We considered a list of the best American books-but we’d need a whole issue to do them justice. Here are five that help define the national character. Most from a century or so ago, they still entertain, teach, and inspire us.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
First published in 1851, the adventure stories of Captain Ahab and his monomaniacal(偏执的) pursuit of the white whale draw us into a universe full of fascinating characters and stories.
The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams
Awarded the Pulitzer Prize in autobiography(自传) in1918, descended from one of America’s most famous political dynasties, Adams provides insight into his family, including his experience as a private secretary to his father, minister to England during the American Civil war.
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
When Whitman published Leaves of Grass in 1855, he wanted to define the American experience-singing of the new country in a new voice, reflecting the great changes in the American literary world that had taken place during his lifetime.
Poems by Emily Dickinson
An enthusiastic poet whose works have had considerable influence on modern poetry, Dickinson’s frequent use of dashes, occasional capitalization(大写) of nouns, and unconventional metaphors(隐喻) have contributed to her reputation as one of the most inventive(创新的) poets of the 19th century American literature.
The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
First published in 1855, this is Longfellow’s most popular and most recognized poem, the heroic life and death of a magic American Indian, sent by the Great Spirit to guide the nations in the ways of peace.
1.Walt Whitman wrote Leaves of Grass in order to ______.
A. praise America and show the great changes in the American literary world
B. reflect the great changes in America that had taken place during his lifetime
C. give Americans encouragement in a new voice
D. show his talent and heroic life to us
2.The underlined word “considerable” probably means “______”
A. satisfying B. exciting
C. inspiring D. great
3.If you want to read a story about a magic American Indian, you can read ______.
A. Moby-Dick B. Leaves of Grass
C. Poems D. The Song of Hiawatha
4.What’ s the purpose of the wirer writing this passage?
A. To make an advertisement for a bookstore.
B. To introduce several best American books to readers.
C. To tell stories of several famous writers.
D. To talk about some knowledge about literature.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Walking is so simple and convenient that it couldn’t possibly count as exercise, right? Wrong．Study after study shows that regular walking can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease．
The study published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice shows that the blood pressure of the overweight men being tested improved and the amount of body fat greatly decreased．
That’s good news, because walking has now become the most popular fitness activity in the United States．Convenient, simple, and gentle on the joints, walking is perhaps the easiest form of exercise to maintain．According to a survey, four out of five women who start a walking program continue to walk, while half of women who attempt other types of aerobic exercise(有氧运动), such as swimming, drop out during the first few months．
Here are some basics for walking exercise．
Walk at a pace that makes you breathe heavily, but still able to talk．
Your goal, first and foremost, is to walk five days a week, 30 minutes a walk．Do that, and you are getting the base-level amount of exercise that research says should maintain your health and vigor(精力)．
Walk for as long as you are comfortable the first week, even if it is just to your mailbox and back．Each following week, increase that amount by no more than 10 percent．
Start every walk with five minutes of easy-paced walking, about the same pace at which you do shopping, to get your body warmed up．Then, cool down at the end of each walk with another five minutes of easy-paced walking．This allows your heart rate to gradually speed up and slow down．
1.The survey mentioned in Paragraph 3 shows that ________．
A. 80％ of the women surveyed are walking as a means of exercise
B. 50％ of the women surveyed want to swim as a means of exercise
C. walking is more easily maintained than other types of aerobic exercise
D. the effect of walking is as good as that of other types of aerobic exercise
2.Which of the following statements is TRUE about walking for exercise?
A. Walking five days a week, 30 minutes altogether, is the goal．
B. Increase at least 10％ of the amount of each previous week．
C. Each walk should start with the pace of doing shopping．
D. Walking as much as you can in the first week is suggested．
3.What is the purpose of the easy-paced walking in every walk?
A. To help reduce your blood pressure．
B. To help reduce your risk of heart disease．
C. To help your body lose fat．
D. To help your heart rate change gradually．
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. How to Keep Healthy?
B. Walking for Exercise
C. Different Ways of Exercise
D. Is Walking a Type of Exercise?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The tradition of having a pine tree as a Christmas Tree is believed to come from Germany. Since the medieval time, lighting a candle on a tree is common to welcome guests. Such practice has evolved into the Christmas celebration.
The formal Christmas Tree was introduced to England about 100 years ago when Queen Victoria married German Albert. The evidence of Victoria's love for Albert is not only expressed through inheriting the German tradition of having a Christmas Tree but also through the gold Albert Statues that Victoria had ordered to built for Albert, standing in many places in London. In America, the Christmas Tree idea was brought by German immigrants too.
