The British government declared that a ''prop...

The British government declared that a ''proper piece of work'' was being carried out to look into the possibility of linking Scotland to Northern Ireland via a bridge spanning the Irish Sea. At the moment, the leading candidates for the locations of the route are Portpatrick on the Scottish coast and Larne on the Northern Irish coast.

Length aside, there are a number of other significant challenges that such an enormous project would raise. For example, there’s the depth of the sea, which at times reaches 300 metres, and the large spans that would be required to let any ships pass under the bridge safely, explained Ian Firth, a structural engineer at the Institution of Civil Engineers.

''One solution might be to use floating foundations. '' he said. ''You have a floating pontoon(水上浮台) held below the surface of the water.You still have to get down there and drill holes in the rock down below, but you're now just tying it down with some cables. Then the floating platform is held below the waves----you don't want it at the surface because then you’re getting wave action and tidal action. You stand your bridge structures on those floating platforms. That’s the sort of thing that potentially could be doable. ''

Even so, such a structure would still leave those travelling across it at the mercy of high winds and heavy rain, even taking into account any weather shielding measures that could be fitted. However, there may be another solution.

''There's another type of floating structure, a submerged(水下的) floating tunnel. It’s not through the rock but under the water, '' said Firth. ''You attach it down, shall we say 20 metres below the water, so that ships can go happily across the top of it, but the thing is actually floating. If you're in your car, you’re driving, in effect, through a tunnel. That is a very interesting, and I think really quite potentially practical solution. ''

But it's early days and there are many factors to consider, such as the ability of the transport links either side of the crossing to cope with additional traffic, and the fact that it may be more efficient to upgrade the existing ferry infrastructure, before any kind of design work could begin.

''At the moment it is an idea and not much more than that. To begin with, we'd need a pre-feasibility study which looks at what the options are so that we can actually frame the range of a feasibility(可行性) study, '' said Firth, ''After that people like me could go away and turn over what the options are. I believe it's possible. But 'possible' and 'affordable' are two different things. I’m not trying to put numbers to it, but it is eye-wateringly expensive, and nothing like it has been attempted before. But we're in the business of finding solutions to challenges. We civil structural engineers are good at that kind of thing. ''

1.From Paragraphs 1 and 2, engineers may focus efforts on the ______ of the bridge-to-be.

A.cost B.location

C.structure D.reliability

2.What might be the major drawback to the first solution?

A.It is impossible to build a bridge on floating platforms.

B.It takes much labor to tie floating platforms with cables.

C.Wave and tidal action can easily destroy floating platforms.

D.Traffic flow will be subject to severe weather conditions.

3.What can we learn from Firth's words in the last paragraph?

A.Bridge construction is more of an assumption than a detailed plan.

B.Engineers have reached a consensus on the feasibility of the project.

C.They are trying to update the structural design to control costs.

D.Previous similar attempts do help them draw up a feasible plan.

4.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A.Why not float?

B.A bridge too far?

C.Overlooking the Irish Sea

D.Meeting new Scottish friends

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

I guess she meant that if you’re middle aged and don’t have a car then you are a loser. How arrogant (傲慢) and ignorant！

Unfortunately, there are still people who think that way: that somehow public transport is only for the poor. And the rest have a right to their cars. Some wealthy folk in the West look down on buses and boast (吹嘘) about how many years it has been since they last traveled by one.

How sad is that? Our roads are packed with cars and the air is full of the pollution they emit (排放). But still, many car users are unwillingly to get on a bus or a bike or a train to take themselves to work.

It’s convenient to drive, they’ll say. Buses are so unreliable, they’ll claim. And trains are expensive ---- at least in the UK.

It’s an attitude which may have to change. It doesn’t make sense to drive a car in a city where there’s a public transport system. Also, these rush hour commuters (往返上班者) usually travel alone.

As a result, transport authorities in the UK are looking at solutions to city center congestion (拥堵).

One is to increase the number of parking spaces at out-of-town railway stations. More motorists (乘汽车的人) can then leave their cars and travel into the city by train.

Light rail or tramways are another environmentally friendly solution. Many cities across Europe have installed light rail or tramway systems.

The subway in London is used by everyone, rich and poor. It’s the quickest way of getting around the city, whatever your bank balance.

And then there are the cycle hire schemes you find in many modern cities. In London and Paris, you can hire a bike by the hour to get you where you need to go.

While commuters in Beijing abandon their bicycles for cars, cycling to work grows in popularity in the West.

Many cyclists are willing to pay more than 10,000 yuan for their bicycles. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is often pictured cycling to work. David Cameron, the British prime minister, cycled to the House of Commons before he became leader. These days he takes the prime ministerial limousine (豪华轿车).

1.. According to the article, some British people, like the upper class woman, think that ________.

A. buses are inconvenient                B. bus services are unnecessary

C. having a car is a sign of success         D. only the upper class should have cars

2. Which of the following measures is taken by transport authorities in the UK to solve city center congestion?

A. The development of cycle hire schemes.

B. Increasing the number of parking spaces in the city center.

C. Installing light rail or tramway systems in out-of-town areas.

D. Banning commuters from traveling alone during rush hour.

3.The author mentions the example of Boris Johnson in the last paragraph to ________.

