When Columbus ‘sailed the ocean blue in 1492’ he wasn't looking for America, he was searching for a route from Spain to China; America just got in the way.
The Spanish were after the riches of Asia: silk, dates, spices. Until later adventurers discovered how to sail to the Far East, trade with China depended on the Silk Road. The trade between China and Europe brought huge wealth, so the Spanish had a strong desire to find a new way to the East. Eventually a way appeared; as sea traffic developed from the 17th Century onwards, the overland route diminished.
Now China is seeking to revive(复兴)the Silk Road and is preparing to invest 4 trillion pounds in new roads, rail links, oil pipelines and other basic facilities. It is hoped that goods can be shipped westwards by land far more quickly and economically than by sea.
But the plan is also to attract more tourists. Actually, China does pretty well for tourists already; it's the world's fourth most visited country. Two cities — Beijing and Shanghai—possess the tourism business, with significant interest in destinations such as Xi'an and Chengdu. While Beijing is modern, cities such as Lanzhou and Dunhuang have one foot planted firmly in old China.
Other places featured include Xi'an, the former capital of China, where you can come face to face with the Terracotta Army built to protect China's first emperor in the afterlife. From Lanzhou tour members take the train to Jiayuguan, China's western gateway and a key location on the Silk Road.
There is also a fourday coach journey along the original Silk Route through the Xinjiang region to Kashgar. Along the way, at Kurla, you can visit the ruins of the Iron Fortress.
1.What does the underlined word “diminished” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Discovered. B. Disappeared.
C. Disturbed. D. Displayed.
2.What is the purpose of reviving the Silk Road?
A. To rebuild the ruins of the Iron Fortress.
B. To construct new roads and other basic structures.
C. To make transportation westwards faster and cheaper.
D. To draw more inland tourists' attention to the western gateway.
3.What can we learn about the Silk Road?
A. It is nothing but a trade route.
B. It may destroy some cities' ancient style.
C. It attracts foreign investment of ￡4 trillion.
D. It promotes the tourism industry of China.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. The charming of the Silk Road
B. The function of the Silk Road
C. The origin of the Silk Road
D. The future of the Silk Road
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
When Columbus ‘sailed the ocean blue in 1492’ he wasn't looking for America, he was searching for a route from Spain to China; America just got in the way.
The Spanish were after the riches of Asia: silk, dates, spices. Until later adventurers discovered how to sail to the Far East, trade with China depended on the Silk Road. The trade between China and Europe brought huge wealth, so the Spanish had a strong desire to find a new way to the East. Eventually a way appeared; as sea traffic developed from the 17th Century onwards, the overland route diminished.
Now China is seeking to revive(复兴)the Silk Road and is preparing to invest 4 trillion pounds in new roads, rail links, oil pipelines and other basic facilities. It is hoped that goods can be shipped westwards by land far more quickly and economically than by sea.
But the plan is also to attract more tourists. Actually, China does pretty well for tourists already; it's the world's fourth most visited country. Two cities — Beijing and Shanghai—possess the tourism business, with significant interest in destinations such as Xi'an and Chengdu. While Beijing is modern, cities such as Lanzhou and Dunhuang have one foot planted firmly in old China.
Other places featured include Xi'an, the former capital of China, where you can come face to face with the Terracotta Army built to protect China's first emperor in the afterlife. From Lanzhou tour members take the train to Jiayuguan, China's western gateway and a key location on the Silk Road.
There is also a fourday coach journey along the original Silk Route through the Xinjiang region to Kashgar. Along the way, at Kurla, you can visit the ruins of the Iron Fortress.
1.What does the underlined word “diminished” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Discovered. B. Disappeared.
C. Disturbed. D. Displayed.
2.What is the purpose of reviving the Silk Road?
A. To rebuild the ruins of the Iron Fortress.
B. To construct new roads and other basic structures.
C. To make transportation westwards faster and cheaper.
D. To draw more inland tourists' attention to the western gateway.
3.What can we learn about the Silk Road?
A. It is nothing but a trade route.
B. It may destroy some cities' ancient style.
C. It attracts foreign investment of ￡4 trillion.
D. It promotes the tourism industry of China.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. The charming of the Silk Road
B. The function of the Silk Road
C. The origin of the Silk Road
D. The future of the Silk Road
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
I don't think I can recall a time when I wasn't aware of the beauty of the ocean. Growing up in Australia, I had the good fortune of having the sea at my side. The first time I went to Half Moon Bay, I suddenly had the feeling of not being able to feel the ground with my feet anymore.
