“Are personal sad stories a must to win talent shows?” “Shouldn’t talent be judged on the basis of itself without needing a sad story of struggle to win?” These are questions Sanya Malhotra posed on a recent Facebook post.
This morning I came across this interesting post by Sanya Malhotra. She revealed that she loved dancing and dreamt of becoming an actress, but got defeated in “Dance India Dance” because her background story wasn’t sad and inspiring enough. That’s when she started doubting her artistic gift.
This really set me thinking. Why are people attracted to sob stories? Why do we always appreciate only those people who have achieved something after going through a lot of hardships? Why does the headline of a newspaper “Taxi-driver’s Son Stands First In UPSC Exam” find more readers? I think it is because most people, who are in a similar situation, find it comforting that someone has succeeded with so many hardships. I know it is really very difficult for people with financial, health, or family problems to overcome obstacles and succeed. I really feel proud of them and I am often touched and inspired by their stories.
Now come back to what Sanya has said. I think this is a talent show rather than a story-telling competition. When it comes to a competition of singing or dancing or any fine arts, all the competitors should be judged without any bias (偏见). No one should lose because they don’t have a sad story of struggle to tell. It’s very unfair. They can be given opportunities otherwise, but should not be judged because of their stories.
Maybe, the TV channels do it to attract more viewers, because the most important element of any reality show is these touching stories. But as Sanya has said, it’s unfair to those who haven't such a story and are equally talented.
1.What do we know about Sanya Malhotra?
A.She entered a talent show. B.She won “Dance India Dance”.
C.She had a sad story to tell. D.She was rejected in a film.
2.From the second paragraph, we can infer that Sanya Malhotra________.
A.experienced many hardships B.is a famous actress in Indian
C.has a great gift for gymnastics D.used to be confident in her artistic talent
3.Which of the following headlines appeals to the readers most according to the passage?
A.A Millionaire Donated Money To Harvard University.
B.A Gifted Indian Teenager Won “Dance India Dance”.
C.An Armless Girl Was Admitted To Harvard University.
D.A Freshman Paid Off Loans By Getting A Part-time Job.
4.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A.Winners Should Be Determined By Public Judges
B.Sanya Malhotra Displayed A Great Artistic Gift
C.Competitors Should Not Be Judged By Sob Stories
D.Talent Shows Competitors Can Tell Their Stories
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
California’s Yosemite National Park is home to many stunning waterfalls. However, from mid-to-late February each year, the unlikely star of the preserve is Horsetail Fall-a small waterfall that forms over the eastern edge of the park’s famous vertical rock formation, El Capitan, every winter. That’s because, during the two-week-period, the temporary1,000-foot fall frequently transforms into a red “firefall” for about ten minutes a day during sunset.
For the phenomenon to occur, several conditions need to coincide. There must be enough snow and snow must be melted to form the waterfall. During drought years, Horsetail Fall is reduced to a trickle flowing slowly in drops or does not appear at all. Additionally, the skies have to be entirely clear. Even a slight mist is enough to ruin the illusion (错觉) of fire falling down the cliffs. Finally, the sun has to strike the water from the right angle to set the waterfall “burning” brightly.
The “firefall” has been popular with professional and amateur photographers since the 1940s.However, in recent years, thanks to social media, its fame has risen to new heights, with thousands of people flocking to the national park each February. In 2019, over 2,200 people crowded into the small viewing areas on February 22, the best day to see the light show last year. However, the visitors not only stepped on sensitive vegetation but also left behind large amounts of rubbish.
To prevent a repeat of the unfortunate incident, in 2020, the park service closed two of the ideal viewing areas. The only one open required a 1.5-mile-long hike. However, the 3-mile round-trip, as well as a warning by the officials that a dry spell turned the fall into a trickle, leaving the possibility of a “firefall” in doubt, didn’t not seem to have deterred fans. Hundreds of people made their way to Horsetail Fall to catch a glimpse of the light show. Hopefully, Horsetail Fall enthusiasts would be more respectful of the natural environment this time.
1.When can the “firefall” be seen?
A.About at dawn.
B.Exactly at noon.
C.Just before dusk.
D.Late at night.
2.Which of the following conditions must be met for the “firefall” to be visible?
A.The temperatures have to be warm enough.
B.Horsetail Fall must be reduced to a trickle.
C.There has to be enough slight fog in the sky.
D.The waterfall must be frozen down the cliff.
3.What do we know from Paragraph 3?
A.The “firefall” was discovered by a photographer.
B.The viewing areas were equipped with telescopes.
C.Social media offer new tools to view the “firefall”.
