The British are known for their sense of humor. However, it is often difficult for foreigners to understand their jokes. The main point to remember is that the British often use understatement.
Understatement means saying less than you think or feel. For example, if someone gets very wet in a shower of rain, he might say, “It's a little damp outside.” Or, if someone is very impolite and shouts at another person, someone else might say, “She isn't exactly friendly.” Understatement is often used in unpleasant situation or to make another person look silly. Understatement plays an important part in British humor.
Another key to understanding British humor is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others. They often laugh about the silly and unpleasant things that happen to our everyday life when someone accidentally falls over in the street. They also like to make jokes about people from different classes of society. They like to make jokes about their accents, the way they dress and the way they behave. What's more, the British love to watch comedies about people who do not know how to behave in society. The comedies series Mr. Bean is a good example of this kind of humor.
Mr. Bean is the character created by British actor Rowan Atkinson in 1990. Mr. Bean doesn't talk often, and instead he uses his body movement and facial expressions to make people laugh. Perhaps what makes Mr. Bean so funny is that he does things that adults in the real world cannot do. Mr. Bean is popular in many countries around the world because you do not have to speak English to understand the humor. Because of this, many people have become familiar with the British sense of humor.
1.Why is it difficult for foreigners to understand British jokes?
A.The British often use overstatement.
B.The British try to understate something.
C.British jokes are not as funny as jokes in other countries.
D.British jokes are connected with many different cultures.
2.The author explains understatement by _______.
A.describing a process B.making comparisons
C.following time order D.using examples
3.Mr. Bean makes others laugh by ______.
A.using his body movement and facial expressions
B.making jokes about others’ accent
C.copying how others behave
D.telling funny stories
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A.British Humor in Comedy B.Humor in Different Cultures
C.Understanding British Humor D.Developing Your Sense of Humor
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
The British are known for their sense of humor. However, it is often difficult for foreigners to understand their jokes. The main point to remember is that the British often use understatement.
Understatement means saying less than you think or feel. For example, if someone gets very wet in a shower of rain, he might say, “It's a little damp outside.” Or, if someone is very impolite and shouts at another person, someone else might say, “She isn't exactly friendly.” Understatement is often used in unpleasant situation or to make another person look silly. Understatement plays an important part in British humor.
Another key to understanding British humor is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others. They often laugh about the silly and unpleasant things that happen to our everyday life when someone accidentally falls over in the street. They also like to make jokes about people from different classes of society. They like to make jokes about their accents, the way they dress and the way they behave. What's more, the British love to watch comedies about people who do not know how to behave in society. The comedies series Mr. Bean is a good example of this kind of humor.
Mr. Bean is the character created by British actor Rowan Atkinson in 1990. Mr. Bean doesn't talk often, and instead he uses his body movement and facial expressions to make people laugh. Perhaps what makes Mr. Bean so funny is that he does things that adults in the real world cannot do. Mr. Bean is popular in many countries around the world because you do not have to speak English to understand the humor. Because of this, many people have become familiar with the British sense of humor.
1.Why is it difficult for foreigners to understand British jokes?
A.The British often use overstatement.
B.The British try to understate something.
C.British jokes are not as funny as jokes in other countries.
D.British jokes are connected with many different cultures.
2.The author explains understatement by _______.
A.describing a process B.making comparisons
C.following time order D.using examples
3.Mr. Bean makes others laugh by ______.
A.using his body movement and facial expressions
B.making jokes about others’ accent
C.copying how others behave
D.telling funny stories
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A.British Humor in Comedy B.Humor in Different Cultures
C.Understanding British Humor D.Developing Your Sense of Humor
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
语法填空
The British sense of humor differs from other countries ___1.___ it is generally more negative. When it comes to _2.___ (make) the British laugh, there is nothing ___3.___ effective than a socially inappropriate joke.
