Roughly the size of a soda can, sitting on a bookshelf, a relatively harmless device may be turning friends away from your home. The elephant in your living room is your Internet-connected camera, a device people are increasingly using for peace of mind in their homes. But few stop to think about the effect these devices may have on house guests. Should you tell your friends, for instance, that they’re being recorded while you all watch the big game together?
“It’s certainly new territory (领地), especially as home security cameras become easier to fix,” says Lizzie Post, president of the Emily Post Institute, America’s distinguished manners advisors. “I think it will be very interesting to see what manners appear in terms of whether you tell people you have a camera or not, and whether guests have a right to ask that it be turned off, if it’s not a security issue.” Post wants to make clear that she’s not talking about legal rights, but rather personal preference.
When it comes to security cameras, Post says it’s a host’s responsibility to make sure guests feel comfortable within their home. If the host casually acknowledges that there is a camera in the room by telling a story about, it that may be enough to provide an opening for a guest to say if they are uncomfortable.
However, if a contractor (合约工) is working in your home, you don’t need to tell them that there are cameras watching. Then again, the camera can also work in contractors’ favor. “If anything does go wrong while they’re in the house, they don’t want to be blamed for it,” she says. “In fact, the camera could be the thing that proves that they didn’t steal the $20, or knock the vase off the table.”
1.What is Lizzie Post mainly discussing about the use of home security cameras?
A.Legal rights.
B.Moral issues.
C.The possible impact on health.
D.Likes and dislikes of individuals.
2.According to Post, what is a host’s responsibility concerning the security camera?
A.Indicating its position.
B.Turning it on all the time.
C.Making their guests feel at ease.
D.Having a casual talk with guests.
3.How can the home security camera help contractors working in your home?
A.It can prove their innocence.
B.It can record their working progress.
C.It can prevent the accidents happening.
D.It can make their work more enjoyable.
4.What’s the author’s attitude towards the security camera?
A.Negative. B.Pessimistic.
C.Favorable. D.Objective.
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
"Our coffee is loved by millions worldwide." Do you often see this kind of advertising in your country? Statements like these that no one can prove are called puffery. Puffery is legal, even though it cannot be proved. In fact, puffery has been called "a license to lie", as it is regarded as an opinion rather than an objective statement.
Using puffery to raise awareness of products and to increase sales, is a common advertising method. Some people, however, worry about puffery. One of the concerns is whether consumers are misled by false advertising. Therefore, advertisements containing puffery sometimes can be tested in the courts, and the decisions that are made help to tell the difference between acceptable puffery and illegal advertising.
On the one hand, if a company tells the public that it sells the country's best-loved" or favorite product, this is thought to be puffery, rather than an objective description of market share. Similarly, the company does not have to produce proof that such puffery is actually supported by numbers or facts. In other words, advertisements such as the world's best cup of coffee" are impossible to prove. They are too good to be true and thus it is expected that any consumer will understand how subjective they are. Such advertisements are therefore not thought of as misleading. In fact, puffery like this in these advertisements is often considered to add to the entertainment value.
On the other hand, a company that states their products is the safest" or cheapest" needs to show proof, because statements that are objective need to be supported by proof or statistics. Consumer rights organizations can run tests to examine whether or not such statements agree with the fact. Companies should thus be very careful when making factual statements about a product.
A primary function of advertising is to create product awareness. As consumers, we need to know -about competing products, so we can make wise decisions on which one to buy. While it is important that advertisers are monitored to ensure they do not mislead consumers, it can be argued that puffery is a good way of raising awareness of new products. As long as there are effective ways of monitoring advertisements to prevent deliberate deception (欺骗) in safety and quality, it seems that most puffery is relatively harmless. Rather, it has become part of advertising, which most consumers can laugh at rather than being misled.
1.By “ Our coffee is loved by millions worldwide", the passage intends to ______.
A.describe a fact B.introduce the topic
C.present an argument D.provide background information
2.The function of puffery is mainly to help______ .
A.describe products' market share B.raise awareness of new products
C.test the advertisement in the courts D.run tests to examine the new products.
