American writer A.N.DEVERS was at a rare-book...

American writer A.N.DEVERS was at a rare-book fair in New York City in 2015 when she noticed a Joan Didion title selling for just $25. Then she saw the price tag of a novel by the equally famous Cormac McCarthy: about $600. “I realized we don’t value women’s work the same way we do men’s,” Devers says. “It’s depressing. But it’s also exciting, because I can do something about it.”

Three years later, after moving to London and joining the U.K.’s booming rare-book trade, Devers opened the red doors of her new bookstore, the Second Shelf. Located in a quiet courtyard off the busy streets of London’s Soho, the store almost exclusively stocks rare books by women (alongside a handful of male-authored books about women). The focus is modern fiction: Elizabeth Bowen novels, romances by Rosamunde Pilcher, poetry by Ntozake Shange.

Devers’ skill for finding overlooked jewels was polished during a childhood of Visits to yard sales in towns across the U.S., a result of her family’s following her father’s Air Force job. Some of her most sought-after recent finds were works by Miriam Tlali, the first black woman to publish a novel in South Africa. Devers hit on her 1975 debut in a charity store and quickly sourced and sold 15 more Tlali books.

In collecting these works, the Second Shelf is correcting a historical imbalance that has allowed women’s literary achievements to be eclipsed. Bookdealers have tended to be men; much of the trade’s early material was collected by “country gentlemen who ran estates and amassed libraries of books to show their wealth and intelligence,” Devers says. She argues that they’ve been like their peers in other male-led creative industries — including television, film and the news media — in that “they focus on themselves.”

That past contributes to a plain absence of women’s work among the books considered to be valuable cultural objects. In January, the Second Shelf went viral (走红) on Twitter after Devers pointed out that only nine books by women appeared in a list, produced by a trade website, of the 500 biggest sales at auction in the books-and-paper field last year. Even among more recently published works, a 2018 study found, titles by women are on average priced 45% lower than books by men.

In recent years, calls have gone out to read only books by women for a year and for universities to expand their curriculums. The observance of Women’s History Month in the U.S. has also made March a time for publishers to suggest fitting reading lists. Devers’ shop is the physical site of that movement challenging the current situation. “We’ve been taught to find value in something really narrow,” she says. “It’s time to explore something different.”

1.The first paragraph tells the readers _________.

A.why Devers named her shop the Second Shelf

B.how Devers was exposed to rare book trade

C.what motivated Devers to open the Second Shelf

D.where Devers first came across women’s literary works

2.The underlined word “eclipse” in the fourth paragraph means_________.

A.fully exposed

B.partially concealed

C.seriously treated

D.roughly explained

3.Which may explain the absence of the great literary works by women?

A.The trade used to be dominated by men.

B.Women writers’ ideas conflict with the bookdealers’.

C.Males tend to be productive in the creative industry.

D.The majority of male readers don’t read modern fiction.

4.What can be inferred from the passage?

A.In recent years, university curriculums have emphasized books by women.

B.Women’s History Month has pushed women writers to be more productive.

C.More physical bookstores like Devers’ are needed to change the situation.

D.The Second Shelf is helping turn a page for women in literature.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Steinbeck, John, 1902-68, American writer, born in Salinas, Calif., studied at Stanford. He is probably best remembered for his strong sociological novel The Grapes of Wrath, considered one of the great American novels of the 20th century. Steinbeck's early novels-Cup of Gold (1929), The Pastures of Heaven (1932), and To a God Unknown (1933)-attracted little critical attention, but Tortilla Flat (1935), an affectionate（亲切的）yet realistic novel about the lovely, Spanish-speaking poor of Monterey, was enthusiastically received.

A merciful understanding of the world's poor was to be Steinbeck's mark. The novel In Dubious Battle (1936) defends striking immigrant agricultural workers in the California fields. In the novel Of Mice and Men (1937; later made into a play), Steinbeck again presents immigrant workers, but this time in terms of human worth and integrity（完好）－a theme he also used in The Moon Is Down (1942; later made into a play), about Norwegian resistance to the Nazis. The Grapes of Wrath (1939; Pulitzer Prize), while treating the hard situation of dispossessed Dust Bowl farmers during the 1930s, presents a universal picture of victims of disaster. Steinbeck's description of the westward migration of the Joad family, and their following struggles in the agricultural industry of California, is realistic and moving, and he presents his inferior characters with nobility.

