世迅早Blondin was a very famous acrobat(雜技師) in the 19th century. He used to walk on a tight--rope across the Niagara Falls(瀑布). On September 8th, 1860, a crowd of about 300,000 people gathered at Niagara to watch Blondin carry a man across! Three men had offered to go with him, but they falled to appear, so Blondin asked his manager, Mr. Colcord, to climb on his back, Colcord agreed to go this so as not to disappoint the crowd, but he was terrified. The crossing was very difficult because Colcord was heavier than Blondin thought. After he had gone a short way, Blondin had to stop in order to rest. He asked Colcord to get down. At first Colcord refused, but at last he had to. He clung to (緊緊握住) Blondin’s leg and the rope in order not to fall, Blondin had to stop six times during the crossing so as to rest. Sometimes the rope swung(蕩，擺動) as much as 40 feet! At last both men crossed safely. The crowd sighed with relief(松一口氣) and so did poor Mr. Colcord.
1. How did Blondin walk across Niagara Falls on September 8th , 1860?
A. On a tight—rope with his manager on his back.
B. On a tight—rope by himself.
C. On a tight—rope with three men on his back.
D. On a tight—rope with one of his helpers on his back.
2. Why do you think the three men did not appear?
A. They couldn’t walk on tight-rope. B. They did not dare to take the risk.
C. They were ill. D. They had met with an accident.
3. Mr. Colcord agreed to act with Blondin because he .
A. was brave
B. was Blondin’s true friend
C. did not want to disappoint the 300,000 people
D. was Blondin’s manager
4. Blondin stopped six times during the crossing .
A. in order to help Colcord
B. in order to get his strength back
C. because Colcord clung to his leg and the rope
D. because Colcord was heavier than him
5. Blondin’s nationality was .
A. American B. Canadian
C. Englishman D. not mentioned in the passage
高考英語閱讀理解【2】
One day last November, Tom Baker stopped out of his house into the morning light and headed across the rice fields toward the bank of the Rapti River. Tom, a 32-year-old school teacher in the farming village of Madanpur, was going for his morning bath.
As he approached(走近) the river, the head of a tiger(老虎) suddenly appeared over the edge of the river bank. Before he could turn to run, the tiger was upon him. It jumped on his shoulder and threw him to the ground, its huge jaws attacked his head in a killing bite.
Peter Smith was also on his way to the river and saw the attack. He screamed. The tiger lifted its head and roared(吼叫) at him. Peter ran.
From the window of his house John Brown heard the tiger roar and ran out to see it attacking a man. He screamed, too, and all the villagers ran out shouting as the tiger dropped its victim(犧牲品) and ran off. When the villagers reached the river bank, Tom was already dead.
For the villagers, the horror of the incident intensified(加劇) by the tales of man-eating tigers that has once run around in the countryside, killing hundreds.
1. How many people saw the tiger before it was driven off?
A One person. B. Two persons. C. Three persons. D. Four persons.
2. What was the victim’s professional job?
A. A hunter. B. A teacher. C. A farmer. D. A manager.
3. The reason why the tiger attacked the man was .
A. it was hungry B. it was angry
C. it was frightened by the man D. not mentioned in the passage
4. When did the attack take place?
A. Early in the morning B. At noon
C. Late in the afternoon D. At five before dark
5. According to the passage, the underlined word screamed in the third paragraph
probably means ____.
A. gave a sharp cry because of fear. B. shouted out for help.
C. made some loud noise. D. cried out in pain.
高考英語閱讀理解【3】
I’m a Chinese student studying in Canada. I have been a boarder(寄宿生) with the Carsons for more than a year and a half.
The Carsons live in their own house, which has four bedrooms including the one in the basement(底層) which I live in. Judy does all the work in the house and Andrew is responsible for the work in the garden. When they go out in they evening, they often ask me to look after their children.
Judy’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Morris, lived in another city. Judy was their only child and naturally they doted on(溺愛) Judy’s children. They often sent the children presents.
