When the dog named Judy spotted the first sheep in her life, she did what comes naturally. The four-year-old dog set off racing after the sheep across several fields and, being a city animal, lost both her sheep and her sense of direction. Then she ran along the edge of cliff( 悬崖) and fell 100 feet, bouncing off a rock into the sea.
Her owner Mike Holden panicked and called the coastguard of Cornwall, who turned up in seconds . Six volunteers slid down the cliff with the help of a rope but gave up all hope of finding her alive after a 90-minute search.
Three days later, a hurricane hit the coast near Cornwall. Mr. Holden returned home from his holiday upset and convinced his pet was dead. He comforted himself with the thought she had died in the most beautiful part of the country.
For the next two weeks, the Holdens were heartbroken . Then, one day, the phone rang and Steve Tregear, the coastguard of Cornwall, asked Holder if he would like his dog bark.
A birdwatcher, armed with a telescope, found the pet sitting desperately on a rock. While he sounded the alarm, a student from Leeds climbed down the cliff to collect Judy.
The dog had initially been knocked unconscious(失去知觉的)but had survived by drinking water from a fresh scream at the base of the cliff. She may have fed on the body of a sheep which had also fallen over the edge. “The dog was very thin and hungry,” Steve Tregear said , “It was a very dog. She survived because of a plentiful supply of fresh water,” he added.
It was ,as Mr. Holden admitted, “a minor miracle(奇迹)”.
1.The dog Jody fell down the cliff when she was
A. rescuing her owner B. caught in a hurricane
C. blocked by a rock D. running after a sheep
2.Who spotted Judy after the accident?
A. A birdwatcher B. A student from Leeds
C. Six volunteers D. The coastguard of Cornwall
3.What can we infer from the text?
A. People like to travel with their pets.
B. Judy was taken to the fields for hunting.
C. Luck plays a vital role in Judy's survival.
D. Holden cared little where Judy was buried.
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A. Miracle of the Coastguard.
B. Surviving a Hurricane.
C. Dangers in the Wild
D. Coming Back from the Dead
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
What is great art? On the one hand, we can all see that great art is old art which is called great. But how do we know which art of our own times is great, and which will be forgotten? And who decides?
These are important questions, for the great art of the past often was not considered great during its own time. When Shakespeare and Charles Dickens were writing, for example, most critics considered them as hack (平庸的) writers with little or no literary ability.
Similarly, Van Gogh and many of the other Impressionist painters of the late nineteenth century were not allowed to participate in events involving what were thought to be the "real" painters of the time, and often they were very poor. Yet today their paintings often sell for millions of dollars, while those so-called "real" painters are now barely remembered.
So what makes great art? Can, for example, rock music be great art? Music videos? Cartoons and comics? Those who call themselves critics of the fine arts often have been the last to recognize great art in the past, and we can probably expect this to be the situation today.
Critics often don’t recognize great art because they tend to be prejudiced against what is popular. Popular works, whether they are novels, movies, or comics, are usually considered to be produced for the sake of money only, and not for the sake of art.
But popularity, it seems to me, is one of the three signs that a present-day work of art may come to be thought of as great. The other two are that it is groundbreaking, and that it is inherently (内在的) beautiful.
Many works have one or even two of these qualities of being popular, unusual, and beautiful. But having all the three often will mean that a work of art will someday be seen to be great, though it may take a good spoonful of time, such as a century or two, to know for sure.
1.The first paragraph is intended to__________.
A.lead to the following and arouse the reader’s curiosity |
B.introduce some real painters to the readers |
C.introduce the questions the writer wants to answer |
D.explain what kind of art will become popular |
2.The author used the examples of Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Van Gogh to prove _____.
A.these masters’ works have some shortcomings |
B.these masters wouldn’t have been so successful without the critics |
C.truly beautiful works of art are never understood when first created |
D.great masters are often not acknowledged while they were alive |
3.According to the author, great works _______.
A.may be presented in different forms |
B.are generally valued by critics |
C.are thought valuable because of their sale price |
D.will lose their value if they’re not accepted |
4.What can be inferred from the passage?
A.Critics have changed their attitudes to great works. |
B.Most of the opinions of critics are valueless. |
C.The work of art itself, not the critics, determines its greatness. |
D.Works of Impressionist painters will be great one day. |
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
One of the most popular comments I have heard about time is that we need to balance our time in order to live a more balanced life. We often feel that if we are focused and devoted, happy and positive, loving and generous, healthy and energetic, then we will be balanced people. And if the pie chart of our daily life has just the right ratios(比率) of work, life, family, health, and service, then our time will be balanced.
