One-hundred-and seventh birthdays aren’t usually celebrated for authors who aren’t alive anymore. But Theodor Seuss Geisel---better known as the children’s books author Dr. Seuss ---who came into the world on 2 March, 1904, was an unusual man.
Like generations of children I was raised on his wonderful stories. But when I now read them to my children it’s not just the childhood memories I enjoy. His writing is brilliant and imaginative and flows with a self-confidence as sure as the words of a Shakespeare poem. Readers ride his characteristic rhythm (韵律) with an effortless joy that cannot be matched by any other modern writer:
You have brains in your head
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself any direction you choose
And will you succeed?
Yes indeed, yes indeed!
Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed.
Seuss’s brilliant cartoons and clever words make his books a delight for adults but they attract mostly children of course. His stories teach kids moral lessons but in indirect and entertaining ways.
The first Seuss book I was given was The Lorax, written just as the 60s were becoming the 70s. Seuss was ahead of his time, and in this book the dawn of concern for environmental problems are shown as the Lorax “who speaks for the trees” battles against an evil businessman who wants to destroy the forest and make goods “which everyone needs”.
It’s not only a warning of the heavy price of environmental destruction, written well before most people had thought to worry, but it’s also a smart analysis of consumer societies: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” This is of course a moral message, but not of the kind designed to persuade the youngsters into behavior that adults want.
I could go on, but hey, it’s a birthday, and I’m sure you folks have some good toasts to raise for the party…
1.What’s the purpose of this passage?
A. To introduce Dr. Seuss’s life.
B. To analyze Dr. Seuss’s books.
C. To describe Dr. Seuss’s writing style.
D. To celebrate Dr. Seuss’s achievements.
2.Why does the author include Dr. Seuss’s poem?
A. To encourage readers to use their brains and choose their own way.
B. To give readers a sample of Seuss’s story The Lorax.
C. To provide readers with an example of Seuss’s writing style.
D. To explain how relevant Seuss’s stories remain today.
3. Why do adults also enjoy Seuss’s books?
A. His words and pictures are imaginative enough to be enjoyed by all.
B. His books give children obvious moral messages to learn from.
C. He writes about adult topics in a way that is understandable to children.
D. He was the first person to write about the environment.
4.When was the book The Lorax written?
A. Early 1960s. B. Early 1970s.
C. Late 1960s. D. Late 1970s.
5. Which of the following is true about Seuss?
A. Many of the issues he discussed attracted greater concern in later years.
B. He is widely considered as the twentieth-century Shakespeare.
C. His books are more popular now than when they were first published.
D. Most readers thought his ideas were difficult to understand.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
One day Bill went to eat at a restaurant in London．Suddenly a young woman sat down beside him．Bill could not think what she wanted．She did not look very happy．Bill asked her what was wrong．“The problem is,” she began．But then she stopped．She didn’t find it easy to tell Bill about it, it seemed．
“My husband and I wanted to meet here for lunch at 12,” she said at last, “but he hasn’t come．”
“Well, don’t you know where he is? Can you ring him up?”
“No, I can’t.” said the woman, “And I have had lunch now and I can’t pay the bill．Because I haven’t got any money with me．”
“Never mind, I’ll pay the bill for you．You can pay me back later．” Bill said．“If you give me your address, I’ll send you the money as soon as I get home．” With these words she left the restaurant．
A few weeks later, when Bill was having lunch at another restaurant, he suddenly heard a familiar（熟悉的）voice, “Excuse me．May I just sit here for a moment?” Bill turned round．It was the same young woman again．This time she was talking to a man with gray hair at a table not far from the gate．Bill smiled at the woman and got up from his chair and walked across the room．
1.One day Bill came to eat at a restaurant _____ ．
A．to meet a young woman
B．to help a woman
C．to have lunch
D．to have the last meal of the day
2.The woman said she would _____ ．
A．return Bill’s money as early as possible
B．go to Bill’s home to return the money
C．give Bill’s money back the next day
D．return Bill’s money at the restaurant
3.Bill walked across the room _____ ．
A．to pay the woman’s bill
B．to say hello to the man with gray hair
C．to meet the woman
D．to go away from the woman
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and found the answers interesting.
One morning I got into three different taxis and announced, “Well, it’s my first day back in New York in seven years. I’ve been in prison.” Not a single driver replied, so I tried again. “Yeah, I shot a man in Reno.” I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked. The only response came from a Ghanaian driver, “Reno? That is in Nevada?”
Taxi drivers were uniformly sympathetic when I said I’d just been fired. “This is America,” a Haitian driver said. “One door is closed. Another is open.” He argued against my plan to burn down my boss’s house. A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope; he refused to take me to the middle of George Washington Bridge—a $20 trip. “Why you want to go there? Go home and relax. Don’t worry. Take a new job.”
One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word “BANK” on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks. The driver picked me up every time. My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.
