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Unit 4

Passage 1

The Purchase of Alaska, a Real Deal

Vocabulary Tips

extremity n. 末端 Bering Strait n. 白令海峡 peninsula n. 半岛 expedition n. 远征，探险 tsunami n. 海啸 extraction n. 开采 subsidy n. 补贴

Alaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait. As of 2007, Alaska remains the least densely populated state, with a population of 683,478. The area that became Alaska was purchased from the Russian Empire after Western Union discontinued construction of its first electric telegraph line which ran from California, up the coast of North America, across the Bering Strait, continuing to Moscow and into the European telegraph network. Despite $3 million in U.S. investment for the Russian-American telegraph expedition, work ceased upon the completion of the competing transatlantic telegraph cable. The U.S. realized the potential of continuing the line to Moscow and sent Secretary of State William H. Seward to negotiate with the Russian Ambassador to fund the remaining phases of the telegraph line. Russia did not see the potential in funding, so Alaska was offered in exchange for the value of the Russian-American telegraph. The Russians feared that if they did not sell Russian North America, it would be taken from them by the westward expansion of the United States and Canada. They tried to play one potential purchaser off against the other to start a bidding war, but this was

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largely unsuccessful.

The U.S. Senate approved the purchase of Alaska from the Russian Empire on March 30, 1867, for $7.2 million at 2 cents per acre, about 5 cents per hectare. When adjusted for inflation, the total sum paid equates to approximately $111 million in today’s dollars. The land went through several administrative changes before becoming an organized territory on May 11, 1912 and the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959. The name ―Alaska‖ was already introduced in the Russian colonial time, when it was only used for the peninsula and is derived from the Aleut alaxsxaq, meaning ―the mainland‖, or more literally, ―the object towards which the action of the sea is directed‖. It is also known as Alyeska, the ―great land‖, an Aleut word derived from the same root.

The first European contact with Alaska occurred in the year 1741, when Vitus Bering led an expedition for the Russian Navy aboard the St. Peter. After his crew returned to Russia bearing the finest fur in the world, small associations of fur traders began to sail from the shores of Siberia towards the Aleutian Islands. The first permanent European settlement was founded in 1784, and the Russian-American Company carried out an expanded colonization program during the early to mid-1800s. New Archangel on Kodiak Island was Alaska’s first capital, but for a century under both Russia and the U.S. Sitka was the capital. The Russians never fully colonized Alaska, and the colony was never very profitable. William H. Seward, the U.S. Secretary of State, negotiated the Alaskan purchase in 1867 for $7.2 million. Alaska was loosely governed by the military for years, and was unofficially a territory of the United States from 1884 on.

In the 1890s, gold rushes in Alaska and the nearby Yukon Territory brought thousands of miners and settlers to Alaska. Alaska was granted official territorial status in 1912. At this time the capital was moved to Juneau.

During World War II, the Aleutian Islands Campaign focused on the three outer Aleutian Islands — Attu, Agattu and Kiska — that were invaded by Japanese troops and occupied between June 1942 and August 1943. Unalaska Harbor became a significant base for the U.S. Army Air Corps and Navy submariners.

The U.S. Lend-Lease program involved flying American warplanes through Canada to Fairbanks and thence Nome; Russian pilots took possession of these aircraft, ferrying them to fight the German invasion of Russia. The construction of military bases contributed to the population growth of some Alaskan cities.

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Statehood was approved in 1958. Alaska was officially proclaimed a state on January 3, 1959. In 1964, the massive ―Good Friday Earthquake‖ killed 131 people and destroyed several villages, many by the resultant tsunamis. It was the second most powerful earthquake in the recorded history of the world, with a moment magnitude of 9.2. It was 100 times more powerful than the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. Luckily, the center of the earthquake was in an unpopulated area or thousands more would have been killed.

