In 1848 gold was found in California. Thousands of people rushed there to get some. Many people liked living there. But there wasn’t a whole lot between California (CA) and Missouri (MO), where the nearest trains ran. The train line to California wasn’t finished until 1869.
In I860 and 1861, the Pony Express was the fastest way to get news to and from the West. The trail that they rode was around 2000 miles long. It took most people weeks or months to ride that far. The Pony Express could make the trip in just ten days. Those speeds were unheard of at the time. So how did they do it? Well, they had a good system.
The Pony Express had 184 stations along the trail. The stations were around ten miles apart. This is about how far a horse could run at a gallop (疾驰) before tiring. The rider would switch to a new horse at each station. He would only take his mail pouch (邮袋) with him. Every 75-100 miles, the rider would get to a home station. At each home station, riders would rest. The mail never stopped moving, even while the horses and riders rested.
It was tough to ride for the Pony Express. Each rider had to weigh less than 125 pounds. Speed was the key. Most of the riders were teenage boys. They rode at a fast pace for up to 100 miles a day. If there were an emergency, one might have to ride 200 miles in a day.
The Pony Express filled an important role for a time, but it did not last. The Civil War started in April of 1861. On October 24th, 1861, the first telegraph line to California was finished. This linked them to the rest of the country. People could send messages in an instant. Two days later the Pony Express closed.
1.Which happened first?
A.The Pony Express was started. B.The American Civil War broke out.
C.The train line to California was finished. D.Settlers rushed to California to find gold.
2.How long did it take the Pony Express to send mail from CA to MO?
A.About 24 hours. B.About ten days.
C.About twenty days. D.About one month.
3.What would a rider do at the home station?
A.Give his mail to a new rider. B.Rest a while and go on riding.
C.Collect new mail for customers. D.Feed the horse and check the mail.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A.To prove communication industry develops rapidly.
B.To explain why horses were used to deliver mail.
C.To describe the I860 - 1861E Fastest Mail Service.
D.To tell the brave stories of the Pony Express.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
In 1848 gold was found in California. Thousands of people rushed there to get some. Many people liked living there. But there wasn’t a whole lot between California (CA) and Missouri (MO), where the nearest trains ran. The train line to California wasn’t finished until 1869.
In I860 and 1861, the Pony Express was the fastest way to get news to and from the West. The trail that they rode was around 2000 miles long. It took most people weeks or months to ride that far. The Pony Express could make the trip in just ten days. Those speeds were unheard of at the time. So how did they do it? Well, they had a good system.
The Pony Express had 184 stations along the trail. The stations were around ten miles apart. This is about how far a horse could run at a gallop (疾驰) before tiring. The rider would switch to a new horse at each station. He would only take his mail pouch (邮袋) with him. Every 75-100 miles, the rider would get to a home station. At each home station, riders would rest. The mail never stopped moving, even while the horses and riders rested.
It was tough to ride for the Pony Express. Each rider had to weigh less than 125 pounds. Speed was the key. Most of the riders were teenage boys. They rode at a fast pace for up to 100 miles a day. If there were an emergency, one might have to ride 200 miles in a day.
The Pony Express filled an important role for a time, but it did not last. The Civil War started in April of 1861. On October 24th, 1861, the first telegraph line to California was finished. This linked them to the rest of the country. People could send messages in an instant. Two days later the Pony Express closed.
1.Which happened first?
A.The Pony Express was started. B.The American Civil War broke out.
C.The train line to California was finished. D.Settlers rushed to California to find gold.
2.How long did it take the Pony Express to send mail from CA to MO?
A.About 24 hours. B.About ten days.
C.About twenty days. D.About one month.
3.What would a rider do at the home station?
A.Give his mail to a new rider. B.Rest a while and go on riding.
C.Collect new mail for customers. D.Feed the horse and check the mail.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A.To prove communication industry develops rapidly.
B.To explain why horses were used to deliver mail.
C.To describe the I860 - 1861E Fastest Mail Service.
D.To tell the brave stories of the Pony Express.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Today's word, pan, takes us back to the days of the gold rush in California.
