心理优势。针对不同体裁的文章，我们要采取相应的阅读方法和技巧。政治类文章多采用记叙文形式，我们可采取“顺读法”，以便抓关键语句，领会文章主旨；而经济类文章则多采用说明文形式，我们则可以采取“逆读法”，先读试题，再从文章中查找有用信息。若遇到的确难读的材料。千万不用着急，因为你觉得难，其他人也一定是同感。在高考前，我们就要有这种心理准备，高考试卷肯定有一、两篇难以阅读的材料。不过，我们平时可以有意识地从报刊杂志上找一些较难的阅读材料来阅读，以培养自己迎难而上的心理素质。
【答题方法】
1、寻找主干：
根据英语中五种基本句型结构，把句子中的主语、谓语、宾语、表语等主要成分找出来，其他成分如定语、状语、补语等则易于理解。找到了句子主干，句子的意思至少明白了一半。
2、剔除从句：
在一个长句中可能会出现若干个从句，在理解时，如果把各个从句剔除出来单独理解，然后把大意拼凑起来，整个长句的意思就会明白六、七分。
3、辨别分句：
一个长句如果是由几个并列、转折、递进、对比关系的分句组成，句中往往有表示这些分句关系的连接词，只要能弄清楚分句和分句之间的逻辑关系，再把各层分句的意思加以连贯，整个长句的句意基本上能跃然脑中。
4、寻找关键词：
如果一个句子看完，一点句意的感觉也没有，下下策就是抓住句中的关键词，通过关键词大体弄懂这个长句的意思。
