Sir David Attenborough is set to host a brand new natural history series, named A Perfect Planet. The noted documentarian is back, and will be starring in a five-part BBC One series which will take a look at “the intricate(复杂)systems” that allow Earth to boom.
The show is set to explain how the planet operates, looking at everything from ocean currents to solar energy to the weather, and risking all around the world, from India to the Arctic.
Plus, in showing how the earth works, the documentary will also seek to display how animals adapt to their natural environments as they continue to change. As ever, it sounds like a truly fantastic watch.
It won’t be a surprise to hear that the new Attenborough series is set to feature some wonderful film scenes, too.
Speaking of the brand new series, from Our Planet producers Silverback Films, Sir David said: “Oceans,sunlight, weather and volcanoes - together these powerful yet fragile forces allow life to flourish(茂盛)in astonishing diversity. They make Earth truly unique-a perfect planet. Our planet is one in a billion, a world filled with life. But now, a new determining force is changing the face of Earth: humans. To preserve our perfect planet we must ensure we become a force for good.”
While an exact first-show date has not yet been announced, the show is set to land on BBC One later this year.
1.What do we know about Sir David Attenborough?
A.He will direct the series. B.He will host a space series.
C.He enjoys a good popularity. D.He will explore all around the world.
2.A Perfect Planet covers the following EXCEPT______.
A.fantastic shots
B.performances of film stars
C.animals’ adaptation to environmental change
D.how the natural forces in the world work overall
3.In Sir David’s opinion, who/what is mainly responsible for changing the face of the planet?
A.Man. B.The animal.
C.Climate change. D.The power of nature.
4.In which part of a website will you find the text?
A.Health and Lifestyle. B.Sports and Games.
C.TV and Films. D.Fashion and Beauty.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
There has been a lot of such news lately. As far as the problems with today's schools are concerned, we can go back to how our culture has evolved.
In general, our culture, as represented in the media, gets excited by famous stars, and stresses that it's what you have, not what you are, that counts. Parents are encouraged to be away from even very small children for most of the day. Too many people vote for politicians who would rather cut school funding than stop tax cuts for the wealthy. All contribute greatly to the problems of educating our children.
Today's teachers have to deal with a culture that is vastly different than in the past. They report that there is, among more children than ever, a lack of motivation, no drive to succeed or even try. In the media, the role models that boys see mostly consist of men in comedies and other shows, who are rude and often extremely childish; self-centered overpaid athletes; men in movies, television or video games, who are violent and powerful. As Leonard Sax wrote in Boys Adrift, "Teenage boys are looking for models of mature adulthood, but we no longer make any collective effort to provide such models."
Girls are attacked not only with such annoying images of males, but also with women who are extremely materialistic.
In such a cultural environment, it is more important than ever to have responsible parents who are devoted to their children and see to it as their duty to model for them and raise them with high standards of honesty and responsibility. They need to care enough to see that their children are not attacked with the rubbish that comes from movie, television and computer screens.
In today's culture, they are basically alone in this effort since, unfortunately, so much is working against them. Until we, as a culture, face the truth about ourselves- that we are not providing adequately for a great many of our children, as Jim Taylor titled his book "Your Children are Under Attack”。
1.What does "such news" in the beginning most probably involve?
A.Cultural evolution. B.Financial risk from tax cuts.
C.Problems in education. D.Social influence of the media.
2.What does today's culture bring to the children?
A.Narrow access to entertainment. B.Poor social abilities.
C.Few materialistic models. D.Too much negative effect.
3.What do parents have to do in today's culture?
A.Find more models for their children.
B.Keep their kids from the bad effect of the media.
C.Forbid their children to use computers.
D.Encourage their children to stay at school.
4.What is the author's attitude towards today's culture?
A.Indifferent. B.Ambiguous.
C.Dissatisfied. D.Approving.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As doctors performed surgery on Dagmar Turner's brain, the sound of a violin filled the operating room. The music came from the patient on the operating table. In a video from the surgery, the violinist was moving her bow(琴弓)up and down as surgeons behind a plastic sheet worked to remove her brain tumor(肿瘤).The King's College Hospital surgeons woke her up in the middle of the operation in order to ensure they did not damage parts of the brain necessary for playing the violin and keep her hand's functions intact.
