Last spring, I started a new exercise class. ...

Last spring, I started a new exercise class. As someone who dislikes doing jumping jacks, burpees, and push-ups, I found the workouts surprisingly enjoyable, at least for a while. But after several months, I was overly familiar with the class routine, and my excitement had been replaced with boredom.

A 2016 study for the American Psychological Association estimated that 63 percent of us suffer from boredom regularly. And research shows that chronically(长期地) bored people tend to fall into depression, drug abuse and anxiety.

But boredom isn’t a character weakness. It’s a state caused by something called hedonic(享乐的) adaptations, or the tendency to get used to things over time. This explains why activities and even relationships that were initially satisfying can sometimes lose their appeal.

Humans are remarkably good at growing accustomed to changes in our lives, both positive and negative, according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. This is a good thing when we are faced with adjusting to setbacks such as losing a loved one or a job. But becoming insensitive to positive events can prove harmful. Think about the last time you got a raise, bought a car, or moved. At first, these experiences can bring immense joy. But over time, they become part of the routine. We are ready for the next new thing to excite us.

While boredom can be a downer when it removes the pleasure from our lives, it can provide a sort of service. “If our emotional reactions didn’t weaken with time, we couldn’t recognize new changes that may signal rewards or threats,” Lyubomirsky says. In other words, we’d ignored cues signaling us to make important decisions about our relationships and safety.

It’s not unlike how our reactions change when we fall in love or experience loss. Being caught in the glow of happiness or the web of sadness can make us distracted or forgetful. We may miss signals that indicate whether we’re about to make a smart move or a disastrous one. The good news is that understanding the connection between hedonic adaptation and boredom can help us.

A study published in 2018 in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin showed that finding unusual ways to get along with familiar people, places, and things can make everyday experiences feel exciting. In other words, sometimes you’ve just got to shake things up!

1.The author talked about his new exercise class in Paragraph 1 to ______.

A.introduce the topic of boredom B.show the negative effects of exercise

C.prove the significance of exercise D.encourage people to work out regularly

2.What did the 2016 study find about boredom?

A.Three in five people are bound to live with boredom.

B.Occasional boredom has no side effects at all.

C.Lasting boredom may affect people negatively.

D.63 percent of people are victims of anxiety disorder.

3.Why do some people suffer from boredom?

A.They possess some character weaknesses.

B.They adjust themselves to negative changes.

C.They get accustomed to previous happenings.

D.They have difficulty handling human relations.

4.What can we infer from Paragraphs 4 and 5?

A.Emotional reactions result in decision making.

B.Emotional reactions determine the social relationship.

C.Boredom leads to being distracted or forgetful.

D.Boredom helps the discovery of new changes.

5.At the end of the passage, the author might continue to write about ______.

A.the tiny excitement of familiarity B.some fresh ideas for keeping life fresh

C.the reasons for accepting boredom D.some methods to mix things up

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Last Thursday,we had a class meeting to discuss when to go for our spring outing.We came up with several choice such as going boating,climbing a mountain and going to a amusement park. Final, we decided to go to climbing.　 The next day, we set off early in the morning. While climbing the mountain, we enjoy the warm sunshine and a beautiful view. However, when they reached the top, we were surprising to see litter here and there, such as bottles and banana peels. Then we started to pick up the litter. Afterwards, we put the rubbish the nearby dustbin. We were tired and happy.

高二英语短文改错中等难度题查看答案及解析

Music died here last spring, or rather, it was killed by members of the school committee who ignored the importance of music and drama as part of the high-school curriculum.

The committee decided that teaching students how to take a standardized test is more important than a curriculum in which students can explore their interests in the arts as well as academics. Because the school system is running out of funding, it needs to make sure that students pass the mastery test or even more money will be lost. If students fail the state standardized test, it is not the fault of drama and music classes – they are failing because the academic classes are not sufficient (足够).

It is painful to think of how many students will be discouraged from singing, acting, and playing instruments because school programs are no longer offered. Many families cannot afford private music lessons, and many potential musicians and artists may not find their calling if they are not exposed to it in school. The fact that the school committee thinks the arts are not worth the investment will certainly make some students believe the arts are not worth their time or support and the cycle will continue.

Teaching for a test does not shape students into complete, well- rounded people. It blocks the natural sense to create and express feelings through art – there is more to life than the analytical thinking that math and English provide. What happens after a test? Sure, a student might graduate, but they will have limited knowledge – certainly not a good preparation for the real world.

1.Music and drama are ignored by ________.