Popular British comedy shows such as Fawlty Towers, Blackadder and the Office are ___4.___(full) of sarcasm (讽刺), teasing and self-deprecation (自嘲). It reflects the culture where mocking (嘲笑), moaning (呻吟) and ridicule is part of everyday life.
__5.__ most British people don’t take these jokes too ___6.___ (serious), foreigners are often puzzled by them. A recent survey found that most foreigners ___7.__ visited Britain found that the British are “arrogant (傲慢的)”, unfriendly and have almost no sense of humor.
Do foreigners not understand British humor __8.___ are the British just not so funny ___9.___ they think they are? McKinstry certainly thinks the British are funny. “Accusing the British __10.__ having no sense of humor is like telling Rolls-Royce that its cars are down-market.
高二英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Podcasts（播客）
The B.S.Report
Designed for the sports fan with a sense of humor,The B.S.Report is hosted by the sportswriter Bill Simmons. Simmons' show is in very loose and free form and it's not uncommon for him to go almost a whole show without even mentioning sports,especially when he really gets going about movies or his ongoing enthusiasm about reality television.
Wait,Wait...Don't Tell Me
One of the most popular programs on National Public Radio,Wait,Wait…Don't Tell Me is now available as a podcast.The show is a news program in the form of a game show.Each week a group of three humorists and writers join host Peter Sagal in Chicago,where they are quizzed on the week's most important and funny news stories. Listeners also get to call in to play different news related games for a prize.
The Moth
The Moth is a weekly podcast run by a nonprofit art organization.The show is made up of recordings of "true stories told before a live audience without notes".Each week,the group releases short 10-20 minute tales told by people from all walks of life.Past presenters have included writers,comedians,scientists,and even New York City police officers.
Filmspotting
Filmspotting is a weekly podcast and is a must-listen for any movie fan.The show is focused on movie reviews, but hosts Adam Kempenaar and Matty Robinson do more than just tell their listeners which new movie is worth seeing.They also discuss and examine film as an art form.The show doesn't just focus on current movies,either,as the hosts frequently discuss old films as part of theme marathons.
1.Which host can you turn to if you want to win an award?
A. Bill Simmons.
B. Peter Sagal.
C. Adam Kempenaar.
D. Matty Robinson.
2.What do The B.S.Report and Wait,Wait...Don't Tell Me have in common?
A. The content
B. The style
C. The theme
D. The form
3.What can we learn about The Moth?
A. It's an art podcast.
B. It's a daily program.
C. It presents various true stories.
D. It's available only in New York.
4.Which podcast may entertain a movie fan?
A. The B.S.Report.
B. Wait,Wait…Don’t Tell Me.
C. The Moth.
D. Films potting.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Switzerland is famous for its watches. However, this country didn’t 26 the
watch. It was the British 27 did it.Here is a story of 28 the
watch was 29 to Switzerland.
Many years ago, an Englishman was 30 to Italy 31 his way he stopped in a small town in south Switzerland. This Englishman travelled in a carriage inside 32 there was a carriage watch. This was the 33 kind of watch. A native shop assistant 34 to see the watch. He 35 what it was and asked the Englishman 36 it.“Itis a carriage watch. ”said the man. “ This machine 37 the time but now it
isn’t working.”
At once the shop assistant 38 to try to repair it. So the traveller 39 him the watch. The assistant was a very wise man. So it was not 40 that he managed to repair it. He 41 remembered how it was made. As soon as the traveller had 42 on his journey, he made a watch of 43 the same type.
44 the watch-making was 45 in Switzerland. Today Swiss watches are sold in stores all over the world.