A. express his respect for the mayor of London

B. point to the growing popularity of cycling to work in the West

C. criticize Beijing commuters for abandoning their bicycles for cars

D. show that cars are still the most common means of transportation for famous people in Britain

4. Which of the following might the writer agree with?

A. The British prime minister should give up his limousine.

B. Beijing commuters should learn from British commuters.

C. British solutions to public transport problems are inadequate.

D. Many car owners need to change their attitudes if the traffic problem is to

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

The U.S. government has repeatedly made it clear that it would welcome China’s entrance into the world arena as a power. However, a series of issues since the beginning of this year, particularly Washington's stance on the U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises and the South China Sea issue, have made the world think: Is the United States ready to recognize China as a power on the world stage?

It is easier said than done for the United States to adapt itself to China's development. Lip service is far from enough to boost the development of Sino-U.S. relations. If Washington cannot find a way to recognize and accept China's peaceful rise onto the world stage, bilateral（双边的） ties will be like a roller coaster full of ups and downs. However, no one would like to see the negative effects rocky relations would bring to China, the United States and possibly to the world as a whole.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged China to play a greater role in solving the world's economic, environmental and political problems. She said global issues could not be solved by the United States or China alone, but without participation of the two countries, no problems would likely be solved. Washington has realized that the United States' global interest can be maintained only through changing the way it deals with China.

The Obama administration released positive signals in its relations with China, which have been interpreted as the United States showing its intention to change the traditional strategy of engagement and containment（遏制）. As a matter of fact, the general direction of Sino-U.S. relations provides a foundation on which the United States can base its foreign policies and is more complicated than an adjustment in real conditions. Issues such as arms sales to Taiwan, Google censorship, RMB exchange rates as well as finger-pointing about economic responsibility show Washington still seems confused and inpatient about relations with China.

The relationship between China and the United States is the most important and complicated bilateral relationship in the world this century. The development of Sino-U.S. relations will affect world peace and stability, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Ian Bremmer, an American political scientist specializing in U.S. foreign policy, said, "America and China will have more than ever to gain from closer political and commercial ties, and must take steps to avoid a Cold War, or worse."

In that circumstance, the United States needs both wisdom and determination to recognize and accept China, a country that is totally different from its own, as a power on the world stage.

1.The underlined word stance in the first paragraph probably means________.

A．information         B．opinion               C．ignorance            D．criticism

2.Why does the US have to change the way it deals with China?

A．The US welcomes Chin’s entrance into the world arena.

B．The US hopes that China will get more powerful.

C．Only in this way can China meet all of its demands.

D．Only in this way can its global interest be maintained.

3.Ian Bremmer thinks both America and China will benefit more from________.

A．a cold war.          B．keeping patient    C．better cooperation                         D．developing economy

4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A．Is it Clear that China has become world power?

B．Is US ready to recognize China as world power?

C．Is US still the most powerful country in the world?

D．Is Sino-U.S. relationship the most important and complicated in the world.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

The health of garden plants depends on the soil _____ --the proper balance of mineral pieces, organic matter, air and water.

A. construction　　 B. conservation

C. corporation　　 D. composition.

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

The British government often says that providing children with ______ to the information superhighway is of great importance.

A. prevention      B. protection        C. allowance        D. access

高三英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析

“How to Train Your Dragon” by British author Cressida Cowell is one of the best pieces of children’s literature. A child can make a whole alternative universe with a vivid imagination and Toothless, the hero’s hunting dragon, thus turning a rainy day into an adventure of a lifetime. However, if you have never read the book but instead choose to see the film version, you might think you were seeing a new-age war movie meant for adults rather than children.

Let’s look at “Where the Wild Things Are” for further discussion. The story centers around a lonely eight-year-old boy named Max, who sails away to an island. Creatures living there declare Max their king.

What an amazing piece of children’s literature! A treasure for every child’s library. Yet, children were crying in the movie theatre. Owls were falling from the sky, chicken’s arms were being torn off, and a child was running around a dark abandoned world fighting evil as the only human. It was almost as if Hollywood could not imagine children enjoying a movie for its basic literature content. Hollywood might be right. But more and more its audiences are complaining that there is an increased amount of violence in children’s stories today than in the past.

While there appears to be a trend in our society to make more violence more accessible to younger children, books and literature are generally an exception. I truly believe that children’s literature has become more vivid, and more colorful. This is a great treasure for the children, and is certainly not violent. What has changed the children’s stories of today is not the writers, but the film industry. In some way, children’s literature is just being strangely twisted. I wonder how much influence the author have over this.

1.The Text is mainly about ________.

A. two good books for children

B. how a book is adapted into a film

C. whether children should go to movies

D. whether children’s literature is getting more violent

2.It can be inferred that the film “Where the Wild Things Are” is _______.