On January 24th, 1848, a man named James Wilson Marshall discovered gold in California. The news spread quickly. Thousands rushed west. They traveled on foot, on horseback and by boat to reach the gold fields. By 1849, the great gold rush was on. Towns and cities grew overnight. Throughout California --- in the mountains, along the streams and rivers --- thousands of people searched for gold.
Some found areas of mountain rock thick with gold. These men got rich. But such areas were few and quickly claimed by the first men to find them. Others searched for gold in the rivers coming down the mountains. They were after pieces of gold that the rains had washed down from above .
The only way to find this gold was by panning. First a gold miner put dirt in a metal pan and added water. Then he shook the pan so that the water would wash the dirt. Slowly, he poured the water out of the pan. If he was a lucky miner, pieces of gold would remain.
Across the nation, newspapers carried stories of the gold being found. Each one hoped that the place he claimed panned out well --- had some gold.
For many, gold mining did not pan out. For a few, it panned out well. But in time, huge machines were built that could wash many tons of dirt at a time. Panning died out.
The word, however, remained in the language. Today, Americans still say, “ It panned out well ,” when something they have done pleases them. A business, a discovery, a simple event pans out well if it is successful. Unhappily, sometimes things do not pan out.
In recent years, the word pan has taken on another meaning. Today, it also means to criticize. How it got this meaning is hard to discover. But the job of a critic is to sometimes pan the work of a writer, artist or singer.
1.Why did so many people flood to California in 1848?
A. Because towns and cities there developed quickly.
B. Because the mountains in California were a great place for travel.
C. Because they wanted to get rich by looking for gold.
D. Because the land of California was fertile at that time.
2.The underlined part “It panned out well" in Paragraph 7 has the same meaning as “______”
A. Everything turned out well B. Nothing could be worse
C. It's not the case D. It's a pity
3.What is the purpose of this passage?
A. To tell us some stories about the gold rush.
B. To introduce the word "pan" in American English.
C. To teach us how to look for gold in rivers.
D. To introduce the history of the gold rush in California
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When I was young, I went looking for gold in California. I never found enough to make a rich strike. But I did discover a beautiful part of the country called Stanislau. Like Heaven on Earth, it had bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees. By the time I arrived, the charming paradise had been deserted because miners’ good luck didn’t last.
Then, I realized I was not alone after all.
A man was smiling at me as he stood in front of his little house. Its front yard was full of blue and yellow flowers. White curtains hung from the windows and floated in the soft summer wind.
Still smiling, the man invited me inside. My spirit seemed to come to life again. I saw a bright rug on the shining wooden floor. And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers. A woman had made this house into a home. The delight in my heart showed on my face. The man read my thoughts. “All her work.” He said affectionately, “Nothing here hasn’t felt the touch of her hand.”
One picture on the wall was not hanging straight. He went to fix it. He stepped back several times to make sure the picture was straight. Then he gave it a gentle touch. “She always does that,” he explained, “It is like the finishing pat a mother gives her child’s hair after she has brushed it. I don’t know why I do it. I just do it.”
As he talked, I went to a little black-walnut shelf that held a small picture of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. There was a sweetness and softness in the woman’s expression. The man stared at the picture. “Nineteen her last birthday. That was the day we married. When you see her...ah, just wait until you meet her!” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Oh, she is away visiting her parents. This is Wednesday,” he said slowly. “She will be back on Saturday, in the evening.”
That night, I stayed. The man told me his name was Henry.
Thursday evening we had two visitors, Tom and Joe. “We just drop over to ask when little madam is coming home. Any news from her?” “Oh yes,” the man replied. “A letter.” He took a yellowed letter out of his wallet and read it. It was full of loving messages. While reading, he glimpsed his friends and cried out, “Oh no, you are doing it again, Tom! Take your hands away and let me see your eyes. I’m going to tell her this time!” “No, you mustn’t do that, Henry,” the grey-haired miner said. “I am getting old. And any little sorrow makes me cry. Lord, we miss her so.”
Saturday finally came.
I was glad to see his two friends, Tom and Joe, with guitars, coming down the road as the sun began to set. They put the flowers they brought in vases and began to play some fast and lively songs.