3.What does the author think of puffery?
A.It is acceptable with effective monitoring.
B.It is misleading for it uses the false information.
C.It is harmful for it plays tricks on consumers.
D.It is convincing for it helps consumers to choose wisely.
4.Which can be the best title of this passage?
A.Functions of Advertising B.Puffery in Advertising
C.Consumers and Advertising D.The Art of Advertising
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
If you wear glasses, chances are you are smarter. Research published in the famous British journal Nature Communications has found that people who displayed higher levels of intelligence were almost 30 percent more likely to wear glasses.
The scientists studied the genes of thousands of people between the ages of 16 and 102.The study showed intelligence can be connected to physical characteristics. One characteristic was eyesight. In out of 10 people who were more intelligent, there was a higher chance they needed glasses. Scientists also said being smarter has other benefits. It is connected to better health.
It is important to remember these are connections which are not proven causes. Scientists call this correlation. Just because something is connected to something else does not mean one of those things caused the other. And it’s worth noting that what constitutes intelligence is subjective and can be difficult, if not impossible, to measure.
Forget genes though. Plenty of proof shows wearing glasses makes people think you are more intelligent, even if you do not need glasses. A number of studies have found people who wear glasses are seen as smarter, hard-working and honest. Many lawyers use this idea to help win their cases. Lawyer Harvey Solves explained this. Glasses soften their appearance. He said Sometimes there has been a huge amount of proof showing that people he was defending broke the law. He had them wear glasses and they weren’t found guilty.
Glasses are also used to show someone is intelligent in movies and on TV. Ideas about people who wear glasses have begun to shift. People who do not need glasses sometimes wear them for fashion only. They want to look worldly or cool. But not everyone is impressed by this idea, though. GQ magazine said people who wear glasses for fashion are trying too hard to look smart and hip (时髦的). However, that hasn’t stopped many celebrities from happily wearing glasses even if they do not need them. Justin Bieber is just one high-profile fan of fashion glasses.
1.What does the new study show?
A.People wearing glasses are smarter.
B.People wearing glasses are healthier.
C.Wearing glasses can make people cleverer.
D.Wearing glasses is associated with higher IQ.
2.What does the underlined word in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.Shift. B.Link. C.Proof. D.Consequence.
3.Why do some lawyers ask their clients to wear glasses in court?
A.Because it can create a moral image.
B.Because it can mislead the witnesses.
C.Because it can highlight clients’ qualities.
D.Because it can prove the clients’ innocence.
4.What is the general attitude to those who wear glasses for fashion?
A.Positive. B.Negative. C.Mixed D.Indifferent.
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Only three local students won Chinese Blog (博客) Competition. And 15 of the 18 awards went to students from China.
170 students' task: to get a fully-designed blog up and running, complete with many positions based on a theme of choice--- to food blogs.
The entries were judged on Language proficiency(熟练程度) and the quality of writing, as well as the design and level of exchanging ideas with readers.
Academics from the National University of Singapore and the SIM University, IT experts, and a journalist from Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao in Singapore made up the judges.
In the end, only three Singaporean students make it to the award list---the rest of the awards were swept up by students from China.
"No surprise," said Mr. Chow Yaw Long, 37, teachers-in-charge from Innova Junior College, which organized the event, "Although the topics were local subjects, the foreign students were generally better because of the content of the posts and their grasp of the Chinese language."
One of the three local students winning the first prize in the Best Language Award was blogger Christina Gao, 19, from the Saint Andrew's Junior College, who spared no effors in researching for and writing her blog. Each entry took her between five and seven days to produce, complete with pictures and even podcasts (播客).
Her advice for bloggers is: Be responsible.
"Some bloggers out there only seek to blame the authorities and other bloggers." Said Miss Gao, "I think they lack responsibilities and there is no value to their posts."
1.The competition was organized by________.
A.the National University of Singapore B.Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao
C.Innova Junior College D.the Saint Andrew's Junior College
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Chinese students won most of the awards.
B.Not all the themes were about local subjects.