D.The tourists caused the environmental pollution.
4.What does the underlined word “deterred” in the last paragraph mean?
A.Disapproved. B.Discouraged.
C.Disturbed. D.Distinguished.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Peter and Cheryl Pitzer met in 1999. After training together, they fell in love and finally married in 2011. The Pitzers have been using their professional aviation skills to help people around the world regain sight. They are both volunteers for Orbis, a non-profit organization that turns airplanes into teaching hospitals and brings eye care and ophthalmology (眼科学) training to places around the world. The organization’s Flying Eye Hospital that the Pitzers fly together is an ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft.
The Pitzers flew their first flight together with Orbis in November, a journey that took them from Dubai to Saudi Arabia and finally to Ghana, a country in West Africa. The couple stayed an extra week after landing the plane in order to be on the ground to help other Orbis volunteers treat people in need, and to train medical staff in the community. “There was a woman named Mary. When we met her on Monday she was almost completely blind and when we left she could see,” recalled Peter.
“They also did surgeries in the local hospitals with the local doctors and their equipment, and they provide continuing education afterwards,” Cheryl said of the team’s work in Ghana.“The idea is to leave the knowledge behind so that people will have access to proper eye care after the plane is gone.”
The couple say they are grateful to share an occupation that they love-one they can do together and that allows them to give back. “It's awesome to see so many people in poverty regain sight. Our work is worth it,” said Peter. “Cheryl and I have a great personal and working relationship. It's just an interesting and incredible way to give back.”
Cheryl noted the intense (紧张的) planning and coordination it takes to fly a major plane carrying a teaching hospital to remote locations. She said she and her husband have an advantage with that complex task because they “understand each other.”
1.What are Peter and Cheryl Pitzer by trade?
A.They are doctors. B.They are pilots.
C.They are physicians. D.They are teachers.
2.What do we know about Flying Eye Hospital?
A.It is a mobile teaching hospital.
B.It is a modern general hospital.
C.It is a private hospital in Dubai.
D.It is a famous hospital in Africa.
3.Flying Eye Hospital is intended for__________.
A.the wealthy B.the poor
C.the disabled D.the wounded
4.What does Peter think of his volunteer work?
A.It is tiring. B.It is boring.
C.It is rewarding. D.It is upsetting.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
WISCONSIN WINTER WELCOME EVENTS
The spring semester is here, and we’re excited to welcome both returning and new students to campus. The start of a new semester is an exciting time of the year. It’s the perfect time to step out of your comfort zone, meet new people, and create memorable new experiences.
During the first four weeks of the semester, Wisconsin Welcome offers events for students to meet new friends and find community. We've highlighted just a few of the events offered below:
MSC Comeback Carnival — Thursday, January 23
Ready to get involved in a multicultural student organization? Want to catch up with friends over some free food and fun activities? Stop by the MSC to meet with over 45 multicultural student organizations, have fun, and connect with new and old friends! -6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, MSC Lounge on the 2nd Floor of the Red Gym.
Public Service Fair — Wednesday, January 29
The Morgridge Center for Public Service hosts two Public Service Fairs per year. The fairs draw hundreds of students eager to learn about work and internship (实习) opportunities with local and national organizations. -3:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Gordon Dining &Event Center.
Winter Carnival — Tuesday, February 4 to Sunday, February 9
The Wisconsin Union's Winter Carnival is a long-standing tradition. It challenges you to embrace the cold, snow and play crazily! When you need to warm up a bit, head indoors for hot chocolate and food specials! -Memorial Union.
Spring Student Organization Fair — Tuesday, February 11
The Student Organization Fair is a great opportunity to explore your hobbies and meet different student organizations on campus. Stop by, meet new people, and maybe join a new student organization! - 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Kohl Center.
These are just a few of the many events you can check out during Wisconsin Welcome. Go to www.go.wisc.edu/welcome for more events and information, and use WiWelcome on social to stay connected.
We hope you have a great semester!
1.If you want to improve your foreign languages, which event are you expected to join in?
A.MSC Comeback Carnival.
B.Public Service Fair.
C.Winter Carnival.
D.Spring Student Organization Fair.
2.Public Service Fairs will help students ___________.
A.make friends B.develop hobbies
C.find jobs D.purchase textbooks
3.Which of the following is true of the Wisconsin Union’s Winter Carnival?
A.It has a quite short history.
B.It will be held in the open air.
C.It will take place on Monday.