Henry’s friends kept giving him glasses of whiskey. When I reached for one of the two remaining glasses, Tom stopped my arm. “Drop that! Take the other.” he whispered. I did so. Henry was served last. He had hardly swallowed his drink when the clock struck midnight. His face grew pale and paler. “Boys,” he said, “I am sick with fear. Help! I want to lie down.” Henry was asleep almost before the words were out of his mouth.
In a moment, those handy men had his clothes off and tucked him into his bed. They seemed to be getting ready to leave. So I said, “Please don’t go, gentlemen. She won’t know me. I am a stranger.” They glanced at each other. Then Joe said, “She? Poor thing, she’s been dead nineteen years!” “Dead?” I whispered. “That or worse.” he said.
“She went to see her folks half a year after she got married. On her way back, on a Saturday evening in June, when she was almost here, the Indians captured her. She’s never been heard of since. Henry went insane. But he only gets bad when that time of year comes round. Then we drop in here, three days before she’s due, to encourage him up and listen to him read the letter. Saturday we all come and get everything ready for a dance. We’ve done it for nineteen years. The first Saturday there were twenty-seven of us, but only two now. We drug him to sleep through the night. Then he’s all right for another year.”
The two old men opened the door and disappeared into the darkness of Stanislau.
1.You can sense the existence of a woman from the following sentences EXCEPT “______”.
A. Soft winds touched the trees in Stanislau.
B. There was a bright rug on the shining wooden floor.
C. There were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers.
D. A little black shelf held a small picture of a woman.
2.Tom cried when Henry read the yellowed letter, because ______.
A. he was getting older and older
B. he was moved by the loving messages in the letter
C. he felt sad at the thought of Henry’s wife
D. he was disappointed that Henry’s wife would arrive so late
3.Tom stopped my reaching for whiskey because ______.
A. there was not enough whiskey for Henry B. he didn’t want me to get drunk
C. that glass of whiskey was drugged D. it was for Henry’s wife
4.The underlined word “insane” probably means “______”.
A. depressed B. disappointed C. mad D. sick
5.It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A. Henry’s wife was 38 when she was last seen
B. Tom and Joe have heard the letter many times
C. the author stayed in Henry’s house because he was lost
D. the two miners came on Saturday to share past memories
6.The story is mainly about ______.
A. ever-lasting love B. lifelong friendship
C. an unforgettable experience D. charming Stanislau
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The discovery of gold in Australia led thousands to believe that a fortune __．
A．was made B．would make C．was to be made D．had made
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes(糖尿病) . Believing my career was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it—the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believe in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success—you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological tool.”
1.What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?
A. Difficulties influenced his career
B. Specialists offered him medical advice.
C. Training helped him defeat his disease.
D. He overcame the shadow of illness to win.
2.What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?
A. Her achievements B. Her daily happenings
C. Her training schedule D. Her sports career
3.What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to?
A. Ways that help one to focus.
B. Activities that turn one’s attention away.
C. Words that help one to feel less tense.
D. Habits that make it hard for one to relax.
4.According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?
A. Hard work. B. Devotion
C. Courage D. Self-confidence
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes(糖尿病). Believing my career was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it -- the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success---you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological tool”
1.What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?
A. Difficulties influenced his career.
B. Specialists offered him medical advice.
C. Training helped him defeat his disease.
D. He overcame the shadow of illness to win.
2.What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?
A. Her training schedule. B. Her daily happenings.
C. Her achievements. D. Her sports career.
3.What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to？
A. Ways that help one to focus.
B. Words that help one to feel less tense.
C. Activities that turn one's attention away.
D. Habits that make it hard for one to relax.
4.According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?
A. Courage. B. Devotion.
C. Hard work. D. Self-confidence.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You may have heard the term “the American Dream”．In 1848, James W．Marshall found gold
in California and people began having golden dreams.That 19th century “American Dream" motivated(激发) the Gold Rush and gave California its nickname of the "Golden State".
