题目
Oceanography has been defined as "The application of all sciences to the study of the sea"． Before the nineteenth century， scientists with an interest in the sea were few and far between． Certainly Newton considered some theoretical aspects of it in his writings， but he was unwilling to go to sea to further his work． For most people the sea was remote， and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea， there was little reason to ask many questions about it， let alone to ask what lay beneath the surface． The first time that the question "What is at the bottom of the oceans？" had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable（电缆）from Europe to America was proposed． The engineers had to know the depth profile（起伏形状）of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be made． It was to Maury of the US Navy that the Atlantic Telegraph Company turned， in 1853， for information on this matter． In the 1840s， Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings（测深）were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans． Later， some of his findings aroused much popular interest in his book ---The Physical Geography of the Sea．The cable was laid， but not until 1866 was the connection made permanent and reliable． At the early attempts， the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths， a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea．Within a few years oceanography was under way． In 1872 Thomson led a scientific expedition， which lasted for four years and brought home thousands of samples from the sea． Their classification and analysis occupied scientists for years and led to a five-volume report， the last volume being published in 1895．（1）The passage implies that the telegraph cable was built mainly ____ ．A．for oceanographic studiesB．for military purposesC．for business considerationsD．for investigating the depths of the oceans（2）The aim of voyages Maury encouraged in the 1840s was ____ ．A．to make some sound experiments in the oceansB．to collect samples of sea plants and animalsC．to estimate the length of cable that was to be madeD．to measure the depths of the two oceans（3）The underlined word "defied" in the 4th paragraph probably means ____ ．A．doubtedB．challengedC．gave proof toD．agreed to（4）The theme of this passage is about ____ ．A．the beginnings of oceanographyB．the laying of the first undersea cableC．the investigation of ocean depthsD．the early intercontinental communications
Oceanography has been defined as "The application of all sciences to the study of the sea"． Before the nineteenth century， scientists with an interest in the sea were few and far between． Certainly Newton considered some theoretical aspects of it in his writings， but he was unwilling to go to sea to further his work．
For most people the sea was remote， and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea， there was little reason to ask many questions about it， let alone to ask what lay beneath the surface． The first time that the question "What is at the bottom of the oceans？" had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable（电缆）from Europe to America was proposed． The engineers had to know the depth profile（起伏形状）of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be made．
It was to Maury of the US Navy that the Atlantic Telegraph Company turned， in 1853， for information on this matter． In the 1840s， Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings（测深）were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans．
Later， some of his findings aroused much popular interest in his book ---The Physical Geography of the Sea．The cable was laid， but not until 1866 was the connection made permanent and reliable． At the early attempts， the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths， a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea．Within a few years oceanography was under way． In 1872 Thomson led a scientific expedition， which lasted for four years and brought home thousands of samples from the sea． Their classification and analysis occupied scientists for years and led to a five-volume report， the last volume being published in 1895．
（1）The passage implies that the telegraph cable was built mainly ____ ．
A．for oceanographic studies
B．for military purposes
C．for business considerations
D．for investigating the depths of the oceans
（2）The aim of voyages Maury encouraged in the 1840s was ____ ．
A．to make some sound experiments in the oceans
B．to collect samples of sea plants and animals
C．to estimate the length of cable that was to be made
D．to measure the depths of the two oceans
（3）The underlined word "defied" in the 4th paragraph probably means ____ ．
A．doubted
B．challenged
C．gave proof to
D．agreed to
（4）The theme of this passage is about ____ ．