C.The blogs could be written in Chinese or Singlish.
D.The judges were from universities in Singapore and China.
3.What Miss Gao said suggests that ________.
A.she likes to blame the authorities. B.she has a sense of resposibility
C.she thinks highly of the others' blogs. D.she loves to read valuable posts.
4.The passage is in mainly about______.
A.how Chinese students won the awards in the competition
B.why bloggers should take responsibility for their blogs
C.how Miss Gao won the first prize in the competition
D.what the result of the competition was
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
British singer-song writer James Blunt shot to fame in 2005 with his single You're Beautiful and album(专辑) Back To Bedlam, and since then he remained the top of the UK singles chart.
Before James Blunt became a musician, he served in the army to fight for Queen and country. He spent four and a half years there, with six months in Kosovo as part of the peacekeeping force. Before leaving the army, Blunt had decided to achieve his dream of becoming a musician. In 2003, he was discovered by music producer Linda Perry who signed him to her Custard label. However the road to success never runs smoothly. It seemed that he would become another struggling singer trying to live from hand to mouth (勉强维持生计) when his first two singles failed to make an impact on the British charts. But everything changed when his third single You're Beautiful made it all the way to No.1 on the UK singles charts, and remained there for five weeks. The album Back to Bedlam soon followed and quickly became one of the biggest selling records of the year, remaining then continual weeks at No.1. Since then, he has sold more than three million records, making him the first British artist to top the American singles charts in nearly a decade.
Blunt, 34, a throwback (返祖者) to the 1970s softrock golden age, has been quoted by Western media as saying that he will never get used to people screaming at him in the street.
His success proves a lasting theory: You spend years chasing the right song. Then, if you're lucky, and if the song really takes off, you spend the rest of your life trying to escape it, or learning to live with it, a few years removed from You're Beautiful, he can still fill stages worldwide with fans who stay until the end.
1.What do we learn from the passage?
A.Blunt was discovered by Linda Perry before joining the army.
B.Blunt has already become famous before joining the army.
C.Blunt spent five years in the army altogether.
D.Blunt had the dream of becoming a musician before leaving the army.
2.Which of the following can describe James Blunt's life as a musician before he sang the song You're Beautiful ?
A.Difficult B.Happy
C.Boring D.Smooth
3.We can infer from the last paragraph that_________.
A.Blunt is well-known in the world for his talent.
B.Blunt's fame as a musician came easily.
C.Blunt wasn't lucky enough to win his fans' support.
D.Blunt has to face the inconvenience that his fame has caused.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A.The song You're Beautiful
B.The latest album of James Blunt
C.The success of James Blunt as a musician
D.The whole life of James Blunt
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
As graduation day approached, excitement increased. Being out of high school meant I was finally coming of age(成人).Soon I would be on my own, making my own decisions, doing what I wanted without someone looking over my shoulder and it meant going to school with boys-a welcome change coming from an all-girl high school.
There was never any question in my mind that I would go to a college away from home. My mother's idea, on the other hand, was just the opposite. Trying her best not to force her preferences on me, she would subtly ask whether I had considered particular schools, all of which happened to be located in or near my hometown of Chicago. Once it was established that, as long as it was financially affordable, I would be going away anyway, my family's perspective changed. Their concern shifted from whether I was going away to how far. The schools I was considering on the East Coast suddenly looked much more attractive than those in California.
But which college I would attend was just one of what seemed like a never-ending list of unknown! What would college be like? Would the other students like me? Would I make friends easily? Would I miss my family so much that I wouldn't be able to stand it? And what about the work --- would I be able to keep up? (Being an A student in high school seemed to offer little assurance that I would be able to survive college.) What if the college I selected turned out to be a horrible mistake? Would I be able to transfer to another school?
The panic set in. My feelings took a 180-degree turn. I really didn't want to leave high school at all, and it was questionable whether I wanted to grow up after all. It had been nice being respected as a senior by the underclass students for the past year; I didn't enjoy the idea of being on the bottom rung of the ladder again.