A. students       B. the school committee       C. teachers            D. parents

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

A. Students can get high marks in the standardized test only by attending classes

B. The school committee completely influences students’ attitude towards the arts

C. Students can be musicians and artists only if they can afford private music lessons

D. Quite a few students are discouraged from music and art in today’ s school system

3.We can learn that music and art can ______.

A. provide students with analytical thinking

B. make students round-shaped people in future

C. motivate students in creativity and expression

D. prevent students graduating from high school

4.The best title of the passage can be ______.

A. Who Killed Music and Drama?                 B. Can Curriculum Go Without Arts?

C. Why is Music So Important?                    D. How to Prepare For the Real World?

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Music died here last spring, or rather, it was killed by members of the school committee who ignored the importance of music and drama as part of the high-school curriculum.

The committee decided that teaching students how to take a standardized test is more important than a curriculum in which students can explore their interests in the arts as well as academics. Because the school system is running out of funding, it needs to make sure that students pass the mastery test or even more money will be lost. If students fail the state standardized test，it is not the fault of drama and music classes—they are failing because the “academic” classes are not sufficient.

It is painful to think of how many students will be discouraged from singing, acting, and playing instruments because school programs are no longer offered. Many families cannot afford private music lessons，and many potential musicians and artists may not find their calling if they are not exposed to it in school. The fact that the school committee thinks the arts are not worth the investment will certainly make some students believe the arts are not worth their time or support and the cycle will continue.

Teaching for a test does not shape students into complete，well-rounded people. It blocks the natural sense to create and express feelings through art—there is more to life than the analytical thinking that math and English provide. What happens after a test? Sure, a student might graduate, but they will have limited knowledge—certainly not a good preparation for the real world.

1.Music and drama are not included in the high-school curriculum mainly because ________.

A．the school committee pays no attention to them

B．the school is afraid of losing financial support

C．the students are not interested in both of them

D．the state standardized test is more important

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

A．The sufficiency of the classes determines students' performance in the mastery test.

B．Quite a few students are discouraged from learning music and art in today's school system.

C．Students can be musicians and artists only if they can afford private music lessons.

D．The school committee completely influences students' attitude towards the arts.

3.We can learn that music and art can ________.

A．motivate students in creativity and expression

B．make students round-shaped people in future

C．provide students with analytical thinking

D．prevent students graduation from high school

4.The best title of the passage can be ________.

A．“Who killed music and drama？”

B．“Can curriculum go without music？”

C．“Why is music so important？”

D．“How to prepare for the real world？”

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Music died here last spring, or rather, it was killed by members of the school committee who ignored the importance of music and drama as part of the high-school curriculum.

The committee decided that teaching students how to take a standardized test is more important than a curriculum in which students can explore their interests in the arts as well as academics. Because the school system is running out of funding, it needs to make sure that students pass the mastery test or even more money will be lost. If students fail the state standardized test, it is not the fault of drama and music classes— they are failing because the “ academic” classes are not sufficient.

It is painful to think of how many students will be discouraged from singing, acting, and playing instruments because school programs are no longer offered. Many families cannot afford private music lessons, and many potential musicians and artists may not find their calling if they are not exposed to it in school. The fact that the school committee thinks the arts are not worth the investment will certainly make some students believe the arts are not worth their time or support and the cycle will continue.

Teaching for a test does not shape students into complete, well rounded people. It blocks the natural sense to create and express feelings through art— there is more to life than the analytical thinking that math and English provide. What happens after a test? Sure, a student might graduate, but they will have limited knowledge — certainly not a good preparation for the real world.

1.Music and drama are not included in the high-school curriculum mainly because________.

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

3.We can learn that music and art can ________.

4.The best title of the passage can be ________.

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

I could have finished my self-reflection last weekend, but the math classes and exercises _____ all my spare time.

A. take up　　 　　　　 B. took up

C. had taken up　　　 D. had been taking up

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

World travel has moved on to a new level as new websites spring up to enable travelers to plan their trips online. Virtual tourism is the latest name of the game and although relatively new, has seen some tourism websites grow to host over one-million users.

Typically, this development features a website that contains the answers to almost any tourism question.Tips and information are not provided by a single source, such as the website host, but rather from travelers themselves-often in the thousands. This has proven to be exceptionally beneficial for would-be travelers who are seeking infomtation on questions such as where to find the best museum or beach; whether it is better to tour Brussels with a bicycle or on foot; and which exchange rate bureaus are available in Italy. Questions about food and restaurants; tourist spots; safety; accommodation; and others are all answered. In addition, posted tips promote better preparation, such as what to pack when heading for Sicily(西西里岛).

