Robert Frost was one of America’s best known ...

Robert Frost was one of America’s best known and most honored serious writers. But his fame came late in his life.

He was born in San Francisco, California in 1874. He lived in California during his early childhood. He was named after the chief Southern general in America’s Civil War. The general’s name was Robert Edward Lee. The poet was named Robert Lee Frost, because his father wanted to honor the general.

Someone once asked another American writer, Ernest Hemingway, how to become a writer. The best thing, he said, was to have an unhappy childhood. If this is true, Robert Frost’s childhood was unhappy enough to make him a very good writer. Robert Frost’s father was a reporter who wanted to be a politician. But he didn’t make it. He often drank too much wine and became angry. Robert was the victim (受害者) of his anger.

Robert Frost finished high school in 1891. After high school, Robert’s grandfather offered to pay his costs at Dartmouth College. But Robert left the school after a few months. He did not like it. He spent the next few years working at different jobs. At one time, he worked in a factory. Later, he repaired shoes. He was a teacher. He was a reporter. Always, he wrote poetry.

Robert Frost attended Harvard University for two years. After that, he returned to the many jobs he held before. For a while, Frost tried to take care of a farm in the state of New Hampshire. He was not a successful farmer. And he continued to write poetry. He said that until 1930, he earned only about ten dollars a year from writing.

In 1912, he decided to try to make a new start. He took his family to Britain. The cost of living was low. In Britain, Frost found a publisher for his first book of poems. The book was called A Boy’s Will. When it appeared in 1913, Frost received high praise from British readers. Praise was something he had not received in his own country.

Ezra Pound, another American poet living in Britain, read the poems and liked them very much. He wrote a magazine article about Frost. He also helped get Frost’s second book of poems published in America. That book was called North of Boston.

1.The followings are writers EXCEPT _____.

A. Robert Lee Frost　　 B. Robert Edward Lee

C. Ernest Hemingway　　 D. Ezra Pound

2.The passage wrote about Hemingway in order to show that _____.

A. he had great influence on Frost’s poetry and life

B. Frost’s poetry style was the same as Hemingway’s

C. Frost spent his childhood unhappily

D. Frost was unhappy because he was the victim of his father

3.What can we learn from the passage?

A. Robert Frost’s father was angry and drank a lot because he didn’t realize his dream.

B. Once Frost’s first book was published he gained great praise in his country.

C. After leaving Harvard University, he began to learn to write poetry.

D. Frost was found to have a gift in poetry while he studied in high school.

4.What’s the passage mainly about?

A. Roberl Frost’s unhappy childhood.　　 B. Roberl Frost’s first and second book.

C. Roberl Frost’s family and jobs.　　 D. Roberl Frost’s life and poetry.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Robert Frost was one of America’s best known and most honored serious writers. But his fame came late in his life.

He was born in San Francisco, California in 1874. He lived in California during his early childhood. He was named after the chief Southern general in America’s Civil War. The general’s name was Robert Edward Lee. The poet was named Robert Lee Frost, because his father wanted to honor the general.

Someone once asked another American writer, Ernest Hemingway, how to become a writer. The best thing, he said, was to have an unhappy childhood. If this is true, Robert Frost’s childhood was unhappy enough to make him a very good writer. Robert Frost’s father was a reporter who wanted to be a politician. He often drank too much wine and became angry. Robert was the victim of his anger.

Robert Frost finished high school in 1891. After high school, Robert’s grandfather offered to pay his costs at Dartmouth College. But Robert left the school after a few months. He did not like it. He spent the next few years working at different jobs. At one time, he worked in a factory. Later, he repaired shoes. He was a teacher. He was a reporter. Always, he wrote poetry.

Robert Frost attended Harvard University for two years. After that, he returned to the many jobs he held before. For a while, Frost tried to take care of a farm in the state of New Hampshire. He was not a successful farmer. And he continued to write poetry. He said that until 1930, he earned only about ten dollars a year from writing.

In 1912, he decided to try to make a new start. He took his family to Britain. The cost of living was low. In Britain, Frost found a publisher for his first book of poems. The book was called A Boy’s Will. When it appeared in 1913, Frost received high praise from British readers. Praise was something he had not received in his own country.

Ezra Pound, another American poet living in Britain, read the poems and liked them very much. He wrote a magazine article about Frost. He also helped get Frost’s second book of poems published in America. That book was called North of Boston.

1.The followings are writers EXCEPT __________.

2.The passage wrote about Hemingway in order to show that __________.

3.What can we learn from the passage?

