While the presence of rats in homes may cause anxiety and annoyance,they rarely result in driving out the residents.But that is exactly what happened to the inhabitants of the 10-square-mile Hawadax Island off the coast of Alaska,almost 230 years ago.Now thanks to a five-year effort by scientists,the terribly silent “Rat Island” as it had been called for many years has been returned to its rightful owners—birds!
Hawadax Island is part of a chain of volcanic islands in the Bering Sea called the Aleutian Islands.The rats that arrived there in 1780,when a Japanese ship carrying them broke down nearby,completely destroyed the native population because the environment of the island was not built to defend its animals from these predators.There isn't any tree on the island,which meant that the birds were accustomed to building their nests low in the ground,giving the rodents(啮齿动物) easy access to both eggs and baby chicks.As years passed,the birds that had called the island home for thousands of years became endangered and eventually,disappeared completely.
In 2007,the US FWS(Fish and Wildlife Service) started a serious plan to rid the island of the rats and try bringing back the beautiful birds that had once called it home.Given that there were an estimated 10,000 rodents inhabiting “Rat Island” and the fact that they reproduce rapidly,it was not an easy task.But by 2009,the island was officially declared rat free!
Then slowly but surely,the birds began to return. Unfortunately,some of the pioneers were unintentionally killed from the leavings of the raticide,a poison that had been used to wipe out the rodents.But now it seems things are becoming more stable and the island is starting to increasingly look like its former self.Before the transformation,“Hawadax”,also known as “Rat Island”,was a silent and ghostly place with bird bones,snail remains and rocks covered in rat feces(粪便).
Today,birds' singing and flying in and out is a common sight.Tufted puffins and song sparrows,which had long disappeared,are gradually making their way back.Scientists have also been observing an increase in ground nesting and shore birds.Though the island is still not back to its full glory,the signs are encouraging and things can only get better,as time passes.
1.The underlined word “that” in Paragraph 1 probably refers to ________.
A.birds' being driven out
B.the presence of rats
C.birds' returning to the island
D.residents' worrying about rats
2.Birds on Hawadax Island became an easy target because ________.
A.their chicks were extremely weak
B.they nested randomly
C.they reproduced too rapidly
D.this island was treeless
3.From the passage,we can know the plan of US FWS ________.
A.has helped the island fully recovered
B.cost little but benefited greatly
C.involved poisoning the rats on a large scale
D.accomplished its goal after exactly 24 months
4.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.FWS help get rare birds back to alaska island
B.Japanese changed a bird paradise into rat island
C.Alaska's rat island returns to a bird paradise
D.FWS plan to drive rats out of rat Island
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
While the presence of rats in homes may cause anxiety and annoyance,they rarely result in driving out the residents.But that is exactly what happened to the inhabitants of the 10-square-mile Hawadax Island off the coast of Alaska,almost 230 years ago.Now thanks to a five-year effort by scientists,the terribly silent “Rat Island” as it had been called for many years has been returned to its rightful owners—birds!
Hawadax Island is part of a chain of volcanic islands in the Bering Sea called the Aleutian Islands.The rats that arrived there in 1780,when a Japanese ship carrying them broke down nearby,completely destroyed the native population because the environment of the island was not built to defend its animals from these predators.There isn't any tree on the island,which meant that the birds were accustomed to building their nests low in the ground,giving the rodents(啮齿动物) easy access to both eggs and baby chicks.As years passed,the birds that had called the island home for thousands of years became endangered and eventually,disappeared completely.
In 2007,the US FWS(Fish and Wildlife Service) started a serious plan to rid the island of the rats and try bringing back the beautiful birds that had once called it home.Given that there were an estimated 10,000 rodents inhabiting “Rat Island” and the fact that they reproduce rapidly,it was not an easy task.But by 2009,the island was officially declared rat free!
Then slowly but surely,the birds began to return. Unfortunately,some of the pioneers were unintentionally killed from the leavings of the raticide,a poison that had been used to wipe out the rodents.But now it seems things are becoming more stable and the island is starting to increasingly look like its former self.Before the transformation,“Hawadax”,also known as “Rat Island”,was a silent and ghostly place with bird bones,snail remains and rocks covered in rat feces(粪便).
Today,birds' singing and flying in and out is a common sight.Tufted puffins and song sparrows,which had long disappeared,are gradually making their way back.Scientists have also been observing an increase in ground nesting and shore birds.Though the island is still not back to its full glory,the signs are encouraging and things can only get better,as time passes.
