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, drawn 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 1930s.
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 indicators 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 sentiment: 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.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
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Home to me means a sense of familiarity and nostalgia(怀旧). It's fun to come home. It looks the same. It smells the same. You'll realize what's changed is you. Home is where we ran remember pain, live, and some other experiences; We parted here; My parents met here; I won three championships here.
If I close my eyes, I can still have a clear picture in mind of my first home. I walk in the door and see a brown sofa surrounding a low glass-top wooden table. To the right of the living room is my first bedroom. It's empty, but it's where my earliest memories are.
There is the dining room table where I celebrated birthdays, and where I cried on Halloween-when I didn't want to wear the skirt my mother made for me. I always liked standing on that table because it made me feel tall and strong. If I sit at this table, I can see my favorite room in the house, my parents' room. It is simple: a brown wooden dresser lines the right side of the wall next to a television and a couple of photos of my grandparents on each side. Their bed is my safe zone. I can jump on it anytime - waking up my parents if I am scared or if I have an important announcement that cannot wait until the morning.
I'm lucky because I know my first home still exists. It exists in my mind and heart, on a physical property(住宅) on West 64th street on the western edge of Los Angeles. It is proof I lived, I grew and I learned.
Sometimes when I feel lost, I lie down and shut my eyes, and I go home. I know it's where I'll find my family, my dogs, and my belongings. I purposely leave the window open at night because I know I'll be blamed by Mom. But I don't mind, because I want to hear her say my name, which reminds me I'm home.
1.Why does the author call her parents' bed her "safe zone"(Paragraph 3)?
A. It is her favorite place to play.
B. Her needs can be satisfied there.
C. Her grandparents' photos are lined on each side.
D. Her parents always play together with her there.
2.What can be learned from the passage?
A. The old furniture is still in the author's fist bedroom.
B. The author can still visit her first physical mom in Los Angeles.
C. The author's favorite room in her first home is the dining room.
D. Many people of the author's age can still find their first physical homes.
3.Sometimes when she feels lost, the author will _______.
A. Open the window at night
B. lie down in bed to have a dream
C. try to bring back a sense of home
D. go to Los Angeles to visit her mom
4.What is the author's purpose of writing this passage?
A. To express how much she is attached to her home.
B. To declare how much she loves her first house.
C. To describe the state of her family.
D. To look back on her childhood.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
About 30 years ago, I left Cuba for the United States with my son. After getting settled finally in Brunswick, New Jersey, I enrolled(注册) my son in kindergarten. Several weeks later, my son’s teacher asked me to meet him at his office.
In the teacher’s office, and exchange of greetings was followed by his questions: “Is your son mentally retarded(弱智的)？Does he suffer from any kind of mental disability?”
Was he talking about my wonderful Scola? NO, no, it can’t be. What a helpless, lonely moment! I told him that Scola was a quiet, sweet little boy, instead. I asked him why he was asking me all these questions.
My son could not follow the teacher’s directions, he told me, and thus, Scola was disrupting the class. Didn’t he know my son did not speak English yet?
He was angry; “Why hasn’t your son been taught to speak English? Don’t you speak English at home?”
No, I didn’t speak English at home, I replied. I was sure my son would learn English in a couple of months, and I didn't want him to forget his nativ e language. Well, wrong answer! What kind of person would not speak in English to her son at home and at all time? “Are you one of those people who come to this country to save dollars and send them back to their country, never wanting to be a part of this society?”
Needless to say, I tried to tell him I was not one of “those people.” Then he told me the meeting was over, and I left.
As I had expected, my son learned to speak English fluently before the school year was over. He went on to graduate from college and got a job, earning close to six figures. He travels widely and leads a well-adjusted, contented life. And he has benefited from being bilingual(双语的)。
Speaking more than one language allows people to communicate with others; it teaches people about other cultures and other places—something very basic and obviously lacking in the “educator” I met in New Jersey.
1.The teacher asked the author to his office__________
A. to discuss Scola’s in-class performance
B. to get Scola enrolled in kindergarten
C. to find a language partner for Scola
D. to work out a study plan for Scola
2.What does the underlined word “disrupting” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Breaking B. Following
C. Attending D. Disturbing
3.The author’s attitude towards being bilingual may best be described as__________.
A. critical B. casual
C. positive D. passive
4.This text is likely to be selected from a book of _________.
A. medicine B. education
C. geography D. history
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
When international aid is given, steps must be taken to ensure (确保)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 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 small country is able to help less developed nations. Sometimes what is take 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 form 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.According to the author, how could international aid reach the victims in time?
A． By solving the cost problems
B． By solving the transportation problems
C． By setting up a body of devoted people in every country.
D． By relying on the direct distribution of the UNO.
2.What does the author try to express in the underlined sentence?
A．Providing food is vital
B．Learning to fish is helpful
C．Teaching skills is essential
D．Looking after others is important.
3.Which aid is likely to fall into the wrong hands?
A．A medical team.B．An exchange program.
C．A water plant.D．Financial support.
4.What can we infer about international aid from the passage?
A．It is facing difficulties
B．It is unnecessary during normal times
C．It should be given in the form of materials
D．It has gained support developed countries
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
七选五
Forgiveness
To forgive is a virtue, but no one has ever said it is easy. When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your hate. However, forgiveness is possible, and it can be surprisingly beneficial to your physical and mental health. People who forgive show less sadness, anger and stress and more hopefulness, according to a recent research.____ 1.__
Try the following steps:
Calm yourself. ____2.__ You can take a couple of breaths and think of something that gives you pleasure: a beautiful scene in nature, or someone you love.