Turner, 53, learned that she had a slow-growing tumor. Later doctors found that it had become more aggressive and the violinist decided to have surgery to remove it. Turner recalled doctors telling her, "Your tumor is on the right-hand side, so it will not affect your right hand, it will affect your left hand. "Staring down at her left hand, she said, “This is my most important part. My job these days is playing the violin, which is my passion. ”
" We knew how important the violin is to Turner, so it was vital that we preserved function in the delicate areas of her brain that allowed her to play, "Keyoumars Ashkan, a doctor at King's College Hospital, said in a press release.
Before Turner's operation, Ashkan and his colleagues spent two hours carefully mapping her brain to identify areas that were active when she played the violin and those controlling language and movement. Waking her up during surgery then allowed doctors to monitor whether those parts were suffering damage. The surgery was a success. Ashkan said, "We managed to remove over 90 percent of the tumour, including all areas suspicious of aggressive activity, while retaining full function of her left hand."
Brad Mahon, expert at Carnegie Mellon University, said the basic features of an "awake craniotomy"-the type of brain surgery where patients are awake in order to avoid damage to critical brain areas--have remained largely unchanged for decades. For example, doctors have long used simple tests such as asking a patient to name what they're seeing in pictures to make sure language ability is preserved.
But he said that doctors are now able to map the patient's brain activity in great detail before the surgery, using an imaging technique called functional MRI. That means surgeons are coming into the operating room with tar more information about a specific patient's brain. That kind of information helps doctors tailor tests to a patient's particular needs.
1.What does the underlined word “intact" mean in the first paragraph?
A.strong B.sound
C.talented D.influential
2.Why did Ashkan and his colleagues map Turner's brain before operation?
A.To keep her brain more active when she played the violin.
B.To monitor whether her brain had suffered damage severely.
C.To recognize the areas related to music and movement precisely.
D.To remove the tumor while keeping all function of her brain.
3.What can we know according to Brad Mahon?
A.Doctors are using an imaging technique to monitor the surgery.
B.Patients are asleep to protect critical brain areas in a surgery.
C.A patient's language ability couldn't be preserved before.
D.Surgeons can personalize a patient's operation by mapping his brain.
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A.Musician joined in her own brain surgery
B.Mapping a brain is realized after surgery
C.The violinist suffers from a brain tumor
D.Doctors perform surgery on a brain
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A few years back I worked in a university building that also housed an entire department full of psychologists, all of whom seemed to see us as perfect guinea pigs(实验对象) for their latest studies. I learned to be cautious about answering seemingly casual questions in the elevator. If one of them showed up in my office bearing a plate of snacks and asked me to pick some, I'd cast a doubtful glance and ask "Why?" before grabbing the apple fritter.
So one day, when someone from the Psychology Department posted instructions in the bathroom advising us to think about five things you're grateful for every day for a week, my response was frankly suspicious. I did the math. Five things a day for seven days is a lot of brainpower to consume without so much as the promise of an apple fritter.
I wandered into the office of Zetzer, the director of our school's Psychological Services Clinic. That was when I first heard the term" positive psychology" and discovered that "the gratitude thing", as Heidi had explained it. "It's only a week, "she urged. "Try it. ” So I did.
I started looking for my five moments of gratitude in each day. By the end of that week, I found myself slowing down a little and taking time to notice things I might have walked past before, including a bunch of young students laughing together, They are so smart and optimistic, giving me so much hope for the future!
I couldn't be more grateful to my wonderful husband. He's a great cook. He always puts our family first. My oldest son took his vacation to come and help out at home. He took me to all my medical appointments, and made me laugh by titling his spring break "Driving Miss Leslie. "The kindness of a colleague with a green thumb made sure my plants stayed alive until I could care for them again.
Life will never be perfect, I still see news stories that distress me. But with just one simple exercise, I'm rediscovering the deep meaning of old sayings: accepting the things I cannot change, working to change what I can, and being wise enough to know the difference.
And all it took was a little gratitude.
1.Why did the author hesitate about the snacks offered by psychologists?
A.She had no appetite for snacks.
B.She didn't think snacks could show gratitude.
C.She disliked those psychologists.
D.She cared about what to be paid for them.
2.What can we infer from the second paragraph of the passage?
A.The instructions seemed to make sense to Leslie.
B.No one would behave as the instructions suggested.
C.Leslie had no intention of following the instructions.