The problem with trying hard for balance is that most people’s understanding of this state is so different from what balance actually is! Balance is not about walking around with a bunch of positive qualities; it’s about walking on the tight rope between the poles within us and the circumstances outside of us. Strictly speaking, in order to achieve true balance, we should accept we may have some shortcomings. We should accept and love the most challenging parts of life because they offer gifts for full, real living.
Even though we measure time in a linear(线状的) way, time is and will always be asymmetrical(不均匀的). One moment is not like another, just like each day is different and each tide that rolls in is different from the previous one. This is why it is impossible to balance our time through a pie chart in a time management book. Exploring asymmetrical time allows us to move in line with an unbalanced time and thus regain our relative balance. If we stop measuring ourselves against the standards of linear time, we can accept ourselves more fully. New possibilities arise as we accept the uncertainty.
1.Why does the author think it’s difficult to achieve balance in life?
A. People don’t know the true meaning of balance.
B. People may not have enough good qualities.
C. People cannot create their pie charts of daily life.
D. People fail to realize the qualities they really need.
2.In the author’s opinion, what does a balanced life mean?
A. We should arrange our time wisely.
B. We should try to believe ourselves.
C. We should learn to improve ourselves and our lives.
D. We should accept the bad aspects of ourselves and life.
3.What does the last paragraph mainly want to tell us?
A. Uncertainty can help build up confidence.
B. It is difficult for us to accept ourselves fully.
C. There are always uncertain things occurring in life.
D. New possibilities can help us achieve balance in life.
4.What may be the best title for the text?
A. The true meaning of time
B. Seeking relative balance
C. Struggle for a balanced life
D. Popular comments about time
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
Shakespeare's life can be divided into three periods: the first 20 years in Stratford, which includes his schooling,early marriage, and fatherhood;the next 25 years as an actor and playwright (剧作家) in London; and the last five in retirement back in Stratford where he enjoyed the wealth gained from his theatrical (戏剧的) successes. The years linking the first two periods are marked by a lack of information about Shakespeare, and are often referred to as the “dark years”.
Shakespeare probably left school at 15, and took some sorts of jobs, especially since this was the period of his father’s financial difficulty. A great number of references in his plays suggest that William may have in fact worked for his father, thus gaining specialized knowledge.
At some point during the “dark years”, Shakespeare began his career with a London theatrical company — perhaps in 1589 — for he was already an actor and playwright in 1592. Shakespeare apparently wrote and acted for Pembroke’s Men, as well as a lot of others, in particular Strange’s Men, which later became the Chamberlain’s Men.
When, in 1592, the theaters were closed for about two years, due to a terrible disease. Shakespeare turned to writing book-length poetry. Most notable were Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece, both of which have been translated into many languages and even been included in students’ textbooks. During this same period, Shakespeare was writing his sonnets (十四行诗), which are more likely signs of the time’s fashion rather than actual love poems detailing any particular relationship. He returned to play writing when theater reopened in 1594, and published no more poetry. His sonnets were published without his permission in 1609, shortly before his retirement. His final play was Henry VIII, two years before his death in 1616.
1.Why did Shakespeare take some sorts of jobs at the age of 15 and didn’t go on studying?
A. Because his family was badly off at that time.
B. Because he liked his job more than studying.
C. Because he wanted to be an actor in London.
D. Because he wanted to open his own company.
2.Which of the following words can take the place of the underlined word “notable” in the last paragraph?
A. long B. fashionable C. famous D. educational
3.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. Shakespeare didn’t write any plays between 1592 and 1594.
B. Shakespeare’s sonnets were written between 1592 and 1594.
C. After writing Henry VIII, Shakespeare wrote nothing.
D. Shakespeare published his sonnets in 1609.
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
For high school leavers starting out in the working world,it is very important to learn particular skills and practice how to behave in an interview or how to find all internship(实习).In some countries,schools have programs to help students onto the path to work.In the Unites States,however,such programs are still few and far between.
Research shows that if high schools provide career-related courses,students are likely to get higher earnings in later years.The students are more likely to stay in school,graduate and go on to higher education.
In Germany,students as young as 13 and 14 are expected to do internships.German companies work with schools to make sure that young people get the education they need for future employment.
But in America, education reform programs focus on how well students do in exams instead of bringing them into contact with the working world.Harvard Education school professor Robert Schwartz has criticized education reformers for trying to place all graduates directly on the four-year college track.Schwartz argued that this approach leaves the country’s most vulnerable(易受影响的)kids with no jobs and no skills.
