阅读理解
Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy—they’re given after all. Choice can be hard.
I got the idea to start Amazon 16 years ago. I came across the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2300 percent per year. I’d never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast, and the idea of building an online bookstore with millions of titles was very exciting to me. I had just turned 30 years old, and I’d been married for a year. I told my wife MacKenzie that I wanted to quit my job and go to do this crazy thing that probably wouldn’t work since most start-ups don’t and I wasn’t sure what to expect. MacKenzie told me I should go for it. As a young boy, I’d been a garage inventor. I’d always wanted to be an inventor, and she wanted me to follow my passion.
I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a bunch of very smart people and I had a brilliant boss that I much admired. I went to my boss and told him I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet. He took me on a long walk in Central Park, listened carefully to me, and finally said, “That sounds like a really good idea, but it would be an even better idea for someone who didn’t already have a good job. ” That 1ogic made some sense to me，and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours before making a final decision. Seen in that light, it really was a difficult choice, but finally, I decided I had to give it a shot. I didn’t think I’d regret trying and failing. And I suspected I would always be haunted by a decision to not try at all.
After much consideration, I took the less safe path to follow my passion, and I’m proud of that choice. For all of us, in the end, we are our choice.
1.What inspired the author with the idea of building an online bookstore?
A．His dream of being an inventor.
B．The support of his wife.
C．The greatly increasing usage of the Internet.
D．Millions of exciting titles.
2.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence?
A．The idea of not trying would keep coming to his mind and disturb him.
B．He would be very excited if he tried it out.
C．He would be always having a doubt if he didn’t try.
D．The decision to not try the online bookstore would terrify him.
3.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A．Cleverness and Kindness
B．The Starting of Amazon
C．Following My Passion
D．We Are What We Choose
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Like many new graduates, I left university full of hope for the future but with no real idea of what I wanted to do. My degree, with honors, in English literature had not really prepared me for anything practical. I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world somehow, but I had no idea how to do that. That’s when I learned about the Lighthouse Project.
I started my journey as a Lighthouse Project volunteer by reading as much as I could about the experiences of previous volunteers. I knew it would be a lot of hard work, and that I would be away from my family and friends for a very long time. In short, I did not take my decision to apply for the Lighthouse Project lightly. Neither did my family.
Eventually, however, I won the support of my family, and I sent in all the paperwork needed for the application. After countless interviews and presentations, I managed to stand out among the candidates and survive the test alone. Several months later, I finally received a call asking me to report for the duty. I would be going to a small village near Abuja, Nigeria. Where? What? Nigeria? I had no idea. But I was about to find out.
After completing my training, I was sent to the village that was small and desperately in need of proper accommodation. Though the local villagers were poor, they offered their homes, hearts, and food as if I were their own family. I was asked to lead a small team of local people in building a new schoolhouse. For the next year or so, I taught in that same schoolhouse. But I sometimes think I learned more from my students than they did from me. Sometime during that period, I realized that all those things that had seemed so strange or unusual to me no longer did, though I did not get anywhere with the local language, and returned to the United States a different man. The Lighthouse Project had changed my life forever.
1.What do we know about the author?
A. His university education focused on the theoretical knowledge.
B. His dream at university was to become a volunteer.
C. He took pride in having contributed to the world.
D. He felt honored to study English literature.
2.According to Paragraph 2, it is most likely that the author ________.
A. discussed his decision with his family
B. asked previous volunteers about voluntary work
C. attended special training to perform difficult tasks
D. felt sad about having to leave his family and friends
3.In his application for the volunteer job, the author ________.
A. participated in many discussions
B. went through challenging survival tests
C. wrote quite a few papers on voluntary work
D. faced strong competition from other candidates
4.What can we infer from the author’s experiences in Nigeria?
A. He found some difficulty adapting to the local culture.
B. He had learned to communicate in the local language.
C. He had overcome all his weaknesses before he left for home.
D. He was chosen as the most respectable teacher by his students.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Does happiness have a scent? When someone is happy, can you smell it? You can usually tell when someone is happy based on seeing them smile, hearing them laugh or perhaps from receiving a big hug. But can you also smell their happiness?
Surprising new research suggests that happiness does indeed have a scent, and that the experience of happiness can be spread through smell, reports Phys.org.
For the study, 12 young men were shown videos meant to bring about a variety of emotions while researchers gathered sweat samples from them. All of the men were healthy and none of them were drug users or smokers, and all were asked to abstain from drinking or eating smelly foods during the study period.
Those sweat samples were then given to 36 equally healthy young women to smell, while researchers monitored their reactions. Only women were selected to smell the samples, apparently because previous research has shown that women have a better sense of smell than men and are also more sensitive to emotional signaling—though it’s unclear why only men were chosen to produce the scents.
