At dawn on Friday, May 19, 1780, farmers in New England stopped to wonder at the pink color of the sun. By noon the sky had darkened to midnight blackness, causing Americans, still in the painful struggle of a prolonged war of independence, to light candles and tremble at thoughts of the Last Judgment. As the birds quieted and no storm accompanied the darkness, men and women crowded into churches, where one minister commented that “The people were very attentive.” John Greenleaf Whittier later wrote that “Men prayed, and women wept; all ears grew sharp . . .”
A recent study of researchers, led by Richard Guyette from the University of Missouri’s Tree Ring Laboratory, has shown that vast forest fires in the Algonquin Highlands of southern Ontario and elsewhere in Canada brought this event upon New England. The scientists have discovered “fire scars” on the rings for that year, left when the heat of a wildfire has killed a part of a tree’s cambium (形成层). Evidence collected also points to a drought that year. An easterly wind and low barometric pressure (低气压) helped force smoke into the upper atmosphere. “The record fits pretty close,” says Guyette. “We had the right fuel, the drought. The conditions were all there.”
Lacking the ability to communicate quickly over long distances, Americans in 1780 remained in the dark about the event, which had disappeared by the next day. Over the next several months, the papers carried heated debates about what brought the darkness. Some were the voices of angry prediction, such as one Massachusetts farmer who wrote, “Oh! Backsliding New-England, attend now to the things which belong to your peace before they are forever hid from your eyes.” Others gave different answers. One stated that a “flaming star” had passed between the earth and the sun. Ash, argued another commentator. The debate, carried on throughout New England, where there were no scientific journals or academies yet, reflected an unfolding culture of scientific enquiry already sweeping the Western world, a revolution nearly as influential as the war for independence from the English.
New Englanders would not soon forget that dark day; it lived on in folklore, poems, and sermons for generations.
1.New Englanders crowded into churches because they were frightened by ________.
A. the pink color of the sun
B. the darkened sky at daytime
C. the Last Judgment on Friday
D. the American War of Independence
2.What can we infer about the event in New England on May 19, 1780?
A. Prayers remained silent and attentive.
B. Night birds no longer came out to sing.
C. People’s ears became sharper than usual.
D. Midday meals were served by candlelight.
3.According to the researchers, the origin of the event was ________.
A. an east wind
B. a severe drought
C. some burning fuel
D. low barometric pressure
4.What can we know about the debates after the dark day?
A. They focused on causes of the event.
B. They swept throughout the Western world.
C. They were organized by scientific institutions.
D. They improved Americans’ ability to communicate.
5.What can be the best title for the text?
A. New England’s dark day.
B. Voices of angry prediction.
C. There is no smoke without fire.
D. Tree rings and scientific discovery.
高三英语阅读理解简单题
At dawn on Friday, May 19, 1780, farmers in New England stopped to wonder at the pink color of the sun. By noon the sky had darkened to midnight blackness, causing Americans, still in the painful struggle of a prolonged war of independence, to light candles and tremble at thoughts of the Last Judgment. As the birds quieted and no storm accompanied the darkness, men and women crowded into churches, where one minister commented that “The people were very attentive.” John Greenleaf Whittier later wrote that “Men prayed, and women wept; all ears grew sharp . . .”
A recent study of researchers, led by Richard Guyette from the University of Missouri’s Tree Ring Laboratory, has shown that vast forest fires in the Algonquin Highlands of southern Ontario and elsewhere in Canada brought this event upon New England. The scientists have discovered “fire scars” on the rings for that year, left when the heat of a wildfire has killed a part of a tree’s cambium (形成层). Evidence collected also points to a drought that year. An easterly wind and low barometric pressure (低气压) helped force smoke into the upper atmosphere. “The record fits pretty close,” says Guyette. “We had the right fuel, the drought. The conditions were all there.”
