Part 1 Reading Comprehension(共20小题，每题2分，共40分)

Directions: There are 4 passages in this part.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinishedstatements.For each of them there are four suggested answers marked A,B, C and D. You should decide onthe best choice and mark your answer by blackening the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.

Passage One

Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.

Salt is something you eat every day, but in parts of ancient Africa, salt built empires.

Good as Gold. Salt is essential for life. Every person's body contains about 227g of salt-enough to fillseveral salt bottles. Salt helps muscles work, and it aids in digesting(消化) food.Salt also preserves food andadds flavor to meals. In hot climates, people need extra salt to replace the salt lost when they sweat. In tropicalAfrica, salt has always been precious.

Salt is abundant in the Sahara and scarce in the forests south of the Sahara (in present-day countries suchas Ghana and Cote d'lvoire). These conditions gave rise to Africa's salt trade.Beginning in the A.D.300s, localpeople drove camels carrying European goods and weapons from Mediterranean ports into the Sahara.At thedesert's great salt deposits they traded European goods for salt.

Rise and Declinc. Camels arrived in Africa from Asia in A.D. 300. In time,commercial teams ofthousands of camels loaded with tons of salt arrived at southern markets. Local kings along the trade routes puttaxes,which were payable in gold, on all goods crossing their empires. The ancient empires of Mali and Ghanarose to great power from wealth brought by the salt trade.

Trade routes also provided ways for spreading ideas and inventions. By the A.D.800s，Arab tradersbrought to Africa n systcm of wcights and mcasurcs, a writtcn languagc, and thc conccpt of moncy.Althoughsalt no longer dominates trade, it is used as a seasoning throughout the world.

1. Why is salt csscntial?

A. lIt is becoming more scarce.

B.It is important to human beings.

C. It improves working performance.

D. Ilt reduces sweating in hot climate.

2.Which part of Africa is rich in salt?

A.Ghana.

B.South of the Sahara.

C. South of Ghana.

D.The Sahara.

3.How did the salt trade affect the countries along the trade routes?

A. They began to launch more wars.

B.They became richer and stronger.

C.They reduced the prices of salt in their lands.

D.They stopped goods from crossing their lands.

4. What did Arab traders bring to A frica together with the goods?

A.Their laws.

B.Their homes.

C.Their culture.

D.Their agriculture.

5. What could be the best title of the passage?