Last April Mr. Morris died. Now that Mrs. Morris was quite alone, I expected that Judy would want her to come and live with them. One day, Margaret told me grandma was coming to live with them and her daddy and mummy would want my room back. The news didn’t surprise me and the next day I went to Judy and asked her about it. I said I couldn’t think of living in their basement room any longer if it was needed for Mrs. Morris. Judy seemed surprised at first. Then she told me there was no deed for me to move, for they hadn’t yet come to any decision about her mother coming to live with them. “Naturally I’m worried about my mother. She has been in poor health.” She smiled sadly and added. “To be honest, Andrew and my mother have never got on well. We’ll wait a bit and see what happens. Perhaps Moter will be all right living herself, of perhaps they will both change their minds.”
That was six months ago. During this time I’ve heard that Mrs. Morris has had two illnesses and that her health has got worse. A nursing home was mentioned once but Mrs. Morris refused to go there. So up to now she’s still living alone and I’m still living in the basement room.
1. What is the relationship between the speaker and the Carsons?
A. He is a brother of Andrew Carson.
B. He is a close friend of the Carsons.
C. He is a student of Judy Carson.
D. He is a student who pays to live and have meals at the Carsons’ house.
2. Why did the speaker expect Mrs. Morris to come to live with her daughter?
A. Because Mr. Morris was dead.
B. Because Mrs. Morris suffered from illness.
C. Because Mrs. Morris lived all by herself.
D. Because of all the reasons mentioned in A, B and C.
3. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Mrs. Morris was coming to live with the Carsons, so they asked the speaker to move.
B. Judy had no brothers or sisters to look after her mother.
C. Mrs. Morris loved her grandchildren very much.
D. The Carsons once suggested that Mrs. Morris go to live in a nursing home.
4. Why didn’t Mrs. Morris come to live with her daughter’s family?
A. Because the speaker lived in the basement room and there was no other room for her to live in.
B. Because she did not have a good relationship with her son-in-law.
C. Because she was in rather poor health and could not come.
D. Because she did not want to leave her own house.
5. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. My Landlady. B. The Boarder.
C. Family Relationships is Canada. D. Nursing Homes and the Aged.
O. Henry was a pen name used by an American writer of short stories. His real name was william Sydney Porter. He was born in North Carolina in 1862. As a young boy he lived an exciting life. He did not go to school for very long, but he managed to teach himself everything he needed to know. When he was about 20 years old, Henry went to Texas, where he tried different jobs. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank When some money went missing from the bank, O. Henry was believed to have stolen it. Because of that, he was sent to prison. During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and continued writing. He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there. People liked his stories, because simple as the tales were they would finish with a sudden change at the end to the reader’s surprise.
1.In which order did O. Henry do the following things?
a. lived in New York b. worked in a bank c. travelled to Texas d. was put in prison e. had a newspaper f. learned to write stories
2.People enjoyed reading O. Henry’s stories because ____.
(A)they had surprise ending (B)they were easy to understand
(C)they showed his love for the poor (D)they were about New York City
3.O.Henry went to prison because ____.
(A)people thought he had stolen money from the newspaper
(B)people thought he had taken money that was not his
(C)he wanted to write stories about prisoners
(D)he broke the law by not using his own name
4.What do you know about O. Henry before he began writing?
(A)He was well-educated (B)He was very good at learning
(C)he was devoted to the poor (D)He was not serious about his work
5.Where did O. Henry get most material for his short stories?
(A)His life inside the prison (B)The newspaper articles he wrote
(C)The city and people of New York (D)His exciting early life as a boy
高考英語閱讀理解【2】
An ape has a larger brain than any animal except man, though it is much smaller than a man’s brain. Apes all belong to the hot countries of the world—tropical Africa and South—east Asia.
The gorilla is the largest of the apes. He is as tall as six feet when standing upright. Many people think that gorillas are very fierce. They are often described as standing upright like a man, beating their fists and roaring. In their home, in the forests of Cetral Africa, however, they are not at all like this, They are peaceful animals and never use their great strength unless attacked. Even then, they retreat if they can.
Gorillas have black faces and long, black, hairy coats. They feed during the day on plants and fruit. At night the old male often sleeps on the ground at the foot of a tree, while the others each make a sleeping platform in the tree bending the leafy branches. Besides this, gorillas climb trees very seldom.