Lacking the ability to communicate quickly over long distances, Americans in 1780 remained in the dark about the event, which had disappeared by the next day. Over the next several months, the papers carried heated debates about what brought the darkness. Some were the voices of angry prediction, such as one Massachusetts farmer who wrote, “Oh! Backsliding New-England, attend now to the things which belong to your peace before they are forever hid from your eyes.” Others gave different answers. One stated that a “flaming star” had passed between the earth and the sun. Ash, argued another commentator. The debate, carried on throughout New England, where there were no scientific journals or academies yet, reflected an unfolding culture of scientific enquiry already sweeping the Western world, a revolution nearly as influential as the war for independence from the English.
New Englanders would not soon forget that dark day; it lived on in folklore, poems, and sermons for generations.
1.New Englanders crowded into churches because they were frightened by ________.
A. the pink color of the sun
B. the darkened sky at daytime
C. the Last Judgment on Friday
D. the American War of Independence
2.What can we infer about the event in New England on May 19, 1780?
A. Prayers remained silent and attentive.
B. Night birds no longer came out to sing.
C. People’s ears became sharper than usual.
D. Midday meals were served by candlelight.
3.According to the researchers, the origin of the event was ________.
A. an east wind
B. a severe drought
C. some burning fuel
D. low barometric pressure
4.What can we know about the debates after the dark day?
A. They focused on causes of the event.
B. They swept throughout the Western world.
C. They were organized by scientific institutions.
D. They improved Americans’ ability to communicate.
5.What can be the best title for the text?
A. New England’s dark day.
B. Voices of angry prediction.
C. There is no smoke without fire.
D. Tree rings and scientific discovery.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
This is a part from US President Barack Obama’s speech on May 14 at Bamard College in New York.
… My last piece of advice – this is simple, but perhaps most important: 36. Nothing worthwhile is easy. No one of achievement has avoided failure – sometimes catastrophic failures. But they keep at it. They learn from mistakes. They don’t 37.
When I first arrived on this 38, I was with little money, fewer options. But it was here that I tried to find my place in this world. I knew I wanted to make a difference, but it was 39 how in fact I’d go about it. But I wanted to do my part to 40 a better world.
So even as I worked after graduation in a few 41 jobs here in New York, even as I went from motley (鱼龙混杂的)apartment to motley apartment, I 42.
… And I wish I could say that this perseverance came from some innate (天生的)toughness in me. But the truth is, it was 43. I got it from 44 the people who raised me. I grew up as the son of a single mom who struggled to put herself through 45 and make ends meet. She had a marriage that fell apart; 46 went on food stamps at one point to help us 47. But she didn’t quit. And she earned her degree, and made sure that 48 scholarships and hard work, my sister and I earned 49.
And 50, I met a woman who was assigned to advise me on my first summer job at a law firm. And she gave me such good advice that I married her. And Michelle and I gave everything we had to balance our careers and a 51 family. We made that marriage work.
… So 52 it’s starting a business, or running for office, or 53 an amazing family, remember that making your 54 on the world is hard. It takes patience. It takes commitment. It comes with plenty of 55 and it comes with plenty of failures.
1. A.compete B.persevere C.struggle D.preservation
2. A.rest B.decline C.quit D.regret
3. A.campus B.downtown C.farm D.country
4. A.confident B.uncertain C.ambitious D.proud
5. A.shape B.instruct C.organize D.lead
6. A.amazing B.disturbing C.meaningful D.unsatisfactory
7. A.reached out B.put out C.gave out D.made out
8. A.presented B.structured C.learned D.created
9. A.copying B.detecting C.persuading D.watching
10. A.life B.work C.school D.business
11. A.yet B.even C.still D.also
12. A.get by B.come by C.get along D.come along
13. A.during B.through C.across D.over
14. A.mine B.us C.ours D.hers
15. A.for the time being B.long before C.up to now D.later on
16. A.young B.poor C.weak D.strong
17. A.as if B.if C.whether D.unless
18. A.rising B.raising C.arousing D.arising
19. A.view B.stay C.remark D.mark
20. A.goals B.advantages C.shortcomings D.setbacks
高三英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
This is a part from US President Barack Obama’s speech on May 14 at Bamard College in New York.
… My last piece of advice – this is simple, but perhaps most important: 36. Nothing worthwhile is easy. No one of achievement has avoided failure – sometimes catastrophic failures. But they keep at it. They learn from mistakes. They don’t 37.
