In celebration of Women’s History Month, here are a few of the millions of women that have broken all conventional rules to make a difference in the world.
Susan B. Anthony
Bom on February 15, 1820, Susan B. Anthony was a women’s rights activist in the US. She spent many years campaigning for women’s right to vote. Anthony was also against slavery, helping support the passage of the Civil War Amendments. She also lent her voice to the battle for equal pay and educational opportunities for all.
Anne Frank
Anne Frank grew up in a happy family. However, things changed when Hitler came to power. Anne and her family were forced to hide inside a tiny house, where the young girl recorded her family’s fears and struggles. Even after all these years, her journal, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, continues to be popular with people across all ages and cultures.
Aung San Sun Kyi
Determined to bring democracy (民主）to Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi founded the National League for Democracy (NLD). Suu Kyi’s open displeasure with the government resulted in her spending much of the time between 1989 and 2010 in prison or under house arrest. In 1991，Suu Kyi received the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2015, five years after she had been freed, Suu Kyi’s NLD Party won a great victory in the general elections.
Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai was bom to a Pakistani educator and poet. When the Taliban declared that girls should not be educated, the world’s youngest Nobel Prize winner decided to challenge these unfair policies (政策).On October 9, 2012, she was shot and badly injured. Since recovering, Malala continues her fight for girls’ education. Her bravery is encouraging young people all over the world to stand up for what they believe is right.
1.Who made a great contribution to women’s right to vote?
A. Anne Frank. B. Malala Yousafzai.
C. Susan B. Anthony. D. Aung San Suu Kyi.
2.Why was Aung San Suu Kyi put into prison?
A. She refused to leave Myanmar.
B. She demanded that the democrats be freed.
C. She voiced dissatisfaction with the government.
D. She blamed the government for its economic policy.
3.Which of the following can be used to describe the women mentioned in the text?
A. Brave and inspiring. B. Reliable and devoted.
C. Honest and responsible. D. Considerate and optimistic.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Bert Katz, my father-in-law, celebrated his 90th birthday in November 2016. Bert loved sports and was an enthusiastic Yankees ( an American professional baseball team based in the New York City ) fan, so it was no wonder that over the years, he was an avid (热切的）listener to WFAN radio and, in particular, the afternoon show hosted by Mike Francesa.
Bert had health issues in his later years that limited his mobility, and when he lost his eyesight three years ago, his attachment to his radio and Francesa became more pronounced. He just loved listening to Mike talk about sports and his Yankees each afternoon. Those hours brought him so much pleasure.
Of course, Mike will be leaving Dec. 15, 2017 after 30 years at the station. Mike lives in the same community where I work on Long Island, and I have gotten to know him over the past 20 years. So when my father-in-law was approaching his special birthday the year before last year, I asked Mike for a favor: to call Bert and wish him a happy birthday.
Mike agreed without hesitation. Two days before the special day, Mike stopped at my workplace. I called Bert at his nursing home and put Mike on the phone. It was a complete surprise to Bert. Mike spent more than 10 minutes wishing Bert a happy birthday, and of course, talking about the Yankees.
When my family celebrated Bert’s birthday two days later, he couldn’t stop talking about the phone call. Over his lifetime, he said it was one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for him.
Unfortunately, Bert’s health declined last year and he passed away July 13, 2017. But even in his final months in the hospital and nursing home, he always had a radio set to WFAN to listen each afternoon to Mike Francesa. And he also had the memory of that special phone call for his 90th birthday.
1.What habit did Bert keep for years?
A. Playing baseball.
B. Listening to a sports program.
C. Checking his eyesight regularly.
D. Leading organized cheering for the Yankees.
2.What does the underlined word “pronounced” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Obvious. B. Unusual.
C. Important. D. Understandable.
3.What word can describe the author?
A. Honest. B. Caring.
C. Patient. D. Independent.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. A special gift. B. The call finally arrived.
C. The big dream came true. D. An unforgettable birthday party.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The clock is ticking. David Brunelli has just swallowed a huge burger. The crowd cheers excitedly as he downs fistfuls of fries.
Welcome to the world of competitive eating.
Brunelli is part of a select group who compete to eat massive quantities of food as quickly as possible. Eating contests may seem like harmless fun, but they have a dark side and some critics are saying it’s time for them to stop.
Pouring crazy amounts of food down our throats is nothing new. Gorging banquets (狼吞虎咽会）were a regular part of ancient Roman culture. In the 1800s, some New York City politicians settled bets through eating challenges. Pie-eating contests have been a Fourth of July tradition for more than a century.
For supporters like Brunelli, though, eating contests are more than a custom. They are a path to fortune.