1. Apes live in .
A. different parts of the world B. the cold countries
C. South America and Africa D. the countries of Africa and South—east Asia
2. An ape’s brain is .
A. as large as a man’s brain B. a lot smaller than a man’s brain
C. larger than that of any other animal including man D. a lot larger than a man’s brain
3. A gorilla is about six feet tall when he .
A. stands on his legs B. stand on his arms
C. roars D. uses his great strength
4. All gorillas live on .
A. vegetables B. leaves and grass C. plants and fruit D. rice
5. During the night gorilla usually sleep in trees except .
A. the old female gorilla B. the old male gorilla
C. the young gorillas up to six years old D. the baby gorillas
高考英語閱讀理解【3】
Sam and Joe were astronauts. There was once a very dangerous trip and the more experienced astronauts knew there was only a small chance of coming back alive (活著). Sam and Joe, however, thought it would be exciting though a little dangerous. “we’re the best men for the job,” they said to the boss. “There may be problems, but we can find the answers.” “They’re the last people I’d trust,” thought the boss. “But all the other astronauts have refused to go.”
Once they were in space, Joe had to go outside to make some repairs. When the repairs were done, he tried to get back inside the spaceship. But the door was locked. He knocked but there was no answer. He knocked again, louder this time, and again no answer came. Then he hit the door as hard as he could and finally a voice said, “Who’s there?” “It’s me! Who else could it be?” shouted Joe. Sam let him in all right but you can imagine that Joe never asked to go on a trip with Sam again!
1. Most of the astronauts were unwilling to go on a trip because .
A. there was little chance of being selected B. they weren’t experienced enough
C. they thought they might get killed D. it wasn’t exciting enough
2. Why were Sam and Joe chosen?
A. The boss wanted them to get more experience.
B. The boss trusted them more than anyone else.
C. They were the last people who wanted to go.
D. They were the only men who offered to go.
3. What did Sam and Joe think the trip would be like?
A. There would be serious problems . B. There wouldn’t be any danger .
C. It would be long and tiring. D. It would be exciting .
4. Joe didn’t want to work with Sam again probably because he thought Sam .
A. was very slow and possibly deaf B. didn’t know how to operate the door
C. was less experienced than he was D. didn’t know how to do repairs
5. The writer tells this story to .
A. show the dangerous side of the astronauts’ life
For a long time being happy was considered something that just happened, and there was nothing special about it. Now we know that getting along with other people is something that we can work at. It is possible to act in such a way that other people will like us better. One way is being unselfish, not wanting everything from our friends. Another way is to look for good points, not bad ones in other people. It is surprising how successful this treasure hunt can be. You don’t have to be spineless(沒有骨氣的.) in order to be popular. In fact, you will be liked and respected if you are not afraid to stand up for your rights. But do it politely and pleasantly. Being friendly and polite to your group, to other people and to strangers and especially to those who do not look important or do not interest you is one way to develop a good character. You can not expect to be perfect, and you must learn not to be unhappy when you make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, and no one is to be blamed unless he refuses to learn from them. Many young people become discouraged when they know in themselves qualities that they do not like—selfishness, laziness, and other unpleasant qualities. Just remember that we all have some of these faults and have to fight against them. At the same time, it is important to remember that, while you are probably no worse than others, the best way to be happy is to think yourself above other people. When something is wrong, it is good sense to try to make it right. Perhaps you don’t like a teacher or a classmate. Try to see why and look at yourself, too, to be sure that you are not doing anything to make that person dislike you. Some day, things may turn out all right and then you will have to learn to get along the best with situation, without thinking too much about it. Worrying never helps in a situation you can’t change. 21. According to the passage, if one wants to be popular he has to _____. A. be polite and friendlyB. give up some rights C. avoid arguing with other peopleD. be ready to change his or her character 22.The passage shows that there is no perfect person but everyone should be blamed if he _____. A. is no better than others B. is selfish and lazy C. does not draw a lesson from his own fault D. is very happy about his unpleasant quality .The passage implies that in order to be a happy person, one should consider oneself _____. A. no better than others B. not the same as others C. as having something better than others D. as having better chances than others .The purpose for the writer to write the passage is to _____. A. train you to be perfect B. show you the way to be happy C. tell you how to act when you dislike a person D. teach you how to be popular among your friends
Do you want to go out of town for a bit of rest and relaxation? Before you start packing, visit these best travel sites for vacationers. In my opinion, they help people deal with common problems that pop up during a trip.