Schwartz believed that the best career programs encourage kids to go for higher education while also teaching them valuable practical skills at high school.James Madison High School in New York,for example,encourages students to choose classes on career—based courses.The school then helps them gain on—the-job experience in those fields while they’re still at high school.
However,even for teens whose schools encourage them to connect with work,the job market is daunting.In the US,unemployment rates for 16-to 19-year-olds are above 20 percent for the third summer in a row.
“The risk is that if teenagers miss out on the Summer job experience,they become part of this generation of teens who had trouble in landing a job,”said Michael,a researcher in the US.
1.In the author’s opinion, American high school leavers__________.
A.have enough career-related courses |
B.need more career advice from their schools |
C.perform better in exams than German students |
D.can get higher earnings in later years |
2.According to Robert Schwartz,_________.
A.there is no need for kids to go for higher education in the US |
B.students should get contact with the working world at high school |
C.education reform should focus on students’ performance in exams |
D.teenagers in the US can’t miss out on the summer job experience |
3.What can be inferred from the text?
A.Unemployment rates for US teenagers remain high at the moment. |
B.Students with career—based courses never have problems finding a job. |
C.US companies work with schools to prepare young people for future employment. |
D.High school leavers with no practical skills can’t find a job absolutely |
4.What’s the main idea of the text?
A.Arguments about recent US education reform. |
B.Tips on finding jobs for high school leavers. |
C.The lack of career—based courses in US high schools. |
D.Advice for American high school leavers. |
5.The underlined word “daunting” in Paragraph 6 most probably means___________.
A.discouraging | B.interesting |
C.creative | D.unbearable |
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
The fictional Chinese-American detective Charlie Chan was the subject of popular books and movies for many decades. In recent years, however, the character has been criticized as an ill image of Asian-Americans.
Yunte Huang, an English professor at the University of California, says that’s not the case. He has been exploring the character and real-life policeman who inspired him.
Charlie Chan has been a familiar character to readers and film-goers, beginning in the 1920s. The detective solved crimes around the world in more than 40 films through the 1940s, and with the invention of television, found a new audience in the 1950s and 1960s.
Huang discovered Charlie Chan through books by American author Earl Derr Biggers, who created the character.
“One day, I happened to find two Charlie Chan novels. At that point I thought I knew that he was a negative character against Asians, but when I read the book,” he says, “I was immediately attracted. Ever since then, I’ve been a fan of Charlie Chan.”
As a fan of the books and films, Huang was surprised to learn that Charlie Chan was based on a real detective named Chang Apana, who was born to Chinese parents in Hawaii around 1871. Apana worked as a cowboy, and joined the Honolulu police force in 1898.
“He almost immediately became a local legend because as a former cowboy,” says Huang, “he would walk the most dangerous areas in Chinatown carrying a bullwhip(皮鞭)instead of a gun. He didn’t need that.”
Although some say the image of Charlie Chan, with his broken English, is embarrassing for Asian-Americans, Huang believes Chan’s broken English and unusual ancient sayings were part of his charm(魅力).
“Let me just quote(引用)a few – ‘Actions speak louder than French,’ or ‘Mind like parachute (降落伞). Only function when open.’ Charlie Chan always owes these instructive sayings to Confucius’ eastern wisdom.
For Huang, the fictional Charlie Chan is highly entertaining, while the real-life policeman, Chang Apana, is a Chinese-American success, whose story is worth telling.
1.The passage mainly talks about ______________.
A.how Yunte Huang discovered Charlie Chan |
B.how Charlie Chan became famous in the US |
C.what Yunte Huang thought of Charlie Chan |
D.how a cowboy became a famous detective |
2.According to the passage, we know that Charlie Chan __________.
A.was a character in books and movies based on a real detective |
B.was a famous actor starring in movies beginning from the 1920s |
C.was a famous detective solving crimes all over the world |
D.was a Chinese immigrant who became a local legend |
3.Chang Apana didn’t need a gun as a weapon because__________.