For my 10th birthday, my sister and I were taken out to the Great Barrier Reef. There were fish in different colors, caves and layers of coral. They made such an impression on me. When I learned that only 1 percent of Australia's Coral Sea was protected, I was shocked. Australian marine life is particularly important because the reef have more marine species than any other country on the earth. But sadly, only 45% of the world's reefs are considered healthy.
This statistic is depressing, so it's important to do everything to protect them. The hope that the Coral Sea remains a complete eco system has led me to take action. I’ve become involved with the Protect Our Coral Sea activity, which aims to create the largest marine park in the world. It would serve as a place where the ocean's species will all have a safe place forever.
Together, Angus and I created a little video and we hope it will inspire people to be a part of the movement. Angus also shares many beautiful childhood memories of the ocean as a young boy, who grew up sailing, admiring the beauty of the ocean and trying to find the species.
1.From the underlined sentence in Para.1, we can learn the author_______
A.had a wonderful impression of Half Moon Bay B.seldom went surfing at the sea
C.forgot his experiences about the ocean D.never went back to his hometown
2.According to the second paragraph, Australian marine life________
A.is protected better than that in other oceans
B.is escaping from the Coral Sea gradually
C.depends on reefs for living greatly
D.may be faced with danger
3.The Protect Our Coral Sea activity is intended to_______
A.raise more teenagers environmental awareness
B.contribute to a complete eco-system
C.prevent more marine species being endangered
D.set up a large nature reserve for reefs
4.Angus and the author created a little video to__________
A.bring back to people their memory of ocean species
B.urge more people to take action to protect the marine species
C.inspire more people to explore the secret of the ocean
D.share their childhood experiences about the ocean
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It was 80 years before Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic Zheng He had sailed to East Africa.
A.when B.that
C.after D.since
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
When Christopher Columbus landed on the then unnamed Costa Rica in 1502, he saw many Indians wearing gold earrings. So he thought the land must be rich in gold. He named the place Costa Rica, which means “rich coast” in Spanish.
Though little gold was found, Costa Rica today is indeed rich with coffee and bananas. Coffee is the most important product in Costa Rica and most of it is exported to other countries like America and West Germany. Bananas are the country’s second most important export.
Costa Ricans also grow many other crops such as fruits, corn and beans for their own use. Costa Ricans love colors and their houses are painted in bright colors.
Education is very important to the Costa Ricans. Almost every village has a school and education is a must for children between seven and fourteen years of age. Boys and girls go to separate schools. Classes begin in March and end in November. The other three months of the year are harvest time and the children have to help their parents to pick coffee beans.
1.What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
A. How Columbus found Costa Rica.
B. How Costa Rica got its name.
C. What the Costa Ricans wore.
D. What language the Costa Ricans spoke.
2.The Costa Ricans may NOT paint their houses ______.
A. pink and red. B. grey and black
C. blue and green. D. yellow and orange
3.From December to February, school children in Costa Rica ______.
A. have lessons every day
B. have their examinations
C. help their parents pick coffee beans
D. go to separate schools
4.This passage is mainly about ______.
A. Christopher Columbus
B. Costa Rica
C. some products from Costa Rica
D. the education of Costa Rica
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The story of chocolate begins with the discovery of America in 1492. Columbus was the first European to come into contact with cacao. Columbus was struck by how much value the Indians placed on them as he did not know the beans were used by currency. It is unlikely that Columbus brought any of these beans back to Spain and it was not until about 25 years later that Cortez grasped the commercial possibilities when he found the Aztecs using the beans to make the royal drink “chocolatl”.
The Spanish, in general, were not fond of the bitter drink so Cortez and his followers made it more palatable by adding sugar and later cinnamon(肉桂) and vanilla(香草) were added. Spanish monks( 僧侣) let the secret out back home and, although the Spanish hid it from their neighbors for a hundred years, finally chocolate’s popularity grew until it was their fashionable drink at the French court(宫廷) and the wise choice of customers at London meeting houses.
The cacao tree is strictly a tropical plant only in hot, rainy climates. Thus, its cultivation (培育 ) is limited to countries not more than 20 degrees north or south of the equator ( 赤 道 ). The cacao tree is very delicate and sensitive. It needs protection from the wind and requires a fair amount of shade under most conditions. This is true especially in its first two or three years of growth. A newly planted young cacao tree is often sheltered by a different type of trees. It is normal to plant food crops for shade such as bananas, or coconuts. Rubber trees( 橡胶树) and forest trees are also used for shade. Once established, however, cacao trees can grow in full sunlight, provided there are fertile soil conditions and intensive farming. With cutting and careful cultivation, the trees of strains will begin bearing fruit in the fifth year. With extreme care, some strains can be stimulated to produce good crops in the third and fourth year.