Steinbeck's other works are diverse, ranging from the literal account of a voyage, The Sea of Cortez (1941; written with the marine biologist E. F. Ricketts),to a moral story, The Pearl (1948); to a French folk piece, The Short Reign of Pippin IV (1957). Love of his native land shines through the delicately nostalgic story "The Red Pony" in The Long Valley (1938). The somewhat emotional attitude of Tortilla Flat appears again in Cannery Row (1945), The Wayward Bus (1947), and Sweet Thursday (1954).

1. How many novels adapted into a play are mentioned in the passage ?_________.

A. Nine             B. Seven                C. Four             D. Two

2.Accoding to the passage , which of the following is true?

A. The Grapes of Wrath, is considered one of the great novels of this century.

B. Only in the novel In Dubious Battle Steinbeck referred to immigrant workers.

C. In The Grapes of Wrath, farmers living in Dust Bowl possess almost nothing.

D. All Steinbeck’s late works are related to his love of his native land.

3.We can learn from the passage that Steinbeck ________.

A. did not draw much attention until Tortilla Flat was published

B. wrote all his novels in terms of human worth and integrity

C. presented poor but noble characters in all his novels

D. showed his love for his native land in The Short Reign of Pippin IV

4.The passage is mainly about Steinbeck’s ________.

A. works                B. life             C. fame             D. prize

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

TIME is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It was created in 1923 by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce, making it the first weekly news magazine in the US. Hadden was considered carefree, liked to tease Luce and saw TIME as important but also fun. That accounted for its heavy coverage of celebrities(including politicians), the entertainment industry, and pop culture—criticized as too light for serious news.

It tells the news through people, and for many decades, the magazine’s cover depicted a single person. On Hadden’s death in 1929, Luce became the most important man at TIME and a major figure in the history of 20th-century media.

TIME is also known for its signature red border, first introduced in 1927. It has only changed four times since then. The issue released shortly after the September 11 attacks on the United States featured a black border to symbolize mourning. However, this edition was a special “extra” edition published quickly for the breaking news of the event; the next regularly scheduled issue contained the red border. Additionally, the April 28, 2008 Earth Day issue, dedicated to environmental issues, contained a green border. The next change in border was in the September 19, 2011 issue, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with a metallic silver border. The most recent change(again with a silver border) was in the December 31, 2012 issue, noting Barack Obama’s selection as Man of the Year.

TIME has a division magazine, TIME FOR KIDS(TFK), which is especially published for children and is mainly distributed in classrooms. TFK contains some national news, a “Cartoon of the Week”, and a variety of articles concerning popular culture that the younger U.S. citizens are interested in. All the stories in TFK are written by young reporters.

In some advertising campaigns, the magazine has suggested that the letters TIME stand for “The International Magazine of Events”.

1.TIME has a history of _______.

A. about 50 years B. about 70 years

C. about 90 years D. about 150 years

2.Why did some people dislike TIME in the beginning?

A. It had kept its cover the same since the 1920s.

B. It didn’t have a serious tone for important events.

C. It didn’t report important events quickly enough.

D. Henry Luce was in charge of the magazine for too long.

3.Why did TIME change its red border for the first time?

A. To remember the 10th anniversary of an attack.

B. To remind readers to protect the environment.

C. To show great sadness about the deaths.

D. To call on readers to vote for Obama.

4.What do we know about TFK?

A. It has young reporters writing articles.

B. It has a division magazine called TIME.

C. It is designed for kids and teachers.

D. It mainly contains popular culture.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

TIME is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It was created in 1923 by Briton Hadden and Henry Luce, making it the first weekly news magazine in the US. Hadden was considered carefree, liked to tease Luce and saw TIME as important but also fun. That accounted for its heavy coverage of celebrities(including politicians), the entertainment industry, and pop culture—criticized as too light for serious news.

It tells the news through people, and for many decades, the magazine’s cover depicted a single person. On Hadden’s death in 1929, Luce became the most important man at TIME and a major figure in the history of 20th-century media.

