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。

　　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,thelastcontinent,wasdiscoveredbyshipsbelongingtosomeEuropeannationsintheseventeenthcentury.Thesenationswerelessinterestedinchangingitintoacolonythaninexploringit.AsintheearlyhistoryoftheUnitedStates,itwastheEnglishwhosetupthesettlementsinAustralia.ThishistoryandthegeographyofthesetwoBritishcolonieshavesomeotherthingsincommonaswell.

　　AustraliaandtheUnitedStatesareaboutthesameinsize,andtheirwesternlandsarebothnotrichinsoil.ItwasontheeasterncoastofAustraliaandAmericathattheEnglishfirstsettled,andbothcoloniessoonbegantodeveloptowardsthewest.However,thiswestwardmovementtookplacemorebecausetheEnglishweresearchingforbetterlandthanbecausethepopulationwasincreasing.SettlementsofthewestpartofbothcountriesdevelopedquicklyaftergoldwasdiscoveredinAmericain1849andinAustraliatwoyearslater.

　　Althoughthedevelopmentofthesetwocountrieshasalotincommon,therearesomestrikingdifferencesaswell.TheUnitedStatesgaineditsindependencefromEnglandbyrevolutionwhileAustraliawonitsindependencewithouthavingtogotowar.Australia,unliketheUnitedStates,wasfirstlyturnedintoacolonybyEnglishprisonersanditseconomicdevelopmentwasinwheatgrowingandsheepraising.By1922,forexample,AustraliahadfifteentimesmoresheepthanithadpeopleoralmosthalfasmanysheepastherearepeopletodayintheUnitedStates.AustraliaandtheUnitedStateshavemoreincommonwitheachotherthaneitheronehaswithmostoftherestoftheworld.

　　41.WhoturnedAustraliaintoacolony?

　　A.Britain. B.SeveralEuropeancountries.

　　C.TheUnitedStatesofAmerica. D.Noneof