Oyster
Based on the advertised photos, the hotel you are considering appears to be clean and modern. Take a second look through the eyes of Oyster. Their representatives inspect resort areas and post the real images uncovering marketing lies. You see ACTUAL pictures of the rooms, attractions and beautiful beaches.
Skyscanner.net
Are you planning to travel on a budget? Discover the best deals for flights, hotels and car rentals at Skyscanner.net. They offer reasonable and comprehensive travel comparison. The best part is that their services are free. You don’t have to sign up, provide personal information or go through a social network.
Virtualtourist
Chat with someone other than a travel agent about a location. At Virtualtourist, fellow travelers and locals talk about their experiences in specific areas. This site is set up like a forum(論壇), so you can ask questions and get answers in the comfort of your own home. Find out where to eat, play and get pleasure in a place without getting food poison or robbed by criminals.
Travel.state.gov
Unfortunately, Americans get into trouble abroad sometimes. Prepare for possible emergencies by visiting Travel.state.gov. There, the Bureau of Consular Affairs offers advice on how to handle the bad things that happen to good people in other countries. You learn what to do in the case of child abduction(綁架), a lost passport and illness. In addition, these officials post travel warnings regarding dangerous regions and why foreigners should avoid them.
Are you ready to do your homework? Prepare for your departure by checking out these best travel sites for vacationers. Learn what you need to know now before walking out of the door.
25. What is the characteristic of Oyster?
A. It offers you a lot of travel information.
B. It tells tourists where the cheap hotels are.
C. The photos on the site are really reliable.
D. The representatives of Oyster are enthusiastic.
26. What is the biggest benefit of your visiting Skyscanner.net?
A. You can accept their services for free.
B. You can book the most modern hotels.
C. You can make many friends through the social network.
D. You can find the cheapest tour description and direction.
27. We can learn from this passage that _____.
A. Virtualtourist gives you a chance to chat with a travel agent
B. you’ll get answers to your travel questions at Virtualtourist
C. the Bureau of Consular Affairs is in charge of Travel.state.gov
D. if you lose your passport you’ll get help from Virtualtourist
C
Teamwork is all about working together to achieve a common goal or purpose. Is teamwork out of date?Why is it so hard to effectively conduct teamwork in those days?
One way we employ teamwork in everyday lives is by becoming a parent. It is parents’ job to teach their children the basic skills and give them the knowledge they need to be successful in life. This，to me，requires teamwork. For example，the mother teaches her children manners and good health skills，while the father teaches them how to catch a ball or drive a car. However，in today’s society，we find that more and more parents are feeling that this teamwork is a one-sided thing. According to a report，there are 13.7 million single parents raising their children in the US and this could be due to the fact that parents don’t take responsibility for their children，so they leave one parent to do it alone. This is a sad fact，and it reflects that effective teamwork is losing ground in the parenting aspect of our everyday lives.
Another place where teamwork affects us greatly is in our jobs. It doesn’t matter if you have a small company or a large company：if you have at least one employee and yourself，then teamwork works. I have noticed that with the current economic recession(衰退)，people are racing to grab jobs but the quality of people’s work has gone down greatly. It just appears to me that people do not take pride in their work any more. They get to work as fast as they can，just to receive the paycheck，but their quality standards fly right out of the windows. So I think teamwork is losing ground in the workforce.
As you can see，we run into the aspects of teamwork in just about everything we do. Do you believe teamwork is really losing ground in today’s society?I think it is.
28.Why does teamwork disappear in the parenting aspect of our daily life?
A.Parents have no time to spare for their children.
B.Parents have no chances to teach their children about it.
C.Many children are often brought up by a single parent.
D.Many children are independent to deal with their matters.
29.Teamwork is losing ground in the workforce mainly because .
A.workers don’t like to work together with others
B.workers’ sense is affected by economic recession
C.workers want to prove they are more capable
D.fewer workers are employed to save money
30.The author wants us to believe his opinion by .