When I first arrived on this 38, I was with little money, fewer options. But it was here that I tried to find my place in this world. I knew I wanted to make a difference, but it was 39 how in fact I’d go about it. But I wanted to do my part to 40 a better world.
So even as I worked after graduation in a few 41 jobs here in New York, even as I went from motley (鱼龙混杂的)apartment to motley apartment, I 42.
… And I wish I could say that this perseverance came from some innate (天生的)toughness in me. But the truth is, it was 43. I got it from 44 the people who raised me. I grew up as the son of a single mom who struggled to put herself through 45 and make ends meet. She had a marriage that fell apart; 46 went on food stamps at one point to help us 47. But she didn’t quit. And she earned her degree, and made sure that 48 scholarships and hard work, my sister and I earned 49.
And 50, I met a woman who was assigned to advise me on my first summer job at a law firm. And she gave me such good advice that I married her. And Michelle and I gave everything we had to balance our careers and a 51 family. We made that marriage work.
… So 52 it’s starting a business, or running for office, or 53 an amazing family, remember that making your 54 on the world is hard. It takes patience. It takes commitment. It comes with plenty of 55 and it comes with plenty of failures.
1. A.compete B.persevere C.struggle D.preservation
2. A.rest B.decline C.quit D.regret
3. A.campus B.downtown C.farm D.country
4. A.confident B.uncertain C.ambitious D.proud
5. A.shape B.instruct C.organize D.lead
6. A.amazing B.disturbing C.meaningful D.unsatisfactory
7. A.reached out B.put out C.gave out D.made out
8. A.presented B.structured C.learned D.created
9. A.copying B.detecting C.persuading D.watching
10. A.life B.work C.school D.business
11. A.yet B.even C.still D.also
12. A.get by B.come by C.get along D.come along
13. A.during B.through C.across D.over
14. A.mine B.us C.ours D.hers
15. A.for the time being B.long before C.up to now D.later on
16. A.young B.poor C.weak D.strong
17. A.as if B.if C.whether D.unless
18. A.rising B.raising C.arousing D.arising
19. A.view B.stay C.remark D.mark
20. A.goals B.advantages C.shortcomings D.setbacks
高三英语完型填空困难题查看答案及解析
听下面一段独白,回答以下小题。
1.Where was Frost born?
A. In New England. B. In England.
C. In the United States.
2.At what age did Frost become well-known as a poet?
A. 13 years old. B. 30 years old.
C. 38 years old.
3.How many times did Frost receive the Pulitzer Prize?
A. Two times. B. Three times.
C. Four times.
4.What was included in Frost’s poems?
A. Understanding and hate.
B. Life and people.
C. Suggestions and explanations.
高三英语短文简单题查看答案及解析
On a Friday night in May 2015, Oliver and Lone Kleven heard angry shouts coming from their front lawn. Lone, 68, stepped onto the porch and saw two men in dark clothes struggling with something on the ground—right where she and her grandson had planted a flower bed the weekend before.
“Go fight somewhere else!” she shouted, worried her plants would get damaged. At the sound of her voice, the face of a boy appeared from beneath the two men. He looked 13 or 14 or so. “They’re trying to kill me!” the boy screamed. Lone ran toward them and, without hesitation, caught the boy’s arm, pulling him out.
“Leave him alone!” she shouted. When the men stood up, Lone saw what looked like a sharp object in one man’s hand. When she turned back toward the boy, he was moaning in pain and holding his stomach. The attackers began to move in on the boy again when Lone’s husband shouted: “Get lost!” The two men walked quickly and quietly across the street and drove off in a dark car.
“I have to get to the hospital!” the boy cried. He lifted his shirt, and Lone could see a bloody wound on his stomach. Oliver hugged the trembling boy while Lone caught her cell phone and car keys inside the house. She handed the phone to Oliver. “Call 911,” she told him. “I’m going after them.” Lone took off but was unable to find the car.