D.The psychologists were actually playing a joke.
3.What did Leslie achieve at last?
A.She overcame her psychological problem.
B.She realized how hard it was to be grateful.
C.She found Heidi was really a reliable doctor.
D.She learned to be positive and show gratitude.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Winter Adventures Await in the Canadian Rockies
Alberta is the top destination for the outdoor wonderland experiences and the chilly winter is the hottest season of the year for you to adventure in the most beautiful, magical, powerful places on the planet and keeps you coming back. Here are tips for experiencing some of the best adventures winter has to offer in Alberta.
Hit the slopes
Set deep in what's widely regarded as the world's most scenic ski area at Banff National Park, the Lake Louise Ski Resort invites everyone from first-timers to advanced shredders to its 4, 200 acres of skiable area.
Climb a frozen waterfall
Jasper National Park, part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage site, has an area of 6, 759 square miles of mountains, glacial peaks and forests. Rivers lead to steep falls, which freeze into ice climbs as early as October and valley climbs form just a month later. While experienced climbers can cope with the frozen waterfalls without a guide, beginners need not shy away:basic training courses are offered for free.
Blaze a trail in the snow
The Athabasca Glacier is an ancient relic among the massive Columbia Ice field. While it's recommended to access the glacier only with an experienced guide, the area surrounding it offers cross-country snowshoeing trails that lead to it. No matter your mode of transport, this area is one of the darkest in Canada, which means the night sky provides a perfect backdrop for the dancing northern lights-so dress extra warm and struggle through the deep snow to glimpse one of nature's most colorful wonders.
Hidden gem
The month-long Snow-Day festival takes over Banff National Park each January. Cultural and sporting events, including ice carving and the Big Bear ski and rail competition, unfold throughout the event, but the real treat comes at the start, when live music fills the streets during the party, and a beer garden and ice fire pit keep the tourists warm.
The most splendid winter sunset can be seen throughout Alberta. As Mike Libecki, a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, says, Alberta is one that keeps him coming back.
1.What is a unique activity in the Jasper National Park?
A.Adventuring in the Canadian Rockies. B.Climbing the frozen waterfalls.
C.Watching beautiful sunset. D.Skiing in the snow mountain.
2.Which would be a destination for those who are eager to enjoy polar lights?
A.Banff National Park B.Jasper National Park
C.The Athabasca Glacier D.The Lake Louise Ski Resort
3.When is the best time for tourists to visit Banff National Park?
A.In early October. B.In late November.
C.At the beginning of January. D.In the middle of December.
4.What is Alberta most probably?
A.It is a region full of tourist resources in Canada.
B.It is the highest peak of the Canadian Rockies.
C.It is a beautiful village surrounded by attractions.
D.It is the biggest national park in Canada.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Not many organisms can survive in this severe environment, the Sahara Desert, where daytime temperatures can reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit. But an insect called the Saharan silver ant grows well. They rush out onto the sand from their protected nests to gather up the bodies of insects that have died from the heat.
“The hotter the day, the more insect bodies they will find. The more food they have.” said Sarah Pfeffer, an animal behaviorist at Ulm University in Germany. She says that to avoid sinking into the Saharan sand, where they could meet the same fate(命运)as their lunch, silver ants have to be fast.
To document just how quickly the ants move, Pfeffer and her colleagues set up high-speed cameras above a channel between the entrance to the hungry ants’ nest and a food source. The researchers recorded top speeds approaching 35 inches per second.“But if you really look at how big the animals are and you calculate the body length per second, you will come up with a walking speed that is an astonishing 108 body-lengths per second.”That figure makes them the fastest known ant on the planet. By comparison, cheetahs(猎豹)top out at about 16 body lengths per second. The videos showed how the ants achieve such amazing speeds. As they accelerate, their leg movements become synchronized(同步). They increase their running length by bringing all six feet off the sand at once, which Pfeffer describes as a gallop. “Really all legs are lifted from the ground. They are in the air, but it’s not jumping. It’s a very smooth run that they have.”
A closely related ant called Cataglyphis fortis only reaches about 24 inches per second, or two-thirds of the silver ant's max.
The Saharan silver ants' speeds may be impressive, but two insects are even faster. The Califormia coastal mite (壁虱) and the Australian tiger beetle, both of which also grow well at near-deadly temperatures. It seems that to beat the heat, it pays to be fleet.
