The Republic of Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. It was one of the poorest nations in the region. Within the last five years, however, it has become a hot spot for adventure travelers. In 2006 it was voted the happiest place on Earth. The reason is not that Vanuatu are the richest but that Vanuatu has white-sand islands, clear waters, the world’s most accessible live volcano, great diving and food that grows faster than it can be picked.
With a population of about 221,000, Vanuatu has 113 languages, which is a result of 3,000 years of immigration from many Pacific countries. There are three official languages: English, French, and Bislama. Bislama developed from South Pacific English, a simplified language that traders and other foreigners used it to communicate with speakers of the many local languages.
Most of the islands are mountainous and of volcanic origin. There are several active volcanoes in Vanuatu, including Yasur on the island of Tanna, one of the world’s most accessible volcanoes. If you’ve ever fancied getting close to a volcano, here’s your chance.
Vanuatu Post’s Underwater Post Office has quickly become one of the busiest post offices for postcards in the world! Visitors from around the world want to experience the world’s first underwater post office. The Post Office is only 50 meters offshore and at just three meters below the surface, very appealing to the young and young at heart. Since opening in 2003, the underwater post office has received about 100,000 visitors. They have posted one of the waterproof（防水的）postcards available in Vanuatu; these cards are collected regularly by one of Vanuatu Post’s four trained divers. The underwater branch is manned daily for usually about an hour, longer with demand.
小题1:Vanuatu was voted the happiest place on Earth because _______.
| A．it’s the poorest nation in the region |
| B．it’s Vanuatu that are the richest |
| C．it’s a favorite place for adventurers |
| D．it’s blessed with abundant nature |
小题2: From the text, _______ led to over one hundred languages spoken in Vanuatu.
| A．immigration | B．location | C．dialects | D．foreigners |
小题3:Which of the following is true about Vanuatu?
| A．Bislama developed from local Pacific French. |
| B．Yasur is one of the live volcanoes in Vanuatu. |
| C．Vanuatu has more than 113 official languages. |
| D．Underwater Post Office has opened for 5 years. |
小题4:Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?
| A．Working at the underwater branch | B．Great diving in amazing Vanuatu |
| C．A hot spot for adventure travelers | D．The busiest post office on Earth |
小题5:What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
| A．Various languages. | B．Underwater diving. |
| C．Food in Vanuatu. | D．History of Vanuatu. |
