A huge hole has opened up in the earth. Thousands of people will soon be packing their belongings and moving on. In some cases, whole buildings will be taken apart brick by brick and carried to a safer location. This dramatic scene may sound like one of the more passages of the Old Testament,Book of Exodus. This dramatic scene may sound like a tale, but it’s the strange reality unfolding in the town of Kiruna, northern Sweden. 

A nearby iron ore mine -- Kiruna’s main source of income and employment for more than a century -- has begun to damage the city in recent years. Small cracks have also begun to show on the streets in businesses and living areas. A detailed analysis by LKAB (the state-owned company that operates the mine) has predicted that these building will only get worse as it attempts to access the most difficult to reach minerals. 

According to Erika Lindblad of LKAB, the remaining iron ore bodies are located directly under the city. This creates a problem as the law, and the company’s own policy, prohibits mining under populated areas. “When the mines initially opened, it made sense to build housing near the workplaces, Lindblad said. “However, no one could have imagined that over 120 years later we would be mining ore a kilometre below ground.”

The people of Kiruna have been aware of these developments since 2004 when LKAB sent local residents a letter explaining the situation. In the period since, the residents have been forced to face it. Either the mine, which employs around 4,000 local people, closes down and the city loses its primary source of income, or it continues to operate and a large part of Kiruna’s inhabitants forced to move a new location.

“The city is the mine and the mine is the city,” Cars, head of the city. said. “We have lived together for 100 years and we have a huge dependence on each other. Without the mine the town would die.”

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1.What is purpose of the writer mentioning the book of Old Testament?

A It is used to inform the readers of similar scene.

B It is telling the readers the writer believe in God.

C It will make readers know how to take apart bricks.

D It will introduce readers the main idea of the article.

解析：选A。A 写作意图题。作者提到了《旧约全书》中的《出埃及记》是为了让读者了解下面文章叙述的情况和书里面描述的场景相类似。

2.The underlined word “it” in the fourth paragraph may refer to _____.

A the new location

B the fast development

C the main income

D the dilemma situation

解析：选D。D 词意指代题。从文章第四段第一句的The people of Kiruna have been aware of these developments since 2004 when LKAB sent local residents a letter explaining the situation可知现在居民要面对这种窘迫的情景；从后面的either…or…连接的两种情况来看也说明了他们的处境。

3.What Cars said in the last paragraph means ______.

A they will find other way to make money

B they have no choice but to find new location

C they will a make a living by themselves

D they would rather die than close their mine

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。从文章最后一段中他所说的话，特别是最后一句的Without the mine the town would die(如果没有矿，整个城市会死掉)，因此他的话语中暗含的意思是要保住矿，因此他们会选择“去寻找新的居所”。

4.When people began the mine at the beginning, they ______.

A knew they would be mining ore below ground

B chose to build homes near the working place

C found there wasn’t ore directly under the city

D had predicted the problem would take place

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第三段第三句When the mines initially opened, it made sense to build housing near the workplaces可知他们在自己的工作地点附近建立家园是有意义的。

5.How do the people of Kiruna think of LKAB?

A They hate it very much.

B They think it owes to them much.

C They think highly of it.

D They feel bored with the company.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。根据第四段第一句的The people of Kiruna have been aware of these developments since 2004 when LKAB sent local residents a letter explaining...可知该公司所做的事带来了就业，然后起到了提醒人们的作用。因此该城市的居民是会对其感激的。