But prize money does nothing to reduce the health risks of competitive eating. Competitive eating can even be life-threatening. In 1991，a man in Virginia suffered a stroke (中风)after eating 38 eggs in 29 seconds; In Florida, in 2012, a man died shortly after winning an eating contest leading a group of doctors to call for a ban on eating contests.
In any event, the risk to competitors is only part of the story. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and competitive eating sets a terrible example by encouraging overeating. And in a world where 805 million people go hungry every day, downing ridiculous quantities of food for entertainment seems not just wasteful but also cruel.
For now, though，it seems eating contests are here to stay. Last year, more than three million viewers watched Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on TV. This year, Matt Stonie ate 182 pieces of bacon in 5 minutes, breaking the world record.
What record will be broken next? Do you really want to find out?
1.What does the author try to express in Paragraph 4?
A. Competitive eating is a tradition.
B. It’s great to learn from ancient people.
C. Competitive eating should be accepted.
D. It’s exciting to challenge others to eat.
2.Why does Brunelli take part in the eating contest?
A. For food. B. For fun.
C. For honor. D. For money.
3.The examples given in Paragraph 6 are used to show eating contests .
A. use unhealthy food. B. waste too much food.
C. put competitors at risk. D. set a bad example to kids.
4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A. The author hopes to break the record.
B. The author is eager to know the result.
C. The author wants readers to find out the result.
D. The author disapproves of competitive eating.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
With the average American going through more than 700 pounds of paper per year, many firms are looking for ways to discourage their employees from over-using the office printer.
Toshiba American Business Solutions has come up with an alternative idea. It has introduced the e-STUDIO4508LP, a printer that gives users the option to print with erasable toner (墨粉)一 allowing a single piece of paper to be reused several times.
To reuse a piece of paper, the printer basically uses the same process as a normal printer, but in reverse (反过来），said Bill Melo, chief marketing executive for Toshiba America Business Solutions. Paper printed with the erasable toner is fed back into the printer, superheated, and the toner gets removed and put in a discard (丢弃）tank.
There are a couple of catches. All of the printouts using the erasable toner have to be in blue ink, which is the only color in which erasable toner is now available. And the company said that people may want to stop reusing the printouts after five times through the eraser because small traces of erased text will build up over time.
The $15,420 printer is aimed at offices and schools，where there are often large numbers of printouts that outlive their usefulness quickly. With the erasable toner, it’s possible to load any short-lived handouts back onto the printer to be erased and then reused.
Still, convincing customers to commit to erasable toner isn’t always easy. Melo said not all its customers were happy about only having the erasable option.
The model, Melo said, should better serve the needs of those who want to be environmentally conscious but also may need something more permanent on occasion.
1.What’s special about Toshiba’s printer?
A. It’s low-priced. B. It’s fashionable.
C. It’s lightweight. D. It’s eco-friendly.
2.What’s the key to making the printer work?
A. A discard tank. B. Light colored ink.
C. Special writing paper. D. A high enough temperature.
3.What does the underlined word “catches” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A. Theories. B. Problems.
C. Differences. D. Characteristics.
4.How did the public respond to the printer?
A. They asked for more patterns.
B. Some expressed dissatisfaction.
C. Some worried about its recycling.
D. They considered it hard to operate.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
September is the month of new arrivals. International students and young professionals arrive in other countries eager to find their new home. Living in a foreign country is hard, and you need to learn to adjust to life there. 1.
Find a new level of open-mindedness. Living abroad long-term requires a whole new level of opening your mind towards everything new, especially if the country has a very different culture to what you’ve been used to. 2.Try not to getfrustmted (沮丧的） and accept this fact, and it will make your life easy and stress-free.
Don’t have expectations. You may visualize what your new life abroad is going to be like. 3.Instead of expecting too much, do your research, and read more about the culture. Chat with a local about what real life is like. This will help you build a real picture and prepare yourself for the move.4.
When you can’t find an apartment, and your new job starts in a few days, you might think everything is just awful and there’s no way out. What’s so positive about that, you may ask? Well, the universe might be saving your dream apartment for you, so don’t lose hope.
• Create a new social circle. It’s common to feel lost and lonely in a new environment.5.Where to make friends? At your job or university you’re likely to meet people, who have recently moved abroad just like you. Take a look online: There should be many social events around your home.