4.What’s the passage mainly about?

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Clara Barton, born on Christmas in 1821, is widely known as one of the most honored women in American history. She began teaching school when most teachers were men at that time. Later, she became one of the first women ever to be employed by the government.

Her career in helping the sick began when her brother David became her first patient. He fell down from the roof of a house when Clara was just 11 years old. She stayed by his side and looked after him for three years, learning how to give him all his medicines.

When the Civil War began in 1861, she immediately recognized that the poorly equipped soldiers needed help. Instead of waiting for others to step in, Clara collected necessary things on her own, asked the public for donations and learned how to store and distribute them to soldiers. She also read to the soldiers and wrote letters for them.

After the Battle of Cedar Mountain in northern Virginia in 1862, Clara arrived at a field hospital at midnight with a vehicle full of supplies. A doctor named Paul Smith at that hospital would later write, “I thought heaven had sent out an angel that night — her assistance arrived at exactly the right time.”

In 1869, Clara went to Europe and learned about the International Committee of the Red Cross. Upon her return to the United States, she successfully founded the American Red Cross. She led the organization for the next 23 years. Her last field mission (使命) as president of the American Red Cross was to help the victims of the 1900 Galveston hurricane. She did not retire (退休) from the American Red Cross until she was 83. True to her nature, Clara always went to where the need was the greatest.

Today, the American Red Cross continues the mission Clara started more than 100 years ago. With the help of thousands of volunteers, the American Red Cross provides relief to victims of disasters, as well as helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to all sorts of emergencies.

1.We can learn from Paragraph 2 that Clara Barton was _____.

A. honest　　　　　　　　 B. caring　　　　 C. talented　　　　　　　　 D. modest

2.After the Civil War broke out, Clara Barton _____.

A. joined the army and fought bravely

B. went to Europe for further study

C. continued to work as a teacher

D. did a lot to help soldiers

3.Seeing Clara Barton’s arrival, Dr. Smith must have felt _____.

A. excited and grateful　　 B. proud and joyful

C. shy and nervous　　 　　　 D. sad and sorry

4.What is mainly described in Paragraph 5?

A. The aim of the American Red Cross.

B. The importance of voluntary donations.

C. Clara Barton and the American Red Cross.

D Clara Barton’s contribution to the Civil War.

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Clara Barton, born on Christmas in 1821, is widely known as one of the most honored women in American history. She began teaching school when most teachers were men at that time. Later, she became one of the first women ever to be employed by the government.

Her career in helping the sick began when her brother David became her first patient. He fell down from the roof of a house when Clara was just 11 years old. She stayed by his side and looked after him for three years, learning how to give him all his medicines.

When the Civil War began in 1861, she immediately recognized that the poorly equipped soldiers needed help. Instead of waiting for others to step in, Clara collected necessary things on her own, asked the public for donations and learned how to store and distribute them to soldiers. She also read to the soldiers and wrote letters for them.

After the Battle of Cedar Mountain in northern Virginia in 1862, Clara arrived at a field hospital at midnight with a vehicle full of supplies. A doctor named Paul Smith at that hospital would later write, “I thought heaven had sent out an angel that night — her assistance arrived at exactly the right time.”

In 1869, Clara went to Europe and learned about the International Committee of the Red Cross. Upon her return to the United States, she successfully founded the American Red Cross. She led the organization for the next 23 years. Her last field mission (使命) as president of the American Red Cross was to help the victims of the 1900 Galveston hurricane. She did not retire (退休) from the American Red Cross until she was 83. True to her nature, Clara always went to where the need was the greatest.

Today, the American Red Cross continues the mission Clara started more than 100 years ago. With the help of thousands of volunteers, the American Red Cross provides relief to victims of disasters, as well as helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to all sorts of emergencies.

1.We can learn from Paragraph 2 that Clara Barton was _____.

A. honest            B. caring            C. talented            D. modest

2.After the Civil War broke out, Clara Barton _____.

A. joined the army and fought bravely

B. went to Europe for further study

C. continued to work as a teacher

D. did a lot to help soldiers

3.Seeing Clara Barton’s arrival, Dr. Smith must have felt _____.

A. excited and grateful

B. proud and joyful

C. shy and nervous

D. sad and sorry

4.What is mainly described in Paragraph 5?

A. The aim of the American Red Cross.

B. The importance of voluntary donations.

C. Clara Barton and the American Red Cross.

D. Clara Barton’s contribution to the Civil War.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

In February of 2005, Phil Belfiore was teaching one of Robert Frost’s poems “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”. He liked it so much that he recorded it on his home answering machine, which would later　 lead to one of the most unusual __________ of his life.

