According to the WHO, 90 percent of the world’s population lives in a place where they are exposed to unsafe levels of airborne pollutants, contributing to up to seven million deaths each year. If you live in a city, chances are that you’re part of that 90 percent, even if your city is relatively clean. That’s why cities worldwide have started embracing Internet of Things (IoT)solutions.
One of the best ways to fight pollution is to figure out where it’s worst and where it’s coming from. If you’ve ever made a habit of checking air quality around you, you may notice that there aren’t actually that many monitoring stations, and your closest one may not be that close. For pollution data to really be accurate and helpful, we need a lot more of it.
Luckily, IoT sensors and low-power wide-area networks are making it a lot easier to get and spread ultra-local data. Lampposts are one popular place to put them. For example, the Republic of Korea and Barcelona have already built out a network of pollution sensors in their streetlights. On the other hand, outfitting (配备) cars, bikes, and even people with pollution sensors provides valuable data on a smaller, more mobile scale.
Since pollutant levels can change dramatically even from one city block to another, having smaller-scale data is important for making a lot of decisions that, over time, might have a major influence on our health and behavior. It can influence where we decide to live, when we exercise, whether we bike to work, and, perhaps most importantly, what we can do about pollution in our area.
What all the Internet of Things can help us do on a personal level is use less energy. The data it provides, though, can be used to make big and small changes to the way we behave and build, and that is eventually where we’ll see benefits.
1.What’s the problem mentioned in Paragraph 1?
A.The death rate is high every year. B.There are too many people in the world.
C.There is little space for people to live in. D.Air pollution is more serious than expected.
2.How does the author mainly develop Paragraph 3?
A.By analyzing main causes. B.By citing research findings.
C.By giving specific examples. D.By making close comparisons.
3.Why is it necessary to collect data on a smaller scale?
A.It directly decreases pollutant levels. B.It uses less energy to clean the air.
C.It covers more areas of air pollution. D.It betters decisions on our lifestyle.
4.What’s the author’s attitude towards using IoT to solve air pollution?
A.Disapproving. B.Doubtful.
C.Positive. D.Uncaring.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Ali Coletta always wanted someone to share her adventures. Then she met her husband Nick, and things seemed perfect — for a while. But she knew there was still something, or someone, missing.
“I knew we needed an addition to our family to share our passion for adventure together,”Ali said.“I even created a PowerPoint slideshow on why we needed a sweet golden retriever (金毛猎犬) in our lives.”
In 2016, Stella joined the family and the Colettas finally found the perfect pet to make them feel complete.“Stella’s personality is lovely and contradictory. One minute she’s sitting at the kitchen table as if it’s no big deal, and the next minute she’s bossing us around,”Ali said.“She loves swimming, hiking and recently snowboarding.”
The fearless pup loves following Nick around wherever he goes and is always up for an adventure. This was never more apparent than when the family went on a recent ski trip. Their vacation was cut short due to COVID-19, but on their last day, the family hiked up a mountain park. Of course, they brought Stella along for the journey so she, too, could enjoy the snow. Then something unexpected happened — as Nick began snowboarding downhill, the faithful Stella refused to be left behind. She bounded happily through the snow, following Nick’s every move. “We knew she would love the hike in the snow,” Ali said.“But we honestly had no idea she would love running down just as much.”
Stella has always loved the cold, and now it’s clear that she’s finally found her calling.
Regardless of what Stella does, the Colettas couldn’t be happier to have such a special pup in their lives. “She truly completes our family and is the best companion one could ask for,” Ali said.
1.What do the first two paragraphs imply?
A.Things have been perfect before Ali’s marriage.
B.Ali and Nick met in a mountain adventure in 2017.
C.Ali and her husband are both crazy about adventures.
D.The dog is always necessary for guarding adventurers.
2.What can we know about Stella?
A.She is gentle and obedient. B.She has a changeable character.
C.She loves following Ali around. D.She has joined the family for a year.