A. Keep a sense of humor.
B. See the positive side of things.
C. But reality will never be as you’ve imagined it.
D. Think ahead and start creating a new social circle.
E. Establishing a routine will give you a feeling of safety.
F. People in this foreign country may do things differently.
G. Here are a few tips on how to succeed at this challenge.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
In 1948，my family drove to the Singer Sewing Center and bought a brand-new electric Singer. Then Ruby, my mother-in-law,____sewing. After supper, Ruby would bend over the machine, ___clothes for her children and neighbors. Thousands of dresses. The Singer raised its needle millions of times.
In 1987，Ruby __ us on the phone, ___.After thirty-nine years, her Singer didn’t work. No repairman could fix it because parts were not __.
I went to a sewing machine store to buy one. Her old one was____.The new machines are plastic and have computers. They give classes on how to __ them. In the display window was a 1948 metal Singer blackhead.
“Does that one __ ? ” I asked the man.
“I don’t know，” he said. He plugged it in. It___ to work.
“It’s not for sale，” he said. It’s a(an)___ . There aren’t lots of old Singer blackheads around anyone•”
I __ him about Ruby — how she lives by herself and sews to keep busy, how she ___only six dollars to make a dress __the people she sews for are poor.
He __ the machine to me for twenty-five dollars.
The next weekend we took it to Ruby’s. She stood by the car as we opened the trunk. As she looked down at the __, a smile creased (弄皱）her face.
“It’s just like my __one，”she laughed.
It’s still going strong. Ruby ___charges six dollars a dress.
On several occasions, my wife and I found 1948 Singer blackheads in antique stores. We __ them and gave them to Ruby. She’s got a lot of___ ahead, and we don’t want her to run out of sewing machines __ she runs out of things to sew.
1.A. took out B. gave up C. set about D. put off
2.A. drying B. making C. washing D. folding
3.A. called B. advised C. changed D. ordered
4.A. puzzled B. excited C. frightened D. discouraged
5.A. available B. practical C. simple D. helpful
6.A. plastic B. metal C. noiseless D. man-made
7.A. fix B. link C. use D. get
8.A. work B. stay C. matter D. stop
9.A. failed B. began C. continued D. meant
10.A. invention B. artwork C. bargain D. display
11.A. asked B. warned C. told D. reminded
12.A. spends B. charges C. saves D. earns
13.A. while B. until C. though D. because
14.A. sold B. lent C. delivered D. donated
15.A. car B. clothes C. machine D. computer
16.A. new B. old C. small D. large
17.A. still B. once C. already D. never
18.A. booked B. bought C. copied D. borrowed
19.A. travelling B. learning C. cooking D. sewing
20.A. so B. if C. before D. when
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
The Burj A1 Arab is a luxury hotel in Dubai. It stands on a man-made island 1.(locate) just off Dubai’s coast, and is connected to the mainland by means of a private bridge. The amazing building is one of the tallest hotels in the world. It was designed to look like the sail of a “dhow”， 2. type of Arabian boat. Tom Wright, the designer of the hotel, said he wanted the Burj A1 Arab to be a symbolic 3. (construct) for Dubai like the Eiffel Tower is for Paris.
The Burj A1 Arab has 202 rooms as well as six award-winning restaurants. One of these restaurants, the A1 Muntaha, 4. (offer) fantastic views of Dubai, because it is 200 metres above sea level.
Guests 5. decide to stay at the Burj A1 Arab can look forward to 6. (receive) extremely good service. From the moment you check in to the moment you are dropped off at the airport, the hotel’s staff take care of everything.
7.(fortunate), entry into the Burj A1 Arab is not allowed unless you are a hotel guest. But don’t worry; views of the outside of the hotel are as 8. (impress) as views of its inside. So, if you ever visit Dubai, be sure 9. (take) a photograph of the Burj A1 Arab. It is 10.a doubt one of the most beautiful hotels in the world!
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同学写的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，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。
修改：在错词的下面划一横线，并在该词下面写出改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
There was a big fire in one office buildings in our neighborhood at about nine o’clock last night. Many firemen and fire engines come. In a beginning, we saw flames with thick black smoke coming out from the six floor. We also heard the explosion the gas tank mix with the noisy sounds from the windows. Soon the fire spread one by one to the floors above, but finally reached the top floor. Many people stood outside on the streets watch the fire in horror. Unluckily there was no one in that office building when the fire broke out in.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是学生李华，下个月你将以交换生的身份到Tom所在的一所美国学校进行学习。为此，你充满期待，但也有一些顾虑。请你根据下面的要点提示，用英语给 Tom写一封邮件。要点如下：
1.对美国的学校生活充满期待；
2.请Tom介绍当地的生活信息（天气、饮食等)；
3.介绍如何与美国学生相处。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Tom,
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Looking forward to your reply.
Yours,
LiHua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析