1、Paynes PrairieHave you ever heard of Paynes Prairie? It is one of the most important natural and historical areas in Florida. Paynes Prairie is located near Gainesville. It is large, 21 000 acres. This protected land is called a preserve. The Florida Park Service manage the preserve.The Paynes Prair
2、ie basin(盆地) was formed when limestone(石灰石) dissolved and the ground settled. It is covered by marsh(沼泽) and wet prairie(大草原) vegetation(植被). There are areas of open water. During brief periods it has flooded enough to be considered a lake. Except for that, the basin has changed little through time.
3、Man has lived on Paynes Prairie a very long time. He lived there as far back as 10000 B. C. At one time, the Seminoles lived there. The prairie is thought to have been named after King Payne, a Seminole chief. During the late 1600s, the largest cattle(家养牲畜) ranch(大农场) in Florida was on Paynes Prairi
4、e. Today, Paynes Prairie is preserved land. It is occupied by visitors and Florida Park Service employees.Willam Bartram visited Paynes Praire. Bartram was the first person who portrayed(描绘) nature through personal experience as well as scientific observation. He lived 200 years ago. He visited Payn
5、es Prairie in 1774. At that time he described it. He called Paynes Prairie the great Alachua Savannah.Most of the animal life, which Bartram described, is still here. A large number of sandhill(沙丘鹤) cranes, hawks(鹰) and waterfowl(水鸟) are here in winter. The animal diversity is increased by the prese
6、nce of pine(松树) flatwoods(低洼地区的树林), hammock(吊床), swamps(湿地) and ponds.The Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is open year round. The Florida Park Service works hard so that the park will appear as it did in the past. It offers many opportunities for recreation. At the park you can camp and picnic. Y
7、ou can hike and bike. You can boat and fish. You can ride on horse trails. And you can see lots of nature and wildlife. You can see Florida as it was in the early days.Paynes Prairie is a part of our Florida history. It is an example of our Florida natural resources. It is a place for recreation. Pa
8、ynes Prairie is an important experience of the Real Florida. 1. How was the Paynes Prairie basin formed? A. From dissolved limestone and the ground settling.B. By the Seminole Indians. C. By the Florida Park Service. D. From lots of flooding and wet prairie vegetation. 2. The underlined word diversi
9、ty means “ .” A. society B. variety C. population D. area 3. All of the following are true EXCEPT that _ . A. Paynes Prairie has changed little through time B. Paynes Prairie is covered by wet prairie grasses C. William Bartram was the first person to visit Paynes Prairie D. there used to be a big cattle farm on Paynes Prairie 4. The purpose of the passage is to . A. call on people to protect widlife B. show you the formation of Paynes PrairieC. attract people to this preserved park D. introduce the recorded history of Paynes Prairie答案：1. A2. B3. C 4. C