3.What does the underlined part in the last but one paragraph mean?
A.Found something really desirable for her. B.Figured out her permanent home.
C.Realized the cold of the snow. D.Learned a new skill.
4.What is this text mainly about?
A.Stella’s love for snowboarding.
B.Advice on finding a perfect pet.
C.Ali and her husband’s hiking adventures.
D.The story of the Colettas and their golden retriever.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Are you looking to load up your e-reader with some new books to promote your career? Well,look no further. Here are four best sellers for you!
The Boss of You by Lauren Bacon & Emira Mears
This book is a goldmine for women looking to start their own business. As a freelance writer (自由撰稿人), I read it several times when I decided to begin a career. I've folded so many pages in this book, and found some sections especially helpful, like the ones on figuring out start-up costs, drawing up a budget, and the ways to market yourself.
Suggested by Steph Auteri
The Path from Motherhood to Career by Diane Lang
I have used this book professionally myself after having my first child. Ms. Lang gives several choices that have worked for the women. At 62 pages long, every word counts. For moms that are still weighing choices, this book will help them decide if indeed it is time to go back to work.
Suggested by Anne Newton
Minding Her Own Business by Jan Zobel
Taxes are the same for women as are for men. Yet many women seem to have number anxiety that makes them feel they can’t deal well with their money. As a tax expert, I've seen this among my clients (客户) over the years. This book is designed for one-person businesses. Read it, and you’ll know what taxes to pay and what you needn’t.
Suggested by Jan Zobel
The Relationship Edge in Business by Jerry Acuff
For most women, the biggest challenges in our lives are the relationships we build and develop with our family and friends. Jerry explains how we can use those same relationship-building skills to build good relationships with our customers and co-workers that will help our business to grow soundly.
Suggested by Cyndy Kryder
1.What do we know about Steph Auteri from her recommending words?
A.She was out of employment. B.She was the author of the book.
C.She's read the book carefully. D.She's made a fortune by writing.
2.What is Minding Her Own Business intended to do?
A.To help readers manage taxes. B.To tell readers how to start business.
C.To advise readers to get on with colleagues. D.To assist readers with re-employment.
3.What do the four books have in common?
A.They are written by the same author. B.They are recommended by experts.
C.They are intended for women. D.They are free to download.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
People generally see themselves through achievements. In doing that, they end up caring more about their image than the reality of who they actually are. Rather than their performance at work, they end up defining themselves by external markers that they hope will earn them respect.
The problem with this is that it encourages both themselves and other people to judge their worth based on some relatively unimportant measure. For example, one day, their educational diploma may overshadow what they actually learned. Therefore, a better way to know a person, I think, is to ask a different set of questions: What motivates them? What makes them ache? What do they long for?
It’s in this spirit that I want to publicly share my values. They are the compass(罗盘) that guides my life. The kindest and most sincere thing I can do is to see, recognize, and understand another person before I make judgments. From there, I can learn to treat others appropriately, depending on the context, learning from my mistakes with time and experience. It's just a reminder that life is hard for all of us, while at the same time accepting that it's important we are all also held accountable for our actions.
I have learned that we are all deeply self-interested. I hope to be self-aware enough to check out of the power and status games. That means I'm not competing with anyone for a shiny object; I'd rather compete with myself. It's about becoming so uniquely different that it would be an insult for me to measure myself against someone else. I believe if I do the work to be internally free from the pull of the power and status games, then I can add value to others based on my unique knowledge and experience.
If this resonates with(与……共鸣) you, I invite you to join me on this journey in understanding and relating to this complex world. It's a wonderful mystery, and I think together we can better define it—not just personally, but also collectively.
1.According to the article, which of the following is TRUE?
A.People generally judge others' worth by what they have achieved.
B.The external markers are better ways to know a person.
C.The author is someone who is keen on power games.
D.Learning from mistakes is the first step of treating others kindly.