Don’t wait for an apology. Many times the person who hurt you does not intend to apologize. They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don’t see things the same way. ____3.____ Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean becoming friends again with the person who upset you.
Take the control away from your offender(冒犯者). Rethinking about your hurt gives power to the person who causes you pain. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you.
___4.___ If you understand your offender, you may realize that he or she was acting out of unawareness, fear, and even love. You may want to write a letter to yourself from your offender’s point of view.
Don’t forget to forgive yourself. ___5.__ But it can rob you of your self-confidence if you don’t do it.
A. Why should you forgive?
B. How should you start to forgive?
C. Recognize the benefits of forgiveness.
D. Try to see things from your offender’s angle.
E. For some people, forgiving themselves is the biggest challenge.
F. To make your anger die away, try a simple stress-management technique.
G. If you wait for people to apologize, you could be waiting an awfully long time.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C 和 D）中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A Heroic Driver
Larry works with Transport Drivers, Inc. One morning in 2009, Larry was along I65 north after delivering to one of his . Suddenly, he saw a car with its bright lights on. he got closer, he found vehicle upside down on the road. One more look and he noticed shooting out from under the vehicle. Larry pulled over, set the brake and the fire extinguisher (灭火器). Two good bursts from the extinguisher and the fire was put out.
The man who had his bright lights on and told Larry he had an emergency call. They heard a woman’s voice coming from the wrecked (毁坏的) vehicle. the vehicle, they saw that a woman was trying to get out of the broken window. They told her to stay until the emergency personnel arrived, she thought the car was going to . Larry told her that he had already put out the fire and she should not move she injured her neck.
Once fire and emergency people arrived, Larry and the other man and let them go to work. Then, Larry asked the if he was needed or to go. They let him and the other man go.
One thing is —Larry went above and beyond the call of duty by getting so close to the burning vehicle! His most likely saved the woman’s life.
1.A. walking B. touring C. traveling D. rushing
2.A. passengers B. colleagues C. employers D. customers
3.A. Since B. Although C. As D. If
4.A. each B. another C. that D. his
5.A. flames B. smoke C. water D. steam
6.A. used B. disabled C. removed D. abandoned
7.A. got hold of B. prepared C. took charge of D. controlled
8.A. came down B. came through C. came in D. came over
9.A. returned B. received C. made D. confirmed
10.A. then B. again C. finally D. even
11.A. Starting B. Parking C. Passing D. Approaching
12.A. quiet B. still C. away D. calm
13.A. for B. so C. and D. but
14.A. explode B. slip away C. fall apart D. crash
15.A. as if B. unless C. in case D. after
16.A. stepped forward B. backed off C. moved on D. set out
17.A. woman B. police C. man D. driver
18.A. forbidden B. ready C. asked D. free
19.A. for certain B. for consideration C. reported D. checked
20.A. patience B. skills C. efforts D. promise
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
1.Such a courageous behavior really________(值得) to be praised.
2.The speaker said that he was feeling highly___________(给予荣誉) as one of the guests invited to the press conference.
3.The ________(缺乏) of color in that drawing makes it dull.
4.As a new teacher, Susan tried to ________(促进) good feelings between students and her.
5.Herschel was firmly__________(确信)of the possibility of life on other planets.
6.Many people like__________ (装饰) their new houses before moving into them.
7.A ________(目击者) is a person who sees what happens with his or her eyes on the spot.
8.His words__________(传达) an unfriendly attitude made the people present annoyed.
9.A dropped cigarette is being ________(负责) for the fire.
10.The_________(臭名昭著的) traitor was sentenced to death.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Undoubtedly, everyone has one or more friends in his or her daily life. Someone may come across the fact __1.___ one of his friends borrows some money from him but doesn’t return __2.___ in time. At this time, he must be faced with the question how __3.__ (ask) his friend to return his money, __4.__ person or by writing a letter?
If I were forced to choose one of the two, I would prefer ___5.__ latter. Once I received a letter from one of my friends __6.__ (unexpected), in which he asked me to return his money in a polite way. In my opinion, the letter doesn’t hurt me. Instead, it helps me to get along with my friend ___7.__ (closely) than ever before. If I hadn’t received his letter, it would ___8.___ (ruin) our friendship only because of some money.
As far as I am concerned, everyone suffers ___9.___ the strain of modern life. If you drop in on your friend just because you want to get your money back, it will hurt your friend and obviously hurt your relationship. However, a kind letter not only can solve the problem ___10.___ upsets you, but also can further develop your relationship.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
短文改错
Time is important. Losing time will never come back. We must remember it in our daily life and make well use of time. Only by this way can we succeed. What can we make full use of time? First, we’d better to make a plan. We should arrange our study, work and rest and know which we should do next so that we can save much time as possible. We should spend every minutes on it. After we study or work for a long time, we can take the good rest. I think that all of us should emphasize using our time effective.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
假设你是新华中学高二3班学生李华。请你以“My Dreaming Senior Year(理想高三)”为题写一篇100-120词的英语短文参加比赛。内容要点如下：
1. 简单做自我介绍。
2.高三学习时间设计。
3. 业余活动的设想等。
难度: 中等查看答案及解析