A.listing some data
B.giving some examples
C.asking some questions
D.analyzing some cases
31.The underlined phrase “fly right out of the windows” in Paragraph 3 means “ ”.
A.disappear B.Improve C.increase D.matter
D
Around four years ago，I received a call from the principal of our school as to the “Parents View” talk the next morning. He asked me to speak to the group. After the call，my whole body became feverish and panicky. The time from his call to the next morning seemed like years. The whole night，I could not sleep with many ominous apprehensions in mind. One of them was to call the principal with regret and tell him that I could not come. Finally，I gathered some courage. I thought，“If I miss this opportunity，surely the school will never invite me again to any of their programs.”
I reached the school in time. Before my turn came，my whole body was trembling. When my turn came and I started speaking，my heartbeat increased and my mouth went dry. I wasn’t even able to read the written speech properly. I was not aware of where I was standing and what I was reading. That was the day when I realized my biggest weakness：Public Speaking.
After my speech，I met with the principal and explained what happened to me. He told me that this happens to everyone. Even great speakers faced the same things when they started. He suggested that I come again next time.
Around one month later，I was invited to refer to a topic on motivation. This time I was feeling comfortable. My speech was appreciated by the principal as well as the teachers，because I was able to get my idea across to them. They encouraged me and praised my efforts.
After delivering it successfully，I became more confident. I said to myself，“If I can speak in front of such a learned audience，like the principal who educates others，I can now speak in front of others too.”
I started delivering lectures on various topics like Self Motivation，Personality Development，Personal Excellence，Spoken English and Presentation Skills. This has become a passion for me. I have learned that everything is possible if we have the courage to take the first step.
32.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A.Practice Makes a Man a Better Speechmaker
B.Public Speaking Makes a Man Embarrassed
C.Principals Provide the Best Chances
D.Spoken English Develops in Making Speeches
33.The author had bad feelings before the speech because .
A.he disliked the idea of giving a lecture
B.he had got a high fever before that
C.he regretted accepting the invitation
D.he feared he couldn’t perform it properly
34.What does the underlined part “ominous apprehensions” in the first paragraph mean?
A.Unlucky opportunities. B.Negative ideas.
C.Curious views. D.Happy comments.
35.What can we conclude from the passage?
A.Nothing is to be got without pains but poverty.
B.Knowledge makes humble;ignorance makes proud.
C.A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Mr. Peter Johnson, aged twenty-three, battled for half an hour to escape from his trapped car yesterday when it landed upside down in three feet of water. Mr. Johnson took the only escape route --- through the boot(行李箱).
Mr. Johnson's car had finished up in a ditch (溝渠) at Romney Marsin, Kent after skidding on ice and hitting a bank. "Fortunately, the water began to come in only slowly," Mr. Johnson said. "I couldn't force the doors because they were jammed against the walls of the ditch and dared not open the windows because I knew water would come flooding in."
Mr. Johnson, a sweet salesman of Sitting Home, Kent, first tried to attract the attention of other motorists by sounding the horn and hammering on the roof and boot. Then he began his struggle to escape.
Later he said, "It was really a half penny that saved my life. It was the only coin I had in my pocket and I used it to unscrew the back seat to get into the boot. I hammered desperately with a hammer trying to make someone hear, but no help came."
It took ten minutes to unscrew the seat, and a further five minutes to clear the sweet samples from the boot. Then Mr. Johnson found a wrench and began to work on the boot lock. Fifteen minutes passed by. "It was the only chance I had. Finally it gave, but as soon as I moved the boot lid, the water and mud poured in. I forced the lid down into the mud and scrambled clear as the car filled up."
His hands and arms cut and bruised (擦傷), Mr. Johnson got to Beckett Farm nearby, where he was looked after by the farmer's wife, Mrs. Lucy Bates. Trembling in a blanket, he said, "That thirty minutes seemed like hours." Only the tips of the car wheels were visible, police said last night. The vehicle had sunk into two feet of mud at the bottom of the ditch.