Researchers found that the behavior of the women after smelling the scents—particularly their facial expressions—indicated a relationship between the emotional states of the men who produced the sweat and the women who sniffed them.
“Human sweat produced when a person is happy brings about a state similar to happiness in somebody who breathes this smell,” said study co-author Gun Semin, a professor at Koc University in Turkey.
This is a fascinating finding because it not only means that happiness does have a scent, but that the scent is capable of transmitting the emotion to others. The study also found that other emotions, such as fear, seem to carry a scent too. This ensures previous research suggesting that some negative emotions have a smell, but it is the first time this has proved to be true of positive feelings.
Researchers have yet to isolate exactly what the chemical compound for the happiness smell is, but you might imagine what the potential applications for such a finding could be. Happiness perfumes, for instance, could be invented. Scent therapies(香味疗法) could also be developed to help people through depression or anxiety.
Perhaps the most surprising result of the study, however, is our broadened understanding of how emotions get communicated, and also how our own emotions are potentially managed through our social context and the emotional states of those around us.
1.What is the main finding of the new research?
A. Men produce more sweats.
B. Negative emotions have a smell.
C. Pleasant feelings can be smelt out.
D. Women have a better sense of smell.
2.The underlined part “abstain from” in Paragraph 3 probably means ________.
A. avoid B. practice C. continue D. try
3.What is the application value of the new research?
A. Perfumes could help people understand each other.
B. Some smells could be developed to better our mood.
C. Perfumes could be produced to cure physical diseases.
D. Some smells could be created to improve our appearance.
4.We can learn from the last paragraph that ________.
A. happiness comes from a scent of sweat
B. positive emotions can deepen understanding
C. people need more emotional communication
D. social surroundings can influence our emotions
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a shop? The products displayed at the entrance? Or the soft background music?
But have you ever noticed the smell? Unless it is bad，the answer is likely to be no．But while a shop’s scent may not be outstanding compared with sights and sounds，it is certainly there. And it is providing to be an increasing powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase．
A brand store has become famous for its distinctive scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance via scent machines．A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air.One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into its stores, customers’ intention to purchase increased by 80 percent．
When it comes to the best shopping streets in Pairs, scent is just as important to a brand’s success as the quality of its window displays and goods on sales.That is mainly because shopping is a very different experience to what it used to be.
Some years ago, the focus for brand name shopping was on a few people with sales assistants’ disproving attitude and don’t-touch-what-you-can’t-afford displays. Now the rise of electronic commerce (e-commerce) has opened up famous brands to a wider audience. But while e-shops can use sights and sounds, only bricks-and-mortar stores(实体店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination．And scent is just one way to achieve this．
Now a famous store uses complex man-made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut(椰子) scent in the swimsuit section．A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store’s windows to smell books, pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent．
1.According to the passage, what is an increasingly powerful tool in the success of some brand store?
A．Friendly assistant.
B．Soft background music.
C．Unique scents.
D．Attractive window display.
2.E-shops are mentioned in the passage to ________.
A．urge shop assistants to change their attitude
B．show the advantages of brick-and-mortar stores
C．push stores to use sights and sounds
D．introduce the rise of e-commerce
3.The underlined word “destination” in Paragraph 5 means ________.
A．a place where customers love to go
B．a spot where travelers like to stay
C．a platform that exhibits goods
D．a target that a store expects to meet
4.The main purpose of the passage is to ________.
A．compare and evaluate
B．inform and explain
C．argue and discuss
D．examine and assess
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
The Internet has opened up a whole new online world for us to meet, chat and go where we’ve never been before．But just as in face-to-face communication, there are some rules of behavior that should be followed when on line. 1. Imagine how you’d feel if you were in the other person’s shoes.
For anything you’re about to send：ask yourself, “Would I say this to the person’s face?” If the answer is no，rewrite and reread. 2. If someone in the chat room is rude to you, your instinct(本能) is to fire back in the same manner. But try not to do so. 3. If it was caused by a disagreement with another member, try to fix the situation by politely discussing it. Remember to respect the beliefs and opinions of others in the chat room.
4. Offer advice when asked by newcomers, as they may not be sure what to do or how to communicate. When someone makes a mistake, whether it’s a stupid question or all unnecessarily long answer, be kind about it. If it’s a small mistake, you may not need to say anything. Even if you feel strongly about it, think twice before saying anything. Having good manners yourself doesn’t give you license to correct everyone else. 5. At the same time, if you find you are wrong, be sure to correct yourself and apologize to those that you have offended．
It is not polite to ask others personal questions such as their age, sex and marital status. Unless you know the person very well, and you are both comfortable with sharing personal information, don’t ask such questions．
A．The basic rule is simple：treat others in the same way you would want to be treated.
B．Everyone was new to the network once.
C．Repeat the process till you feel sure that you’d feel comfortable saying the words to the person’s face.