The Klevens then learned what had happened. Earlier that night, as the boy waited for his parents to pick him up from the high school across the street from the Klevens’ house, two men approached and demanded his wallet. When he refused, one of the men hit him in the face. The boy ran across the street. The men caught up with him, and one hurt him in the back and stomach with a sharp knife. That’s when Lone stepped in.
The boy’s wounds required operations, but he has fully recovered.
“He was alone and outnumbered,” says Lone. “There was no time to do anything except what I did.”
1.Why did Lone shout at the man at the beginning of the story?
A. To stop them fighting with each other.
B. To prevent her flowers being ruined.
C. To stop them stealing in the flower bed.
D. To keep the boy from being wounded.
2.What’s Lone’s first reaction when she got close to the men?
A. She kept them separate.
B. She was shocked at the boy’s wounds.
C. She pulled the boy out.
D. She called her husband for help.
3.What’s the main idea of the passage?
A. An old couple rescued a boy by fighting against two robbers.
B. A boy was saved.
C. Two robbers were driven away.
D. An old lady didn’t track the two robbers.
4.What’s the correct order of the following events?
a. Lone stepped in the fight.
b. The two men drove off in a dark car.
c. The boy waited for his parents to pick him up.
d. Lone’s husband boomed from the porch.
e. Two men approached and demanded the boy’s wallet.
f. The boy ran across the street to a flower bed.
A. cfeadb B. cefadb C. fecabd D. eafcbd
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A grave of a man dating back to around 2300 BC was found by archaeologists in England On May 3, 2002. Buried with him were the tools of a hunter or warrior. There was a bone pin that may have been from a piece of clothing such as a leather coat. He carried a copper knife on his breast. The most amazing find was two gold earrings. That would have made him a man of distinction. Only a few centimeters from his head were two pots made of clay, tools and materials to make arrows, a bow and a dozen arrows for hunting and a second, smaller copper knife. Next to them lay a cushion stone, upon which the man could work metal.
His grave is the richest of any found from that period, because this man was buried with two gold earrings which are the oldest gold ever found in Britain (dated to 2470 BC). Besides, he was buried three miles from Stonehenge. Archaeologists tend to believe he was a member of a powerful class who might have organized the construction of Stonehenge.
Stonehenge was begun around 3000 BC. In about 2300 BC the huge stone circles were built. The biggest stone weighed approximately 20 tons. But the smaller blue stones, still weighing 4 tons on average, came from west Wales. It is not yet known how these were conveyed over a distance of 380 km. It is also a mystery how early man was able to construct Stonehenge without the use of modern construction machines and lorries.
He is an example of people who brought culture and new techniques from the European mainland to Britain. In terms of technical development people were going from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age and then to the Iron Age.
1.Which are not included in the things that are found in the grave of a man?
A.Tools, a bone pin, a bow and a cushion stone
B.A copper knife and two gold earrings.
C.Two pots, arrows and materials to make arrows.
D.some chicken and grains.
2. The man buried in the grave might be ______ at that time.
A.A poor man B.a kind-hearted man
C.a rich man D.an ordinary man
3. Why is the man buried in the grave called the "king of Stonehenge" ?
A.He was buried three miles from Stonehenge.
B.He had the oldest gold ever found in Britain.
C.He might be a member of a powerful class who might have organized the construction of Stonehenge.
D.All of the above.
4. We can infer that _______ .
A.how Stonehenge was built
B.the King of Stonehenge was from France
C.Stonehenge was built through several ages
D.Stonehenge was built because of war
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A grave of a man dating back to around 2300 BC was found by archaeologists in England On May 3, 2002. Buried with him were the tools of a hunter or warrior. There was a bone pin that may have been from a piece of clothing such as a leather coat. He carried a copper knife on his breast. The most amazing find was two gold earrings. That would have made him a man of distinction. Only a few centimeters from his head were two pots made of clay, tools and materials to make arrows, a bow and a dozen arrows for hunting and a second, smaller copper knife. Next to them lay a cushion stone, upon which the man could work metal.
His grave is the richest of any found from that period, because this man was buried with two gold earrings which are the oldest gold ever found in Britain (dated to 2470 BC). Besides, he was buried three miles from Stonehenge. Archaeologists tend to believe he was a member of a powerful class who might have organized the construction of Stonehenge.