1. A．make B．invent C．produce D．develop
2. A．which B．who C．where D．they
3. A．why B．that C．how D．when
4. A．carried B．sold C．sailed D．brought
5. A．travelling B．riding C．walking D．running
6. A．On B．In C．At D．From
7. A．which B．that C．it D．whom
8. A．proper B．smallest C．earliest D．biggest
9. A．wanted B．seemed C．happened D．discovered
10. A．wondered B．thought C．understood D．discovered
11. A．on B．about C．of D．with
12. A．gives B．tells C．strikes D．counts
13. A．failed B．helped C．insisted D．offered
14. A．served B．shared C．showed D．handed
15. A．surprise B．surprised C．surprising D．surprises
16. A．however B．besides C．but D．even
17. A．gone B．done C．come D．spent
18. A．correctly B．specially C．exactly D．naturally
19. A．Thus B．So C．Otherwise D．However
20. A．opened B．started C．done D．returned
高二英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Children are becoming addicted to social media for their sense of self-worth, a major study warned. It found many youngsters measure their status(形象) by public approval they get online, often through “likes”. Some change their conduct in real life to improve their image online.
The research into youngsters aged from 8 to 16 was carried out by Children's Commissioner(专员) Anne Longfield. She said social media firms were exposing children to major psychological risks, with some youngsters starting secondary school ill-equipped to deal with the huge pressure they faced online. Youngsters felt their friendships could be at risk, not responding to social media posts quickly and around the clock.
Children aged 8 to 10 were "starting to feel happy" when others liked their posts. However, those in the 10 to 12 age group were "concerned with how many people like their posts", indicating a “need” for social recognition that gets stronger the older they become.
Children tended to compare themselves to others online. "Then there is this push to connect—if offline, will you miss something, will you miss out, will you show you don't care about those you are following, all come together in a huge way at once." Miss Longfield said, "For children it’s very difficult to handle." The Commissioner found children as young as 8 were using social media platforms largely for fun.
However, the research—involving eight groups of 32 children aged 8 to 12—suggested that as they grew, they became increasingly anxious online. When they started secondary school—at age 11—children were already far more conscious of their image online and felt more pressure to ensure popularity of their posts, the research found.
Meanwhile, they still did not know how to dispose of mean-spirited jokes, or the possible sense of inability if compared with celebrities(名人) or more brilliant friends online. They also faced pressure to respond to messages at all hours of the day—especially at secondary school when more youngsters have mobile phones.
The Commissioner advocated schools and parents do more to prepare children for the emotional minefield(雷区) . "It's vital that new age-appropriate relationship and sex education lessons help equip children to deal with growing demands of social media.” Social media companies must "take more responsibility" and monitor websites better or adjust their websites to the needs of youngsters.
1.What may account for Children’s addiction to social media?
A.To get their status recognized. B.To reduce psychological risks.
C.To change their conduct in real life. D.To deal with huge emotional pressure.
2.How was the research conducted?
A.It covered children of all ages.
B.It sought assistance help from parents.
C.It was sponsored by social media companies.
D.It divided children into groups and compared them.
3.During the process of addiction, children have a tendency to ________.
A.switch off from social media platforms
B.become less conscious of their image online
C.pick up anxiety and pressure steadily while becoming older
D.develop skills to dispose of mean-spirited jokes and the sense of loss
4.How should the problem solved according to Anne Longfield ?
A.Children should be banned from visiting the web.
B.Schools must keep track of children's use of social media.
C.It demands cooperation among families, schools and companies.
D.Social media companies need to create more apps to satisfy youngsters.
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
It is his strong sense of humor, as you know, makes him popular with teachers and students.
A. which B. that C. why D. how
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Sharks use their good sense of smell to search for prey（猎物）. But a new study shows that the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the ocean could reduce sharks' ability to find food. It's bad news for a healthy ocean. Sharks are top predators（掠食动物）and are like the ocean's weed controllers.
Dixson works at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Her earlier work has shown that clown fish in acidifying（酸化的）water act strangely. "We want to expand this research to sharks .because we know how important it is for sharks to find their food through their sense of smell," said Dixson.