2.What does the underlined word “overshadow” probably mean?
A.be relatively similar to B.cause something to be stronger than
C.make something less important D.block off light from something
3.Which of the following might the author agree with?
A.People should be self-aware enough and compete with themselves.
B.Life is hard, so we shouldn't criticize others when they are not responsible.
C.Everyone is unique, so showing off uniqueness is an insult to others.
D.One should see and understand another person using a real compass.
4.What is the writer's purpose of writing the article?
A.To promote harmonious living.
B.To ask people not to judge others.
C.To call on readers to learn his values.
D.To share his values of understanding the world.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
We’ve all heard the stories of an actor’s struggles before a career breakthrough: living a hard life, working part time, being a couch potato before getting that major role. Shelby, the star of “A Dog’s Way Home,” has a hard-luck tale that could top them all. Before her big break, she was living in a landfill, rooting through garbage for her next meal.
Shelby’s big break came in April 2017, when animal-control officer Megan Buhler was driving in Cheatham County. Tennessee. Out on an unrelated call, Buhler spotted and approached what she recalled was a noticeably scared puppy emerging from the dump. “I knelt down and just said, ‘Oh, come here, baby,’” said Buhler. “She was so scared, but she came right up to me, and I was able to put her in my truck.” The pair headed to the county animal shelter, where the staff began calling the new resident Baby Girl.
Buhler and others didn’t know that 3,200 kilometers away, Hollywood was looking for a dog to play Bella in a film written by Cathryn Michon. The find-a-Bella job went to freelance trainer Teresa Ann Miler. Her mission was to search shelters nationwide for a dog that could play Bella. One day, Miller spotted Baby Girl’s adoption photo. “Honestly, it was a really good picture, and she was flat-out smiling,” Miller said. Then she met Baby Girl, and assessed her on personality and the ability to respond to simple commands. After assessment, she adopted Baby Girl from the shelter, renamed her Shelby and took her to California for training. Miller and Shelby trained for just over three months before filming began. Then they were together each day on the set.
Most of the film’s reviews have praised Shelby’s performance. Variety made the comments “an amazing dog, perfect performance!”
Shelby has come a long way from the dump. But Buhler said she saw Shelby recently had needed only a second to compare the movie star with the dog she found from piles of trash. “She’s exactly the same,” Buhler said.
1.Why does the author mention an actor’s struggle before a career breakthrough at the very beginning?
A.To make a sharp contrast between an actor’s struggle and a dog’s struggle.
B.To introduce a dog’s similar but even more striking experiences.
C.To attract reader’s attention by giving dramatic examples.
D.To clearly point out the main idea of the passage.
2.What finally helped Baby Girl get the big role in the film?
A.Her adoption picture. B.Her flat-out smiling.
C.her personality and ability. D.Her miserable experiences.
3.By saying “She is exactly the same” in the last paragraph, Buhler probably means _______.
A.the dog returned to the piles of trash where she found it
B.it took quite a lot of trouble for the dog to change her own fate.
C.she’s really excited to see the dog she helped live such a happy life
D.the dramatic change of the dog’s life hasn’t changed her inner quality
4.What do you think may serve as the best title of the passage?
A.The Success of “A Dog’s Way Home”
B.From a Landfill Puppy to a Movie Star
C.The Trainer and Her Star Dog
D.Shelby’s Hard-luck Story
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
By now, we are all aware that social media has had a tremendous influence on our culture, in business, on the world-at-large. Social media websites revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize on the Web. However, aside from seeing your friends’ new baby on Facebook, or reading about Justin Bieber’s latest conflict with the law on Twitter, what are some of the real influences?
Social networks offer the opportunity for people to re-connect with their old friends and acquaintances, make new friends, share ideas and pictures, and many other activities. Users can keep pace with the latest global and local developments, and participate in campaigns and activities of their choice. Professionals use social media sites like LinkedIn to enhance their career and business development. Students can work together with their peers to improve their academic and communication skills.