Stonehenge was begun around 3000 BC. In about 2300 BC the huge stone circles were built. The biggest stone weighed approximately 20 tons. But the smaller blue stones, still weighing 4 tons on average, came from west Wales. It is not yet known how these were conveyed over a distance of 380 km. It is also a mystery how early man was able to construct Stonehenge without the use of modern construction machines and lorries.
He is an example of people who brought culture and new techniques from the European mainland to Britain. In terms of technical development people were going from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age and then to the Iron Age.
1.Which are not included in the things that are found in the grave of a man?
A.Tools, a bone pin, a bow and a cushion stone
B.A copper knife and two gold earrings.
C.Two pots, arrows and materials to make arrows.
D.some chicken and grains.
2.The man buried in the grave might be ______ at that time.
A.A poor man B.a kind-hearted man C.a rich man D.an ordinary man
3.Why is the man buried in the grave called the "king of Stonehenge" ?
A.He was buried three miles from Stonehenge.
B.He had the oldest gold ever found in Britain.
C.He might be a member of a powerful class who might have organized the construction of Stonehenge.
D.All of the above.
4.We can infer that _______ .
A.how Stonehenge was built
B.the King of Stonehenge was from France
C.Stonehenge was built through several ages
D.Stonehenge was built because of war
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
CONCORD, N.H.—Torrential rain forced hundreds of people from their homes in parts of New England on Sunday, as water flowed over dams and washed out roads.
The governors of New Hampshire and Massachusetts declared states of emergency. Maine’s governor also declared a state of emergency for one county. “It’s a very serious situation,” said New Hampshire Governor John Lynch, adding that forecasters were predicting 12 to 15 inches of rain by the end of the storm in parts of southern New Hampshire. “It continues to change and the situation continues to worsen.”
In some towns, police and fire crews used boats to get people out of their homes and stranded cars after hundreds of roads were damaged. Others got around in kayaks(皮船). Some towns shut down, not letting anyone pass except emergency vehicles. “The town is cut right in half,” said Glenn Laramie, police chief in Andover, N.H.
A dam in Milton, N.H., was in danger of failing, which could send a 10-foot wall of water downstream, the National Weather Service said in a bulletin. People downstream were being evacuated from the town.
In Massachusetts, cars were pulled from flooded streets in downtown Peabody, about 20 miles north of Boston, and about 300 people were evacuated from an apartment complex for seniors. Businesses stacked sandbags at their doors, trying to prevent damage from water that at one point rose to waist-deep.
Some parts of New Hampshire had seen 7 inches of rain by midday Sunday and forecasters said up to 5 more inches might come during the day. About 100 residents were evacuated from their homes in Wakefield, N.H., because of concerns about two dams in the area.
Flooding in New Hampshire in October killed seven people, carried off homes and washed away miles of roads down to bedrock.
In Maine, flooding was reported on 60 roads in the southern part of the state, said governor’s spokeswoman Crystal Canney. More than 50 homes in Sanford and several in Kennebunk also were evacuated, state officials said.
1.Which is NOT true according to the article?
A. The situation in N. H. is very serious.
B. New England is a region of the U.S.
C.A state of emergency was declared in three whole states.
D. Seven people lost their lives in New Hampshire in October.
2.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Two dams failed in New Hampshire.
B. Flood in New Hampshire.
C. State of emergency in New England.
D. Severe floods in three U.S. states.
3.In paragraph 4, the underlined word “evacuate” most probably means“ ”.
A. rescue B. trapped C. send away D. wash away
4.Which is NOT a part of New Hampshire?
A. Peabody B. Concord C .Milton D. Andover
5.What was mentioned to cope with the situation?
A. Some towns shut down. B. Some dams were open.
C. People all left their homes. D. Some temporary houses were built.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Sales of Apple’s new iPhone 11 in China began on Friday, but were met with a cooler reception from consumers than in previous years. Unlike in previous years, no long lines were seen outside Chinese shops on Friday for the new iPhone, and the product release only made the headlines in a few media outlets.