Despite months of expectation, nothing could have prepared me for the impact of the actual day. As the familiar must of ''Pomp and Circumstance'' echoed in the background, I looked around at the other students in white caps and gowns as we solemnly(庄严地) filed into the auditorium(礼堂). Tears welled up uncontrollably in my eyes, and I was consumed by a rush of sadness. As if in a daze, I rose from my seat when I heard my name called and slowly crossed the stage to receive my diploma(毕业证书). As I reached out my hand, I knew that I was reaching not just for a piece of paper but for a brand-new life. Exciting as the prospect of a new life seemed, it wasn't easy saying goodbye to the old ones --- the familiar faces, the familiar routine. I would even miss that chemistry class I wasn't particularly fond of and the long commute each day between home and school that I hated. Good or bad, it was what I knew.
That September, I was fortunate to attend a wonderful university in Providence, Rhode Island. I needn't have worried about liking it. My years there turned out to be some of the best years of my life. And as for friends, I still treasure some of the friendships I formed there today. Years later, financial difficulties forced my high school to close its doors for good. Although going back is impossible, it's comforting to know I can revisit my special memories any time.
1.Which of the following is NOT the reason for the author's feeling excited about graduation?
A.Making her own decision. B.Doing whatever she wants.
C.Having schoolmates of both sexes. D.Getting away from parents.
2.The author's mother __________.
A.did not care which college her daughter went to.
B.tried her best to tell the author which college was her favorite.
C.preferred the colleges on the Est Coast to those in California
D.was willing to allow the author to make her own choice.
3.Why did the author worry about her schoolwork in college?
A.Good performance in high school doesn’t necessarily mean success in college.
B.Feeling lonely in an entirely new school may have a negative influence.
C.Unbearable homesickness may stop the author from focusing on study.
D.Peer pressure in a good university makes it hard to keep up.
4.What does the underlined part ''being on the bottom rung of the ladder'' mean?
A.Being a freshman. B.Being an unpopular student.
C.Being a loser. D.Being a childish person.
5.What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A.The author was eager to say goodbye to the old school days.
B.The author found she was attached to her old school.
C.The author missed her chemistry lessons because they were her favorite.
D.The author felt comforted because she could revisit her old school.
6.What does the author mainly describe in this article?
A.Her happiness to be admitted to a wonderful university.
B.Her eagerness to go to a wonderful university far away from home.
C.Her excitement during the months leading to the graduation ceremony.
D.Her mixed feelings during the months before and on graduation day.
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Youth is a stressful time from friends to school to families, and stressful situations become common. The body can respond (反应) with faster breathing, a fast beating heart, tense (绷紧的) muscles and drop of sweat. And teens who breathe polluted air appear to respond most strongly to stress, a new study shows.
Jonas Miller, a psychologist working at Stanford University ,studied whether or how air pollution might affect the body’s response to stress. Miller's team invited 144 teens to participate in a stressful test. Most of the kids lived in or near San Francisco,which has the worst air quality.
Before the test, the researchers used sensors(感测器) to record heart rates and sweat levels for five minutes as the kids rested. Then as the test began, a researcher read aloud the beginning of a story and the kids had five minutes to make up an exciting ending to the story. They would have to memorize their ending and present it aloud to a judge. After finishing this task, the kids were asked to do math problems, which obviously was a harder task. If he or she made a mistake, the judge let the student start over. The whole time, sensors recorded heart rates and sweat levels.
Miller found all the students had similar heart rates and sweat levels at rest. But as the test got difficult, differences began to appear. Kids from places with more air pollution responded more strongly to stress and their heartbeats became irregular. They sweated more than teens who lived in cleaner places.
"The teens' bodies were preparing to deal with possible challenges in the environment and such bodily responses to stress were linked to negative feelings", Miller concludes. Over time, he says, "these responses can contribute to both physical and mental health problems."
This study has proved the negative heath effects of air pollution among teenagers. Therefore, teenagers should try to avoid their exposure (暴露) to air pollution They should consider limiting their time outside during rush hour, especially on days when air pollution is particularly strong.