21. What is the best title for this newspaper article?
A. The Story of Mr. Johnson, a Sweet Salesman
B. Car Boot Can Serve as the Best Escape Route
C. Driver Escapes through Car Boot
D. The Driver Survived a Terrible Car Accident
22. The underlined sentence in Paragraph 5 “Finally it gave” means that _______.
A. luckily the door was torn away in the end
B. at last the wrench went broken
C. the lock came open after all his efforts
D. the chance was lost at the last minute
23. It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
A. the ditch was along a quiet country road
B. the accident happened on a clear warm day
C. the police helped Mr. Johnson get out of the ditch
D. Mr. Johnson had a tender wife and was well attended
B
It’s easy to think of the selfless reasons to listen. People want you to listen to them. By listening, you can help someone with a problem, or help them come up with new ideas. But listening also has selfish benefits that make it worth the investment.
The biggest selfish benefit is that you learn more with your mouth closed. You’ll learn more about other people, and often, about yourself, if you stop talking. Those ideas are useful if you want to improve yourself.
Listening also helps you think. When you’re truly listening, not just waiting for your turn to speak, you can chew over your ideas more. You can mull on points of the conversation longer. In the end, you’ll appear a lot wiser if you explain a fully-digested point of view, than if you just speak out the first response that comes to mind. Building the listening habit also makes better friends than trying to be an impressive conversationalist. People like the guy who listens more than the guy with the best jokes. Be interested, rather than interesting.
If the person you’re talking with doesn’t feel too chatty, bait (啟發(fā)) them with a comment. Throw something at them which will make it easy for them to talk. A better strategy to listen is to master the short anecdote. This is a 2-3 sentence comment on something that the other person has said. If they are telling a long explanation of their work as an accountant, you could comment on someone you know that does accounting or something you know about accounting.
24. The following are talked about EXCEPT ______.
A. the ways of being a good listener
B. the benefits of building the listening habit
C. the ways of being a good speaker
D. the strategies to inspire others to speak
25. According to the passage, which kind of person is most probably popular with people?
A. The one who is good at telling jokes.
B. The one who has no speaking ability.
C. The one who is good at public speaking.
D. The one who is good at listening to others.
26. The underlined phrase “mull on” in the third paragraph means ______.
A. think over B. agree with C. disagree with D. put forward
C
New York’s long awaited bike share program, which arranged the distribution of 10,000 bicycles along some of the city’s busiest street, will be sponsored by Citi financial group, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on Monday.
Citi Bike will be the largest public bike share system in the US, with bikes placed in 600 stations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The program will be operated by Alta bicycle share, which runs similar projects in Washington D.C. and Boston.
“The idea behind bike share is simple: give people one more way to get around the town,” Bloomberg said in a restaurant. “The new Citi Bikes will be an affordable transportation network that will help New Yorkers get where they’re going faster. When the walk seems a little far, New Yorkers can choose to skip the hike, and take a bike.”
The program was announced in September 2011, and the department of transport has spent the last eight months planning locations for the stations. Full details on the locations have not been released yet, but they will include Times Square, Penn Station and close to Central Park.
Annual membership of the program will cost $95, which entitles (授權) users to free journeys up to 45 minutes. For those unwilling to commit to a year’s cycling, seven-day subscriptions are available for $25 or 24-hour access for $9.95, with the first 30 minutes of any journey free. The official website for the program – citibikenyc – says the pricing strategy is likely to ensure that riders keep their trips short. Although short journeys are free, anyone wanting to take a bike for the day will face very high charges. People who do not sign up to an annual membership – tourists, for example, would pay $49 for a three-hour ride, plus the $9.95 24-hour access fee, making a total of $59.
The department of transport said the bikes and stations, which will begin to be fixed from “l(fā)ate July”, will be the same as in London, Montreal and Minneapolis; however, in one sense Bloomberg will be hoping the New York program differs from that of London. While the London program has ended up losing money since it launched in 2010, the mayor said New York City would “split system profits with the operator”, creating a potential new income program.
27. According to the passage, the main purpose of setting up New York’s bike share system is to ________.
A. make profits from the bike users
B. discourage people from going hiking
C. reduce people’s expenses on transportation
D. help people travel around the city more easily
28. According to the passage, which of the following locations is NOT available for the Citi Bike service?
A. Central Park B. Time Square
C. Brooklyn Botanic Garden D. Penn Station
29. What can be learned from Paragraph 5?
A. It is wise of people to use the bikes for short trips.
B. Anyone can use the bike free of charge for 45 minutes.
C. Most people are unwilling to pay for the annual membership.
D. Tourists are charged more for the use of bikes than local people.
30. In what sense does Bloomberg hope the New York program differs from that of London?
Although English is not as old as Chinese, it is spoken by many people around the world every day. English speakers are always creating(創(chuàng)造豎猛) new words, and we are often able to know where most words come from.