D.It will offer free hot chocolate.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The ocean covers over 70 percent of the surface of Earth today, but over 3 billion years ago the entire planet may have been covered in water. To investigate what our planet was like billions of years ago, a team of researchers turned to indirect methods of analysis at a geological site in the Australian Outback known as Panorama(全景画) in the Pilbara Craton. Today, the region is 100 kilometers inland, but 3.2 billion years ago, it was deep underwater.
In fact, there were also once ancient hydrothermal vents (热水口) there where seawater bubbled up through the ocean floor. “There are no samples of really ancient ocean water lying around, but we do have rocks that interacted with that seawater and remembered that interaction,” lead author Benjamin Johnson, an assistant professor at Iowa State University, said in a statement.
The researchers collected over 100 of these rock samples and found something peculiar in them: a slightly higher amount of a particular isotope (同位素) of oxygen. The vast majority of oxygen on Earth is Oxygen-16 and contains eight protons (质子) and eight neutrons. However, about 0.20 percent is Oxygen-18.
Samples from Australia show the region’s ancient water contained more Oxygen-18 than present times. Since continents are covered in clay-rich soil that is efficient at trapping Oxygen-18, the team suggests that without continents covered in soil, more Oxygen-18 would have been present in the ocean. Their discovery indeed suggests there wasn’t much dry land available 3.24 billion years ago.
“There’s nothing in what we’ve done that says you can’t have tiny, micro -continents sticking out of the oceans,” added co-author Boswell Wing. “We just don’t think there were global-scale formations of continental soils like we have today.” The researchers don’t know when and how continents began to emerge out of the ocean but they plan to investigate “younger” rock formations to piece together a more precise timeline.
1.Where is the research site?
A.In a region deep underwater.
B.In a region off Australia.
C.In a region inland Australia.
D.In a region outside the Pilbara Craton.
2.What do the underlined words “interact with” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A.Have an effect on each other. B.Have a one-way effect.
C.Have a mysterious effect. D.Have a negative effect.
3.What’s the researchers’ conclusion after analyzing samples from Australia?
A.Modern earth must have been a water world.
B.Modern earth must have been a continental world.
C.Ancient earth may have been a water world.
D.Ancient earth may have been a continental world.
4.What’s the researchers’ next focus of the study?
A.To research continental soils’ formations.
B.To research the ocean’s formations.
C.To research “older” rock formations.
D.To research “younger” rock formations.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Turtles may be cute, but they are also slow and clumsy, which doesn’t really help them when they are trying to cross train tracks. Luckily, for the turtles in Japan’s Hyōgo Prefecture, railway operators and a local aquarium teamed up to find a solution.
Between 2002 and 2014, disruptions (中断) of train operation caused by turtles were reported 13 times, with many more probably going unreported. That is why, in 2015, West Japan Railway Co. and Suma Aqualife Park in Kobe joint forces to prevent tragic turtle deaths on the tracks and unnecessary train delay. After running a series of tests and experiments, they came up with a U-shaped ditch (沟渠 ) that collects the turtles, preventing them from getting stuck between the metal tracks and getting crushed to death.
Tests showed that turtles trying to cross the train tracks often fall into the space between them, which leaves them with no other option than to walk between them. Sadly, this causes some of them to get stuck between the metal tracks at junctions(交叉口), and they unavoidably get crushed to death when the points blades(叶片)move.
“The turtles are basically just going about their daily business and have to cross the lines to get to a pond,” a railway spokesperson said. “When the points blades move, unfortunately they get squashed between them and die. They can cause long delays to operations so we consulted with a turtle specialist to find the best way to help them.”
The U -shaped concrete ditches installed at several critical points along the train lines near the city of Kobe catch the turtles at danger of getting stuck between the tracks. They allow the turtles to get past the junctions safely. 10 turtles were reportedly saved in the first month since the U-shaped ditch was put to use in November 2015.
1.What’s the best title of the text?
A.An Important Invention in Japan
B.The U-shaped Concrete Ditches
C.Turtles Crossing Train Tracks in Danger
D.Japan’s Clever Solution to Help Turtles Cross Train Tracks
2.What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?
A.Why the U-shaped ditch is invented.
B.The turtles’ terrible conditions.
C.The train delay caused by turtles.
D.How the turtles go through the tracks.
3.What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A.The turtles. B.The trains.
C.The train tracks. D.The points blades.
4.What can we infer about the ditches?
A.They are installed on the railway tracks.
B.They can prevent turtles from escaping.
C.They are easy to trap the turtles.
D.They are helpful for turtles to cross train tracks.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Myles Kerr knew that being a Marine (水兵) comes with a lot of responsibility, but despite the huge weight he has on his shoulders, he has not forgotten the essence of being a public servant — that of being human.