D．It’s natural that there are some people who speak rudely or make mistakes online.
E．When you send short messages to a person online, you must say something beautiful to hear.
F．You should either ignore the person, or use your chat software to block their messages.
G．If you do decide to tell someone about a mistake, point it out politely.
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，选出可填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The “Doorman”
On a trip to California, my family stopped for lunch. As we walked toward the entrance to the restaurant, a man, with a ________ beard and dirty hair, jumped up from a bench and opened the door for us．Regardless of his ________, he greeted us in a friendly way．
Once inside, my daughters whispered, "Mom, he ________". After we ordered our lunch, I explained, telling the kids to look ________ the dirt. We then watched other customers approach the restaurant but many ________ him. Seeing this rudeness truly upset me．The day I became a mother, I had decided to set a good ________ for my children. Yet sometimes when things didn't go right, being a good example was ________. When our meal arrived, I realized I had left the car-sick pills in the truck. With the windiest trip ahead, the kids needed them, so I ________ myself from the meal and went to get them.
Just then, the "doorman" was opening the door for a couple. They rushed past him without even acknowledging his ________. Letting them in first, I said a loud "thank you" to him as I ________.
When I returned, we talked a bit. He said he was not allowed inside ________ he purchased food. I went back and told my family his ________. Then I asked our waitress to add one soup and sandwich. The kids looked ________ as we had already eaten, but when I said the order was for the "doorman", they smiled. When it was time to ________ our trip, I noticed the "doorman" enjoying his meal. Upon seeing me, he stood up and thanked me heartily. He then ________ out his hand for a handshake and I gratefully accepted. I suddenly noticed the tears in his eyes—tears of ________. What happened next drew great astonishment: I gave the "doorman" a ________. He pulled away, with tears ________ down his face.
Back in truck, I fell into deep thought. While we can't choose many things in life, we can choose when to show gratitude. I said thanks to a man who had ________ held open a door for me, and also said thanks for that ________ to teach my children by example.
1.A．heavy B．long C．messy D．grey
2.A．service B．appearance C．status D．attitude
3.A．smokes B．smiles C．sniffs D．smells
4.A．beyond B．from C．around D．into
5.A．hated B．ignored C．missed D．refused
6.A．target B．rule C．record D．example
7.A．stressful B．accessible C．awkward D．tough
8.A．excused B．freed C．prevented D．withdrew
9.A．company B．presence C．effort D．attempt
10.A．quitted B．marched C．exited D．approached
11.A．before B．unless C．though D．since
12.A．story B．deed C．experience D．demand
13.A．concerned B．shocked C．puzzled D．bored
14.A．make B．start C．take D．continue
15.A．reached B．washed C．raised D．waved
16.A．approval B．affection C．sympathy D．gratitude
17.A．hug B．nod C．lift D．clap
18.A．slipping B．rolling C．rushing D．breaking
19.A．firmly B．constantly C．simply D．sadly
20.A．journey B．wisdom C．opportunity D．coincidence
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。
There are as many varieties of English as there are speakers of it. English 1. (speak) as an official language in more than 60 countries, and it can sound very different from place to place. 2. is easy for us to tell British English 3. American English.
There is not really a standard form that everyone can agree on and English is 4.(wide) spoken, so it is hard to tell which English is correct. As long as speakers can understand each other, 5.(correct) doesn't matter.
Australian English has traces of both Irish and cockney speech patterns, because the first speakers were prisoners 6. came from all over Britain. Many of the Aboriginal words 7. (pass) into the language. 8. the main differences lie in the individual sounds and intonation patterns.
But this is not the case, the variety of English 9.(speak) in Jamaica has some of the grammatical features of the American languages.
On the 10. side of the world, in Singapore, English is spoken by about half the population. Sentences often end with the word lah. English here has been influenced especially by Malay and the Chinese dialect Hokkien.
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，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。作文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅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：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
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。
Antarctica, coldest place on Earth, is the fifth largest continent in the world. The conditions there are quite extremely with nearly no rainfall. 98% of the surface are covered permanently by ice and strong winds driving by gravity blow from the pole to the coastline. It is difficult to find a more inhospitable place. Besides, it is full of wildlife like the famous penguins, that can adapt to its hard conditions. It was not until 1895 the Norwegian explorer called Carstens Borchgrevink set his foot on the Antarctic mainland. In 1961, 12 countries sign a treaty to make it the world's biggest nature reserve. Today scientist from all over the world go there to study its resources and to work together for progress and peace.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
你校将举办主题为“未来工作畅想”的征文活动。请你根据下面所给要点写一篇英语短文。
1．你梦想的工作（1点）；
2．你的兴趣或特长(两点)；
3．该工作的重要性（两点）。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3．开头语已为你写好，不计入总词数。
As a senior three student, I often imagine what I will be doing in the future.
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析