The American Dream drove not only 1800s gold-rush prospectors（采矿者）but also waves of
immigrants throughout that century and the next．People from Europe, and a large number of
Chinese, arrived in the US in the 19th century hoping that in America they would find gold in the
streets．But most．instead, worked as railroad laborers．They created the oldest Chinatown, in San
Francisco, and gave the city a Chinese name "the old gold hill"．
In the 20th century, some critics said that it was no longer possible to become prosperous through determination and hard work． Unfair education for students from poor families and racial discrimination almost made the American Dream a nightmare(噩梦).
Then, in the 1990s, California saw a new wave of dreamers in Silicon Valley．People poured
their energy into the Internet． This new chapter of the American Dream attracted many business people and young talents from China and India to form start-ups and seek fortune in America.
Better pay, a nice house, and a rising standard of living will always be attractive．However, the
new American Dream .is no longer just about money．It encourages Americans to consume wisely to protect the environment, improve the quality of life, and promote social justice（正义，公正）.
The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has become the model of the new
American Dream．After years of hard work, he grew from a poor young man from Austria into a
super movie star and then a governor． Many people hope his story can save the American Dream
and give California a brighter future.
1.It can be inferred that_____________.
A．America' s golden dream could never be realized
B．America's golden dream had bought great fortune to Chinese immigrants
C．different times have different themes of the American dream
D．determination and hard work are the best way to realize the American dream
2.Why did most of the early immigrants work as railroad laborers?
A．Because they could earn more money as railroad laborers?
B．Because they had to make a living by working as railroad laborers．
C．Because they thought railroad was the first step to find gold.
D．Because railroad laborers were greatly honored at that time.
3.The underlined sentence “his story can save the American Dream” (in the last paragraph) indicates that_____________．
A．the dream of seeking fortunate in America is easy to realize
B．most of the immigrants to America don’t reach their previous goals
C．the success of Arnold Schwarzenegger is among the common examples of the immigrants
D．the immigrants have made great contributions to California
4.What’s the best title of the passage?
A．Wave of Immigrants to America
B．Make Fortunes Abroad
C．Hard Work Leads to Success
D．Changes of America’s Golden Dream
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
How to Be a Winner
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes （糖尿病） . Believing my career （职业生涯）was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it----the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success—you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. “Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet ＆ Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological （心理的） tool.”
1.What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?
A. Difficulties influenced his career.
B. Specialists offered him medical advice.
C. Training helped him defeat his disease.
D. He overcame the shadow of illness to win.
2.What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?
A. Her training schedule.
B. Her daily happenings.
C. Her achievements.
D. Her sports career.
3.What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to?
A. Ways that help one to focus.
B. Words that help one to feel less tense.
C. Activities that turn one’s attention away.
D. Habits that make it hard for one to relax.
4.According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?
A. Courage.
B. Devotion.
C. Hard work.
D. Self-confidence.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
阅读理解
How to Be a Winner
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes(糖尿病) . Believing my career was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it—the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believe in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success—you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological tool.”
1.What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?
A. Difficulties influenced his career.
B. Specialists offered him medical advice.
C. Training helped him defeat his disease.
D. He overcame the shadow of illness to win.
2.What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?
A. Her achievements B. Her daily happenings
C. Her training schedule D. Her sports career
3.What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to?
A. Ways that help one to focus.
B. Activities that turn one’s attention away.
C. Words that help one to feel less tense.
D. Habits that make it hard for one to relax.
4.According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?
A. Hard work. B. Devotion
C. Courage D. Self-confidence
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
How to Be a Winner
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes(糖尿病). Believing my career was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it ---the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success----you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological tool”
1.What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?
A. Difficulties influenced his career.
B. Specialists offered him medical advice.
C. Training helped him defeat his disease.
D. He overcame the shadow of illness to win.
2.What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?
A. Her training schedule. B. Her daily happenings.
C. Her achievements. D. Her sports career.
3.What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to？
A. Ways that help one to focus.
B. Words that help one to feel less tense.
C. Activities that turn one's attention away.
D. Habits that make it hard for one to relax.
4.According to the passage ,what do the three people have in common?
A. Self-confidence. B. Devotion. C. Hard work. D. Courage.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析