The 1968 discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay and the 1977 completion of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline led to an oil boom. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez hit a reef in the Prince William Sound, spilling over 11 million US gallons of crude oil over 1,100 miles (1,600 km) of coastline. Today, the battle between philosophies of development and conservation is seen in the contentious debate over oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The 2005 gross state product of Alaska was $39.9 billion, 45th in the nation. Its per-capita GSP for 2006 was $43,748, 7th in the nation. The oil and gas industry dominates the Alaskan economy, with more than 80% of the state’s revenues derived from petroleum extraction. Alaska’s main export product (excluding oil and natural gas) is seafood, primarily salmon, cod and crab. Agriculture represents only a fraction of the Alaskan economy. Agricultural production is primarily for consumption within the state and includes dairy products, vegetables, and livestock. Manufacturing is limited, with most foodstuffs and general goods imported from elsewhere. Employment is primarily in government and industries such as natural resource extraction, shipping, and transportation. Military bases are a significant component of the economy in both Fairbanks and Anchorage. Federal subsidies are also an important part of the economy, allowing the state to keep taxes low. Its industrial outputs are crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, gold, precious metals, zinc and other mining, seafood processing, timber and wood products. There is also a growing service and tourism sector. Tourists have contributed to the economy by supporting local lodging. (1002 words)

Exercises

Without referring back to the reading article, do the following tasks. I. Fill in the blanks with the information you obtained from the reading.

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1. Alaska is the _____ state of the United States of America by area, with a population of _____. 2. Alaska, before being purchased by the U.S., had been under the governance of _____ _____ _____.

3. Because the U.S. realized the potential of continuing the electric telegraph line to Moscow, Secretary of State William H. Seward was sent to negotiate with _____ _____ _____ to fund the remaining phases of the line.

II. Decide whether the following statements are true ( T ), or false ( F ).

4. The U.S. Senate approved the purchase of Alaska from the Russian Empire on March 30, 1867, for $111 million. ( )

5. It was in the year 1741 that the first European contact with Alaska occurred. ( )

6. New Archangel on Kodiak Island was Alaska’s first capital, and remained so for a century under both Russia and the United States. ( )

III. Choose only one correct answer from the four options given.

7. Alaska was officially proclaimed a state in _____.

A. 1912 B. 1942 C. 1958 D. 1959 8. Which of the following is not true about the massive ―Good Friday Earthquake‖? A. It killed thousands of people.

B. It was the second most powerful earthquake in the recorded history of the world. C. It was 100 times more powerful than the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. D. Its moment magnitude reached 9.2. 9. Agricultural production in Alaska is _____.

A. primarily for consumption within the state B. exported to other countries C. the dominant industry in the state D. not mentioned in the passage 10. _____ is/are not significant to the economy of Alaska.

A. Federal subsidies B. Manufacturing C. Military bases D. The oil and gas industry

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Passage 2

The History of NBA

Vocabulary Tips

arena n. 比赛场馆 stalling n. 拖延 rim n. 篮筐 franchise n. 特许权 MVP n. 最有价值球员

1940s and 1950s: the Early Years

The National Basketball Association (the NBA) of America was founded in 1946 by the owners of the major ice hockey arenas in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. On November 1, 1946, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers, which the NBA now regards as the first game played in the league’s history.

During this period, the Minneapolis Lakers, led by center George Mikan, won five NBA Championships and established itself as the league’s first dynasty. To encourage shooting and discourage stalling, the league introduced the 24-second shot clock in 1954. If a team does not attempt to score a field goal (or the ball fails to make contact with the rim) within 24 seconds of obtaining the ball, play is stopped and the ball given to its opponent. 1960s and 1970s: the NBA vs. the ABA

Through this period, the NBA continued to strengthen with the shift of the Minneapolis Lakers to Los Angeles, the Philadelphia Warriors to San Francisco, and the Syracuse Nationals to Philadelphia, as well as the addition of its first expansion franchises. The Chicago Packers (now Washington Wizards) became the 9th NBA team in 1961. From 1966 to 1968, the league expanded from nine teams to fourteen, introducing the Chicago Bulls, Seattle Super Sonics (now Oklahoma City Thunder), San Diego Rockets (relocated to Houston four years later), Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns.

In 1967, the league faced a new external threat with the formation of the American Basketball

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