1.What does the underlined word "they" refer to?
A.The insects. B.The silver ants.
C.Pfeffer and her colleagues. D.The high-speed cameras.
2.How long is a Saharan silver ant?
A.About 0.14 inches. B.About 0.08 inches.
C.About 0.22 inches. D.About 0.32 inches.
3.How do the ants accelerate while running?
A.By jumping smoothly. B.By lifting all their legs.
C.By sinking into the sand. D.By flying in the air.
4.Why does the author mention another two animals in the last paragraph?
A.To introduce two speedy animals.
B.To present the near-deadly environment.
C.To show high temperature makes fast speed.
D.To indicate silver ants rank third in speed.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You may not know much about Thurgood Marshall. He was once denied admission to one law school because he was black. But today that same school has a law library named after him. He was a man who strengthened education rights for African Americans all over the country.
Marshall was born into a poor family in Baltimore in 1908. Like other African American students of his time, he went to separate schools that were not illegal. An 198/6 law stated that schools for blacks and whites could be “separate but equal.” But Marshall knew that most black schools were not equal. He decided to do something about it.
Marchall received a law degree from Howard University. Then he began to work at changing the country’s schools.Marchall’s strategy was to start with colleges and graduate schools, because he thought judges would sympathize with ambitious young African Americans searching for an education. In 1935, he successfully sued(起诉)the University of Maryland Law School to accept its first black student. Other cases followed, with similar results.
By the 1950’s , Marshall was ready to turn to grade schools and high schools. In 1954, he accepted the case of Linda Brown, who wanted to attend a white grade school near her home. As a result of Marchall’s arguments , the Supreme Court changed the law. It said that “separate” schools never be “equal.”In 1967, Marshall became the first African American appointed to the U.S Supreme Court.Until he retired in 1991, he supported many other civil rights bills.
1.What kind of schools did Marshall try to change first?
A.Black schools. B.Grade schools.
C.Colleges. D.High schools.
2.Which of the following best describes Marshall?
A.Persuasive. B.Controversial.
C.Stubborn. D.Easygoing.
3.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.Finally Marshall lost the case of Linda Brown.
B.From the 1950's, Marshall taught in several schools.
C.Linda Brown was allowed to enter the white grade school.
D.After his retirement, Marshall still accepted many cases.
4.What's the best title of the text?
A.A fighter for justice B.A judge in the Supreme Court
C.Racial discrimination in the United States D.Marshall's devotion to American education
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Beijing’s super large new Daxing International Airport is officially open for business-just in time for celebrations marking the 70 th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on October 1st.
On Wednesday morning, President Xi Jinping entered the main concourse(大厅)just before noon, where he was greeted by airport officials. “I declare Beijing Daxing International Airport open,” he said. Later that day, the crowd watched as the airport’s maiden flight took off from one of the airport’s four runways. Flights from other airlines due to move to the airport, with a three-letter code PKX, were also scheduled for later in the day. Initially, the only flights making use of the airport are native. Customs and immigration are not yet working. Flights from Daxing will cover 112 destinations around the world by next spring.
Daxing’s official opening caps a long design and building process. Construction for the $11.5 project began in 2014, with more than 40,000 workers on site at its peak(高峰期).Designed by the late architect Zaha Hadid and her Chinese partners, the airport is built for the future, with a terminal(航站楼)the size of 97 soccer pitches as well as customer-service robots that provide travelers with flight updates and airport information.
Nicknamed”starfish”by Chinese media for its shape of five concourses connected to a main hall, Daxing aims to reduce walking for passengers. The airport authority has promised a distance of no more than 600 meters(650 yards)-about eight minutes of walking-between security checkpoints and the farthest gates.
1.What does the underlined word“maiden" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.Major. B.First
C.Significant. D.Grand.
2.What do we know about the airport?
A.Flights from Daxing cover 112 native destinations.
B.Over 40,000 workers were involved in the construction every day.
C.The design is a joint effort of experts from home and abroad.
D.Robots can update the flight and airport information.
3.What does the airport look like?
A.A cap. B.A robot.
C.A soccer. D.A starfish
4.What's the purpose of the text?
A.To introduce a newly-built airport.
B.To evaluate the success of an airport.
C.To describe the construction of an airport.