Seven years ago, a photo of a Marine and a young boy running a marathon immediately went viral after it was shared on social media. But what seemed like a simple image packed a much deeper backstory. This story happened in 2013, but its relevance is still as powerful as ever.
The pair were running The Jeff Drench Memorial 5K in Charlevoix, Michigan when Myles Kerr came across Brandon Fuchs, a 9-year old boy struggling to keep up with the rest of his group. Brandon, exhausted and out of breath, asked the Marine: “Will you run with me?”
People who had their eyes on the prize would have refused, but the 19 -year -old was different. Being a Marine, he knew exactly what he should do. Kerr put aside his goal of beating his mates and instead slowed down to accompany the struggling boy to the finish line.
Because he chose to help the boy, the Marine ended up with the slowest time in his age group, according to the 5K results online.
Though he might have lost the race, the Marine won over people’s hearts. His act of kindness was celebrated on social media.
Kerr didn’t expect that his simple gesture would attract so much attention. He responded to a tweet praising his actions saying, “I was just doing what any man would do, but thank you! ” He also tweeted that he received gifts from the Fuchs family for helping out Brandon.
To Kerr, being a Marine was more than just being trained for combat — it also required learning how to be kind and compassionate towards the citizens they serve.
1.What was Myles Kerr seven years ago?
A.A marine. B.A public servant.
C.A marathon runner. D.A Michigan citizen.
2.What is Myles Kerr’s original goal to participate in the marathon?
A.To win over people’s hearts. B.To accompany the boy.
C.To get the best score in his age group. D.To build up his body.
3.Which of the following best describe Myles Kerr?
A.Kind and unselfish. B.Enthusiastic and generous.
C.Responsible and proud. D.Stubborn and helpful.
4.What does the story mainly convey?
A.Being a Marine bears a lot.
B.Kindness matters more than prizes.
C.Being a Marine means a public servant.
D.Good actions spread quickly.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The Future Leaders is a year-round leadership development programme that is changing lives for a diverse range of young people in New Zealand. It is part-time, designed for young people aged 16 -25. You’ll meet amazing people, and attend the national event Festival for the Future. You’ll get access to coaching and mentoring (指导), workshops to help you develop ideas and skills for the future, and make a difference in your community.
Are you aged 16-25? Do you want to be inspired, build your connections and skills for the future? Apply now. Two great ways you can apply to take part.
Option 1 — applying as a Catalyst (a person that causes a change) is the best way to boost your capability. The key difference between this and the wider ‘Future Leaders’ option, is that you’ll attend all three national hui (including Festival for the Future), get access to one- on-one support through mentoring and coaching, and take more of a leadership role working with other Catalysts to develop and lead a project in your community.
Whilst there’s no cost to you, if you’re offered a place as a Catalyst it’s the equivalent of receiving a $5,000 scholarship to support your training and development. Spaces are strictly limited to 4 Catalysts per community.
Option 2 — applying as a Future Leader is the lighter way to experience the programme.
Whilst you won’t attend all three national hui or get one -on -one coaching and mentoring, you’ll still make awesome connections, be inspired and build your leadership skills. You’ll get the chance to attend Festival for the Future in Wellington, attend local events and workshops, and get involved in the project in your community.
Whilst there’s no cost to you, if you’re offered a place as a Future Leaders, it’s the equivalent of receiving a $1,000 scholarship to support your training and development. Spaces are limited.
1.What’s the purpose of the text?
A.To introduce a programme to all ages.
B.To show young people how to apply for the Future Leaders.
C.To list two application positions.
D.To encourage people to be future leaders.
2.What can we know about the Future Leaders programme?
A.It can equip you with leadership skills.
B.It’s designed for successful young people.
C.It supplies activities to help the community.
D.It requires you to take part all year round.
3.What’s the similarity that lies in Option 1 and Option 2?
A.You will attend all three national hui.
B.You can receive no scholarship.
C.The two options are both free of charge.
D.There are a rang of spaces to choose from.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The driver, Zhang Sal, wandered outside an apartment building in Wuhan, the central Chinese city at the heart of the Coronavirus(冠状病毒) outbreak. He had been ordered not to take food to customers’ doors in order to minimize the risk of infection. But the woman on the phone was pleading, he recalled. The food was for her mother, who couldn't go down to meet him.
Mr. Zhang relented. He would drop off the order and sprint away, As he placed the bag on the floor, Mr. Zhang said, the door opened. Startled, he rushed away. Without thinking, he said, he jabbed the elevator button with his finger, touching a surface he feared could transmit the virus.