Unfortunately, there are a few downsides too to social networking. If you are not careful, immoral people can target you for cyber bullying and disturbance on social sites. School children, young girls, and women can fall victim to online attacks which can create tension and suffering. If you are a victim of cyber bullying, do not take it lying down, but try to take appropriate legal action against the attacker.
Many companies have blocked social networks as addicted employees can distract themselves on such sites, instead of focusing on work. In fact, studies show that British companies have lost billions of dollars per year in productivity because of social media addiction among employees.
Also, what you carelessly post on the Net can come back to trouble you. Revealing(泄露) personal information on social sites can make users vulnerable(易受伤害的)to crimes like identity theft, stalking, etc. Many companies perform a background check on the Web before hiring an employee. If a potential employee has posted something embarrassing on social media, it can greatly affect their chances of getting the job. The same holds true for our relationships too, as our loved ones and friends may get to know if we post something undesirable on social networks.
Social media has its advantages and drawbacks as each coin has two sides. It is up to each user to use social sites wisely to enhance their professional and social life, and exercise caution to ensure they do not fall victim to online dangers.
1.Paragraph 2 mainly shows that social networks _________.
A.help students finish their homework
B.offer professionals good chances
C.benefit users in various ways
D.guide users to make right choices users to make right choices
2.Faced with problems caused by social media, some companies ________.
A.forbid the use of social networks during work time
B.avoid posting embarrassing information
C.refuse to hire potential addicted employees
D.take legal action against the attackers
3.The main purpose of this passage is to _________.
A.share experiences in using social media
B.remind people to wisely use social media
C.provide some advice on social problems
D.raise public awareness of social problems
4.Which of the following shows the development of ideas in this passage?
A. B.
C. D.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Benefits of green spaces
We all know the value of taking a walk in the fresh spring weather. It allows your mind to relax and forget about the problems in everyday life. Studies have commonly shown the benefits of being around green spaces, including gardens, urban parks and forests.
But did you know that being in contact with these natural surroundings during childhood could positively impact your mental health as an adult?
A study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) surveyed 3,600 people from all over Europe, including Spain, the Netherlands, Lithuania and the UK.
The all-adult study gave participants a questionnaire on how frequently they used natural spaces during childhood — for example, playing in a garden, riding a bike at the park or hiking in a forest. They were also asked about the importance they put on using such places.
Volunteers were then given a psychological test, which included a variety of questionnaires and problem-solving activities, to analyze their nervousness and feelings of depression (抑郁) within a four-week period.
The results consistently showed that the people who were more exposed to natural spaces had higher mental health scores compared to those with lower childhood exposure — as did those who attached higher importance to using green spaces.
The study’s coordinator (协调员), Wilma Zijlema, wrote that the results “show the importance of childhood exposure to natural spaces for the development of a nature-appreciating attitude and a healthy psychological state in adulthood”. She also stressed the importance of “recognizing the implications (含义) of growing up in environments with limited opportunities for exposure to nature”.
According to the study, 73 percent of Europe’s population only has limited access to natural spaces. Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, director of ISGlobal’s Urban Planning, said that “Many children in Europe lead an indoor lifestyle … so we call on policymakers to improve the availability (可得性) of natural spaces for children.”
While this study was based in Europe, a lack of green space can affect anyone, anywhere. So remember to make time to immerse yourself in nature, as your mental health is just as important as the physical one.
1.What was the purpose of the ISGlobal’s walking study?
A.To examine the advantages of taking a walk.
B.To understand the mental health problems of children.
C.To see how childhood experiences shape adult life.
D.To study the influence of childhood exposure to natural spaces.
2.What do we know about the study?
A.The participants included both children and adults.
B.The participants were from all over the world.
C.It focused on the participants’ physical health state.
D.It consisted of a questionnaire and a psychological test.
3.What do Paragraphs 7-8 mainly talk about?
