As John George remembers it, the Detroit neighborhood he grew up in was straight out of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. ''We knew all our neighbors,'' George, 60, told Detroit's Metro Times. ''On Christmas Eve, we'd all go to midnight Mass, and there would be 300 people in our house at one o'clock to about five in the morning. The folks were just really good, hardworking people. ''
By the 80s, however, the old neighborhood was more Pottersville than Bedford Falls. Due in part to economic downturns and a nationwide drug epidemic (泛滥), well-kept homes had been abandoned and kindly neighbors had fled to the suburbs. But not George. ''Living in any city, it's like being in a relationship,'' he told Reader's Digest. ''Some days are better than others. But it was my home. And when I saw it deteriorating, I had two choices: I could leave, or I could stay and fight. I decided to stay and fight. ''
When the abandoned home behind his turned into a crack den, the father of two grabbed some plywood and nails and began boarding up the house. After two neighbors stopped to ask what he was doing, they decided to help, with great results. ''When the drug dealers came back, they turned around and went home,'' says George. ''That's how it all got started. ''
''It'' is Detroit Blight Busters, or DBB, an organization of civic-minded volunteers devoted to reviving the city they love, one abandoned house, one vacant lot, and one garbage-strewn park at a time.
In the 30 years since that first home rescue, an army of approximately 182,000 volunteers, along with corporate and private donors, has helped George destroy around 300 abandoned homes, mostly in the poorer Northwest area of Detroit. They've also secured 400-some homes by boarding them up, thus keeping bad actors out. They've painted and renovated nearly 900 homes and built over 100 from scratch. According to Forbes, more than 1,000 Detroiters have been housed as a result of DBB's work.
''I'm half Lebanese, half Italian, and 100 percent Detroit stubborn, '' George told nationswell.com. ''Once we get something in our heart and in our head, it's almost autopilot. ''
But that was only the beginning. In 2003, George also breathed life into a dilapidated (破旧的) square mile of Detroit by turning it into Artist Village, an area now filled with galleries, a performance space, community gardens, a coffee shop, and outdoor courtyards. Because this region of North Detroit was a food desert, George also persuaded a supermarket chain to move into the neighborhood.
''Blight is like a cancer: If you don't set upon it, it will spread,'' George told thehubdetroit.com. And then there's Halloween. In Detroit, October 30 was ruefully known as Devil's Night, a period when all hell would break loose in the form of crime and vandalism. In response, George created a citizens' patrol (巡逻队) that would take to the streets, keeping an eye on suspicious behavior. He called it Angels’ Night. What began with 12 neighbors on patrol in 1990 has grown to more than 60,000 citywide.
George's inspired ideas have not gone unnoticed by the city he loves.''John wants to show that there is still something to Detroit. That it's still worth it,'' says real estate agent Robert LaBute. And others are buying into it.''We're seeing the trend of younger homeowners coming in.''
Is George proud of having boosted his once-ailing hometown? You'd better believe he is. As he puts it: ''We are on the front porch of the greatest urban comeback story in this nation’s history. ''
1.Why was John George reluctant to leave Detroit?
A.He wanted to save his city.
B.He enjoyed a wonderful life.
C.He stayed to fight against drugs.
D.He got along with his neighbors.
2.What was the result of the first home rescue?
A.An official organization was founded.
B.A voluntary movement began with it.
C.A better neighbor relationship was formed.
D.The drug dealers mended their ways at last.
3.The data provided in Paragraph 5 suggest that ______.
A.many people have been lifted out of poverty
B.many abandoned homes have been destroyed
C.DBB has done a lot to bring the city back to life
D.the number of the volunteers has been increasing
4.What did John George do to revive the city of Detroit ?
A.He transformed the city into an industrial area.
B.He created a citizen's patrol to prevent crimes.
C.He expanded investment in real estate business.
D.He built a supermarket chain in the neighborhood.
5.According to the passage, John George can be described as ______.
A.cautious and creative
B.stubborn and ambitious
C.proud and self-centered
D.strong-willed and inspiring
6.What's the best title for the passage?