“Let’s go across the park.” I said. “I just robbed the bank there. I got $25,000.”
“$25,000?” He asked.
“Yeah, you think it was wrong to take it?”
“No, man. I work 8 hours and I don’t make almost $70. If I can do that, I do it too.”
As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.
“Hey, there’s another bank,” I said, “Could you wait here a minute while I go inside?”
“No, I can’t wait. Pay me now.” His reluctance may have something to do with money—taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low—but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can’t expect unconditional support.
1.Why did the Pakistani driver refuse to take the author to the middle of the George Washington Bridge?
A. Because he was able to help the author to find a new job.
B. Because he wanted to go home and relax.
C. Because it was far away from his home.
D. Because he thought that the author would commit suicide.
2.What is the author’s interpretation of the driver’s reluctance “to wait outside the Chemical bank”?
A. The driver thought that the rate for waiting time was too low.
B. The driver thought it wrong to support a taxi rider unconditionally.
C. The driver was frightened and wanted to leave him as soon as possible.
D. The driver did not want to help a suspect to escape from a bank robbery.
3.Which of the following statements is true about New York taxi drivers?
A. They are ready to help you do whatever you want to.
B. they often refuse to pick up those who would kill themselves.
C. They are sympathetic with those who are out of work.
D. They work only for money.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Sri Lanka is known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean”, and it is easy to see why. This little country never fails to please visitors.
Arrive
The national airline is Sri Lankan Airlines, which flies from Colombo to London and a couple of other European cities. The country’s main airport is Colombo Bandaranaike, located 29km north of the capital city.
Why now?
The best time to visit Sri Lanka’s southern beaches is from November to April. So by going early in the season, you’ll get the best weather. Also in November, Deepavali, known as “Diwali” or the “Festival of Lights”, is Sri Lanka’s main religious festival, celebrated throughout the country.
See
There is plenty to see in Sri Lanka. The ancient capital cities of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura are worth seeing, and so are many outstanding ruins. Other mustsees are the rock fortress (要塞) of Sigiriya, towering over the jungle as far as the eye can see, and Dambulla’s cave temple, the country’s largest and best preserved. Both are UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) Sites. Kandy is a picture-like town, which was the last stronghold of the Kandyan Kings. Today it is a cultural relic centre where age-old customs, arts, and crafts remain.
Do
Sri Lanka owns about 1,600km of beautiful palm-shaded beaches as well as warm, pure seas and colorful coral reefs. You can explore the underwater world, and surfing and diving are available too. Away from the shore, wildlife is a big draw for Sri Lanka, and Yala National Park is one of the best places in the word to see wild animals including leopards (豹) and elephants.
Taste
Sri Lanka is celebrated for its excellent food, with a particular emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables on menus everywhere. Fish and seafood are a big part of the local diet.
Did you know?
Sri Lanka is known for its tea, but it is also the world’s largest producer and exporter of cinnamon(肉桂).
1.Which of the following is a cultural relic centre of Sri Lanka?
A. Kandy. B. Anuradhapura.
C. Polonnaruwa. D. Colombo.
2.If you want to know something about “Diwali”, you’d better go there in .
A. September. B. October. C. November. D. May.
3.We learn from the passage that Sri Lanka .
A. is in the Pacific Ocean
B. is famous for its excellent food
C. is the world’s largest producer of tea
D. has only flights to London
4.The author wrote the article in order to .
A. introduce the picturesque landscape of Sri Lanka
B. let readers know what is famous for in Sri Lanka
C. make Sri Lanka well known throughout the world
D. let people get more travel information about Sri Lanka
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Recently some American scientists have given a useful piece of advice to people in industrialized nations．They say people should eat more of the same kind of food eaten by humans living more than 10,000 years ago．1.________
The scientists say that the human life has changed greatly．Our bodies have not been able to deal with these changes in lifestyle and this had led to new kinds of sicknesses．2._________ So they are called "diseases of civilization"．Many cancers and diseases of the blood system are examples of such diseases.
Scientists noted that people in both the Old Stone Age and the New Stone Age enjoyed very little alcohol or tobacco, probably none．3._________ However, a change in food is one of the main differences between life in ancient times and that of today.
Stone Age people hunted wild animals for their meat, which had much less fat than domestic ones．They ate a lot of fresh wild vegetables and fruits．They did not have milk or any other dairy products, and they made very little use of grains． 4. _________ We eat six times more salt than our ancestors．We eat more sugar．We eat twice as much fat but only one third as much protein and much less vitamin C.
5._________ But scientists say that we would be much healthier if we eat much the same way the ancient people did, cutting the amount of fatty, salty and sweet food.
A．Stone Age people lived a simple life.
B．But today, we enjoy eating a lot of these.
C．In that case, they would live much healthier.
D．Ancient people also got lots of physical exercise.
E．These new sicknesses were not known in ancient times.
F．People today probably don't want to live like our ancestors.