The custom of sending Christmas cards was initiated in England around 1850. The first cards were decorated with elaborate designs of flowers, birds and landscapes.
As for Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, the story goes back to the third century.
Legend has it, Saint Nicholas dedicated all his life to helping mankind, especially children. He died on December 6, which marks the Saint Nicholas Day in many European countries and that was when gifts were given to children. Saint Nicholas bears many different names, such as Father Christmas in the UK, San Nicolas in the Netherlands, Le Pere Noel in France, and Kriss Kringle in Germany.
He also arrives on different dates to deliver presents to children in different countries, typically from chimneys. The chimney story was this: Santa flew over house tops in a sleigh, he dropped coins by accident and they landed in some stockings hanging next to the fireplace to dry. From then on, red stockings were hung by the chimney in hopes that Santa would fill them with gifts.
1.The passage is most probably taken from ______.
A. a history book B. a geography book
C. a folk story book D. a book on culture
2.Which of the following descriptions about Santa Clause is NOT right according to the passage?
A. In the UK, Santa Claus is Father Christmas.
B. Santa Claus usually delivers presents to children through chimneys.
C. Santa Claus became known to the British about 170 years ago.
D. Santa Claus was devoted to helping mankind.
3.We can infer from the passage that ______.
A. England is the birthplace of pine trees
B. Santa Claus was very popular among children
C. it was the Germans who brought the Christmas tree to the United states
D. Santa Claus is someone only existing in people’s imagination
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It is often easy to feel overwhelmed (受打击的)in the face of species loss and habitat destruction. The problem is large and complex, and it's natural for individuals to feel powerless. Yet, everything you do is vitally important. It may not seem to amount to much in the grand scheme of things, but your seemingly small actions, added together, can make a big difference. Here are some things you can do:
Protect Wildlife Habitat. Perhaps the greatest threat to many species is the widespread destruction of habitats. Farming, development, and cutting down of forests all result in loss of wildlife habitats. In areas where rare species live, habitat destruction can quickly force a species to extinction. By protecting habitat, entire communities of animals can also be protected together. Parks, reserves, and other protected lands are too often the only places left untouched by habitat destruction.
Reduce the threat of invasive (入侵的) species. The spread of non-native species has greatly reduced native populations around the world. Invasive species compete with native species for resources and habitats. They can even prey on native species directly, greatly reducing their population. one way to reduce the threat of invasive species is to grow native plants in your garden and to welcome native animals into your yard.
Place bird-shaped paper on your windows. It is estimated that as many as one billion birds in the United States die each year due to collisions with windows. You can help reduce the number of collisions simply by placing bird-shaped paper on your windows. Other simple steps you can take are to draw the shades and curtains during brightest parts of the day, and put screens on the outside of the windows.
Slow down when driving. Many native animals live in developed areas, in other words, close to humans. Roads are a particularly big danger to them: animals are at risk every time they try to cross. So when you’re out and about, slow down, and keep an eye out for wildlife.
1.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. How Do Animals Become Extinct?
B. The Importance of Protecting Wildlife.
C. What Can We Do to Protect Wild life?
D. New Ways of Saving Endangered Animals.
2.The main idea of the second paragraph is ______.
A. more parks and reserves should be built
B. we should keep wildlife habitats from destruction
C. conditions of parks and reserves have been improved
D. parks and reserves are best ways of protecting
3.People are advised to put bird-shaped paper on their windows to ______.
A. beautify their houses
B. protect the windows from birds
C. attract more birds to live nearby
D. stop birds from hitting windows by mistake
4.The underlined phrase “prey on” in paragraph 3 probably means “_____”
A. drive away B. live with
C. hunt down D. fight with
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Self-respect is very important for a great life. If we lack self-respect we will be unsure of ourselves and try to be someone we are not. The following are some ways we can improve our self-respect.
1. There is great pressure from parents, work and society to become a certain person and to achieve certain things. But, real self-respect only comes from being true to our inner calling. It is important that you have faith (信念) in your own values and remember what is important to you.
Respect others. If you have no respect for others, how can you have self-respect? 2.
Learn to deal with criticism (批评). When we are criticized, we feel bad about ourselves. So to keep a sense of self-respect, we need to learn how to handle criticism. 3. If there is some truth in it, we can use it to develop our character.
4. Our appearance is important. It can give us confidence or it can make us feel ashamed. Dressing smartly gives us self-confidence. Dress for your own benefit. Don’t dress in the hope of pleasing others and receiving praises.
Never dislike yourself. We make mistakes or we may do the wrong thing. 5. We should never hate ourselves.