Apart from the useful tips, visual images and virtual tours have also been made available.If you'd like to visit the Eiffel Tower, it's a good idea to view the surrounding areas; to pick a safer train route; or to know that it's very close to the Seine River and that a walk along it would enhance the experience.

Virtual tours have sprung up globally.In South Africa, John Gore established the Virtual Tour Guide in November last year. On his blog, Gore was quoted a saying,　 "The world is panoramic(全景的). "'We are able to tum our heads and look in all directions and get a feel for where we are, but the typical photograph cannot show or describe that experience completely. " However, there is an answer--technology makes it possible to share the world around us in a 360 degree panoramic way, which really makes the viewer feel as though he or she is really there.

1.Why is virtual tourism more and more popular?

A. Online games are more and more attractive.

B. Many new websites appear and develop fast.

C. More and more people want to travel abroad.

D. It helps travelers save as much money as possible.

2.From the second paragraph we know　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

A. we can solve any problem on websites

B. websites offer all the tips and information

C. we can get all our questions answered online

D. we can get many tips about tourism on websites

3.What does the underlined word "sprung up" most probably mean?

A. Appeared.　　　　　　 B. Moved.　　　　 C. Competed.　　　　 D. Reduced.

4.What makes us see the world in a panoramic way?

A. Information.　　 　 B. Photograph.

C. Technology.　　　　　 D. Virtual images.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

World travel has moved on to a new level as new websites spring up to enable travelers to plan their trips online. Virtual tourism is the latest name of the game and although relatively new, has seen some tourism websites grow to host over one-million users.

Typically, this development features a website that contains the answers to almost any tourism question. Tips and information are not provided by a single source, such as the website host, butrather from travelers themselves-often in the thousands. This has proven to be exceptionally beneficial for would-be travelers who are seeking information on questions such as where to find the best museum or beach; whether it is better to tour Brussels with a bicycle or on foot; and which exchange rate bureaus are available in Italy. Questions about food and restaurants; tourist spots; safety; accommodation; and others are all answered. In addition, posted tips promote better preparation, such as what to pack when heading for Sicily.

Apart from the useful tips, visual images and virtual tours have also been made available. If you'd like to visit the Eiffel Tower, it's a good idea to view the surrounding areas; to pick a safer train route; or to know that it's very close to the Seine River and that a walk along it would enhance the experience.

Virtual tours have sprung up globally. In South Africa, John Gore established the Virtual Tour Guide in November last year. On his blog, Gore was quoted a saying, "The world is panoramic(全景的). "We are able to tum our heads and look in all directions and get a feel for where we are, but the typical photograph cannot show or describe that experience completely. " However, there is an answer-technology makes it possible to share the world around us in a 360-degree panoramic way, which really makes the viewer feel as though he or she is really there.

1.Why is virtual tourism more and more popular?

A. Online games are more and more attractive

B. Many new websites appear and develop fast.

C. More and more people want to travel abroad.

D. It helps travelers save as much money as possible.

2.From the second paragraph we know_________ .

A. we can solve any problem on websites

B. websites offer all the tips and information

C. we can get all our questions answered online

D. we can get many tips about tourism on websites

3.What does the underlined word "sprung up" in the last paragraph most probably mean?

A. Appeared.

B. Moved.

C. Competed.

D. Reduced.

4.What makes us see the world in a panoramic way?

A. Information.

B. Photograph.

C. Technology.

D. Virtual images.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

“Who can ever have imagined someone like me would make it this far?” asked Chad Wood last week during his high school graduation speech as the best student. Chad offered ____ to his fellow classmates to never give up---and the words _____much more to himself. That’s because Chad is deaf, and he told the story of the serious troubles he______to graduate first in his class at Harrison High school in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Chad didn’t start to______until he was 5, according to his mother, Pam Wood. Although her son was at a(an) ______, she was determined not to treat him __. “I’ve expected him to do everything every other kid does, and I saw no ____ why he couldn’t,” she told ABC News. “And if he______ the first time, we just tried again.”

Chad, 17, worked hard throughout school, ______ no special treatment but sitting at the front of the class and using a special audio system so he could hear the teacher. All his hard work _____. He received full school fare to Vanderbilt University. “Deafness had taught me a lesson to never _____,” he said in the speech. “Not when the experts tell you it cannot be done. Not when you have ____ so far behind that escaping seems the only way _____. Not when achieving your dreams seems an entire　 ____ .”

Chad spoke for about four minutes, after which he received a standing applause from the class and______ messages from family, friends and strangers. “They’ve been sending me messages on Facebook, email, they’ve been talking to me in person telling me how it had a ____on their lives and how they’re really ____ by it,” Chad told ABC News. “It feels _____. Seeing that my words ______have a power on someone and that they want to work harder because of my words makes me feel ____ .”