1.The underlined word “that” in Paragraph 1 probably refers to ________.
A.birds' being driven out
B.the presence of rats
C.birds' returning to the island
D.residents' worrying about rats
2.Birds on Hawadax Island became an easy target because ________.
A.their chicks were extremely weak
B.they nested randomly
C.they reproduced too rapidly
D.this island was treeless
3.From the passage,we can know the plan of US FWS ________.
A.has helped the island fully recovered
B.cost little but benefited greatly
C.involved poisoning the rats on a large scale
D.accomplished its goal after exactly 24 months
4.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.FWS help get rare birds back to alaska island
B.Japanese changed a bird paradise into rat island
C.Alaska's rat island returns to a bird paradise
D.FWS plan to drive rats out of rat Island
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, or fear which may occur in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience. It is most commonly seen in school situations, like stand-up projects and class speeches. It has numerous forms: heart beating fast, trembling hands and legs, sweaty hands, dry mouth etc.
In fact, most of the fear occurs before you step on stage. Once you’re up there, it usually goes away. Thus, it is a phenomenon that you must learn to control. Try to think of stage fright in a positive way. It heightens your energy, adds color to your cheeks. With these good side effects you will actually look healthier and more physically attractive.
Many of the top performers in the world get stage fright so you are in good company. Stage fright may come and go or decrease, but it usually does not disappear permanently. You must concentrate on getting the feeling out and present what you have prepared calmly.
Remember “Nobody” ever died from stage fright. But, according to surveys, many people would rather die than give a speech. If that applies to you, and you are an unlucky guy who is with stage fright the whole time, try out some of the strategies(策略) as follows to help get yourself under control. Realize that you may never overcome stage fright, but you can learn to control it, and use it to your advantage.
Strategies are as follows when the program begins:
1) If legs are trembling, lean on table or shift legs or move.
2) Don’t hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead.
3) Use eye contact. Look at the friendliest faces in the audience.
Remember nervousness doesn’t show one-tenth as much as it feels. Before each presentation, make a short list of the items you think will make you feel better. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations. You never know which ones will work best until you try. Use these steps to control stage fright so it doesn’t control you. Once you are used to stage fright, you will find you on the road to a great speech-maker.
1.Someone may be most likely to suffer from stage fright when he/she is ______.
A. attending an English class
B. standing in a classroom
C. watching a performance
D. talking in front of people
2.By thinking of stage fright in a positive way, one could ______.
A. learn to control stage fright
B. get rid of stage fright
C. calm down before stepping on stage
D. become more physically attractive
3.Which of the following is true?
A. Top performers usually suffer from stage fright.
B. Stage fright may stay with a person for a life time.
C. Nobody would rather die than give a speech.
D. No one can overcome or control stage fright.
4.The author advises people with stage fright to ______.
A. show one-tenth of their nervousness
B. experiment with different kinds of stage fright
C. refer to the strategies whenever they feel the need
D. use one of the strategies each time
5.The passage mainly talks about ______.
A. how to deal with stage fright
B. what stage fright is like
C. when stage fright occurs
D. why people have stage fright
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
My First Day
I was still shy in the presence of a crowd. And my first day at the new 36made me a laughing stock(笑柄) of the classroom .I was sent to the blackboard to write my 37 . I knew my name, and knew how to write it , but standing at the blackboard with the 38of so many pupils on my back made me39 inside and I was unable to write a single letter.
“Write your name,” the teacher called to me. I 40 the white chalk to the blackboard, as I was about to write, my mind went blank, I could not remember my name,41the first letter. Somebody laughed and I became 42 .
“Just forget us and write your name,” the teacher called and walked to my side, 43at me to give me confidence.
“What is your name?” she asked.
“Richard,” I 44
“Then write it.”
I turned to the blackboard and lifted my hand to write, but then I was45 again. I tried to 46 my senses but I could remember nothing. I realized how totally I was 47and I grew weak and leaned my hot forehead 48the cold blackboard. The room burst into a loud 49and my muscles froze. I sat and50 myself. Why did I always appear so dumb 51 I was called upon to perform in a crowd? I knew how to write as well as any other pupil in the classroom, and there was no52I could read better than any of them, and I could talk 53 when I was sure of myself. Then why did strange54 make me freeze? I sat with my ears and neck 55 , hearing the pupils around me whisper, hating myself.