A.Try to be selfless.
B.Be true to yourself.
C.If it is false, we should ignore it.
D.But we should never put ourselves down.
E.Take care of your looks, without being a slave to fashion.
F.It is wrong to try to feel better by putting others down.
G.Self-respect comes when we value our attitude to life and other people.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Challenges and tough experiences can help you find out who you really are．
About 2 years ago, I was ________ in one of my first taekwondo （跆拳道） championships （锦标赛）．I was very ________ in myself. My opponent （对手） was skinny．The thoughts in my head were something like "She's so ________, of course you'll win"．As the match started, my opponent's true ________ came out．She came straight at me and landed a head kick on me, ________ three points in the first five seconds．I was so shocked, ________ and forgot everything my coach said．I was kicking ________ , in hopes of not losing．But ________ hit me．I lost 6-5．1 had never lost before．I was afraid of the girl, and to me, her name was ________ with defeat．
The experience lasted with me．I worked and trained harder than before．I listened to my ________ wholeheartedly and made sure I was not overconfident．The following year, I ________ the same girl once again at the state championships．I was ________. But with encouragement from my coach, I ________ some confidence．When the fight started, I did not panic like the previous match but listened to my coach's ________．His voice ________ me around the ring （拳击场）, attacking at key moments．The main thought in my head was not about winning or losing, ________ doing my best．Eventually, I won．My hard work, and listening to my coach all ________ ．My opponent had the ________ skinny figure, but did not frighten me anymore．
From this experience, I learned not to let confidence overshadow reality．It is important to ________ the fact that there are people better than you．But with this idea in mind, you can work hard to become that person who is better．This experience also taught me not to judge others based on their ________ ．
1.A. competing B. struggling C. playing D. quarrelling
2.A. proud B. confident C. content D. ashamed
3.A. young B. tiny C. strong D. ugly
4.A. expression B. sense C. personality D. figure
5.A. taking B. catching C. reaching D. scoring
6.A. surprised B. panicked C. tired D. excited
7.A. angrily B. bravely C. blindly D. cautiously
8.A. reality B. courage C. imagination D. memory
9.A. filled B. associated C. mixed D. compared
10.A. coach B. teammate C. opponent D. judge
11.A. recognized B. faced C. admired D. reminded
12.A. afraid B. courageous C. delighted D. alone
13.A. lacked B. borrowed C. developed D. remembered
14.A. judgment B. praise C. encouragement D. advice
15.A. showed B. forced C. kept D. directed
16.A. but B. or C. so D. and
17.A. paid back B. called off C. called back D. paid off
18.A. different B. same C. rare D. common
19.A. oppose B. ignore C. receive D. accept
20.A. appearances B. words C. description D. behavior
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
语法填空
A boy went to a shop with his mother one day. 1. (look) at the small cute child, the shop assistant showed him a bottle 2. contained lots of delicious sweets and said, “Dear child, you can take the sweets.” Instead of obeying, the boy stood there 3. his hand in his pockets and smiled at the shop assistant. The shop assistant was surprised. He 4. (expect) that the boy would gladly take the sweets from the bottle. Full of 5. (curious), he said again, “Take the sweets.” Now the mother also heard that and said, “Take the sweets, dear.” Yet the boy didn’t take. The shop assistant took the sweets and gave 6. to the child. The child was happy 7. (get) two hands full of sweets. After returning home, the mother asked the boy, “Could you tell me 8. you didn’t take the sweets when the shop assistant told you to?” The boy replied, “Simple! My hands are very small and 9. I take the sweets, I can only take a few. But now you see when uncle gave me sweets with his big hand, I got a lot 10. (many)!”
Sometimes your kids are much cleverer than you might think.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单 词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\） 划掉。
We high school students do have some growing pains, but we can get rid of it correctly and wisely. First, some of us are upset with their body figures and looks. It’s necessary and it’s not important at all. We needn’t care for it. It is one’s inner beauty which matters. Second, we sometime seem to be misunderstood by our the teachers, parents and classmates. Facing this, we can find a properly time to have a heart-to-heart talk with them, try to remove the misunderstanding. Third, we may fall behind others, which makes us stressed. All we need to do is to encourage ourselves work harder, full of determination.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是学生会主席李华。为提高同学们的阅读兴趣，你校将于3月19日下午2:00在教学楼201室举行读书交流活动，请用英语写一则通知，号召同学们积极参加。
要点：1. 活动的时间、地点;
2. 活动的目的；
3. 交流的内容；
4．号召大家积极参与。
注意：1.词数100左右，标题和落款已给出，但不计入总词数；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析