A.The Life of a Hero
B.Detroit's Proud Tiger
C.The Power of Devotion
D.The Blooming of Detroit
高三英语阅读理解困难题
As John George remembers it, the Detroit neighborhood he grew up in was straight out of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. ''We knew all our neighbors,'' George, 60, told Detroit's Metro Times. ''On Christmas Eve, we'd all go to midnight Mass, and there would be 300 people in our house at one o'clock to about five in the morning. The folks were just really good, hardworking people. ''
By the 80s, however, the old neighborhood was more Pottersville than Bedford Falls. Due in part to economic downturns and a nationwide drug epidemic (泛滥), well-kept homes had been abandoned and kindly neighbors had fled to the suburbs. But not George. ''Living in any city, it's like being in a relationship,'' he told Reader's Digest. ''Some days are better than others. But it was my home. And when I saw it deteriorating, I had two choices: I could leave, or I could stay and fight. I decided to stay and fight. ''
When the abandoned home behind his turned into a crack den, the father of two grabbed some plywood and nails and began boarding up the house. After two neighbors stopped to ask what he was doing, they decided to help, with great results. ''When the drug dealers came back, they turned around and went home,'' says George. ''That's how it all got started. ''
''It'' is Detroit Blight Busters, or DBB, an organization of civic-minded volunteers devoted to reviving the city they love, one abandoned house, one vacant lot, and one garbage-strewn park at a time.
In the 30 years since that first home rescue, an army of approximately 182,000 volunteers, along with corporate and private donors, has helped George destroy around 300 abandoned homes, mostly in the poorer Northwest area of Detroit. They've also secured 400-some homes by boarding them up, thus keeping bad actors out. They've painted and renovated nearly 900 homes and built over 100 from scratch. According to Forbes, more than 1,000 Detroiters have been housed as a result of DBB's work.
''I'm half Lebanese, half Italian, and 100 percent Detroit stubborn, '' George told nationswell.com. ''Once we get something in our heart and in our head, it's almost autopilot. ''
But that was only the beginning. In 2003, George also breathed life into a dilapidated (破旧的) square mile of Detroit by turning it into Artist Village, an area now filled with galleries, a performance space, community gardens, a coffee shop, and outdoor courtyards. Because this region of North Detroit was a food desert, George also persuaded a supermarket chain to move into the neighborhood.
''Blight is like a cancer: If you don't set upon it, it will spread,'' George told thehubdetroit.com. And then there's Halloween. In Detroit, October 30 was ruefully known as Devil's Night, a period when all hell would break loose in the form of crime and vandalism. In response, George created a citizens' patrol (巡逻队) that would take to the streets, keeping an eye on suspicious behavior. He called it Angels’ Night. What began with 12 neighbors on patrol in 1990 has grown to more than 60,000 citywide.
George's inspired ideas have not gone unnoticed by the city he loves.''John wants to show that there is still something to Detroit. That it's still worth it,'' says real estate agent Robert LaBute. And others are buying into it.''We're seeing the trend of younger homeowners coming in.''
Is George proud of having boosted his once-ailing hometown? You'd better believe he is. As he puts it: ''We are on the front porch of the greatest urban comeback story in this nation’s history. ''
1.Why was John George reluctant to leave Detroit?
A.He wanted to save his city.
B.He enjoyed a wonderful life.
C.He stayed to fight against drugs.
D.He got along with his neighbors.
2.What was the result of the first home rescue?
A.An official organization was founded.
B.A voluntary movement began with it.
C.A better neighbor relationship was formed.
D.The drug dealers mended their ways at last.
3.The data provided in Paragraph 5 suggest that ______.
A.many people have been lifted out of poverty
B.many abandoned homes have been destroyed
C.DBB has done a lot to bring the city back to life
D.the number of the volunteers has been increasing
4.What did John George do to revive the city of Detroit ?
A.He transformed the city into an industrial area.
B.He created a citizen's patrol to prevent crimes.
C.He expanded investment in real estate business.
D.He built a supermarket chain in the neighborhood.
5.According to the passage, John George can be described as ______.
A.cautious and creative
B.stubborn and ambitious
C.proud and self-centered
D.strong-willed and inspiring
6.What's the best title for the passage?