A.The value of the study. B.The results of the study.
C.The method of the study. D.The process of the study.
4.What does the underlined word “immerse” in the last paragraph probably mean?
A.Protect against something. B.Understand something.
C.Lose oneself in something. D.Imagine doing something.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When Rachel Ratelle saw a news video of a burned koala trying to climb a tree to safety in fire-ravaged (火灾肆虐的) Australia, she decided to do something about it.
She looked up wildlife rescue and relief agencies in Australia to find out what they needed most. Besides donations, many organizations asked for hand-sewn (手缝的) and knitted pouches (袋子) and wraps for koalas and other animals that were burned or had lost their homes and parents in the fires.
This idea attracted Ratelle, but there was just one problem.
“I’d never sewn in my life,” said Ratelle, 17, a senior at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, US. “Giving money seemed like something too simple. But I wanted to directly help these animals by doing something myself, so I decided to learn how to sew.”
Over the next few months, Ratelle bought her own sewing machine and taught herself how to sew via videos online. Then she purchased 18 yards of fabric and sewed 25 pouches of different sizes and shipped them off to For Australian Wildlife Needing Aid (FAWNA), one of several relief organizations that have rushed to rescue koalas, kangaroos and other species suffering from burns.
A week later, she received a photo from FAWNA with a young joey (幼兽) in one of her larger pouches. “It made me feel like I contributed to the world and it showed how a simple act of kindness can go a long way,” said Ratelle, who hopes to study biology for a future career as a nurse practitioner.
“I plan to use my new sewing skills to help animals and people devastated (蹂躏) by natural disasters,” she said.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, it estimated that 1.2 billion animals have died, as a result of the bushfires, which have burned more than 26 million acres in Australia.
Several craft guild (手工业行会) websites around the world have mobilized (动员) for Australian relief by making the animal pouches. Karen Newberry and her two daughters Madison, 12 and Rochelle, 8, from San Diego also offered their help in such a way. For Newberry, “it was a big push that made we crafters, sewers to realize there’s something more we can do than just make things for ourselves,” she said.
1.What do the first two paragraphs mainly talk about?
A.What inspired Ratelle to learn to sew.
B.What is needed to save koalas and other species.
C.The poor living conditions of wild animals in Australia.
D.Different ways to help koalas and other animals in Australia.
2.How did Ratelle feel when she received a photo from FAWNA according to the text?
A.Proud. B.Calm.
C.Surprised. D.Disappointed.
3.The statistics (统计数字) in Paragraph 8 are used to show ______.
A.how frequent the bushfires are in Australia
B.how harmful the bushfires are in Australia
C.the great varieties of wild animals in Australia
D.the difficulties facing relief organizations in Australia
4.What do Newberry’s words in the last paragraph suggest?
A.People should stay united through difficult times.
B.Life is not easy for crafters and sewers in Australia.
C.It is challenging for crafters and sewers to do relief work.
D.Crafters and sewers can do more to help animals.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Courses & Curriculum of the College of Arts & Sciences in Cornell
The diversity of the courses you can take in the College of Arts & Sciences is extraordinary:
Academic Distribution Requirements
The College’s academic distribution requirements will include:
· effective writing
· foreign language beyond the introductory level
.· imaginative and critical thinking
To choose your courses for a semester, use the Class Roster. It shows the schedule of all classes offered in a particular term, along with class enrollment information and course details.
The Class Roster is updated frequently.
To plan your classes over your four years at Cornell, use the Courses of Study. It represents Cornell’s full catalog of courses and is published annually. It provides information on Cornell degree programs, requirements, policies and procedures.
If you need help, call 607-255-5004 for an appointment with an advising dean. Or contact a career counselor in the Arts & Sciences Career Development Center at 607-255-4166 to talk about your interests and how they can translate into a major and a future career.
