The Northwest Coast, a complex pattern of 6 k) V3 b) K, M7 c
islands, coastal plains, foothills, and mountain 0 P2 n8 z/ y& u7 k4 `+ d
ranges, extends from California north to Alaska, 9 ]8 e0 M1 K$ V
encompassing all the t erritory west of the Cascade + J. b5 H; P$ T1 p2 v
and Coast Ranges. Its climate is one of even, ) T. o I0 l" u0 H/ Y9 z& |9 m B
moderate temperatures (except in the mountains)
/ Q4 k% q% m, B% _6 V( Xand relatively heavy rainfall. This combination of mild & r7 Y Y s- a( T7 h, I* P2 k
temperatures and abundant rainfall produces a lush,
& J: K- }% p1 P; G/ ?dense forest vegetation of conifers, deciduous trees, 5 h& T8 j6 U* L+ S8 C
mosses, and ferns.
. p( l/ n+ x* C9 w4 GTo its Native American inhabitants of the 1400’s,
* l( M! Q5 ? Q0 s% x: Jthe long, slender coastal region presented both a
& ]9 a6 W; C+ D6 ^: J! Q0 Z% Ofavorable and a forbidding environment. The sea and 4 _8 T% Z. o" `; W7 J# x# ^
the rivers held many resources, but to exploit them 8 s0 v* c5 V- A+ q
required the development of super craft to navigate
" n4 d9 R# T* L- Q8 U( `) L2 hwaters that were often stormy and rough. The forests * u. X. | j# h: w0 ]
were rich with game and many edible plant foods, but
/ O" ~, U" z1 i7 ]6 Ythe vegetation of much of the area was so dense that
' C: ~" F0 B/ l/ _* Gland travel was extremely difficult, and lar ge parts of + U% W6 U$ Y8 O& u0 P9 E
the heavily forested foothills and rugged mountains
* i, Y( ]" U. p2 l. Twere unsuitable for human settlements. Villages 7 h! c/ w; y, P! m0 B
instead were located along the rivers, on the
/ R) s3 X9 |0 d$ p7 \- L9 o& Dshores of bays and low -lying offshore islands, and
9 r* C9 }. v" q( [4 Ioccasionally even at sheltered locations fronting on the - _' O6 A$ `) D7 }; R" q& n V
open ocean.
4 ~; `: W, D# ?1 Q& sIt is estimated that the Northwest Coast of the
1 }7 {0 h# e& T1400’s had a population of about 130,000 and thus
8 U% {: E1 x& Y$ z% _was one of the most heavily populated areas of
% d6 I) w% Q z. @% ~ @& B: i, i: jNorth America north of Mexico. The people had
. i5 z! v6 ~# J7 Y; ` cno agriculture but, over thousands of years, had
& r2 Y; r3 {) s( H7 L. Zdeveloped techniques and equipment to exploit their 2 H$ \; w+ L) f, U9 s
environment, basing their economy on fishing in 7 _0 ?# G* B+ f, r" C" M% Q0 _
streams and coastal waters that teemed with salmon, 4 X5 {; T- L# d: l
halibut, and other varieties of fish; gathering abalone, mussels, clams, and other shellfish from the rocky coastline; hunting land and sea mammals; and 0 {3 R* Z; B) V! z5 m# T
collecting wild plant foods. By the end of the century, they reached a high cultural level usually found only among agricultural people, enjoying a stability that 1 Z& ^7 [: F7 J8 l/ V8 D
allowed the development of a complex social and ceremonial life, an elaborate technology, and one of the world’s great art styles. # n& I& Y9 M/ E" J4 O
1. Which of the following is the main 7 A4 q/ S- n2 Q- C5 H) A
point the author makes about Native
- b# ~2 c# b! ?, W6 W& xAmericans of the Northwest Coast?
( ~0 a7 K& s- C( s, d . ^: r* U+ F, M! E3 q ^! M
They raised crops unique to # R: z9 F' J5 E
North America.
/ W5 @% Z7 ^, F: i$ bThey made good use of the
) o9 S7 G9 p% s6 @6 Oenvironment to build a 5 D2 @2 [4 U+ b% ?' `% R' i7 j
successful society.
1 F$ ?1 t" _) A* E j7 ~8 jTheir technology helped them : N" F$ k; v& x' n, v7 W; s7 [* j
survive in the area’s harsh
9 m% U0 ]: B' O3 s7 uclimate. . W, H: O/ P b6 y g$ t
Their culture was heavily ; [! e+ V. e* J! Z) [
influenced by the culture of
4 {+ I F$ k% a2 \( d$ h. iMexico.
d9 M. ]; ?& q" S
% W" N5 u. l$ j. ?) j6 ?! H8 d5 c0 k- a' d2 `
+ ~( a$ L: j4 c# H) D: |
2. The climate of the Northwest Coast
( n+ ?! i- X$ q2 l; h# |& Y# p$ b* o9 }region is generally
8 c: S' y" j& c) C) X: q: w , k0 K( `: R- u6 k
warm and dry
/ Z: |. B/ f' H3 q2 mextremely cold * f H3 ^9 d& B) f
neither very hot nor very cold 4 }6 T, r& e9 d
constantly changing & x+ Z+ d. I0 D" J: P+ n$ ?( i
6 R2 q8 N2 ~% y6 S4 x: Q3. The word game in the passage is ' m5 ^" l6 ^9 f0 i+ T. w
closest in meaning to
& a& C9 n7 d% s# x3 A* Z1 c! X ! a( z4 Z+ X1 x' P9 ~/ E+ q
sport
$ I) L+ R: y/ r h Y tricks 1 U$ p) C& C6 c) G; S
wood
5 t( ?% x0 W3 s/ Z% ~1 y animals |