1.A. description　　 B. advice　　 C. warning　　 D. information

2.A. meant　　 B. recognized　　 C. analysed　　 D. described

3.A. needed　　 B. forecast　　 C. consisted　　 D. faced

4.A. cry　　 B. hear　　 C. smell　　 D. laugh

5.A. loss　　 B. advantage　　 C. disadvantage　　 D. distance

6.A. differently　　 B. cruelly　　 C. kindly　　 D. similarly

7.A. reason　　 B. trouble　　 C. harm　　 D. conclusion

8.A. succeeded　　 B. organized　　 C. failed　　 D. blamed

9.A. appealing　　 B. operating　　 C. possessing　　 D. receiving

10.A. set off　　 B. paid off　　 C. took off　　 D. dropped off

11.A. give in　　 B. give up　　 C. give out　　 D. give away

12.A. waited　　 B. walked　　 C. fallen　　 D. left

13.A. out　　 B. off　　 C. up　　 D. away

14.A. victory　　 B. failure　　 C. impossibility　　 D. chance

15.A. supportive　　 B. negative　　 C. doubtful　　 D. awkward

16.A. insight　　 B. detail　　 C. reward　　 D. power

17.A. depressed　　 B. inspired　　 C. exposed　　 D. puzzled

18.A. unwilling　　 B. shocking　　 C. amazing　　 D. embarrassing

19.A. merely　　 B. extremely　　 C. strangely　　 D. actually

20.A. astonished　　 B. wonderful　　 C. confused　　 D. cautious

高二英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

“Who can ever have imagined someone like me would make it this far?” asked Chad Wood last week during his high school graduation speech as the best student. Chad offered ___ to his fellow classmates to never give up---and the words ____ much more to himself. That’s because Chad is deaf, and he told the story of the serious troubles he ____ to graduate first in his class at Harrison High school in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Chad didn’t start to ____ until he was 5, according to his mother, Pam Wood. Although her son was _____a disadvantage, she was determined not to treat him_____. “I’ve expected him to do everything every other kid does, and I saw no ____ why he couldn’t,” she told ABC News. “And if he____ the first time, we just tried again.”

Chad, 17, worked hard throughout school, ____ no special treatment but sitting at the front of the class and using a special audio system so he could hear the teacher. All his hard work ____. He received full school fare to Vanderbilt University. “Deafness had taught me a lesson to never ____,” he said in the speech. “Not when the experts tell you it cannot be done. Not when you have ____ so far behind that escaping seems the only way ____. Not when achieving your dreams seems an entire ____.”

Chad spoke for about four minutes, after which he received a standing applause from the class and ____ messages from family, friends and strangers. “They’ve been sending me messages on Facebook, email, they’ve been talking to me in person telling me how it had a ____ on their lives and how they’re really ____ by it,” Chad told ABC News. “It feels ____. Seeing that my words ___ have a power on someone and that they want to work harder because of my words makes me feel ___.”

1.A. advice　　 B. description　　 C. warning　　 D. information

2.A. recognized　　 B. analysed　　 C. meant　　 D. described

3.A. needed　　 B. faced　　 C. consisted　　 D. forecast

4.A. cry　　 B. write　　 C. smell　　 D. hear

5.A. at　　 B. for　　 C. under　　 D. by

6.A. kindly　　 B. differently　　 C. cruelly　　 D. similarly

7.A. harm　　 B. trouble　　 C. reason　　 D. conclusion

8.A. failed　　 B. organized　　 C. succeeded　　 D. blamed

9.A. appealing　　 B. receiving　　 C. possessing　　 D. operating

10.A. set off　　 B. dropped off　　 C. took off　　 D. paid off

11.A. give in　　 B. give out　　 C. give up　　 D. give away

12.A. waited　　 B. fallen　　 C. walked　　 D. gone

13.A. up　　 B. off　　 C. in　　 D. out

14.A. impossibility　　 B. failure　　 C. victory　　 D. chance

15.A. awkward　　 B. negative　　 C. doubtful　　 D. supportive

16.A. reward　　 B. detail　　 C. power　　 D. source

17.A. defeated　　 B. exposed　　 C. educated　　 D. puzzled

18.A. unwilling　　 B. amazing　　 C. shocking　　 D. embarrassing

19.A. actually　　 B. suddenly　　 C. strangely　　 D. extremely

20.A. astonished　　 B. cautious　　 C. confused　　 D. wonderful

高二英语完形填空困难题查看答案及解析