《2025年点津英语天天练英语时文阅读八年级》

Changes of the Maowusu Desert
毛乌素沙漠的变化
After fighting with sands for 60 years, Chinese people are going to change the Maowusu Desert into a grassland.
The Maowusu Desert is at the border(边界) of Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia. It is one of the four big areas of sands in China. However, the Maowusu Desert was once a beautiful grassland in the 5th century. The grass died away because of too much farming.
The Maowusu Desert brought many problems. Yulin city of Shaanxi moved for three times to hide from sandstorms. Besides, the Yellow River carried sand away when passing that area, making it a real "yellow" river. And the worst of all, people went hungry for short of food and suffered from diseases caused by sandstorms.
In 1959, people took action to fight against the sands. Later the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Project(三北防护林工程) began. People wanted to make the Maowusu Desert alive again. And over sixty years later, their dream comes true. A quarter of the desert is covered with forest sand grass, and 80 per cent of the sands have been under control. Soil erosion(水土流失) is stopped, saving 400 million tons of sand from entering the Yellow River every year. And Yulin has got over 1,000 square kilometres new farmland to grow crops.

It is believed that someday the Maowusu Desert won't be a desert any more, and people living there are sure to lead a happier life.
(D)1. When was the Maowusu Desert once a grassland?
A. Sixty years ago. B. A thousand years ago.
C. In the 50th century. D. In the 5th century.
(D)2. What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A. The location of the Maowusu Desert.
B. The history of the Maowusu Desert.
C. The problem of the Maowusu Desert.
D. The information of the Maowusu Desert.
(B)3. What was people's dream according to paragraph 4?
A. To leave for a new city. B. To make the Maowusu Desert alive.
C. To have enough food to eat. D. To keep away from diseases.

答案： 1. D 根据第二段中的“However, the Maowusu Desert was once a beautiful grassland in the 5th century.”可知，毛乌素沙漠在公元 5 世纪曾是一片美丽的草原。故选 D。
2. D 通读第二段内容可知，第二段主要讲了毛乌素沙漠的地理位置和历史等基本信息。也就是说，第二段主要讲了毛乌素沙漠的相关信息。故选 D。
3. B 根据第四段中的“People wanted to make the Maowusu Desert alive again. And over sixty years later, their dream comes true.”可知，人们之前的梦想是让毛乌素沙漠恢复生机。故选 B。