第三部分      阅读（共两节；满分30分） 阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分） 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项， 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。 （A） Australia, the last continent, was discovered by ships belonging to some European nations in the seventeenth century. These nations were less interested in changing it into a colony than in exploring it. As in the early history of the United States, it was the English who set up the settlements in Australia. This history and the geography of these two British colonies have some other things in common as well. Australia and the United States are about the same in size, and their western lands are both not rich in soil. It was on the eastern coast of Australia and America that the English first settled, and both colonies soon began to develop towards the west. However, this westward movement took place more because the English were searching for better land than because the population was increasing. Settlements of the west part of both countries developed quickly after gold was discovered in America in 1849 and in Australia two years later. Although the development of these two countries has a lot in common, there are some striking differences as well. The United States gained its independence from England by revolution while Australia won its independence without having to go to war. Australia, unlike the United States, was firstly turned into a colony by English prisoners and its economic development was in wheat growing and sheep raising. By 1922, for example, Australia had fifteen times more sheep than it had people or almost half as many sheep as there are people today in the United States. Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world. 41. Who turned Australia into a colony? A. Britain.                                                B. Several European countries. C. The United States of America.         D. None of the above. 42. In the early history of America and Australia, both colonies developed towards the west. The reason for it is that ________________________. A. the population was increasing rapidly in the east B. the English thought there might be richer land there C. gold was discovered there D. fewer people lived there 43. In the early 1920s, ________________________. A. Australia had one fifteenth as many people as sheep B. there were more sheep in Australia than in the United States C. the population in Australia was greater than that of the United States D. the United States had twice as many sheep as people 44. Australia, unlike the United States, ________________. A. won its independence by peaceful means B. did not discover gold until the late 1840s C. was the last and biggest continent to be discovered D. was not rich in gold in its western part 45. The last sentence of the passage “Australia and the United States have more in common with each other than either one has with most of the rest of the world” means “_________________________.” A. The United States and Australia do not have main differences B. The United States and Australia have much more in common than they have with other countries C. The United States and Australia have nothing in common with the rest of the world D. In common with the rest of the world, the United States and Australia have a lot of differences