The process of turning cacao into chocolate hasn’t changed much since the late 1800s, when the Swiss learned to make fine unsweetened chocolate. Mixed with cocoa butter and other ingredients and then “purified”, the finished result is shaped, cooled, packaged by machine, distributed, sold and of course, eaten!
1.Why didn’t Columbus bring beans back to Spain at once when he found cacao?
A.Because he couldn’t afford to buy the cacao bean.
B.Because he didn’t know how to turn cacao bean into chocolate.
C.Because he was not aware of the commercial value of cacao bean then.
D.Because Spaniards then didn’t favour the chocolate that the Aztecs originally drank.
2.The underlined word “palatable” in paragraph 2 probably means _______.
A.affordable B.agreeable
C.patent D.portable
3.Which of the following is correct about cacao tree?
A.Cacao trees require hot, rainy climates and adequate sunlight.
B.Cacao trees need a lot of looking after to be used commercially.
C.Cacao trees won’t produce fruit until the fifth year.
D.Cacao trees can grow well in all continents.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
What will the man probably do?
A. Sail in a boat. B. Swim in the ocean. C. Go shopping with the woman.
高二英语短对话中等难度题查看答案及解析
When Christopher Columbus landed on a land without name in 1502, he saw many Indians wearing gold earrings. So he thought the land must be rich in gold. He named the place Costa Rica, which means “rich coast” in Spanish.
Though little gold was found, Costa Rica today is indeed rich with coffee and bananas. Coffee is the most important product in Costa Rica and most of it is exported to other countries like America and West Germany. Bananas are the country’s second most important export.
Costa Ricans also grow many other crops such as fruits, corn and beans for their own use. Costa Ricans love colors and their houses are painted in bright colors.
Education is very important to the Costa Ricans. Almost every village has a school and education is a must for children between seven and fourteen years of age. Boys and girls go to separate schools. Classes begin in March and end in November. The other three months of the year are harvest time and the children have to help their parents to pick coffee beans.
1.What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
A．How Columbus found Costa Rica. B．How Costa Rica got its name.
C．What the Costa Ricans wore. D．What language the Costa Ricans spoke.
2.The Costa Ricans may NOT paint their houses ______.
A．pink and red B．grey and black C．blue and green D．yellow and orange
3.In Costa Rica, boys and girls between seven and fourteen ______.
A．must go to school B．study in the same school
C．do not have to go to school at all D．can choose to stop schooling at any time
4.From December to February, school children in Costa Rica ______.
A．have lessons every day B．have their examinations
C．help their parents pick coffee beans D．help their parents decorate their houses
5.This passage is mainly about ______.
A．Christopher Columbus B．Costa Rica
C．some products from Costa Rica D．the education of Costa Rica
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It was 80 years before Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic______ Zheng sailed to East Africa
A．when B．that C．after D．since
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
When he came back, his _________ look on his face, he failed in the interview.
A. disappointed B. disappointing
C. encouraged D. encouraging
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Not so long ago, a sailor sailing across the cold waters of the northern Pacific Ocean might have had every chance of meeting a sea cow. This cow would have measured 10 meters long and weighed between five and 10 tons and it would spend most of its day moving slowly in the seas, eating grass growing underwater. The cow in question was known as Steller’s sea cow, which has now died out.
Today, many people don’t know that such a strange creature once existed, or don’t know its unbelievable story. but many scientists have discovered many fundamental facts about this mystical (神秘的) animal.
Surprisingly, the first recorded sighting of a Steller’s sea cow didn’t happen until 1741. When a sailing expedition (探险) was stuck on an uninhabited island, later named Bering Island. The sailors survived by hunting and eating the enormous sea cow. Like its modern relatives, the sea cow lived in groups. That and its slow moving behavior made it easy to be caught.
Those sailors that escaped from the island spread word of the amount of meat to be found off its shore. As a result, more and more people came to hunt the animals. It is said that one sea cow could feed 33 men for a month.
However, just 27 years after the island and species had been discovered by modern man, the last sea cow was reported killed. This makes the sea cow one of the few truly large mammals known to have been driven extinct in the modern age.
1.What does the underlined phrase “in question” in Para 1 mean?
A.In danger. B.Referred to.
C.In doubt. D.Being questioned.
2.When did the Steller’s sea cow become extinct?
A.In 1717. B.In 1741.
C.In 1768. D.In 1775.
3.Which of the following words can best describe the Steller’s sea cow?
A.Endangered. B.Huge.
C.Strange. D.Mild.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.An unbelievable story about the Steller’s sea cow.
B.When the Steller’s sea cow became extinct.
C.How the Steller’s sea cow has been driven extinct.
D.The discovery about the Steller’s sea cow dying out.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析