A.The Life of a Hero
B.Detroit's Proud Tiger
C.The Power of Devotion
D.The Blooming of Detroit
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
John George, 60, remembers that he lived a wonderful life in the Detroit neighborhood where he grew up. “We knew all our neighbors.” George told Detroit's Metro Times. “On Christmas Eve, we'd all go to midnight Mass, and there'd be 300 people in our house at one o’clock to about five in the morning. The folks were just really good, hardworking people. ”
By the'80s, however, the old neighborhood changed. Due in part to economic downturns and drug abuse, well -kept homes had been abandoned and kindly neighbors had fled to the suburbs(郊区). But not George. “Living in any city, it’s like being in a relationship,” he told Reader’s Digest. “Some days are better than others. But it was my home. And when I saw it becoming worse, I had two choices: I could leave, or I could stay and fight. I chose the latter.”
When the abandoned home behind his turned into a worn-out place, the father of two grabbed some boards and nails and began boarding up the house. After two neighbors stopped to ask what he was doing, they decided to help, with great results.
That's how it all got started. In the 30 years since that first home rescue, an army of approximately 182,000 volunteers, along with private donors, has helped George pull down around 300 abandoned homes, mainly in die poorer Northwest area of Detroit. They've also secured 400 - some homes by boarding them up. They've painted and repaired nearly 900 homes and built over 100 from scratch. According to Forbes, more than 1,000 Detroiters have been housed as a result of their work.
And there's Halloween. In Detroit, October 30 was known as Devil's Night, a period when all hell break loose in the form of crime and vandalism (破坏公物). In response, George created a citizens' patrol(巡逻)that would take to the streets, keeping an eye on illegal behavior. He named it Angels' Night What began with 12 neighbors on patrol in 1990 has grown to more than 60,000 citywide.
George's inspired ideas have not gone unnoticed by the city he loves. Others are buying into it. There's a trend of younger homeowners coming in.
1.What was George’s home city Detroit like before the ’80s?
A. Neighbors were nice and got along very well.
B. People in the suburbs led a wonderful life.
C. Economy declined because of drug abuse.
D. Many homes were abandoned and people lied.
2.What did George decide to do after his neighborhood changed?
A. Move to the suburbs. B. Leave his hometown.
C. Join his neighbors to help. D. Stay and fight to save his city.
3.What happened as a result of George and other volunteers' hard work?
A. More people moved into Detroit.
B. Almost all Detroiters were housed.
C. Over 100 homes were newly built.
D. There was no illegal behavior any more.
4.What does the story mainly intend to toll us?
A. Great minds think alike.
B. Two heads are better than one.
C. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
D. Little people can make a big difference.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
George couldn’t remember when he first met Mr. Anderson,but he was sure it was___Sunday because everybody was at___church.
| A．/;the | B．the;/ |
| C．a;/ | D．/;a |
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
George couldn’t remember when he first met Mr. Anderson,but he was sure it was ___ Sunday because everybody was at ___ church.
A./;the B.the;/
C.a;/ D./;a
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
George couldn't remember when he first met Mr. Anderson, but he was sure it was ________ Sunday because everybody was at ________ church.
A．/；the B．the；/ C．a；/ D．/；a
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
George couldn't remember when he first met Mr.Anderson，but he was sure it was ________Sunday because everybody was at ________ church.
A．/；the B．the；/ C．a；/ D．/；a
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The position of a car's fuel door (if you can actually remember where it is) remains one of the greatest unsolved motoring mysteries.
Do car company engineers draw straws (抽签) to decide what side of the car the fuel door goes on? No. According to Ford spokesman Mark Schirmer, as reported on the Allstate Blog, engineers are free to place fuel doors on the side of the car that offers the easiest packaging. And while one on each side would be rather convenient, we're not likely to see double fuel doors anytime soon—there's neither the room nor the demand for them.
"The placement of the fuel door is mainly a factor of fuel tank design, location, and underbody packaging," Nissan's Steve Yaeger told the Allstate Blog." With all of the structure and components located underneath the vehicle, engineers would quickly encounter restrictions in trying to route the filler tube to the same side on every vehicle."