TIME is also known for its signature red border, first introduced in 1927. It has only changed four times since then. The issue released shortly after the September 11 attacks on the United States featured a black border to symbolize mourning. However, this edition was a special “extra” edition published quickly for the breaking news of the event; the next regularly scheduled issue contained the red border. Additionally, the April 28, 2008 Earth Day issue, dedicated to environmental issues, contained a green border. The next change in border was in the September 19, 2011 issue, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with a metallic silver border. The most recent change(again with a silver border) was in the December 31, 2012 issue, noting Barack Obama’s selection as Man of the Year.

TIME has a division magazine, TIME FOR KIDS(TFK), which is especially published for children and is mainly distributed in classrooms. TFK contains some national news, a “Cartoon of the Week”, and a variety of articles concerning popular culture that the younger U.S. citizens are interested in. All the stories in TFK are written by young reporters.

In some advertising campaigns, the magazine has suggested that the letters TIME stand for “The International Magazine of Events”.

1.TIME has a history of _______.

A. about 90 years　 B. about 70 years

C. about 50 years　 D. about 150 years

2.Why did some people dislike TIME in the beginning?

A. It had kept its cover the same since the 1920s.

B. It didn’t report important events quickly enough.

C. It didn’t have a serious tone for important events.

D. Henry Luce was in charge of the magazine for too long.

3.Why did TIME change its red border for the first time?

A. To remember the 10th anniversary of an attack.

B. To show great sadness about the deaths.

C. To remind readers to protect the environment.

D. To call on readers to vote for Obama.

4.What do we know about TFK?

A. It mainly contains popular culture.

B. It has a division magazine called TIME.

C. It is designed for kids and teachers.

D. It has young reporters writing articles.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

British writer John Bunyan was born at Elstow, Bedfordshire, England, in November, 1628. His father was a maker and mender of pots and kettles, and the son followed the same trade. Though he is usually called a tinker, Bunyan had a settled home and place of business. He had little schooling, and he describes his early surroundings as poor and mean. He became much interested in religions, but it was only after a tremendous spiritual conflict, lasting three or four years, that he found peace. His struggles are related with extraordinary vividness and intensity in his “Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.” His writing began with a controversy against the Quakers (教友派), and shows from the first the command of a homely but vigorous style.

Like most working men at the time, Bunyan had a deep hatred for the corrupted, hypocritical rich who accumulated their wealth “by hook and by crook.” As a stout Puritan(清教徒), he had made a conscientious study of the Bible and firmly believed in salvation (拯救) through spiritual struggle.

Bunyan’s style was modeled after that of the English Bible. With his concrete and living language and carefully observed and vividly presented details, he made it possible for the reader of the least education to share the pleasure of reading his novel and to relive the experience of his characters.

Bunyan’s works include Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666), The Life and Death of Mr. Badman (1680), The Holy War (1682) and The Pilgrim’s Progress (1684).

The Pilgrim’s Progress is the most successful religious allegory (寓言) in the English language. Its purpose is to urge people to observe Christian doctrines and seek salvation through constant struggle with their own weaknesses and all kinds of social evils. It is not only about something spiritual but also bears much relevance to the time. Its predominant metaphor — life as a journey — is simple and familiar. The objects that Christian meets are homely and commonplace, and the scenes presented are typical English ones, but throughout the allegory a spiritual significance is added to the commonplace details. Here the strange is combined with the familiar and the trivial joined to the divine, and, a rich imagination and a natural talent for storytelling also contribute to the success of the work which is at once entertaining and morally instructive.