Her team started by placing sharks in each of three different pools for five days. Each pool had a different level of carbon dioxide in it. The first had the same amount as today's ocean water. The second had a level of carbon dioxide that scientists expect to reach by 2050. The third pool had the highest level of carbon dioxide that could develop by the year 2100.
Sharks weren't allowed to eat any food while in the pools. This made sure that they would be hungry. Then, Dixson released the sharks one at a time into a pool with two side-by-side streams of flowing water. In one stream, the researchers pumped water, in which a dead squid had been overnight. This water smelled strongly of the squid. The other stream contained ocean water with no scent（气味）. Because each stream flowed at the same rate and in the same direction, the squid smell stayed in its stream. The sharks could choose to swim in either stream.
Sharks that had been swimming for five days in pools of regular ocean water spent more than 60 percent of their time in the squid-scented stream. The same was true for sharks that had been in water with the carbon dioxide level that could develop by the year 2050. But sharks exposed to the highest level of carbon dioxide spent just 15 percent of their time in the squid-scented stream.
1.Why did the writer mention the sharks smell at the beginning of the passage?
A. Because the writer appreciates their ability to find food.
B. Because the writer considers them dangerous to human beings.
C. Because the writer intends to show how to control weed in the ocean.
D. Because the writer worries about the sharks in the ocean.
2.What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
A. What the ocean in the future will be like.
B. Who helped Dixson conduct the study.
C. What kinds of pools were used during the study.
D. What the levels of carbon dioxide will be at in the ocean in the future.
3.The researchers pumped water where a dead squid had been overnight to ______.
A. help the sharks look for food
B. test the sharks' sense of smell
C. prove that sharks like eating squids
D. explain why carbon dioxide in the ocean affects sharks
4.What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph suggest?
A. Sharks like the squid-scented stream better.
B. Sharks like the stream with the high level of carbon dioxide.
C. Sharks spent 15% of their time in the squid-scented stream.
D. The high level of carbon dioxide can affect the sharks ability to smell.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Most people who’ve had chicken pox(水痘)once are _____it for the rest of their lives.
A.free from B.immune to C.concerned about D.infected with
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Landscapes are not only the setting for history; they are also a major source of our sense of history and identity. Read them right, and historical landscapes can be more informative than any other kind of source. This is even more the case with sacred landscapes, which were reflection of our ancestors’ beliefs about their relation to the cosmos and can still today seem to hold a spiritual influence.
Over the years, I’ve had the good fortune to have spent time in many historical landscapes, hoping to picture something of the spirits of the people who shaped them over the centuries. I still remember years ago walking along the Inca sacred lines around Cusco, Peru. In this ancient landscape, old sites that once belonged to Incan royals had become torn Spanish mansions. Or many years ago, before the Gulf Wars, I took a journey through south Iraq, the heart land of civilization, where the desert is still crossed by dried-up riverbeds of the Euphrates and canals that once sustained the world’s first cities.
Britain also has its own magical ancient landscapes. From the Mesolithic to the Bronze and Iron Ages, rich layers of the past are still present in the landscape surrounding Stonehenge, even as traffic rushes down the A303. It is the A303 that is the problem. As the main road to the south west from the home counties, the road runs right past Stonehenge. One of humanity’s most famous monuments, Stonehenge is an archaeological landscape without parallel in Europe, and perhaps the world. The first circle at Stonehenge was made 5,000 years ago, and the great stone circle itself in a round 2,500 BC — the age of the pyramids! And the mysteries of this amazing monument and the complex prehistoric societies that produced it are by no means exhausted, as new discoveries continue to show.
All the more worrying to me then, this unique landscape is currently at the centre of a projected plan by Highways England, which aims to relieve congestion on the A303 by creating a four-lane road with a 1.8-mile tunnel, and an expressway interchange 1.5 miles to the west. While the National Trust and English Heritage have offered qualified support for the plan, UNESCO has expressed its opposition. Meanwhile, the Stonehenge Alliance, a group of archaeologists and environmental campaigners, says the plan is based on inadequate and obsolete information. In the end, the argument is about the totality of an ancient landscape, and that includes the ancient astronomical alignment that was purposefully chosen by our ancestors, and that will, in my view, be wrecked by the expressway interchange. Time perhaps for a rethink in the name of future generations?