When Phil returned from his vacation, he listened to his voice __________. One gentleman caller __________ for dialing the wrong number. But, he added, he’d really__________ the poem. Phil laughed and thought nothing more of it－__________the phone rang a few days later.

Phil __________ John’s hollow voice immediately, who said sorry to __________, but he was calling to hear the __________ again. The two men talked. It turned out that his brother’s phone number was __________ from Phil’s by one digit. Before hanging up, Phil told John to __________ anytime, whether to hear the poem or just to have a chat.

That was 11 years ago. They’ve spoken on the phone a few times a month ever since. It is John who is __________ the starter of most calls. However, Phil will ring if a long while has passed. Not _________, John has been in poor health. His special voice is just the _________ of some heart trouble. They seem to always __________ when　 there’s　 been　 a big sports event　 and they like to

discuss __________ in particular. John will also __________ Phil on his life. Slowly, their conversations have grown much more __________. When asked what drew them together, Phil _________ that it was the telephone. They planned to meet twice, but circumstances went　 _________ them. Their friendship is based on the simple act of picking up the phone. “My best friend is someone I’ve not yet met __________,” says John.

1.A. receptions　　 B. considerations　　 C. conversations　　 D. friendships

2.A. news　　 B. messages　　 C. information　　 D. reports

3.A. apologized　　 B. complained　　 C. greeted　　 D. asked

4.A. preferred　　 B. noticed　　 C. enjoyed　　 D. heard

5.A. while　　 B. since　　 C. at　　 D. until

6.A. heard　　 B. knew　　 C. answered　　 D. recognized

7.A. phone[　　 B. bother　　 C. come　　 D. express

8.A. voice　　 B. song　　 C. poem　　 D. ring

9.A. bad　　 B. different　　 C. silent　　 D. far

10.A. call back　　 B. call off　　 C. call on　　 D. call for

11.A. still　　 B. even　　 C. ever　　 D. never

12.A. angrily　　 B. surprisingly　　 C. excitedly　　 D. proudly

13.A. indication　　 B. pronunciation　　 C. attention　　 D. description

14.A. arrive　　 B. get　　 C. communicate　　 D. come

15.A. changes　　 B. friends　　 C. relatives　　 D. football

16.A. teach　　 B. update　　 C. visit　　 D. inform

17.A. formal　　 B. special　　 C. unusual　　 D. personal

18.A. said　　 B. predicted　　 C. decided　　 D. announced

19.A. with　　 B. for　　 C. against　　 D. on

20.A. by accident　　 B. on business　　 C. in person　　 D. for convenience

高二英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Robert Frost was at heart a mean-spirited human being, not the kind of man one would expect to write poetry. He was born in San Francisco. Frost entered Dartmouth University in 1893, but dropped out, and switched to Harvard, which he attended for two years. He started a brief teaching career, where he was inspired to become a poet by some of his students’ work. Frost stopped teaching and became a farmer. During this time he wrote numerous poems, and a couple of short stories. While he was a farmer he started to think seriously about becoming a famous poet.

In almost all of his poems, Frost wrote in the first person. The first widely-read poem that he published was called My Butterfly. At first his audience was very small, but with his Collected Poems he became famous. Robert Frost received almost all the awards that there were for poetry. His poetry describes the forces of nature, and the violence and deep emotional(情感的) needs of human beings, which reflect the experiences of his childhood.

Robert Frost will always be known as one of the best poets in history. His way of putting emotion and violence into words is remarkable(非同寻常的). His talent for poetry is natural-born and he had discovered this when he started to farm. Even though he treated his wife and children terribly, he still became one of the best-known poets of his and our day.

1.We can learn from the passage that ________.

2. According to the passage, Robert Frost was famous for ________.

3.The last paragraph of the passage mainly tells us ________.

4.From the passage we know that ________.

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

If Frida Kahlo（1907-1954） is today one of the best-known and most popular figures of 20th-century, Mexican art, it is undoubtedly because of her personality and the originality（独创性）of a body of works. Her work is, above all, the expression of a real life－a tragic and stormy life, one that challenged all conventions. The mere mention of her name excites enthusiasm and admiration, but her work is rarely exhibited, and has not been shown in France for fifteen years. The selection to go on show at the Musee de L’Orangerie includes major works by the artist, with masterpieces from the Museo Dolores Olmedo.