Huawei unveiled(公布)its Mate 30 smartphone series on Thursday night. Its new devices have won consumers’ hearts at home and abroad. Many compared it with Apple’s new iPhone 11, saying that beats the new iPhone in terms of innovation and quality. One customer surnamed Zhao, an IT specialist who pre-ordered a Mate 30 Pro on Friday, said that he chose Mate 30 without hesitation. Zhao said, “ It’s obvious that Huawei’s new phone with its advanced 5G mode would lead the future global telecommunication market, and its new innovative features in gesture and side control attracted my attention, too.”
In contrast with iPhone 11’s lukewarm(冷淡的)sales, Chinese netizens have engaged in discussions on Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro. An online poll on the Mate 30 and iPhone 11 on Weibo on Friday showed that more than 60 percent of netizens chose the Mate 30, while less than 20 percent chose the iPhone 11. Many chose Huawei not out of patriotism (爱国主义)but for its technology.
Overseas consumers also engaged in active discussions on Huawei’s new flagship devices on technology sites and social media platforms. On Twitter, many netizens said “nice”, “best phone ever” and “my favorite one” on Huawei’s Twitter account. Some netizens in countries like the UK, the Netherlands and Argentina asked when Huawei’s new devices would be released in their countries.
1.How did customers react to Apple’s new product?
A.They thought it was cool to use it.
B.They stood in long lines to purchase it.
C.They thought its quality was worse than before.
D.They were less interested in it than former years.
2.In what aspect is Mate 30 better than iPhone 11 according to paragraph 2?
A.The price and the weight. B.The appearance and the speed.
C.The quality and innovation. D.The service life and function.
3.What does the underlined word “poll” in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A.Store. B.Vote.
C.Account. D.Exam.
4.What could be the best title for the text?
A.A New Era—5G B.Huawei Is Better than Apple
C.Apple’s New iPhone 11 D.Huawei’s Mate 30 Defeats iPhone 11
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Sales of Apple’s new iPhone 11 in China began on Friday, but were met with a cooler reception from consumers than in previous years. Unlike in previous years, no long lines were seen outside Chinese shops on Friday for the new iPhone, and the product release only made the headlines in a few media outlets.
Huawei unveiled(公布)its Mate 30 smartphone series on Thursday night. Its new devices have won consumers’ hearts at home and abroad. Many compared it with Apple’s new iPhone 11, saying that beats the new iPhone in terms of innovation and quality. One customer surnamed Zhao, an IT specialist who pre-ordered a Mate 30 Pro on Friday, said that he chose Mate 30 without hesitation. Zhao said, “It’s obvious that Huawei’s new phone with its advanced 5G mode would lead the future global telecommunications market, and its new innovative features in gesture and side control attracted my attention, too.”
In contrast with iPhone 11’s lukewarm(冷淡的)sales, Chinese netizens have engaged in discussions on Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro. An online poll on the Mate 30 and iPhone 11 on Weibo on Friday showed that more than 60 percent of netizens chose the Mate 30, while less than 20 percent chose the iPhone 11. Many chose Huawei not out of patriotism but for its technology.
Overseas consumers also engaged in vigorous(有力的)discussions on Huawei’s new flagship devices on technology sites and social media platforms. On Twitter, many netizens said “nice”, “best phone ever” and “my favorite one” on Huawei’s Twitter account. Some netizens in countries like the UK, the Netherlands and Argentina asked when Huawei’s new devices would be released in their countries.
1.How did customers react to Apple’s new product?
A.They thought it was cool to use it.
B.They stood in long lines to purchase it.
C.They thought its quality was worse than before.
D.They were less interested in it than former years.
2.In what aspect is Mate better than iPhone 11 according to paragraph 2?
A.The price and the weight. B.The appearance and the speed.
C.The quality and innovation. D.The service life and function.
3.What does the underlined word “poll” in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A.Store. B.Vote.
C.Account. D.Exam.
4.What is the attitude of the overseas consumers toward Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro?
A.neutral. B.disappointed.
C.aggressive. D.complimentary.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析