Alaska阿拉斯加In 1858 Americans welcomed Alaska into the Union as the 49th state，symbolizing a change of attitude that hold in 1867，when the peninsula was purchased from Russia. 1959年美国人欢迎阿拉斯加成为美国的第49个州，这表明美国人的态度与1867年刚把这个半岛从俄罗斯手中买来时的态度相比有了转变。
Then，most Americans had little interest in 1，500，000 square kilometers "of icebergs and polar bear"-beyond Canada s western borders，far from the settled areas of the United States.那个时候，大多数美国人对这块150万平方公里冰山和北极熊的土地不感兴趣。
它在加拿大的那一头，远离美国有人居住的地区。
In those sections of the state which lie above the Arctic Circle，Alaska still is a land of icebergs and polar bear.阿拉斯加州在北极圈里的部分仍旧是冰山和北极熊出没的地方。
Ice buried in the earth，which is permanently frozen to a depth of 90 or more meters.巨大的冰块被埋在地下，这里永久的冻土层有90米或者更深。
From early May until early August，the midnight sun never sets on this flat，treeless region，but the sun cannot melt the icy soil more than two-thirds of a meter down.从5月初到8月初，午夜的太阳从不离开这个平坦、连一棵树都没有的地带。
然而这时的太阳只能晒化2/3米深的冻土层。
Alaska is America s largest state，but only about 325，000 people live there.阿拉斯加是美国最大的州，而居民却只有32. 5万人。
According to estimates，800，000 hectares of its land area are fit for plowing but only about 640，000 hectares are being cultivated.据估计，这里只有80万公顷土地适合耕种，然而正在开发的却只有64万公顷。
Arctic Alaska has been the home of Eskimos for countless centuries.阿拉斯加处于北极地区的部分千百年来就是爱斯基摩人的家园。
It is believed that the Eskimos moved there from Mongolia or Siberia，probably crossing Bering Strait，named for Vitus Bering，the Danish sea captain who discovered Alaska on his voyage for Russia in 1741. 白令海峡因丹麦船长威塔斯?白令而得名。
白令船长在1741年为俄罗斯所做的一次航行中发现了阿拉斯加。
The Eskimos are the state s earliest known inhabitants. 爱斯基摩人是已知的阿拉斯加最早的居民。
Russian fur traders established settlements but，by the time Alaska was sold to the United States，most of the traders had departed.俄罗斯皮毛商在这里建立了居民区。
然而，当阿拉斯加被卖给美国人的时候，他们大多离开了这里。
In 1896 gold was discovered near the Klondike River in Canada just across the Alaskan border. 1896年在靠近阿拉斯加的加拿大边境的克朗代克河附近发现了金子。
Thousand of Americans rushed to the region on their way to Klondike；some never returned. 成千上万的美国人在奔赴克朗代克河的路上到了这个地区，有些人就再也没返回。
Alaska was never completely cut off again，although even today transportation is a major problem. 阿拉斯加与其他地方完全隔离的情况结束了，可是即使是在今天，运输仍然是主要问题。
There are only two motor routes from the U.S mainland，and within the state，every town has its own airfield. 只有两条公路通往美国本土，而州内各市都有自己的机场。
Planes fly passengers，mail and freight to the most distant villages.飞机将乘客、邮件和货物送到最偏远的村落。
The gold that changed life so suddenly for Alaska was soon ended，and although many stories about mining camps have become part of American literature，the gold from Alaskan earth contributed less to economic progress than the fish from Alaska waters.给阿拉斯加的生活带来突变的金子很快就被采光了。
虽然那些关于矿区营地的故事被写进文学作品，然而阿拉斯加的金子对经济发展的贡献远不如阿拉斯加水中的鱼。
The fish caught in a single year range in value from $80million to $ 90 million.那里一年捕到的鱼能卖8 000万到9 000方美元。
Fur-bearing animals are plentiful in the forests and streams，and valuable fur seals inhabit the waters.皮毛类动物在溪流和森林里多的是，水里有皮毛昂贵的海豹。
After fishing，the state s chief industry is lumber and the production of wood pulp. 仅次于捕鱼业的是木材业和木浆生产。
In recent years，Alaska's single most important resource has become oil.近几年来阿拉斯加最重要的资源是石油。
The state also has large deposits of coal，copper，gold and other minerals.阿拉斯加还有丰富的煤、铜、金以及其他矿物。
1. Paragraph 3________2. Paragraph 4_________3. Paragraph 5_________4. Paragraph 6_________A）Rich resources of the stateB）Connections with the outside worldC）Transportation problemD）The natives of the landE）Cold climateF）Land and population5. For as long as three months of a year，the sun ________ on the ice-covered land of Alaska.6. According to statistics，_________ of the total area of Alaska has been used for farming.7. Alaska was originally part of Russia，but was bought _______.8. Gold did not bring to Alaska as much wealth__________A. as fish doesB. because of its rich natural resourcesC. by the United States in the 19th centuryD. shines day and nightE. only a very small percentageF. a limited amount of the gold found there.KEY：FDCADECA词汇：symbolize / v.象征fur-bearing / adj.有毛皮的peninsular / n.半岛lumber / 伐木，木材hectare / n.公顷pulp / n.木衆range /reind。
/ v.(在一定范围内）变化，变动注释：In 1959 Americans welcomed Alaska into the Union as the 49th state. 1959 年美国人欢迎阿拉斯加成为美国的第49个州。
the Union指美国南北战争时期支持联盟政府的各州，此处即指美国。
the settled areas:已有人定居的地区Ice masses lie buried in the earth :地下埋藏着巨大的冰块。
注意这里动词lie的用法，这里lie作半系动词用，既有动词的实义,同时又起系动词的作用，后面跟的buried是它的补语或称表语0Bering Strait:白令海峡the earliest known inhabitants ：已知的最早的居民，也可说the earliest inhabitants known0答案与题解：F这段i长,但提供了一些有关阿拉斯加面积和人口的数字。