第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）阅读下列短文，从每篇短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。Centuriesago,manyhou
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每篇短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Centuriesago,manyhousesinabadstateinLondonweretorndowntomakewayfornewstreets．However,theconstructionprojectwasputoffforquitesometime,andthefoundationsofthehousespulleddownwereleftintheopen.
Oneday,ateamofscientistsarrived,onlytodiscoverthat,onthepatchesofthefoundationsblockedfromsunlightforyears,wasgrowingwildplants,dottedwithlittleflowers．Puzzlingly,somespecieswerenativetoMediterraneancountriesonly.
MostofthedestroyedhouseshadbeenbuiltduringtheRomaninvasion．Weigheddownbypilesofbricksandstonesyearafteryear,theseedspossiblybroughthereinRomantimeshadalmostnohopeforsurvival．However,oncebathedinthesun,theycamealive.
Thelittleseedsweresofragileyetsopersevering．Thoughbrickspiledonthemmanyyears,theystillremainedalive．Onceexposedtosunshineandrain,theyimmediatelyexhibitedsignsoflife．Alittleseed,lyingundergroundforhundredsofyears,stillcherishedthehopetoliveon．Butwhatifamanisstuckinasimilarsituation?
Oneyear,aBritishexpeditionwasmarchingthroughtheboundlessSaharasands．Withthesunhangingoverhead,hotwavesofsandywindswereblowingagainsttheirfaceslikehotirongrains．Themenweresufferingboththirstandanxiety．Thelastdropofwaterwasgone．Justthen,thecaptainbroughtoutawaterbottle,saying,“Thereisstillonebottleofwaterleft．However,nooneistodrinkanybeforegoingoutofthedesert.”
Thebottleofwaterlentthemconfidencetogetthroughthedesert,andembodiedtheirhopetoliveon．Itwashandeddownthelineofpeople．Thischangedintofirmnessthedespairregisteredonthemen’sfaces．Finallythemenwalkedoutofthedesert,shakingoffthethreatofdeath．Tearsoutofjoywelledout,andtremblinghandsweretryingtoscrewoffthebottlecapandletoutthewater,whichhadsupportedthemspiritually．Now,however,itwassandpouringout—abottlefulofsand!
Wasitabottleofsandthatrescuedthemfromtheburningsunandtheboundlessdesert?No,itwastheirfirmfaith,likeaseedthathadtakenrootintheirheartsandthatfinallyletthemoutoftheawfuldesert.
51．Centu