“The Vanity Fair,” is an excerpt from The Pilgrim’s Progress. The story starts with a dream in which the author sees Christian the Pilgrim, with a heavy burden on his back, reading the Bible. When he learns from the book that the city in which he and his family live shall be burnt down in a fire, Christian tries to convince his family and his neighbors of the oncoming disaster and asks them to go with him in search of salvation, but most of them simply ignore him. So he starts off with a friend, Pliable. Pliable turns back after they stumble into a pit, the Slough of Despond. Christian struggles on by himself. Then he is misled by Mr. Wordly Wiseman and is brought back onto the right road by Mr. Evangelist. There he joins Faithful, a neighbor who has set out later but has made better progress. The two go on together through many adventures, including the great struggle with Apollyon, who claims them to be his subjects and refuse to accept their allegiance to God. After many other adventures they come to the Vanity Fair where both are arrested as alien agitators. They are tried and Faithful is condemned to death. Christian, however manages to escape and goes on his way, assisted by a new friend, Hopeful. Tired of the hard journey, they are tempted to take pleasant path and are then captured by Giant Despair. Finally they got away and reach the Celestial City, where they enjoy eternal life in the fellowship of the blessed.

1.According to the passage, Bunyan hated the rich people mainly because ______.

A. his father was making and mending pots and kettles

B. Bunyan had poor and mean early surroundings

C. the rich usually got their wealth in dishonest ways

D. Bunyan studied the Bible to save the human souls

2.What are the main characteristics of Bunyan’s works?

① The languages are concrete and living.

② The stories are carefully and vividly described.

③ The plots are romantic and twisting.

④ The works are easy to understand.

A. ①②③　　　　 B. ②③④　　　　　 C. ①③④　　　　 D.①②④

3.John Bunyan wrote the book The Pilgrim’s Progress in order to ______.

A. advise people to obey religious principles for salvation

B. tell people that life is a simple and familiar journey

C. add spiritual significance to the commonplace details

D. to combine the strange things with the familiar things

4.What moral does the story of the last paragraph convey to us?

A. Any imaginable things might happen in a pilgrim’s dream.

B. Christian the Pilgrim likes reading the Bible with a burden.

C. People can struggle against weaknesses and evils for salvation

D. People can enjoy eternal life in the fellowship of the blessed.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

British writer John Bunyan was born at Elstow, Bedfordshire, England, in November, 1628. His father was a maker and mender of pots and kettles, and the son followed the same trade. Though he is usually called a tinker, Bunyan had a settled home and place of business. He had little schooling, and he describes his early surroundings as poor and mean. He became much interested in religions, but it was only after a tremendous spiritual conflict, lasting three or four years, that he found peace. His struggles are related with extraordinary vividness and intensity in his “Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.” His writing began with a controversy against the Quakers (教友派), and shows from the first the command of a homely but vigorous style.

Like most working men at the time, Bunyan had a deep hatred for the corrupted, hypocritical rich who accumulated their wealth “by hook and by crook.” As a stout Puritan(清教徒), he had made a conscientious study of the Bible and firmly believed in salvation (拯救) through spiritual struggle.

Bunyan’s style was modeled after that of the English Bible. With his concrete and living language and carefully observed and vividly presented details, he made it possible for the reader of the least education to share the pleasure of reading his novel and to relive the experience of his characters.

Bunyan’s works include Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666), The Life and Death of Mr. Badman (1680), The Holy War (1682) and The Pilgrim’s Progress (1684).

The Pilgrim’s Progress is the most successful religious allegory (寓言) in the English language. Its purpose is to urge people to observe Christian doctrines and seek salvation through constant struggle with their own weaknesses and all kinds of social evils. It is not only about something spiritual but also bears much relevance to the time. Its predominant metaphor — life as a journey — is simple and familiar. The objects that Christian meets are homely and commonplace, and the scenes presented are typical English ones, but throughout the allegory a spiritual significance is added to the commonplace details. Here the strange is combined with the familiar and the trivial joined to the divine, and, a rich imagination and a natural talent for storytelling also contribute to the success of the work which is at once entertaining and morally instructive.