Sometimes , however, no one may really know where a word comes from. Did you ever think about why hamburgers(漢堡包) are called hamburgers, especially when they are not made with ham(火腿)? About a hundred years ago, some men went to America from Europe. They came from a big city in Germany called Hamburg. They did not speak good English, but they ate good food. When some Americans saw them eating round pieces of beef(牛肉), they asked the Germans what it was. The Germans did not understand the question and answered, “We come from Hamburg.” One of these Americans owned a restaurant, and had an idea. He cooked some round pieces of beef like those which the men from Hamburg ate. Then he put each between two pieces of bread and started selling them. Such bread came to be called “hamburgers”. Today “hamburgers” are sold in many countries around the world.
Whether this story is true or not, it certainly is interesting. Knowing why any word has a certain meaning is interesting. too. This reason, for most English words, can be found in any large English dictionary.
1. According to the writer, English is .
A. as old as Chinese B. older than German
C. not so old as Chinese D. very difficult to learn
2. Hamburg is .
A. a kind of food B. a round piece of beef
C. the name of a village D. a city in Germany
3. According to the story, .
A. few Americans like hamburgers B. hamburgers are made with beef
C. hamburgers are made with ham D. hamburgers were first sold about a century ago
4. According to the writer, which of the following can often be found in any large English dictionary?
A. Where all the new words come from
B. Where those Germans came from
C. The reason why a word has a certain meaning
D. The reason why English is spoken around the world
5. According to the story, the word “hamburger” comes from .
A. China because it has a long history
B. England because Germans don’t speak good English
C. the round pieces of beef which those people from Hamburg were eating
D. English speakers because they always create new words
答案：
1C 2 D 3 D 4 C 5 C
2017高考英語閱讀理解真題訓練(二)
In 1933 an unknown American called Clarence Nash went to see the filmmaker Walt Disney. He had an unusual voice and he wanted to work in Disney’s cartoon(動畫片) film for children. When Walt Disney heard Nash’s voice, he said “Stop! That’s our duck!”
The duck was the now-famous Donald Duck, who first appeared in 1934 in the film The Wise Little Hen. Donald lived in an old houseboat(水上住家) and wore his sailor jacket and hat. Later that year he became a star after an eight-minute Mickey Mouse film. The cinema audience liked him because he was lazy and greedy(貪婪的), and because he lost his temper(發(fā)脾氣) very quickly . And they loved his voice when he became angry with Mickey’s eight nephews(侄子). Soon Donald was more popular than Mickey Mouse himself, probably because he wasn’t a goody-goody like Mickey.
In the 1930S,’ 40s and ‘50s Donald and hid friends Mickey , Goofy and Pluto made hundreds of Disney cartoons. He also made educational films about the place of the USA in the world, and safety in the home. Then in 1966 Donald Duck and his voice disappeared---there were no more new cartoons.
Clarence Nash died in February, 1985. But today’s children can still see the old cartoons on television and hear that famous voice.
1. Who made Donald Duck film?
A. Mickey Mouse B. Clarence Nash C. Walt Disney D. Pluto
2. When was the first Donald Duck film made?
A.In 1933 B. In 1934 C. In 1966 D. In 1930
3. Who was Clarence Nash?
A. A cartoonist B. Donald Duck’s voice C. A film-maker D. A film star
4. Where do today’s children see Donald Duck?
A. In new film B. At the cinema C. On television D. At concerts
5. The underlined word audience in the second paragraph means .
A. reads B.formal interview C. law freedom D. the people who watch a film at a cinema
6. The underlined word goody-goody in the second paragraph means a person who .
A. likes to appear to be faultless in behaviour
B. who likes to appear to be faulty in behaviour
C. dislikes to appear to be faultless in behaviour
D. dislikes to be faulty in behaviour
答案：
1C 2 B 3 B 4 C 5 D 6 A
2017高考英語閱讀理解真題訓練(三)
Why do we have in a camera a lens(鏡頭)instead of a simple hole?