A．the beginnings of oceanography
B．the laying of the first undersea cable
C．the investigation of ocean depths
D．the early intercontinental communications
For most people the sea was remote， and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea， there was little reason to ask many questions about it， let alone to ask what lay beneath the surface． The first time that the question "What is at the bottom of the oceans？" had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable（电缆）from Europe to America was proposed． The engineers had to know the depth profile（起伏形状）of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be made．
It was to Maury of the US Navy that the Atlantic Telegraph Company turned， in 1853， for information on this matter． In the 1840s， Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings（测深）were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans．
Later， some of his findings aroused much popular interest in his book ---The Physical Geography of the Sea．The cable was laid， but not until 1866 was the connection made permanent and reliable． At the early attempts， the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths， a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea．Within a few years oceanography was under way． In 1872 Thomson led a scientific expedition， which lasted for four years and brought home thousands of samples from the sea． Their classification and analysis occupied scientists for years and led to a five-volume report， the last volume being published in 1895．
（1）The passage implies that the telegraph cable was built mainly ____ ．
A．for oceanographic studies
B．for military purposes
C．for business considerations
D．for investigating the depths of the oceans
（2）The aim of voyages Maury encouraged in the 1840s was ____ ．
A．to make some sound experiments in the oceans
B．to collect samples of sea plants and animals
C．to estimate the length of cable that was to be made
D．to measure the depths of the two oceans
（3）The underlined word "defied" in the 4th paragraph probably means ____ ．
A．doubted
B．challenged
C．gave proof to
D．agreed to
（4）The theme of this passage is about ____ ．
A．the beginnings of oceanography
B．the laying of the first undersea cable
C．the investigation of ocean depths
D．the early intercontinental communications
题目解答
答案
1．C．推理判断题．根据第三段The first time that question"What is at the bottom of the oceans？"had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable from Europe to America was proposed．They had to know the depth and profile （起伏形状） of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be manufactured．第一次必须用任何商业后果来回答"海底是什么？"的问题，是在提议铺设从欧洲到美洲的电报电缆时，他们必须知道路线的深度和剖面（起拱形状），以估计必须制造的电缆的长度．可知，从欧洲到美国铺设电报电缆的建议使得海洋学研究具有商业方面的作用．故选C．
2． D．细节理解题．根据第四段In the 1840s，Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings （测深） were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Ocean．在19世纪40年代，莫里曾负责鼓励航行，在此期间，人们进行了水深测量，以调查北大西洋和太平洋的深度．可知，量the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans的深度是这次出海的主要目的．故选D．
3．B．细节理解题．根据上下文内容可知，At the early attempts， the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths， a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea句意为在早期尝试中，电缆发生故障，当将其取出进行维修时，发现电缆被生活中的生长所覆盖，这一事实违背了当代科学观点，即深海无生命．故意为挑战，违背．故选B．
4． A．主旨大意题．阅读全文，根据文章内容可知，本文主要讲述了海洋学起源，和最初的发展过程．故选A．
2． D．细节理解题．根据第四段In the 1840s，Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings （测深） were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Ocean．在19世纪40年代，莫里曾负责鼓励航行，在此期间，人们进行了水深测量，以调查北大西洋和太平洋的深度．可知，量the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans的深度是这次出海的主要目的．故选D．
3．B．细节理解题．根据上下文内容可知，At the early attempts， the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths， a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea句意为在早期尝试中，电缆发生故障，当将其取出进行维修时，发现电缆被生活中的生长所覆盖，这一事实违背了当代科学观点，即深海无生命．故意为挑战，违背．故选B．
4． A．主旨大意题．阅读全文，根据文章内容可知，本文主要讲述了海洋学起源，和最初的发展过程．故选A．
解析
考查要点：
- 推理判断：根据文章隐含信息推断事件的动因（如第1题）。
- 细节理解：定位关键句，提取具体信息（如第2、3题）。
- 词义猜测：结合上下文推断单词含义（如第3题）。
- 主旨归纳：把握文章整体脉络，提炼核心主题（如第4题）。
解题核心思路：
- 第1题：关注“铺设电报电缆”与“商业目的”之间的因果关系。
- 第2题：定位“Maury在1840年代鼓励航行”的直接目的。
- 第3题：通过“事实与科学观点矛盾”推断“defied”的含义。
- 第4题：梳理文章时间线，明确海洋学发展的关键事件。
第（1）题
关键句：
"The first time that the question 'What is at the bottom of the oceans?' had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable from Europe to America was proposed."
解析：
铺设电报电缆的提议直接推动了对海底地形的研究，而研究的目的是为了估算电缆长度，属于商业需求（commercial consequence）。选项C（商业考虑）最符合文意。
第（2）题
关键句：
"Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans."
解析：
Maury鼓励的航行目的是测量北大西洋和太平洋的深度（measure the depths），对应选项D。其他选项（如“收集样本”“估算电缆长度”）属于后续应用，而非直接目的。
第（3）题
关键句：
"a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea."
解析：
电缆上发现海洋生物，与当时“深海无生命”的科学观点矛盾。defied意为“挑战/违背”，选项B最准确。
第（4）题
关键句：
文章按时间顺序描述了海洋学的萌芽（电报电缆推动研究）→ Maury的贡献→ 汤普森探险→ 科学突破。
解析：
文章核心是海洋学的诞生与发展，而非单一事件（如电缆铺设或深海调查），故选A。