D.To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the PRC.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Enjoy yourself in the beauty and energy of Havana and the charm and history of Trinidad as we explore these two dynamic Cuban cities. We'll experience the people, politics, and culture of the island during this important period in the country's history.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
●Learn about housing, infrastructure (基础设施),and restoration (修复)programs in Havana during a lecture with urban planner MiguetCoyula.
●Hear from Norma Guillard, a Cuban social psychologist and former brigadista with the 1961 Cuba Literacy Campaign, about Cuba's efforts to bring literacy to the entire country.
●Attend a discussion about the current process of economic reform with economist Giulio Rioci.
●Visit the site of the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961 and the Bay of Pigs Museum.
●Take a walking tour of Old Havana and feel amazed at the splendid architecture.
●Wander the cobblestone streets of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with Nancy Benitez, an expert in restoration, architecture, and history.
●Tour a second UNESCO World Heritage site-Cienfuegos-and observe wonderful French and Spanish architecture during a walking tour.
These are only a few of the highlights of this extraordinary program. See the full travel guide at TheNation.com/HAVANA-TRINIDAD
The whole trip costs $5,455 per person ($370 extra for a single room) and includes hotel accommodations for 7 nights, all transportation within Cuba, all tours, all lectures, meals, tips, and numerous other events and activities.
100% of the income from our travel programs support our journal The Nation.
For more information, e-mail us at travels@thenation.com, call 212-209 -5401, or visit us at theNation.com/HAVANA-TRINIDAD.
1.Who is skillful at restoring old buildings?
A.Miguel Coyula. B.Norma Guillard.
C.Giulio Ricci. D.Nancy Benitez.
2.If you are fond of European architecture, where will you go?
A.The Bay of Pigs Museum. B.Old Havana
C.The stets of Trinidad. D.Cienfuegos.
3.In which aspect may different costs occur?
A.Accommodations. B.Transportation.
C.Lectures. D.tours.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Dr.Teruo Higa was born on December 28, 1941 on Okinawa and grew up there. He studied agriculture and took his doctorate from the Agricultural Research Department of Kyushu University Graduate School. He became a lecturer in 1970 and has been professor of horticulture since 1982.
Dr.Higa is famous for creating EM technology.He created EM technology in order to address the problem of excess wastes and bad farming techniques in the present-day world. EM stands for effective microorganisms. It is a multi-culture of coexisting anaerobic and aerobic microorganisms. Microorganisms are the smallest complete units of life. They can exist independent of a bigger organism. Bacteria are considered microorganisms. They are constantly at work, some helping bigger organisms,and others bringing decay and bad health. These opposing processes of constructive and destructive forces are always ongoing, creating a balance. If the balance tips towards the destructive side, the host organism grows ill. lf it tips towards the constructive side, the organism experiences good health.
These organisms can be used in farming to create a good growing environment for all kinds of crops and animals. The process involves collecting human and animal waste products such as kitchen garbage and manure. This is then sealed into a barrel along with a certain amount of EM powder. The microorganisms then turn the waste into mulch, which acts as a great source of nutrients for crops and animals. Rice paddies that are treated with EM produce harvests that are much bigger than those of conventional farms. Moreover, EM rice paddies require less tilling and weeding than other paddies.
Dr.Teruo Higa's ideas have caught on around the world. One of his biggest successes was in North Korea, where his technology was used to create a record-breaking crop yield. EM helped many crops, such as corn, Welsh onions and Chinese cabbages in North Korea. For the impoverished nation, this was a godsend.
1.Why is Dr.Teruo Higa famous?
A.He is a professor of horticulture.
B.He created EM technology.
C.He started making too much waste.
D.He is a great farmer.
2.Which of the following best describe microorganisms?
A.The smallest complete units of life.
B.Something that causes bad health.
C.Necessary for good health.
D.An unimportant part of farming.
3.What do microorganisms do in the EM process?
A.They destroy waste products.
B.They cause ill health.
C.They turn waste into a useful mulch.
D.They decrease the size of harvests.
4.What happened into North Korea?
A.It was a rich country.
B.They decided not to use EM technology.
C.Dr.Higa was not invited to the country.
D.EM technology led to a record-breaking harvest.
5.What does the underlined word"impoverished"mean in English?
A.Rich. B.Poor.
C.Far away D.Large.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析