The life and work of Frida Kahlo cannot be separated from those of her companion Diego Rivera（1886-1957）. Together they became figures of legend, and both have a place in the pantheon of 20th-century Mexican artists. Famous for his large wall paintings, Rivera’s easel paintings, drawings and prints, which form a large part of his artistic production, are less well-known to the public in Europe. The exhibition aims to trace his artistic career from the early Cubist images, revealing his links with the Paris artists whose works are a key element in the Orangerie collections, to the paintings that established him as the founder of the 20th-century school of Mexican art. His travels throughout Europe influenced his vision and his skills without ever distancing him from his roots, thus confirming his place in history as the founder of the nationalist school.

The exhibition devoted to the legendary couple Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo presents their works together, as if to confirm the impossibility of their divorce that was in fact finalized（定下来）but reconsidered after just one year apart. It also gives us a better view of their respective artistic worlds, so different and yet so complementary（互补的）, through the deep-rooted attachment they shared to their country.

1.Which of the following best describes Frida Kahlo’s work?

A. Authentic but ordinary.　　 B. Fashionable but unusual.

C. Practical and popular.　　 D. Creative and realistic.

2.What does the underlined word “pantheon” in the second paragraph refer to?

A. Character.　　 B. Community.

C. School.　　 D. Society.

3.What can we infer about Rivera from the passage?

A. Rivera’s marriage to Kahlo was totally ended.

B. Rivera’s works arc hugely popular in Europe.

C. Rivera’s works are the focus of the exhibition.

D. Rivera’s works arc rooted in his motherland.

4.What is the purpose of the passage?

A. To present the attraction of art.

B. To introduce two famous artists.

C. To persuade people to learn art.

D. To analyze the styles of artists.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

One of America’s best-known artist colonies, the MacDowell Colony, will turn 110 next year. It is a place where artists of all types can sweep away distractions (令人分心的事物) and just create.

MacDowell’s operations are funded by foundations, corporations and individuals. Writers, composers, photographers, filmmakers and sculptors — both famous and unknown —compete for the 32 free studios at the place. Once accepted, an artist can stay for as little as a couple of weeks, or as long as a couple of months.

When they arrive, artists find a kind of isolation (隔绝) hard to find in our world. There’s no phone. No fax. No friends. No family. It’s just a cabin in the snowy woods.

Writer Emily Raboteau lives in New York City. She came to MacDowell to work on a novel. She received a desk, chairs, pencil and paper — and ice grippers. The walk from one isolated, one-room studio to another is icy, so colony residents (居住的人) fasten the ice grippers to the bottom of their shoes.

Another colony resident, Belfast composer Elaine Agnew, plays a piece called “To a Wild Rose,” written by Edward MacDowell. She says it’s so famous that every pianist in the world has played the tune. A hundred years ago, Macdowell owned the land where the colony now sits. He liked its isolation and his ability to get work done there. After his death, his wife, Marion, encouraged other artists to come.

And for the last century, artists have accepted the invitation, coming to step outside of their daily lives for a short time. Privacy is respected, but cooperation and discussion is common.

Screenwriter Kit Carson — who wrote Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and the film adaptation of Sam Shepherd’s play Paris, Texas — has visited MacDowell twice. He says that the interdisciplinary (学科间的) discussion there is valuable.

“You sit around at dinner, talking, and then somebody runs off and brings you back some stuff and shows it to you,” he says. “That, I didn’t realize, was part of the magic here, because people are really open to showing their opinions here.”

1.What do the colony residents have in common?

A. They find it hard to survive the loneliness.

B. They usually stay in the colony for months.

C. They are already famous in their own field.

D. They are nearly cut off from the outside world.

2.Why does the author mention Elaine Agnew?

A. To show the wide range of the residents.

B. To introduce the origin of the colony.

C. To admire her great musical talent.

D. To show respect for MacDowell.

3.Where does the magic of the MacDowell Colony lie according to Kit Carson?

A. It has a homely feel.　　 B. It values work-play balance.

C. It encourages privacy greatly.　　 D. It has an idea-sharing atmosphere.

4.What would be the best title for the text?

A. Wonderland for artists　　 B. Creativity at work

C. Happy birthday!　　 D. Power of silence

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Doctor Seuss was born in 1904. By the middle 1950s, he had become one of the best-loved and most successful children's book writers in the world. His books are very popular with young readers. They enjoy the invented words and the pictures of unusual funny animals and plants.