1.What happened to teens in stressful situations?
A.Their bodies react strongly.
B.Their muscles cause pain.
C.They become seriously sick.
D.They have trouble in breathing.
2.What can we learn about the test?
A.The judge of the test was strict with the kids.
B.The kids enjoyed making up endings of stories.
C.Those breathing polluted air doesn't have more stress in life.
D.The kids gradually felt more stress in the process.
3.From the study we can infer that tens should ____.
A.solve their mental heath problems
B.spend less time outside in heavy traffic
C.learn to deal with stressful situations
D.enjoy more outside activities in good weather
4.Where is the passage probably from?
A.A report on pollution. B.A geography book.
C.A psychologist's diary. D.A science magazine.
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
The Notre Dame (巴黎圣母院) fire has been put out, but its wooden roof have been largely damaged. The terrible accident causes a sudden sharp pain to people around the world, “What a pity that we cannot see the damaged parts of the wonder anymore.”
But the good news is that there is at least one way of seeing them, namely via a video game called Assassin's Creed: Unity. In this game, the player can travel to one city after another and enter the buildings exactly like what they are in reality, and see Notre Dame as it was before the fire. In addition, with VR technology, which is already quite mature, one can even look around the undamaged Notre Dame as if it is still there. Maybe digital technology could help to better protect architectural cultural heritage (建筑文化遗产).
The idea of digitizing ancient buildings, making digital models of them so their data can be saved, dates back to the 1990s and the necessary technology has continued to advance since then. By scanning the ancient buildings with lasers, building 3D models with hundreds of images, as well as measuring (测量) everything precisely, engineers can make a copy as “same” as the real one.
As computers and smartphones are hugely popular,the digital replica or digital copy has great pratical value. First, it allows tourists to feel the cultural relics (文物) without touching them, which helps protect them. The virtual tour of Dunhuang Grottoes in Gansu Province is a good example of this as tourists can view the paintings without standing near them. Furthermore, it can make the digitized cultural relics more famous by spreading awareness about them via the Internet. In 2000, a virtual tour of the Great Wall became very popular at the Hannover World Expo, which increased the number of foreign tourists visiting it in the following years. Above all, it preserves all the information of the cultural relics. Even if the original ones are damaged one day, people can still know what they were like and can build a replica if desired.
Time is the biggest problem to architectural heritage. Maybe we will have better technologies in the future, but the digital technology offers a practical way to preserve architectural cultural heritage at the moment.
1.What can we see about Notre Dame in the video game?
A.The big fire. B.Its original look.
C.The damaged parts. D.Its wooden shape.
2.What will engineers do to create a digital replica of the ancient buildings?
A.Improve the technology needed. B.Build 3D models of full size.
C.Scan the photos of the buildings. D.Measure all the parts precisely.
3.How does the author prove the digital copy has great practical value?
A.By comparison. B.By listing data.
C.By giving examples. D.By classification.
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A.The Damage of Notre Dame
B.The Value of Digital Replica
C.VR Technology Helps Repair the Cultural Relics
D.Digital Technology Helps Protect Ancient Buildings
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Are Superheroes Good Role Models?
Superheroes are everywhere. But what effect, if any, do superheroes have on our behavior? Some experts believe superheroes may have a particularly important influence on children.
Children have very limited control over many areas of their lives. Therefore, pretending to be a superhero allows a child to act out and process any anxiety that they have, and thereby overcome or reduce hidden fears, says Dr. Amy Bailey, a clinical psychologist.
Bailey adds, “The risk to superhero play is that sometimes children’s behavior can become out of control and turn into chaotic play as a child becomes completely lost in these roles.” She advises parents to keep children away from more aggressive(暴力的) shows and to have children focus on “other positive characteristics of their favorite hero, such as their clever thinking and care of others.” Concern over the possible effect of aggressive behavior has led to some schools banning(禁止) superhero play from the classroom.
