江西拾德镇一中2017_2018学年高二英语下学期期中试题1617班无答案.docVIP

江西省景德镇一中2017-2018学年高二英语下学期期中试题 第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分） 第二部分阅读理解（共两节，满分40分） 第一节（共15小题每小题2分，满分30分） A Portuguese and Spanish explorers made the first European voyage into unknown waters. Curiosity, religion and economic goals drove these courageous men forward. Their voyages resulted in great advances for the sponsoring governments and served as the foundation for future empires. One man largely responsible for Portugal’s interest in exploration was a member of the Portuguese royal family named Prince Henry. Also known as “The Navigator”, Prince Henry’s primary goal was to find gold for Portugal. The Portuguese also hoped to find a way to the rich spice trade of the Indies and to spread the Christian faith. Henry gathered many Europe’s best geographers and navigators to plan expeditions. By about 1420 or earlier, his navigators were exploring westward into the Atlantic, and by the 1430s, they were moving southward along the west coast of Africa. Henry’s explorers claimed the Azores for Portugal. In Africa, they began to trade for slaves, gold and ivory. The success of these early voyages of discovery and exploration created great excitement throughout Europe. Success encouraged more voyages. In 1488, Baritolomeu Dias sailed around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. Although Dias had to turn back, he had found the route to the Indian Ocean. Using this knowledge, Vasco da Gama sailed eastward across the Indian Ocean. He landed in India in 1498. Several years later, da Gama made a second voyage to India. He returned to Portugal, his ships full of valuable goods. Thanks to Dias and da Gama, an overseas trade route from Europe to India and the East Indies was now available. Rich cargoes of spices and jewels arrived in Portugal. This direct ocean route saved the Portuguese from having to deal with middlemen traders. Now, the Portuguese could journey directly to the sources of the trade goods they sought. In many cases ,ships could carry good