1.What can historical landscapes offer us?
A.Details of ancient lifestyle. B.Sacred writings
C.Rich historical information D.Breathtaking sights.
2.What did the author want to explore when touring historical landscapes?
A.Different architecture. B.His sense of belonging.
C.The rise of ancient cities. D.The spirits of ancestors.
3.Which of the following is True about Stonehenge?
A.The first stone circle has a longer history than the pyramids.
B.New discoveries have solved the mysteries of the monument.
C.The ancient monument must have been the heart land of civilization.
D.The landscape surrounding Stonehenge has rich layers of the present.
4.What is the author’s attitude towards the projected plan by Highways England?
A.He is for it because it will benefit the future generations.
B.He keeps cool but believes a better solution could be adopted.
C.It should be stopped because it will destroy the totality of the monument.
D.It is rather practical especially with qualified support from the government.
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Fans of the British royal family around the world are making plans for April 29th, 2011. That’s the date that Prince William and Catherine Middleton are to tie the knot at Westminster Abbey in London.
A royal wedding is a rare and unique event in Britain so for many it’s something worth celebrating, particularly if you are in the business of making memorabilia (收藏品).
Producers of these souvenirs are wasting no time in manufacturing key rings, mugs, teapots and tea towels, mostly with the faces of the happy couple emblazoned on the front. These are the must buy items that royal followers want to get their hands on.
Some people may argue the royal wedding is a huge public cost but production and sale of memorabilia is good for business. Former politician, Lord Archer, has commented that, “In this age when we are trying to balance the books, the royal family are a great benefit to Great Britain Limited.”
A porcelain-making company, called Royal Crown Derby, is already manufacturing souvenir pottery. Louise Adams from the company says “we started designing, truly, about two years ago.” It is big business for China too, where much of the merchandise that marks the big event is made.
But why are people so keen to get their hands on a commemorative mug, so much so that one British supermarket has already seen them flying off the shelves?
Obviously, we like to remember an event like this and maybe it makes us feel as though we are part of the occasion. However their monetary value is likely to be low. Eric Knowles from the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow claims, “The vast majority of it will be worthless.”
Modern day souvenirs tend to be mass-produced making them cheap and easy to find. However limited edition or high-end items tend to keep their value and could be a better investment for the future.
But there is one thing we can guarantee that won’t be mass-produced and cheap. That’s the wedding dress for Princess Catherine, as Catherine Middleton will be known.
( ) 1.. From the first three paragraphs we can learn that ________.
A. many fans of the British royal family will be invited to London on April 29th, 2011
B. Prince William and Catherine Middleton are getting married at Westminster Abbey on April 29th,
2011
C. many fans of the royal family will tie the knot on the same day in London
D. fans of the royal family will join in making souvenirs
( ) 2.. The obvious feature of the souvenirs mentioned in the passage is that ________.
A. they are all tiny and easy to carry
B. some of them are linked with tea
C. all of them are marked with dates and pictures
D. most of them display the pictures of the couple
( ) 3.. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A. the production of souvenirs has begun long before the big event
B. the sale of souvenirs has not begun yet
C. people buy souvenirs mainly for their monetary value
D. production of souvenirs has little profit
( ) 4.. Which of the following is a better investment according to the passage?
A. Souvenirs that fly off the shelves. B. Best-selling souvenirs
C. Mass-produced souvenirs. D. Souvenirs released limitedly.
( ) 5.. What’s the writer’s attitude towards producing and selling souvenirs?
A. Supportive. B. Negative. C. Uninterested. D. Indifferent.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析