G．Modern people used to suffer from "diseases of civilization".
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Jim: Hello,Ted. How was the marketing meeting?
Ted: Hi, Jim. It couldn’t be 1._________(bad). I put forward some great ideas, but none of them 2._________(accept).
Jim: I’m surprised to hear that. I thought you had some very good suggestions. What happened at 3.__________meeting?
Ted: One or two people didn’t take to my ideas very well. That was to be expected. The worst thing was 4.__________the people who said the ideas were good before the meeting didn’t support me.
Jim: I suggest 5.___________(revise) the suggestions to take into account any 6._________(object).
Ted: That’s good advice, but I’m not confident that even revised proposals(方案) will be favored.
Jim: May I make a suggestion?
Ted: Sure. I’m open 7.__________any reasonable suggestions.
Jim: Is there a chance you could contact the client(客户) 8.__________(secret) and see what they think? If they like your ideas, perhaps they could put 9.__________forward as their own proposals. You won’t get credit 10.___________ideas, but the client will know they were yours.
Ted: I’m not sure that’s a good idea.
Jim: Go on. Take a chance. You could just hint at (暗示) your idea. The client should be smart enough to take a hint.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It was the district sports meet．My foot still hadn’t healed (痊愈) from a(n) _____ injury．I had _____whether or not I should attend the meet．But there I was, _____for the 3,000-meter run．
“Ready … set …” The gun popped and we were off．The other girls rushed _____ me．I felt ___ as I fell farther and farther behind．
“Hooray!” shouted the crowd．It was the loudest _____ I had ever heard at a meet．The first-place runner was two laps (圈) in front of me when she crossed the finishing line．“Maybe I should _____,” I thought as I moved on．_____, I decided to keep going．During the last two laps, I ran _____ and decided not to _____ in track next year．It wouldn’t be worth it, _____ my foot did heal．
When I finished, I heard a cheer _____ than the one I’d heard earlier．I turned around and _____, the boys were preparing for their race．“They must be cheering for the boys．”
I was leaving _____ several girls came up to me．“Wow, you’ve really got courage!” one of them told me．
“Courage? I just _____ a race! ” I thought．
“I would have given up on the first lap,” said another girl．“We were cheering for you．Did you hear us? ”
Suddenly I regained _____．I decided to _____ track next year．I realized strength and courage aren’t always _____ in medals and victories, but in the _____ we overcome．The strongest people are not always the people who win, _____ the people who don’t give up when they lose．
1.A．slighter B．worse C．earlier D．heavier
2.A．expected B．supposed C．imagined D．doubted
3.A．late B．eager C．ready D．thirsty
4.A．from behind B．ahead of C．next to D．close to
5.A．ashamed B．astonished C．excited D．frightened
6.A．cheer B．whisper C．cry D．noise
7.A．slow down B．drop out C．go on D．speed up
8.A．Therefore B．Otherwise C．Besides D．However
9.A．with delight B．with fear C．in pain D．in advance
10.A．keep B．arrive C．race D．attend
11.A．even if B．only if C．unless D．until
12.A．weaker B．longer C．lower D．louder
13.A．well enough B．sure enough C．surprisingly enough D．strangely enough
14.A．while B．when C．as D．since
15.A．finished B．won C．passed D．lost
16.A．cheer B．hope C．interest D．experience
17.A．hold on B．turn to C．begin with D．stick with
18.A．measured B．praised C．weakened D．increased
19.A．sadness B．struggles C．diseases D．tiredness
20.A．or B．nor C．and D．But
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
第一节 短文改错（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
下面是你同学的一篇英文习作，请你帮助修改这篇作文。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（＼）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.每处错误及其修改仅限一次。
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Dear Editor,
I’m the boy student in a key middle school in our city. I fond of play the piano. It is known by us that the college entrance examination is approaching. I must get good prepared for it. So I have only fifteen minutes to play the piano on every day. I don’t want to give up my favorite, and my parents forbade me to continue playing it. They think it a waste of time to do it now. How do you think of it? Could you give me some advices on how to deal with the problem? I am looking forward to your early reply.
Thank you.
John
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
1972年联合国在瑞典的斯德哥尔摩召开了有113个国家参加的联合国人类环境会议。会议讨论了保护全球环境的行动计划，通过了《人类环境宣言》。并将6月5日定为世界环境日，以唤起全世界人民都来注意保护人类赖以生存的环境，自觉采取行动参与全球的环境保护。为此联合国教科文组织就如何处理垃圾问题向全世界中学生征文。
请你以Saving Our City为题，写一篇150词左右的短文。文章包含以下几点:
1. 城市垃圾的危害：
①污染环境；
②有害健康。
2. 处理垃圾的措施有：
①垃圾分类；
②报纸、玻璃的等回收再利用；
③有害垃圾的处理；
④废水处理；
⑤制定法律。
作为一名中学生你该如何做……
难度: 中等查看答案及解析