英语六级阅读理解模拟附答案

　　The base and statue, 16 272 feet tall, were completed in 1886. From a 17 standpoint, thestatue is a marvel. The inner structure was designed by the French engineer, Alexandre Eiffel. Hisdesign for the stressed copper skin of the statue anticipated many of the 18 utilized in modernaircraft.

　　After a century, the monument began to show signs of getting worse in 19 . Just as Frenchmenhad created the Statue, so it was with restoration.

　　A Frenchman noted the decay and French and American craftsmen and contributions broughtabout the renewal of the Statue in time for its centennial.Liberty is still 20 in France and the UnitedStates.

　　参考答案：

　　11.E 12.I 13.F 14.K 15.G 16.D 17.L 18.J 19.F 20.C

　　The Louisiana Purchase

　　On April 30, 1803, the area of the United States approximately doubled. Until that time, UnitedStates territory had extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the banks of the Mississippi and from theGreat Lakes and the St. Lawrence River to the thirty-first parallel. The national land now wasexpanded westward to include practically all of the area between the Mississippi River and the RockyMountains and between the Gulf of Mexico and the Canadian border. On that day, for fifteen milliondollars, the United States purchased from France 875,000 square miles of territory. After Robert R.Livingston, an American who represented President Jefferson in France, signed his name to thetreaty, he rose, shook hands with James Monroe and Marbois, the Frenchman representingNapoleon and remarked, "We have lived long, but this is the noblest work of our lives. " As weglance backward upon this important event in history, we must agree that the signing of the treatyfor the purchase of Louisiana was probably the most important event in Thomas Jefferson'sadministration. Without the acquisition of this territory, the United States would most probablyhave not developed into the powerful nation which it is today.

　　What Causes Led to Purchase of the Louisiana Territory

　　Until 1763, Louisiana had been a possession of France, but in that year it was given to Spain torepay an old debt. Twenty years later in Paris, the treaty ending the American Revolution wassigned between the United States and Great Britain. One of the terms of this treaty was that thewestern border of the United States was to stretch to the Mississippi River. Immediately settlersand pioneers crossed westward over the Allegheny Mountains to clear the territory and establishfarms. Since roads were scarce and difficult to travel, the products of these farmers had to beshipped on the waterways leading to the Mississippi River and then down this great stream to NewOrleans. At this port city, the produce was transferred to larger ocean-going vessels andtransported to markets on the Eastern Seaboard or to Europe. However, Spain's ownership ofboth shores of the river for at least two hundred miles north of New Orleans permitted this foreignnation to control the trade moving on the Mississippi. As a monarchy (君主政体) ，the Spanishgovernment distrusted the rising spirit of democracy in the United States, especially the much freerexpression of democracy that existed among the western farmers. This distrust of democracyresulted in the desire of the Spanish to deny the use of the great river to any Americans. Thereaction was instantaneous (瞬间的 ) and furious, western farmers raised their voices to protestand the United states sent John Jay to Madrid to discuss this matter. In 1795 this conflict wassettled. Spain consented to allow citizens of the United States the right to use the lower MississippiRiver and also the "right of deposit" at New Orleans, the right of deposit permitted Americanfarmers, without a duty charge, to remove their products from smaller boats at New Orleans afterhaving navigated down the Mississippi, and then to transfer the agricultural commodities to largerocean-going vessels.

　　For the succeeding five years this agreement was observed and little conflict existed. OnOctober 1, 1800, however, Spain signed a treaty giving the ownership of the Louisiana territoryback to France. The news of this treaty did not reach Jefferson until May of the following year. Assoon as he became aware of the change in ownership of the territory, Jefferson realized that thiswas part of a plan by which Napoleon hoped to establish France as a great power in the New World.Although Napoleon still permitted Spain to remain in control of the port of New Orleans, the futurethreat to the navigation rights of the western farmers still remained. At any moment, Napoleonmight send troops to the "Gateway" and forbid Americans to use it for navigation. This wouldaffect almost forty per cent of the total export trade of the United States. By April 1802 Jefferson'sconcerns in this matter became even more intense. Napoleon had shipped armed forces to SantoDomingo to suppress the uprising. Once this had been accomplished, the troops were underorders to take possession of Louisiana with its key port city of New Orleans. On the eighteenth ofthat month the President wrote his now-famous letter to the American Minister to France, Robert R.Livingston.