“The Vanity Fair,” is an excerpt from The Pilgrim’s Progress. The story starts with a dream in which the author sees Christian the Pilgrim, with a heavy burden on his back, reading the Bible. When he learns from the book that the city in which he and his family live shall be burnt down in a fire, Christian tries to convince his family and his neighbors of the oncoming disaster and asks them to go with him in search of salvation, but most of them simply ignore him. So he starts off with a friend, Pliable. Pliable turns back after they stumble into a pit, the Slough of Despond. Christian struggles on by himself. Then he is misled by Mr. Wordly Wiseman and is brought back onto the right road by Mr. Evangelist. There he joins Faithful, a neighbor who has set out later but has made better progress. The two go on together through many adventures, including the great struggle with Apollyon, who claims them to be his subjects and refuse to accept their allegiance to God. After many other adventures they come to the Vanity Fair where both are arrested as alien agitators. They are tried and Faithful is condemned to death. Christian, however manages to escape and goes on his way, assisted by a new friend, Hopeful. Tired of the hard journey, they are tempted to take pleasant path and are then captured by Giant Despair. Finally they got away and reach the Celestial City, where they enjoy eternal life in the fellowship of the blessed.

1.According to the passage, Bunyan hated the rich people mainly because ______.

A. his father was making and mending pots and kettles

B. Bunyan had poor and mean early surroundings

C. the rich usually got their wealth in dishonest ways

D. Bunyan studied the Bible to save the human souls

2.What are the main characteristics of Bunyan’s works?

① The languages are concrete and living.

② The stories are carefully and vividly described.　

③ The plots are romantic and twisting.

④ The works are easy to understand.

A. ①②③　　 B. ②③④　　　　 C. ①③④　　　 D.①②④

3.John Bunyan wrote the book The Pilgrim’s Progress in order to ______.

A. advise people to obey religious principles for salvation

B. tell people that life is a simple and familiar journey

C. add spiritual significance to the commonplace details

D. to combine the strange things with the familiar things

4.What moral does the story of the last paragraph convey to us?

A. Any imaginable things might happen in a pilgrim’s dream.

B. Christian the Pilgrim likes reading the Bible with a burden.

C. People can struggle against weaknesses and evils for salvation

D. People can enjoy eternal life in the fellowship of the blessed.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

British writer John Bunyan was born at Elstow, Bedfordshire, England, in November, 1628. His father was a maker and mender of pots and kettles, and the son followed the same trade. Though he is usually called a tinker, Bunyan had a settled home and place of business. He had little schooling, and he describes his early surroundings as poor and mean. He became much interested in religions, but it was only after a tremendous spiritual conflict, lasting three or four years, that he found peace. His struggles are related with extraordinary vividness and intensity in his “Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.” His writing began with a controversy against the Quakers (教友派), and shows from the first the command of a homely but vigorous style.

Like most working men at the time, Bunyan had a deep hatred for the corrupted, hypocritical rich who accumulated their wealth “by hook and by crook.” As a stout Puritan(清教徒), he had made a conscientious study of the Bible and firmly believed in salvation (拯救) through spiritual struggle.

Bunyan’s style was modeled after that of the English Bible. With his concrete and living language and carefully observed and vividly presented details, he made it possible for the reader of the least education to share the pleasure of reading his novel and to relive the experience of his characters.

Bunyan’s works include Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666), The Life and Death of Mr. Badman (1680), The Holy War (1682) and The Pilgrim’s Progress (1684).

The Pilgrim’s Progress is the most successful religious allegory (寓言) in the English language. Its purpose is to urge people to observe Christian doctrines and seek salvation through constant struggle with their own weaknesses and all kinds of social evils. It is not only about something spiritual but also bears much relevance to the time. Its predominant metaphor — life as a journey — is simple and familiar. The objects that Christian meets are homely and commonplace, and the scenes presented are typical English ones, but throughout the allegory a spiritual significance is added to the commonplace details. Here the strange is combined with the familiar and the trivial joined to the divine, and, a rich imagination and a natural talent for storytelling also contribute to the success of the work which is at once entertaining and morally instructive.

“The Vanity Fair,” is an excerpt from The Pilgrim’s Progress. The story starts with a dream in which the author sees Christian the Pilgrim, with a heavy burden on his back, reading the Bible. When he learns from the book that the city in which he and his family live shall be burnt down in a fire, Christian tries to convince his family and his neighbors of the oncoming disaster and asks them to go with him in search of salvation, but most of them simply ignore him. So he starts off with a friend, Pliable. Pliable turns back after they stumble into a pit, the Slough of Despond. Christian struggles on by himself. Then he is misled by Mr. Wordly Wiseman and is brought back onto the right road by Mr. Evangelist. There he joins Faithful, a neighbor who has set out later but has made better progress. The two go on together through many adventures, including the great struggle with Apollyon, who claims them to be his subjects and refuse to accept their allegiance to God. After many other adventures they come to the Vanity Fair where both are arrested as alien agitators. They are tried and Faithful is condemned to death. Christian, however manages to escape and goes on his way, assisted by a new friend, Hopeful. Tired of the hard journey, they are tempted to take pleasant path and are then captured by Giant Despair. Finally they got away and reach the Celestial City, where they enjoy eternal life in the fellowship of the blessed.