A.he had his personal charm |
B.he liked being a cowboy |
C.he was not a true policeman |
D.a bullwhip was more useful |
4.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A.American author Earl Derr Biggers gave an ill picture of Asian-Americans |
B.Yunte Huang believes Charlie Chan represents Asian wisdom in some way |
C.Chan’s story was more popular with TV audience than readers and film-goers |
D.Charlie Chan became an ill image of Asian-Americans when it first appeared. |
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
Here below we will talk about the American expressions using the word “Dutch”. Many of the “Dutch” expressions heard in American English were first used in England in the seventeenth century. Britain used to be called “empire on which the sun never sets”,which gained its supreme(至高无上的) power mostly by its naval(海军的 )military forces. The period of the Anglo-Dutch Wars was a time of fierce naval competition between England and the Netherlands. At that time, the British used “Dutch” as a word for something bad, or false, or mistaken.
A “Dutch agreement” was one made between men who had drunk too much alcohol. “Dutch courage” was the false courage produced by the effects of drinking alcohol. And “Dutch leave” was what a solider took when he left his base(基地)without permission.
Some of these old expressions are still used today with a little different meaning. “Dutch treat” is one example. Long ago, a Dutch treat was a dinner at which the invited guests were expected to pay for their own share of the food and drink. Now, Dutch treat means that when friends go out to have fun, each person pays his own share.
Another common expression heard a few years ago was “in Dutch”, which simply referred to the country then. Nowadays, if someone says to you, you are in Dutch, they are telling you that you were in trouble. An important person, a parent or teacher perhaps, is angry with you.
Some of the Dutch expressions heard in American English have nothing to do with the Dutch people at all. In the 1700s, Germans who moved to the United States often were called Dutch. This happened because of mistakes in understanding and saying the word “Deutsch”, the German word for German. Families of these German people still live in the eastern United States, many in the state of Pennsylvania. They are known as the Pennsylvania Dutch.
During the American Civil War, supporters of the northern side in the central state of Missouri were called Dutch, because many of them were German settlers. In California, during the Gold Rush, the term Dutch was used to describe Germans, Swedes, and Norwegians as well as people from the Netherlands.
President Theodore Roosevelt once noted that anything foreign and non-English was called Dutch.One expression still in use, “to talk to someone like a Dutch uncle”, did come from the Dutch.The Dutch were known for the firm way they raise their children. So if someone speaks to you like a Dutch uncle, he is speaking in a very severe way. And you should listen to him carefully.
1.According to paragraph 1, the British used “Dutch” as a word for something bad and mistaken because ___________.
A.it was the long-lasting habit of the British language. |
B.the Netherlands was the closest rival(竞争对手) for naval supremacy then. |
C.there was a close connection between “Dutch” and “Deutsch”. |
D.anything foreign and non-English was called “Dutch”. |
2.Most probably, a man with Dutch courage would _________.
A.invite his friends to dinner. |
B.beat a strange passer-by without any reason. |
C.speak to a Dutch uncle. |
D.become angry with the teacher. |
3.Which one of the following has nothing to do with the Dutch?
A.The expression “to talk to someone like a Dutch uncle”. |
B.When friends go out to have fun, they choose Dutch treat. |
C.Germans who moved to the United States were called Dutch. |
D.A solider took “Dutch leave” during wars. |
4.What is mainly talked about in the passage?
A.Language causes of the Anglo-Dutch Wars |
B.Language of the Netherlands |
C.Deutsch VS Dutch |
D.Dutch expressions in American English |
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
I was in a terrible mood.Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me.I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in.“Want to go for a ride,today,Beck? It’s a beautiful day.”
“No ! Leave me alone!” Those were the last words I said to him that morning.
My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later.I forgot to be mad at them and when I came home to find a note on the table.My mother put it where I would be sure to see it.“Dad has had an accident.Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”.
When I reached the hospital,my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive. “Your father told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911,thank God! If he had moved Daddy,there’s no telling what might have happened.A broken rib(肋骨)might have pierced(穿透)a lung….”
My mother may have said more,but I didn’t hear.I didn’t hear anything except those terrible words:Leave me alone.My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more.How much had I hurt him when I hurled those words at him earlier in the day?
It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation.I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him.
“Daddy… I am so sorry….”
“It’s okay,sweetheart.I'll be okay.”
“No,”I said,“I mean about what I said to you that day.You know, that morning?”
My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly.He looked at me and said.“Sweetheart, I don’t remember anything about that day,not before,during or after the accident. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before,though.”He managed a weak smile.
My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power.They can hurt or they can heal.And we all have the power to choose our words.I intend to do that very carefully from now on.
1.The author was in bad mood that morning because .
A.his father had a terrible accident
B.he couldn’t drive to the mall with his friends
C.his friends hadn’t invited him to the cinema
D.his father didn’t allow him to go out with his friends
2.Why did the author say sorry to his father in the hospital?