A. moving          B. frightening                       C. interesting                       D. amazing

3.According to the text, the author thinks that ________.

A. the film industry’s treatment of children’s literature is wrong

B. writers should provide more colorful works for children

C. there is an increase in violence in children’s literature

D. children should read books rather than see films.

4.How does the text mainly develop?

A. By inferring.                                       B. By giving explanations.

C. By providing examples.                    D. By making comparisons.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The use of lotteries (彩票) to allocate (分配) school places is to be reviewed by the British government because more than 20 percent of children are failing to get into their first-choice schools in parts of the country.

The struggle for secondary school places has reached record levels this year, increasing anxiety for hundreds of thousands of families. A report from 43 local authorities suggests that in many areas, up to a fifth of children face disappointment. Families in London are the hardest hit.

This week is admissions week, when about 570,000 families will receive notice about their child’s secondary school acceptance. As the recession (不景气) forces more parents to consider a state education rather than a private one for their children, more than a third of local authorities have noted rises in the number of applications for secondary school places.

This year, just 62 percent of children in Richmond-upon-Thames got into their parents’ first-choice school, down from 64 percent last year. The council said this was caused by an increase in applications.

In another London authority, Tower Hamlet, 71.1 percent of children were admitted to their parents’ first choice school. In Leeds and Warwickshire, 85 percent were successful. In Derby the figure was 81 percent, while in Wiltshire, Stockport and Lincolnshire, the figure was 89 percent.

In many authorities, the figures are similar to those of last year. Exceptions include Brighton and Hove, which introduced a lottery system to allocate oversubscribed places last year. This year, it has seen a 3.5 percent increase in the number of children obtaining their first choice, bringing the total to nearly 88 percent. However, more than 5 percent of children in this area have been allocated a place at a school that was not among any of their choices.

Lotteries are being used at the government’s suggestion by a small number of oversubscribed schools in around twenty-five local authorities. They were meant to prevent middle-class parents from abusing the system by buying or renting homes close to the best schools.

1.According to the passage, more and more parents in Britain prefer to send their children to _______.

A．a state school                          B．a private school

C．a school in London                      D．a school in Brighton

2.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A．The lottery system is certainly a good way to allocate school places.

B．Over one in five children fail to get into their first-choice schools in parts of Britain.

C．The lottery system is welcomed by parents around twenty-five local authorities.

D．The number of applications for secondly school places is falling this year.

3.In the following places, the highest preferred school admission rate is in _______.

A．Richmond-upon-Thames                  B．Brighton and Hove

C．Lincolnshire                           D．Derby

4.The purpose of using lottery system is to ________.

A．keep middle-class parents buying or renting homes close to the best schools.

B．increase the number of children obtaining their first choice

C．decrease the number of applications for some good schools

D．create equality between children from different social classes

5.The passage is most probably taken from _______.

A．a survey on education                    B．a textbook on science

C．a speech on radio                       D．an essay on economy

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The accused man declared that he was _____of the crime and believed that he would eventually be released from prison.

A. ashamed            B. guilty

C. ignorant            D. innocent

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Americans believe in the ideal, as ______ in their Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal.

A. stated                          B. assumed                            C. held                             D. possessed

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

A small piece of fish each day may keep the heart doctor away. That’s the finding of a study of Dutch men in which deaths from heart disease were more than 50 percent lower among those who consumed at least an ounce of salt-water fish per day compared to those who never ate fish.

The Dutch research is one of three human studies that give strong scientific support to the long held belief that eating fish can provide health benefits, particularly to the heart.

Heart disease is the number-one killer in the United States, with more than 550,000 deaths occurring from heart attacks each year. But previous research has shown that the level of heart disease is lower in cultures that consume more fish than Americans do. There are fewer heart disease deaths, for example, among the Eskimos of Greenland, who consume about 14 ounces of fish a day, and among the Japanese, whose daily fish consumption averages more than 3 ounces.

For 20 years, the Dutch study followed 852 middle-aged men, 20 percent of whom ate no fish. At the start of the study, average fish consumption was about two-thirds of an ounce each day, with more men eating lean fish than fatty fish.

During the next two decades, 78 of the men died from heart disease. The fewest deaths were among the group who regularly ate fish, even at levels far lower than those of the Japanese or Eskimos. This relationship was true regardless of other factors such as age, high blood pressure, or blood cholesterol（胆固醇）levels.

1.In which section of a newspaper can we read this passage?

A. Ads　　　　　     B. Movies

C. Briefs　　　     D. Health and Diet

2.The passage is mainly about _________.

A. the high incidence of heart disease in some countries

B. the changes in people’s diet

C. the effect of fish eating on people’s health

D. the daily fish consumption of people in different cultures

3.The phrase “this relationship” in paragraph 6 refers to the connection between ____ and the level of heart disease.

A. the amount of fish eaten    B. regular fish-eating

C. the kind of fish eaten     D. people of different areas

4.From the passage we know the author is most probably ___________.

A. a heart doctor　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. a science researcher

C. a supporter of healthy eating    D. a university student

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析