Schirmer says Americans prefer fuel doors on the left side of their cars, probably because it makes it easier for them to place their car's left fender close to the fuel pump. For this reason, itˈs possible that drivers in the U. K., Australia, New Zealand, India, and other countries who drive on the left side of the road favor a right-hand-side fuel door. But thereˈs nothing to confirm that driver preference is a factor. There are regulations about where the fuel door should be positioned, but these donˈt specify the right or left side of the car.
If you canˈt remember the location of your fuel door, simply look at the little diamond-shaped arrow on the fuel gauge (燃油量表) on your dashboard—it points to the side of the car where the fuel door is. Do it before you pull up to the pump, to avoid the embarrassment of having to get back into your car and drive to another pump.
1.Why don't all cars have gas tanks on the same side?
A.Engineers place fuel doors where they like.
B.Drivers ask for its position due to their driving habits.
C.It troubles engineers if they are on the same side.
D.There are regulations about which side it should be positioned.
2.Why do Americans prefer fuel doors on the left side?
A.They are left-handed.
B.Itˈs convenient for their fuel filling.
C.It is easier to place their carˈs right fender near the fuel pump.
D.There are many cars with a right-hand-side fuel door in America.
3.What does the underlined word "it" in the last paragraph refer to?
A.The fuel door. B.The fuel gauge.
C.The dashboard. D.The diamond-shaped arrow.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Tips to Identify the Location of the Fuel Door
B.The Popularity of a Right-hand-side Fuel Door to American Drivers
C.Reasons for Gas Tanks on Different Sides
D.The Motoring Mysteries
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When I handed the report to John，he said that George was the person ________.
A．to send B．for sending it
C．to send it to D．for sending it to
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The president of the World Bank says he has a passion for China , he remembers starting as early as his childhood.
A. where B. which C. what D. when
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The first time I remember noticing I remember noticing the crossing guard was when he waved to me as I drove my son to school. He 16 me with a puzzle ---- all because he waved to me like someone does 17 seeing a close friend. A big, 18 smile accompanied his wave. For the next few days I tried to 19 his face to see if I knew him. I didn’t. Perhaps he had 20 me for someone else. By the time I contented myself with the 21 that he and I were strangers, we were greeting each other warmly every morning like old friends.
Then one day the 22 was solved. As I 23 the school he was standing in the middle of the road 24 his stop sign. I was in live behind four cars. 25 the kids had reached the safety of the sidewalk, he lowered his sign and let the cars 26. To the first he waved and 27 in just the same way he had done to me over the last few days. The kids already had the window down and were happily waving their reply. The second car got the same 28 from the crossing guard, and the driver, a stiff-looking（表情刻板的） businessman, gave a brief, almost 29 wave back. Each following car of kids on their way to school 30 more heartily.
Every morning I continued to watch the man with 31. So far I haven’t seen anyone 32 to wave back. I find it interesting that one person can make such a（n） 33 to so many people’s lives by doing one simple thing like waving and smiling warmly. His 34 armed the start of my day. With a friendly wave and smiling face he had changed the 35 of the whole neighbourhood.
16. A. hit B. disappointed C. presented D. bored
17. A. on B. from C. during D. about
18. A. false B. shy C. apologetic D. bright
19. A. research B. study C. recognize D. explore
20. A. praised B. blamed C. mistaken D. respected
21. A. conclusion B. description C. evaluation D. introduction
22. A. argument B. disagreement C. mystery D. task
23. A. visited B. approached C. passed D. left
24. A. drawing back B. putting on C. handing in D. holding out
25. A. Once B. Before C. Unless D. While
26. A. in B. through C. out D. down
27. A. cried B. cheered C. smiled D. gestured
28. A. idea B. reply C. notice D. greeting
29. A. awkward B. angry C. elegant D. patient
30. A. came B. responded C. hurried D. appeared
31. A. surprise B. frustration C. interest D. doubt
32. A. fail B. try C. wish D. bother
33. A. offer B. sacrifice C. promise D. difference
34. A. effectiveness B. cheerfulness C. carefulness D. seriousness
35. A. trends B. observations C. regulations D. feelings
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析