1.According to the passage, Bunyan hated the rich people mainly because ______.

A. his father was making and mending pots and kettles

B. Bunyan had poor and mean early surroundings

C. the rich usually got their wealth in dishonest ways

D. Bunyan studied the Bible to save the human souls

2.What are the main characteristics of Bunyan’s works?

① The languages are concrete and living.

② The stories are carefully and vividly described.　

③ The plots are romantic and twisting.

④ The works are easy to understand.

A. ①②③　　 B. ②③④　　　　 C. ①③④　　　 D.①②④

3.John Bunyan wrote the book The Pilgrim’s Progress in order to ______.

A. advise people to obey religious principles for salvation

B. tell people that life is a simple and familiar journey

C. add spiritual significance to the commonplace details

D. to combine the strange things with the familiar things

4.What moral does the story of the last paragraph convey to us?

A. Any imaginable things might happen in a pilgrim’s dream.

B. Christian the Pilgrim likes reading the Bible with a burden.

C. People can struggle against weaknesses and evils for salvation

D. People can enjoy eternal life in the fellowship of the blessed.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You are a new manager at the American branch of your German firm in Chicago．With a few minutes to spare between meetings，you go to get a quick cup of coffee．

“Hey，David，how are you?”one of the senior partners at the firm asks you．

“Good，thank you，Dr．Greer，”you reply．You’ve really been wanting to make a connection with the senior leadership at the firm，and this seems like a great opportunity．But as you start to think of something to say，your American colleague breaks in to steal your spotlight．

“So Arnold”，your colleague says to your boss，in such a casual manner that it makes your German soul cringe(畏缩)，“So what’s your Super bowl prediction? I mean，you’re a Niners fan，right?”

The conversation moves on，and you walk silently back to your desk with your coffee．You know how important small talk is in the U．S．，and you feel jealous of people you’re your colleague who can do it well．

There’s nothing small about the role that small talk plays in American professional culture．People from other countries are often surprised at how important small talk is in the U．S．and how naturally and comfortably people seem to do it—with peers，men，women，and even with superiors．You can be the most technically skilled worker in the world，but your ability to progress in your job in the United States is highly dependent on your ability to build and maintain positive relationships with people at work．And guess what skill is critical for building and maintaining these relationships? Small talk．

What can you do if you are from another culture and want to learn to use small talk in the U．S．to build relationships and establish trust? Work hard to hone(磨练)your own version of American-style small talk．Watch how others do it．You don’t have to mimic what they do；in fact，that would likely backfire because people would see you as inauthentic．But if you can develop your own personal version，that can go a long way toward making you feel comfortable and competence．

1.The author introduces the topic of the passage by______．

A. raising an interesting question

B．describing an interesting scene

C.making comparisons

D．telling a small jokes

2.What do we know about German people?

A．They usually make small talk in work breaks．

B．They hate making small talk．

C．They don’t make so much small talk．

D．They are good at making small talk too．

3.What makes people from other countries surprised in American professional culture?

A．American workers’ ability to make progress．

B．American workers’ attitude towards superiors．

C．The special meaning of small talk．

D．The role small talk plays in work settings．

4.What does“backfire”underlined in the last paragraph mean?

A．be difficult　　　　 　　　 B．be helpful

C．have a good result　　　 D．have the opposite effect

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You are a new manager at the American branch of your German firm in Chicago. With a few minutes to spare between meetings, you go to get a quick cup of coffee.

“Hey, David, how are you?” one of the senior partners at the firm asks you.

“Good, thank you, Dr. Greer,” you reply. You’ve really been wanting to make a connection with the senior leadership at the firm, and this seems like a great opportunity. But as you start to think of something to say, your American colleague breaks in to steal your spotlight.

