老托福精选95-05阅读理解原文真题及答案99年10月[第五版].pdfVIP

老托福精选95-05阅读理解原文、真题及答案

答案见隐藏文字

1999.10

Questions1-10

Potash(theoldnameforpotassiumcarbonate)isoneofthetwoalkalis(theotherbeing

soda,sodiumcarbonate)thatwereusedfromremoteantiquityinthemakingofglass,and

fromtheearlyMiddleAgesinthemakingofsoap:theformerbeingtheproductofheatinga

mixtureofalkaliandsand,thelatteraproductofalkaliandvegetableoil.Theirimportancein

thecommunitiesofcolonialNorthAmericaneedhardlybestressed.

Potashandsodaarenotinterchangeableforallpurposes,butforglass-orsoap-making

eitherwoulddo.SodawasobtainedlargelyfromtheashesofcertainMediterraneanseaplants,

potashfromthoseofinlandvegetation.HencepotashwasmorefamiliartotheearlyEuropean

settlersoftheNorthAmericancontinent.

ThesettlementatJamestowninVirginiawasinmanywaysamicrocosmoftheeconomyof

colonialNorthAmerica,andpotashwasoneofitsfirstconcerns.Itwasrequiredforthe

glassworks,thefirstfactoryintheBritishcolonies,andwasproducedinsufficientquantityto

permittheinclusionofpotashinthefirstcargoshippedoutofJamestown.Thesecondshipto

arriveinthesettlementfromEnglandincludedamongitspassengersexpertsinpotash

making.

Themethodofmakingpotashwassimpleenough.Logswaspiledupandburnedinthe

open,andtheashescollected.Theasheswereplacedinabarrelwithholesinthebottom,and

waterwaspouredoverthem.Thesolutiondrainingfromthebarrelwas204boileddownin

ironkettles.Theresultingmasswasfurtherheatedtofusethemassintowhatwascalled

potash.

InNorthAmerica,potashmakingquicklybecameanadjuncttotheclearingoflandfor

agriculture,foritwasestimatedthatas