In 1954, life magazine published(刊登) a report about school children who could not read. The report said many children's books were not interesting. Doctor Seuss strongly hoped to help children and decided to write books that were interesting and easy to read. He used words with the same ending sound, like fish and wish. He did not receive training in art. Yet, he drew the pictures for most of his books.

In 1957, Dr. Seuss wrote The Cat in the Hat. He used less than 230 words to write the book and even a six-year-old should be able to read it. It was a fun story and easy to read. Children loved it. Their parents loved it, too. Today it is still one of the stories they like best. The success of The Cat in the Hat made him want to write more books for children. In 1960, he wrote a book using less than fifty words. The book is called Green Eggs and Ham.

In 1984, Doctor Seuss won a Pulitzer Prize (普利策奖). He was honored for the education and enjoyment his books provided American children and their parents.

He died at the age of 87, but his influence remains. Millions of his books have been sold worldwide. People say his books helped change the way American children learned to read. Yet, his books are loved by people of all ages. Doctor Seuss once said, "I do not write for children. I write for people.

1.Doctor Seuss learned from the magazine that _______.

A. some school children could not read

B. many children's books were interesting

C. children wanted to learn to read

D. a writer for children was wanted

2.People like his books because the books ______.

A. are cheap and easy to get

B. were written in different languages

C. are easy and interesting to read

D. were written with invented words

3.He wrote the book The Cat in the Hat at the age of _____.

A. 50　　　　　　 B. 53　　　　　　　　 C. 56　　　　　 D. 87

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Doctor Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham with over 230 words.

B. Doctor Seuss wrote books only for children in the United States.

C. The Cat in the Hat was written only for six-year-old children.

D. His books provided education and enjoyment for Americans.

5.From the text we know that Doctor Seuss __________.

A. won a Pulitzer Prize soon after his death

B. sold millions of his books himself worldwide

C. changed American children's way of reading

D. wrote the largest number of books in the world

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

①Isaac Stern was more than a great violin player. He was one of the most honored musicians in the world. He was an international cultural ambassador. He was a major supporter of the arts in America and in other countries. He was a teacher and activist.

②Issac Stern was born in 1920 in what is now Ukraine. His parents moved to San Francisco, California the following year. His mother began teaching Isaac the piano when he was six. He began taking violin lessons after hearing a friend play the instrument. Later, he began studying music at the San Francisco Conservatory (音乐学院). He progressed quickly. When he was 16, he played with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. The next year, he performed in New York City and was praised by music critics.

③During World War II, Mr Stern played for thousands of American soldiers. It was the first time many of them had heard classical music. After the war, he was the first American violinist to perform in a concert in the Soviet Union. He also supported young musicians and cultural organizations in Israel.

④In 1979, Isaac Stern visited China. He met with Chinese musicians and students. He taught them about classical Western music. His visit was made into a film, which is called From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China. It won an Academy Award for best documentary film.

⑤In 1984, Isaac Stern received the Kennedy Center Honors Award for his gifts to American culture through music. He expressed his thoughts about the part that music plays in life. He said he believed that music makes life better for everyone, especially children.

⑥Mr Stern supported and guided younger classical musicians. They include violinists Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and pianist Yefim Bronfman.

⑦Isaac Stern died in 2001 at eh age of 81. He was a major influence on music in the 20th century. He leaves the world richer with his many recordings.

1. Which of the following is the RIGHT time order for these events in Stern’s life?

a. He began learning music in an institution.

b. He received the Kennedy Center Honors Award.

c. He visited the Soviet Union.

d. He met with Chinese musicians.

e. He performed for American soldiers.

A. a,e,c,d,b     B. a,e,b,c,d     C. e,a,b,c,d     D. e,a,c,d,b

2. Paragraph 2 is mainly about ______.

A. how Stern began to learn music   B. how Stern began his musical career

C. Stern’s early education          D. Stern’s achievement in music

3. Which of the following statements about Stern is TRUE?

A. He was an activist in opposing war.

B. He was active in cultural exchanges between countries.

C. He had an interest in both playing music and making films.

D. He made a lot of money from music.

4. The Underlined word “cellist” in Paragraph 6 may refer to ________.

A. someone who supports young musicians

B. someone who wants to be a musician

C. someone who has a gift for music

D. someone who plays a certain kind of instrument

5. Which of the following shows the RIGHT structure of the text?

A.       ①                              B.       ①

↓                                         ↓

②③④⑤                                ②③④⑤⑥

↓                                         ↓

⑥⑦                                      ⑦

C. ①②③④⑤⑥                            D.    ①②③

↓                                           ↓

⑦                                      ④⑤⑥⑦

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析