The reason can be seen from the figures(圖像).
In Figure 1, the hole is small. Rays of light from a point (P1)outside reach a very small part of the wall opposite, and we see there a small point. But when the hole is bigger, as in Figure 2, rays from the point(P2)can cover a larger part of the wall opposite, and we don’t see a clear point, Rays from other points(Q) outside can also fall on the same place inside. Therefore the picture is not clear when the hole is big and it is not bright when the hole is small because very very little light can pass through it.. We can get better result with a lens. If the lens is made in the shape shown in Figure 3, all the rays of light from the point(P3) are thrown on point(P’) inside. The picture which we see, therefore, is clear, and it is also bright because more light can pass through a lens than through a small hole.
1. In Figure 1 we see a faint small point on the wall because .
A. the point(P1) is very small B. the hole isn’t big enough
C. light rays don’t travel in straight lines D. light rays can’t pass through a small hole
2. Figure 2 shows that the bigger the hole is, .
A. the more light can pass through B. the clearer the picture will be
C. the better result we will get D. the faster the light rays travel
3. From figure 3, we can see a lens .
A. can form a clear picture B. can make light go in a straight line
C. can help light rays to go faster D. cannot give the picture more light than in Fig. 2
4. The main idea of the second paragraph of the article is that .
A. a smaller hole is better than a bigger one
B. big holes are better than small ones
C. both a big hole and a small one have their weak points
D. light rays are sure to pass through a hole no matter it is big or small
5. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Light can go through all kinds of materials
B. A camera can’t be made without a lens
C. The lens is only used in a camera
D. Most of the light we get is from the lens
答案：
1B 2 A 3 A 4 D 5 B
2017高考英語閱讀理解真題訓練(四)
Overhead bridges are found in many parts of Beijing, especially in places where traffic is very heavy and crossing the road is dangerous.
The purpose of these bridges is to enable pedestrians (行人) to cross roads safely. Overhead bridges are used to very much the same way as zebra crossings. They are more efficient (效率高的) although less convenient because people have to climb up a long flight of steps. This is inconvenient especially to older people. When pedestrains use an overhead bridge, they do not hold up traffic. However, when they cross a busy road using a zebra crossing, traffic is held up. This is why the government has built many overhead bridges to help pedestrians and to keep traffic moving at the same time.
The government of Beijing has spent a large amount of money on building these bridges. For their own safety, pedestrians should be encouraged to use them instead of risking (冒…危險) their lives by dashing across the road. Old people , however , may find it a little difficult climbing up and down the steps, but it is still much safer than walking across the road with all the danger of moving traffic.
Overhead bridges serve a very useful purpose. Pedestrians, both old and young, should make it a habit to use them. This will prevent unnecessary accidents and loss of life.
1. What is the advantage of overhead bridges mentioned in this passage?
A. Taller trucks can pass under them.
B. Pedestrians can climb up and have a view of the city.
C. They are safer for pedestrians and can keep traffic moving at the same time.
D. They are easier and more convenient for the pedestrians.
2. Why were overhead bridges built in Beijing?
A. Because they prevent traffic from being held up.
B. Because they provide an easy way for the drivers to cross the road.
C. Because they save money for the government.
D. Because they save time for the pedestrians.
3. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Overhead bridges are found in every part of Beijing.
B. Overhead bridges are only found in the centre of Beijing.
C. Overhead bridges are found in many parts of big cities in China.
D. Overhead bridges are found in places where traffic is heavy.
4. The underlined words a zebra crossing probably mean ________.
A. a safe place across a road for pedestrians to walk across the road
B. a wild animal from Africa that looks like a horse with broad dark brown and white stripes
on its body
C. a safe place across a road for zebras to walk across the road
D. a safe place across a road for children to play a game
5. What is the writer’s attitude towards overhead bridges?
A. It is inconvenient to older people to walk across the road.
B. It is much safer for pedestrians though climbing up and down the steps may be a little difficult,
C. An overhead bridge is more beautiful than a zebra crossing.
D. To build overhead bridges is the business of the government.