A.Because he didn’t go along with his father.
B.Because he was rude to his father that morning.
C.Because he failed to come earlier after the accident.
D.Because he couldn’t look after his father in the hospital
3.The reason why the author’s father said he forgot everything about that day is that .
A.he had a poor memory
B.he didn’t want to comfort his son
C.he just wanted to comfort his son
D.he lost his memory after the accident
4.What lesson did Beck learn from the matter?
A.Don’t treat your parents badly.
B.Don’t hurt others with rude words.
C.Don’t move the injured in an accident.
D.Don’t be angry with friends at small thin
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
Modeled after US hot website Groupon.com, group buying websites are now popular in China.These websites use the power of group buying to get competitive discounts (打折)for a daily deal on some best stuff to do, see, eat and buy in the cities across China.Discounts(打折) are available within just one click.Zhao lei, a software engineer in Beijing, loves the one-hour lunch break at noon as it is the best time for him to check “today’s special” at his favorite group buying websites .Sometimes he searches for great deals at directory sites devoted to the new shopping space.Zhao spends around 800 yuan($117.65) on group buying every month, mostly to buy food coupons (优惠劵)for eating at some nice restaurants and occasionally (偶尔的)to find something fun to do.“ I love group buying.In addition to the competitive discounts it offers, it helps me get something fun, exciting and new, and such surprises give me a reason to try something new,” he said.When he finds a really good bargain, he will send the link to friends or colleagues through MSN,QQ, or e-mail, or share the information at some social networking websites.In doing so, he often gets a certain cut off the price.At some sites, buyers are invited to leave notes about what they want to buy and the website will consider it if similar applications(申请)reach a certain number.That is how Zhao got her digital camera after waiting for two months.“It is cool.I want to buy a new digital camera for my trip to Switzerland this winter, but I never expected such cheap prices!” Zhao said.
1.We can learn from the passage that________.
A.China is the first country to start group buying
B.the price of group buying depends on the market
C.you can’t get the best you need through group buying
D.group buying is becoming popular in China
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Zhao Lei has to spend about 800 yuan on group buying per month.
B.Zhao Lei never surfs at other directory sites for group buying.
C.Zhao Lei finds it easy to do group buying.
D.Zhao Lei can’t buy food coupons to eat at a nice restaurant.
3.What is the passage mainly about?
A.Zhao Lei`s online purchasing life.
B.Group buying
C.The US hot websites
D.A new digital camera
4.Zhao Lei succeeded in getting a certain cut off the price by__________.
A.bargaining face to face
B.discussing with the sellers
C.providing the link to others
D.inviting others to talk about the price
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
Arthur Miller (1915-2005) is universally recognized as one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century. Miller’s father had moved to the USA from Austria Hungary, attracted like so many others by the “Great American Dream”. However, he experienced severe financial hardship when his family business was ruined in the Great Depression of the early l930s.
Miller’s most famous play, Death of a Salesman, is a powerful attack on the American system, with its aggressive way of doing business and its insistence on money and social status as symbol of worth. In Willy Loman, the hero of the play, we see a man who has got into trouble with this system. Willy is “burnt out” and in the cruel world of business there is no room for sympathy: if he can't do the work, then he is no good to his employer, the Wagner Company, and he must go. Willy is painfully aware of this, and at a loss as to what to do with his lack of success. He refuses to face the fact that he has failed and kills himself in the end.
When it was first staged in 1949, the play was greeted with enthusiastic reviews, and it won the Tony Award for Best Play, the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was the first play to win all three of these major awards.
Miller died of heart failure at his home in Roxbury, Connecticut, on the evening of February 10, 2005, the 56th anniversary of the first performance of Death of a Salesman on Broadway.
1.Why did Arthur Miller’s father move to the USA?
A.He suffered from severe hunger in his home country.
B.He was attracted by the “Great American Dream”.
C.He hoped to make his son a dramatist.
D.His family business failed.
2.The play Death of a Salesman _______________.
A.exposes the cruelty of the American business world
B.discusses the ways to get promoted in a company
C.talks about the business career of Arthur Miller
D.focuses on the skills in doing business
3.What can we learn about Willy Loman?
A.He treats his employer badly.
B. He runs the Wagner Company.
C.He is a victim of the American system.
D.He is regarded as a hero by his colleagues.
4.After it was first staged, Death of a Salesman __________.
A.achieved huge success
B.won the first Tony Award
C.was warmly welcomed by salesmen
D.was severely attacked by dramatists
高二英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析