“So Arnold”, your colleague says to your boss, in such a casual manner that it makes your German soul cringe(畏缩), “So what’s your Super bowl prediction? I mean, you’re a Niners fan, right?” The conversation moves on, and you walk silently back to your desk with your coffee. You know how important small talk is in the U. S. , and you feel jealous of people who can do it well.

There’s nothing small about the role that small talk plays in American professional culture. People from other countries are often surprised at how important small talk is in the U. S. and how naturally and comfortably people seem to do it—with peers，men，women，and even with superiors. You can be the most technically skilled worker in the world, but your ability to progress in your job in the United States is highly dependent on your ability to build and maintain positive relationships with people at work. And guess what skill is critical for building and maintaining these relationships? Small talk.

What can you do if you are from another culture and want to learn to use small talk in the U. S. to build relationships and establish trust? Work hard to hone(磨练)your own version of American-style small talk. Watch how others do it. You don’t have to mimic what they do; in fact, that would likely backfire because people would see you as inauthentic. But if you can develop your own personal version, that can go a long way toward making you feel comfortable.

1. The author introduces the topic of the passage by __________.

A. raising an interesting question

B. telling a small jokes

C. making comparisons

D. describing an interesting scene

2.What do we know about German people?

A. They usually make small talk in work breaks.

B. They don’t make so much small talk.

C. They hate making small talk.

D. They are good at making small talk too.

3. What makes people from other countries surprised in American professional culture?

A. The role small talk plays in work settings.

B. American workers’ attitude towards superiors.

C. The special meaning of small talk.

D. American workers’ ability to make progress.

4.What does “backfire” underlined in the last paragraph mean?

A. be difficult　　 　　　　 　 B. be helpful

C. have the opposite effect D. have a good result

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Some American high schools are for students with special interests, like science or the arts. New York City even has a program for those interested in the food service industry, called Food and Finance High School.

New York also has what are called international high schools, or internationals, for immigrant students. They must be new learners of English who have been in the United States less than four years. The first school opened in nineteen eighty-five. The city will begin the new term next month with ten.

New York works with a nonprofit organization, the Internationals Network for Public Schools. Support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has helped the network expand. The network says the graduation rate was seventy percent last year in the four New York schools open long enough to have graduating classes. That, compared with twenty-three percent for English language learners in all of the city schools.

Over all, New York officials recently reported that the city’s four-year graduation rate, reached fifty-two percent last year. At the same time, they reported that the city’s dropout rate fell below fifteen percent. The Internationals Network says its schools have an average dropout rate of just five percent.

Claire Sylvan is the executive director of the group. She says students drop out mainly because their families need them to work or because parents arrange marriages for girls.

The Internationals Network mainly helps find teachers and trains them in the teaching method of the internationals. Claire Sylvan says the teaching approach is to have students use their different strengths to help each other. They work in small groups, but she says they are not grouped by ability. She says the students discuss issues, then produce a product like a paper, a play, a poster or a report. They learn English as they work.

1.The international high school in New York is __________

A. for immigrant students with special interests

B. for new immigrant students who have been living in New York less than four years

C. for new learners of foreign language from around the world

D. for new young learners of English language living in the US less than four years

2.The international high schools in New York _______

A. have been opened for less than 20 years and set a good example　

B. can bring great profit for the Internationals Network for Public Schools

C. will expand from having one school to having ten

D. have given great support to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

3.Which of the following shows the graduation rate of the schools of the International Networks last year in the four New York schools?

Graduation rateDropout and other

　　　　　 A　　　　　　　　 B　　　　　　　　　　　 C　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D

4.One of the reasons why some students drop out of school is that _____.

A. their parents can’t afford to pay for the education

B. they have to help their parents with the work

C. girls are forced to make money for their families

D. they have trouble in passing all kinds of exams

5.Claire Sylvan would agree with all the following statements EXCEPT _____.

A. with the help of the network, the students can find right teachers.

B. students use their different strengths to help each other

C. students can be divided into different classes according to their ability

D. students can discuss with each other and finish their work by themselves

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析