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  3. Antarctica is the only continent where there has never been war. No military activity is allowed there and scientific research i

Antarctica is the only continent where there has never been war. No military activity is allowed there and scientific research i

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问题    Antarctica is the only continent where there has never been war. No military activity is allowed there and scientific research is a priority. Defined as all of the land and ice shelves south of latitude 60 degrees south, the 5.5m square miles (14.2m square km) of the world’s coldest, driest, windiest and most remote land mass are protected by the Antarctic Treaty, which came into force in June 1961 and designated the land "a natural reserve, devoted to peace and science".
   It was not always so, writes David Day, an author, historian and research associate at La Trobe University in Melbourne. Solid as a block of Antarctic ice itself, but no less readable for it, his latest book draws on five years of meticulous research to tell the story of human endeavor in Antarctica, the last continent to be discovered. It paints a poignant biographical picture of the characters involved, the gruelling expeditions undertaken, and the rivalries between nations as they raced to chart the continent and claim possession of it.
   Mr. Day begins with Captain James Cook who, aboard the Resolution in 1773, became the first man to cross the Antarctic Circle. Although the ice-covered sea stopped him from getting close enough to see the Antarctic land mass, boulders in icebergs proved its existence. Yet Cook did not think the area was worth exploring. "I will be bold to say that the world will not be benefited by it," he stated.
   Antarctica’s future as a natural reserve is by no means assured. Whereas the treaty designed to protect it has certainly preserved peace and served as an example of co-operation between nations, the prospect of mineral and oil deposits under Antarctica’s ice cap is attracting the attention of resource-starved countries and big business alike. In addition, environmental groups, scientists and tourists are all making their own demands. As Mr. Day writes, " For centuries, the Antarctic defied man’s approach, now its dangers and its terrors have been largely conquered. Only its future remains unknown."
What can we learn from the first paragraph?
选项 A、Antarctica is protected by Antarctic Treaty, and it does not allow any activity.
B、All of the land on Antarctica is covered by ice.
C、Antarctic Treaty is designed to protect it to be a peace continent.
D、Antarctica is rich in resources.
答案C
解析 根据题干定位到文章第一段，A选项指出南极受《南极条约》的保护，不允许任何活动。但文章中指出该地允许科研活动，所以A选项可以排除。B选项所表述的意思在第一段并未陈述，所以B选项也排除。C选项指出《南极条约》旨在保护该地的和平，通过第一段最后一句可以得出C选项的表述正确。D选项说南极资源丰富，这也未在第一段中描述，所以D不正确。
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