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高二英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
I live in the land of Disney, Hollywood. You may think people in such an attractive and exciting, fun-filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistaken ideas about the nature of happiness.
Many intelligent people still consider happiness equal to fun. The truth is that fun and happiness have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more lasting emotion.
Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are fun activities that help us relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe even laugh. But they do not bring happiness, because their positive effects end when the fun ends.
I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teach us that happiness has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful people have constant access to glamorous parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, everything that brings “happiness”. But in memoir after memoir, famous people expose the unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun — depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children and extreme loneliness.
Ask an unmarried man why he refuses to get married even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he’s honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure and excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Similarly, couples that choose not to have children are deciding in favor of painless fun over painful happiness. They can dine out whenever they want and sleep as late as they want. Couples with babies are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three-day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children.
The way people stick to the belief that a fun-filled, pain-free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever achieving real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness, then pain must be equal to unhappiness. As a result, they fear the pain unavoidably brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment and self-improvement.
But, in fact, the opposite is true. More times than not, things that lead to happiness involve some pain. The very efforts are the source of true happiness. Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations we can ever come to.
1.According to the writer, an important role Hollywood stars have to play is to ________.
A. give audience enough fun
B. write memoirs to introduce their lives
C. show unhappiness behind fun
D. tell people what happiness is
2.In the writer’s opinion, marriage ________.
A. means the end of fun
B. leads to less sleep
C. leads to raising children
D. means responsibility
3.Many people fail to enjoy real happiness because ________.
A. they don’t have religious beliefs
B. they get married and have children
C. they believe fun is equal to happiness
D. they can’t free themselves from commitment
4.If one understands the nature of happiness, he will ________.
A. try to be a responsible person
B. enjoy life by spending all his wealth
C. stop seeking fun from daily life
D. keep himself with his family
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Friends play an important part in our lives, and although we may take the fact of friendship for granted, we often don’t clearly understand how we make friends. While we get on well with a number of people, 1. .
Moreover, a great many relationships come under the general term “friendship”. In all cases, two people like one another and enjoy being together, but beyond that, the degree of closeness between them and the reasons for their interest in each other change greatly.
At the beginning, much depends on how people meet, and on good first impressions. As we get to know people, 2. . Although these factors are not of the greatest importance, it is more difficult to have a good relationship with people when there is a big difference in age and background.
Then, 3. . Friends will stand closer together and will spend more time looking at each other than ordinary friends. Smiles and soft voices also express friendliness, and it is because they may give the wrong signals that shy people often have difficulty making friends. A friendly look with a wrong facial expression can turn into an unfriendly stare, and nervousness may be wrongly understood as unfriendliness.
Some relationships are a result of argument and discussion, but it is usual for close friends to have the same ideas and beliefs, the same opinion and interests. The more closely involved people become, the more they depend on each other. And 4. . Equally, friends have to learn to make allowances for each other, to put up with annoying habits, and to accept differences in opinion.
In contrast with marriage, 5. . But the support and understanding that results from shared experiences and affections does seem to create a close and lasting relationship.
A. we are usually friends with only a few
B. many factors can affect friendship and relationship
C. people want to do friends favors and hate to let them down
D. argument and discussion can improve personal relationships
E. we consider things like age, race, looks, economic and social status, etc
F. we pay attention to actual behavior, facial expression, and the way a person speaks
G. there are no friendship ceremonies to strengthen the relationship between two people
高二英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析
The photo on _____ cover of the book may cause _____offence to some people.
A.the; an B.the, the C.不填,the D.the, 不填
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
New light may be ________ the cause of cancer by research that is now in progress.
A、thrown B、thrown off C、thrown on D、thrown by
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
An earthquake is a shaking of the ground1.(cause) by the sudden breaking and shifting of large sections of Earth's rocky outer shell. Earthquakes are among the most2.(power) events on earth, and their results can be terrifying. Rock movements during an earthquake can make rivers 3.(change) their course. Earthquakes can cause great damage and loss of4.(live). Large earthquakes beneath the ocean can create a series 5.huge and destructive waves called tsunamis 6.flood coasts for many miles. Earthquakes almost never kill people 7.(direct). Instead, many deaths and injuries in earthquakes result from 8.(fall) objects and the collapse(倒塌)of buildings, bridges, and other structures. Fire caused from broken gas or power lines is another major danger during 9.quake. Spills(溢出)of 10.(harm) chemicals are also a concern during an earthquake.