　　There is one place on the globe, one single spot, the possessor of which is our natural andhabitual enemy. It is New Orleans through which the produce of three eighths of our territorymust pass to market. . . it seals the union of two nations who in conjunction can maintainexclusive possession of the ocean. From that moment we must marry ourselves to the Britishfleet and nation.

　　Seven months later Jefferson learned that the Spanish officials at New Orleans hadsuspended(暂不实行) the right of deposit. Immediately western

　　farmers protested. Many demanded immediate action. Others pressed for a declaration ofwar. The Federalists in the East who opposed Jefferson sided with those who wished to declarewar, in order to split the ranks of his followers. In January 1803, Congress appropriated two milliondollars "to defray (支付) expenses to help improve relations between the United States and foreignnations. " Jefferson asked James Monroe to sail for France to resolve the difficulty. Monroe wasinstructed to negotiate for the purchase of New Orleans and Florida. He was permitted to offer50,000,000 francs for this concession of territory. If this offer were refused, then an alternativeoffer of 37,500,000 francs was to be made for New Orleans alone. A third alternative to be used inthe negotiation was to insist upon the permanent right of deposit at New Orleans and navigationalong the lower Mississippi. If all three offers were rejected by Napoleon, Monroe and Livingstonwere instructed to negotiate an alliance with the British Government "not to make any peace withFrance. "

　　Why Napoleon Sold Louisiana

　　Events favored the United States. Napoleon had transported 35,000 troops to wipe out therebellion in Santo Domingo, but yellow fever and the rebels did away with most of the Frenchtroops. With this disaster Napoleon's visions of expanding in the mainland at New Orleansvanished. He also recognized he inevitability of a conflict with Great Britain. How could he hope tokeep Louisiana, thousands of miles away across the Atlantic, as long as Britain was "Empress of theSeas"? The revenue that the sale of Louisiana would bring to.

　　France was a temptation to Napoleon, whose treasury was almost depleted (消耗).Confronted with so many problems Napoleon quickly arrived at a decision.On April 11, 1803, evenbefore the arrival of Monroe in Paris, Talleyrand proposed that the United States purchase all of theLouisiana territory.Livingston's first offer for this "bargain" was 20, 000, 000 francs, but Talleyrandcountered with a demand for 125,000,000. In a brief negotiation both finally compromised on80,000,000 francs, equivalent to $ 15,000,000 in

　　American money. On April 30, 1803, Louisiana became the possession of the United States.Three-fourths of the sum went to France, the balance was reserved to pay the claims of Americancitizens against France.

　　1. The passage gives a general description of the reasons for and the effect of the Louisianapurchase.

　　2. The purchase of Louisiana helped the U. S. to grow into the powerful nation which it is today.

　　3. The Louisiana purchase only expanded the territory of the U. S. .

　　4. The rising spirit of democracy in the U. S. was introduced to Spain and Franceinstantaneously.

　　5. The purchase of Louisiana was accomplished at a much lower price than originallyintended.

　　6. Spain was the original possessor of the Louisiana territory.

　　7. Livingston's eloquence persuaded Marbois to accept an unreasonably low price for theLouisiana territory.

　　8. Louisiana was sold to the U. S, for______francs.

　　9. The Federalists in the East of U. S. were in favor of declaring war on Spain because theywished to______of President Jefferson's followers.

　　10. When Louisiana was purchased, the export trade moving on the Mississippi accountedfor___of the total export trade of the U. S. .

　　参考答案：

　　I. Y 2. Y 3. N 4. N 5. Y 6. N 7. NG 8. 80,000,000 9. split the ranks 10. 40%