A New Curriculum
On October 30, 2018, the College of Arts & Sciences faculty( 教员) approved a new undergraduate curriculum to be carried out over the next two to three years. The new curriculum focuses on the theme of exploration and reaffirms the college’s commitment to a liberal arts and sciences education. Students who have questions about the new curriculum can view the approved proposal on the Course Designer app of Cornell.
Innovative Learning
If you’re one of the 3,000 students across the university taking biology or physics at the College, you may be part of an innovative( 创新的) classroom project that uses active learning,a new model that is proving to be the quickest path to expert-level mastery.
Your education at Cornell will extend far beyond the classroom. You can join a faculty member’s research team on campus, conduct field study research in different states or spend a semester with Cornell in Washington D C. You could study abroad in one of more than 85 countries or develop your own research project through independent study. Give yourself the freedom to explore.
1.If you want to plan your courses over the long run, you can use the ______.
A.Class Roster B.Courses of Study
C.Course Designer D.Career Center
2.For students involved in an innovative classroom project, they ______.
A.may study a new model
B.are on the quickest way to be experts
C.will get more freedom during research project
D.have advantages of studying outside the classroom
3.The article is probably taken from ______.
A.a travel magazine B.a science report
C.a college website D.an academic journal
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
An advance in electronic publishing could make the ebook you are reading seem as dated as a silent film. Publishers hope to explore the growing success of ebooks by releasing versions with added soundtracks and musical accompaniments.
The noises in the first multimedia books released in Britain on Friday include rain hitting a window in a Sherlock Holmes tale. When the plot of a book reaches the most exciting part, background scores will create tension. In America, works by Shakespeare and Jane Austen have already been released with music and background noise so that, for example, readers can hear tea cups clinking in Mr. Darcy’s garden as they read Pride and Prejudice.
Supporters argue that sound effects are the next logical development for ebooks and will add excitement for younger readers. Critics, however, will argue that the noise will ruin the simple pleasure of having the imagination stimulated by reading.
Caroline Michel, chief executive of the literary agency, said the new generation of computer-literate readers was used to multiple sensory input. She said, “Young people have split computer screens where they may be watching television and replying to an email at the same time. If that’s what the market wants then we should respond to the market.”
Booktrack’s sound effects work by estimating the user’s reading speed. Each time you “turn” a page, the software reassesses where you have reached in the text and times the sounds to switch on accordingly. If the soundtrack becomes out of synch (同步), a click on any word will reset it.
Some authors fear that a soundtrack could destroy the peace and quiet of libraries and ruin the pleasure of reading. David Nicholls, author of One Day, the bestseller now released as a film, said, “This sounds like the opposite of reading. I have enough trouble reading an ebook because I’m constantly distracted by emails.”
Stuart MacBride, the crime writer whose novel Shatter the Bones was an ebook bestseller, sells 18% of his books as electronic downloads. He said, “If I’m reading, I will do the noise in my head. I don't need someone to tell me what tea cups clinking sounds like. That would irritate me.”
1.What’s the passage mainly about?
A.Opinions about ebooks with soundtracks.
B.Response to the need of the book market.
C.Reasons for traditional ebooks becoming outdated.
D.Suggestions on encouraging readers’ imagination.
2.What do publishers expect an ebook soundtrack to do?
A.Help to release an ebook as a film.
B.Make readers improve reading speed.
C.Add tension at a book’s exciting point.
D.Get readers familiar with the background.
3.What does the underlined sentences mean in Paragraph 6 ?
A.David enjoyed the pleasure of reading an ebook in the library.
B.Soundtrack would affect David’s concentration on reading an ebook.
C.David was constantly fascinated by checking emails when reading an ebook.
D.Soundtrack would destroy the content and characters of the story.
4.What do we know about Stuart MacBride?
A.He was a person who was easy to get irritated.
B.He didn’t like the clinking sounds of tea cups.
C.He was the most famous writer about crime stories.
D.He imagined sounds about the story when reading.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析