高二英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
On a Saturday night at home while relaxing with friends, a dog showed up at the house. In an attempt to find the legal owner and return the dog, we knocked on the door of the legal owner and an old man opened the door. This was the start of an interesting week.
The old man sat down, made himself at home, and gifted us the dog. After a brief visit, he left, and we were now the proud owners of this dog. It takes experience and knowledge to know that our lifestyle can’t satisfy the needs of this dog; the owner that gifted us the dog was mismatched for him as well.
Three attempts to return the dog to his old owner failed. (I think he was avoiding us.) Because our lifestyle didn’t allow us to give this poor dog the attention he needed, he disturbed the neighbors. They got involved. After we shared the story, they gained a new perspective and wisely stepped in to help us find a solution.
One week later it was decided that dog would be picked up from us by the old neighbor. He would then return it to the previous owner who was more equipped to care for it.
When faced with unexpected challenges in life, it helps to see everyone’s perspective. We have to look at one another’s perspective to solve a problem with honesty, experience and knowledge. That’s the sign of a leader. Although the old neighbor typically has little to do with leadership, it did bring a neighborhood together to understand one another and work as a team to solve a problem.
1.Why was the dog taken to the author’s home?
A. To find food to eat.
B. To seek a proper owner.
C. The author was friendly to him.
D. The old man couldn’t feed him.
2.What did the author find after he was gifted with the dog?
A. He didn’t like the dog at all.
B. He could deal with dog easily.
C. The old neighbor was cheating him.
D. It was unsuitable for him to keep the dog.
3.What does the author intend to stress in the text?
A. The value of team spirit.
B. The smartness of the old neighbor.
C. The importance of leadership skills.
D. The need for calmness in front of challenges.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Once in Japan there lived two frogs, one of whom made his home near the town of Osaka, while the other lived in Kyoto. 36 , they didn’t know each other. Bothof them liked to see a little of the world: the Kyoto frog wanted to visit Osaka, and the Osaka frog wished to go to Kyoto.
So one morning they 37. However, the journey was more 38 than they had expected, for they didn’t know much about traveling. Half-way between the two towns, at the top of a mountain, the two frogs 39 each other! Soon they fell into 40 .
“What a(n) 41 we are too small, ” said the Osaka frog. “Otherwise, we could see both towns from here, and 42 if it is worth our going on.”
“Oh, that is easily 43 ,” replied the Kyoto frog. “We have only got to stand up on our hind (后面的) legs, and hold on to each other 44 we won’t fall down, and then we can both look at the towns we are 45 to.”
This idea 46 the Osaka frog; he stood up and put his front paws on the 47 of the other frog, who had risen also. There they both stood, stretching themselves as 48 as they could. The Kyoto frog turned his nose towards Osaka, and the Osaka frog, towards Kyoto, but the 49 frogs forgot that when they stood up, their eyes were in the backs of their heads, and that 50 their noses pointed to their destinations, yet their eyes looked at the places 51 which they had come.
“Dear me!” cried the Osaka frog. “Kyoto is 52 like Osaka. It is certainly not worth such a long journey.”
“If I had known that Osaka was only a 53 of Kyoto I should never have traveled all this way,” 54 the frog from Kyoto. Then they started off for their 55 again.
1. A.Surprisingly B.However C.Fortunately D.Undoubtedly
2. A.showed off B.left out C.turned away D.set out
3. A.wonderful B.dangerous C.exhausting D.exciting
4. A.endangered B.encouraged C.encountered D.embarrassed
5. A.conversation B.disagreement C.competition D.consideration
6. A.shame B.surprise C.shortcoming D.coincidence
7. A.doubt B.wonder C.show D.tell
8. A.finished B.managed C.imagined D.prepared
9. A.as long as B.in case C.so that D.unless
10. A.turning B.traveling C.settling D.adapting
11. A.worried B.disturbed C.confused D.pleased
12. A.legs B.shoulders C.head D.nose
13. A.high B.wide C.far D.quickly
14. A.adventurous B.close C.smart D.foolish
15. A.because B.though C.since D.if
16. A.from B.to C.around D.in
17. A.hardly B.partly C.mostly D.exactly
18. A.corner B.part C.copy D.spot
19. A.exclaimed B.announced C.hesitated D.thought
20. A.destinations B.dreams C.homes D.countries
高二英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析