That was how Mr. Zhang, 32, found himself speeding back to his delivery station with one finger held high in the air, careful not to touch the rest of his hand-a quarantine in miniature. (小型隔离现场)
For many in China, delivery drivers like Mr. Zhang are the only connection to the outside world. Once a common but invisible presence on the streets of nearly every Chinese city, the drivers are now being praised as heroes.
Throughout China, at least 760 million people-almost a tenth of the world’s population-face some form of household lockdown. The rules are particularly strict in Wuhan, where government efforts to contain the virus have blocked most of the 11 million residents in their homes.
Each household can send someone out for necessities just once every three days. Many residents do not go outside at all, for fear of infection of the more than 2, 100 deaths and nearly 75,000 infections linked to the new virus, the majority have been in Wuhan.
But people still have to eat, which is why Mr. Zhang and many delivery drivers find themselves on the street each day As Wuhan and the rest of China stay at home, they have become the country’s vital arteries, keeping fresh meat, vegetables and other supplies flowing to those who need them.
It is grueling and dangerous work. Mr. Zhang, who works for Hema, a supermarket chain owned by the tech giant Alibaba, crisscrosses the city armed only with the face masks and hand sanitizer that his company supplies each morning.
The epidemic (疫情) has brought some unexpected bright spots. Before, Mr. Zhang said, he sometimes ran red lights during rush hour in order to meet his delivery goals for the day. Now, the streets are empty. He has no problem getting around.
People are nicer, too. Some customers hardly opened the door or avoided eye contact. After the outbreak erupted, everyone said thank you.
1.Why did Zhang Sai wander outside an apartment building in Wuhan? Because______________.
A.He was unwilling to take food to customers ‘doors.
B.He was afraid of being infected by the Coronavirus outbreak.
C.The woman on the phone forbade him to to take food to her door.
D.He was forbidden to take food to customers’ doors.
2.Which of the following can describe the work of delivery drivers after the outbreak of the epidemic?
A.Risky and important. B.Necessary and light-hearted.
C.Easy and creative. D.Valuable and hard-working.
3.What does the underlined part “bright spots” mean in the ninth paragraph?
A.Marks on something. B.Bright places.
C.Difficult situations. D.Good things in a bad situation.
4.Why did people become nicer and say thank you to delivery drivers after the outbreak erupted?
A.Because people need them to deliver necessities.
B.Because people have realized the value of their job.
C.Because of the outbreak of the epidemic.
D.Because of the danger of infection.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When international aid is given, steps must be taken to ensure that the aid reaches the people for whom it is intended. The way to achieve this may not be simple. It is very difficult for a nation to give help directly to people in another nation. The United Nations Organization (UNO) could undertake to direct the distribution of aid. Here however rises the problem of costs. Also tied with this is time. Perhaps the UNO could set up a body of devoted men and women in every country who can speedily distribute aid to victims of floods and earthquakes.
More than the help that one nation can give to another during a disaster, it would be more effective to give other forms of help during normal times. A common proverb says, "Give me a fish and I eat for a day, teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime.” If we follow this wise saying, it would be right to teach people from less developed nations to take care of themselves. For example, a country could share its technology with another. This could be in simple areas like agriculture or in more complex areas like medical and health care or even in building satellites. Even a small country is able to help less developed nations. Sometimes what is taken for granted, like the setting up of a water purification plant or the administration of a school, could be useful for countries which are looking about to solve common problems. It does not cost much to share such simple things. Exchange students could be attached for a number of months or years and learn the required craft while on the site. They can then take their knowledge back to their homelands and if necessary come back from time to time to clear doubts or to update themselves. Such aid will be truly helpful and there is no chance of it being temporary or of it falling into the wrong hands.
Many countries run extensive courses in all sorts of skills. It will not cost much to include deserving foreigners in these courses. Besides giving effective help to the countries concerned there is also the build-up of friendships to consider. Giving direct help by giving materials may be effective in the short run and must continue to be given in the event of emergencies. However, in the long run what is really effective would be the sharing of knowledge.
1.The second paragraph is developed mainly_____________.
A.by analysis. B.by process.
C.by example. D.by contrast.
2.Which aid is likely to fall into the wrong hands?
A.A medical team. B.Financial support.
C.A water plant. D.An exchange program.
3.What does the author try to express in the underlined sentence?
A.Providing food is vital. B.Leaning to fish is helpful.
C.Looking after others is important. D.Teaching techniques is vital.
4.What can we infer about international aid from the passage?
A.It is facing difficulties
B.It should be given in the form of materials.
C.It has gained support by developed countries
D.It is unnecessary during normal times.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析