Other psychologists(心理学家) share this concern. Some point to the change of the superhero over time, and are dissatisfied with modern images. “There is a big difference in the movie superhero of today and the comic book superhero of yesterday,” says Sharon Lamb. She compares the selfish, playboy millionaire Tony Stark (Iron Man) to a superhero of the past, such as Superman. Superman, she points out, had a real job as a newspaper reporter and was devoted to fighting injustice(不公平). More recent characters such as Iron Man “take advantage of women, show off wealth, and show their manhood with high-powered guns.”
Jeff Greenberg, a social psychology professor, has his own idea of modern superheroes. According to him, superheroes give children confidence and can deliver a positive moral message. Many superheroes-such as Spider-Man or Superman-use their powers to protect the weak. And more modern superheroes such as Daredevil, who is blind, and Charles Xavier (Professor X), who is disabled, bring diversity(多样性) and present positive images of disability.
1.What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.Children should be kept away from superhero movies.
B.Superheroes can have a powerful impact on children.
C.The concept of the superhero has changed over time.
D.Superheroes can encourage children to be confident.
2.Which match agrees with the passage?
a. Superman b. Iron Man c. Professor X d. Spider-man | 1. He is self-centered and is not a good role model for children. 2. He shows a narrow image of manhood. 3. He shows children that it’s OK to be different. 4. He empowers children and stands for justice. |
A.a--2. B.b--4. C.c--3. D.d--1.
3.What does the underlined part refer to?
A.The ban on superhero play in classroom. B.The possible effect on aggressive behavior.
C.The various characteristics of superheroes. D.The belief of children in superhuman strength.
4.How does the writer get the main idea across?
① It provides hard scientific evidence. ② It quotes psychologists’ remarks.
③ It offers the writer’s own opinion. ④ It discusses both sides of the issue.
A.① ③ B.② ③ C.② ④ D.① ④
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Award-winning food writer Sasha Martin started her blog in 2010. Her plan was simple: to prepare a meal from every country in the world. Over the next four years, she cooked over 650 dishes from 195 countries. In this interview, Martin describes her experience of cooking the world.
Was “cooking the world” a way to travel without leaving home?
That’s right. I think the idea that exploration is for everyone is really important. There are so many people who dream of travel. But I think that you really can go on adventures without leaving home. With food, if you have the right ingredients, you can create the flavor of another place. It’s like armchair travel, but it’s faster and easier. I call it “stovetop travel.”
What did you hope to teach your daughter by cooking the world?
I wanted her to feel that she had a place in the world where she belonged. But I also feel it’s important for children to grow up knowing people from other countries-their global neighbors. I call them neighbors because the world is so small now. I remember going on Facebook in its early days. I noticed there were people from different parts of the world commenting on posts, even arguing with each other. I feel that in that environment, young people need to be able to respect and understand each other.
So food is a great way to create that common ground?
Yes. I wanted to share recipes that were bridges to other cultures. A lot of celebrity TV chefs tend to choose the most shocking recipes. But I think you need a bridge first. Then people won’t put up a wall in their mind about that culture. They won’t just think, “Gross! Those people eat such odd things!”
1.What seems to be the name of Martin’s blog?
A.Cooking the World. B.Armchair Travel.
C.Knowing Your Neighbors. D.Cultures in Food.
2.Why is food a great way to create common ground according to Martin?
A.It makes the world colorful. B.It is a universal topic.
C.It creates cultural connections. D.It offers a sense of belonging.
3.Who might Martin’s blog be intended for?
A.Ordinary people. B.People travelling abroad.
C.Celebrity TV chefs. D.Parents with young children.
4.Which of the following Chinese recipes might not be shared on Martin’s blog?
A.Gong Bao Chicken. B.Dim Sum. C.Sichuan Hot Pot. D.Stinky Tofu.
5.Which might best express your comment on Martin’s blog?
A.“Gross! Do they really eat such odd food? “
B.“Wow! You’ve been to so many amazing places!!”
C.“Awesome travel tips for getting around the world!”
D.“Incredible! I cooked black pudding by myself! Thanks!”
6.Where does this passage probably come from?
A.Talk Show. B.Features. C. Breaking News. D.World Screen.
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析