Poetry is one of mankind’s oldest art forms. ...

Poetry is one of mankind’s oldest art forms. Since first analyzed by Aristotle, poetry has been part of every major art movement, and some say it captures emotion better than any other forms. Reading peotry is necessary to gain a full understanding of the world and has many additional benefits .

The immediate benefits of reading poetry are improvements to vocabulary. Poetry makes the reader familiar with new terms and encourages verbal analysis. This presents reading as a creative act in its own right. The common practice of memorizing poems also improves long-term brain health. Studies have shown that people who memorize and recall poems are less susceptible (受影响) to Alzheimer’s.

Poetry also improves critical thinking by forcing a reader to think. In great poetry, meaning is not obvious or one-dimensional (维度). Understanding poetry is an active practice, rather than the passive engagement encouraged with prose (散文). Readers of poetry are more likely than nonreaders to analyze information for viewpoints. This skill benefits students, but also anyone who wants to form their own opinions of news items or gain a better perspective upon documents like contracts. The critical thinking skills developed through reading poetry give greater control language itself.

The most remarkable power of literature is its ability to unite reader and writer across time and cultural boundaries. As condensed(浓缩的) literature, poetry offers these benefits in a powerful way. Poetry triggers memories and emotions in its readers. This connection between universal emotions and personal experience encourages the development of empathy. A reader might have no practical conception of what life was like during the Elizabethan-era in England. However, Shakespeare’s Sonnets with their universal themes of love and longing, can bridge the gap of centuries and help us gain an insight into peopled feelings in the 17th century.

1.Which of the following shows the benefit memorizing poetry brings to the brain?

A.It improves peopled long-term memory.

B.It improve s one’s ability of analysing issues.

C.It makes one less likely to catch Alzheimer’s

D.It makes one act more creatively.

2.In what way does poetry improve critical thinking?

A.Readers have to analyze information to form viewpoints.

B.Readers must understand the obvious meaning of poetry.

C.Readers have to gain a better perspective upon documents.

D.Readers have to have a good control over language.

3.Why does the author mention Shakespeare’s Sonnets?

A.To show poetry motivates us learn different cultures.

B.To show poetry helps develop our empathy.

C.To show the universal themes of poetry.

D.To show Shakespeare’s understanding of life.

4.What is the purpose of the text?

A.To ask us to read poems.

B.To show how to appreciate poems.

C.To tell the importance of poetry in history.

D.To explain the benefits of reading poetry.

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Theater is one of the oldest and most important art forms in world culture, it is also one of the richest art forms. Many people work together to bring a play to life. There are playwrights, directors, set designers, costumers, lighting technicians, and, of course, actors. If the performance is a musical, the skills of a songwriter, a choreographer, and musicians are also required. The excitement of opening night can be felt by the people waiting to watch a performance and by the performers and workers backstage waiting for the curtain to go up. Live theater is thrilling because no one really knows how well the play will go until it is performed.

The word theater comes from the Greek theatron, which means “a place for seeing.” One concept from Greek theater that is still seen in some plays today is the “Greek Chorus”. This consists of several actors or characters watching the action of the play(almost like the audience) and then commenting on what whey just saw with either reactions or dialogue.

Although most people think of the theater in terms of a play performed on the stage, theater has taken on a much broader meaning in the modern world. You may find yourself walking into a theater with no seats in the rows. Instead, you are seated among the set pieces, which makes you part of the setting. Sometimes theater may come to life on a street corner, or in a classroom. The excitement of theater is in its very nature----it is an art form that changes as it is interpreted(诠释) in different ways by different people. That is probably why the works of the greatest playwright of all time, William Shakespeare, are still performed and enjoyed today, both in classic and new interpretations.

1.What does the word “richest” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A. diverse.　　 B. wealthy.　　 C. terrifying.　　 D. entertaining.

2.Why is live theater so exciting according to the text?

A. Plays are usually well written.　　 B. It is often interpreted by skilled actors.

C. No one can predict its success or failure.　　 D. There are so many people working on it.

3.What is suggested about the plays of Shakespeare in the text?

A. They are more often given new interpretations today than in the past.

B. They are more popular today than during Shakespeare’ s time.

C. They will always be considered the world’s greatest.

D. They have been performed in a variety of ways.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A. A vital part of theater: Greek Chorus　　 B. Modern theater: adventures in acting

C. Shakespeare: our greatest playwright　　 D. Theater: an exciting art form

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Poetry, one of the essential art forms of literature, is a brief and easy way to express our feelings. Moreover, everyone understands it in their own way. Some find relief in poems; some read them simply for peace; some read poems for simple artistic pleasure.

There are some special features of poetry, which make it quite different from other forms of literature. First of all, poems have rhythmic patterns. Generally most parts of a poem follow the same form of rhythm. Poems may have rhyme, but they don't have to. The lines are neatly arranged together so that they express a particular feeling or emotion.

There can be various types of poems but according to the pattern or the form, there are mainly three types:

Lyrics: The lyric mainly concentrates on human thoughts and emotions rather than a story. Lyrics always bear song-like appeal. These are mainly short poems. Popular lyric poem forms are the elegy, the ode and the sonnet. William Shakespeare, Edmund Waller and Keats are some of the greatest lyric writers of all times.

Narrative poems: This type of poetry tells a story. Narrative poems are usually long poems. Epics(史诗) and ballads fall under this type. Some of the greatest epic poets are John Milton, Dante, Edgar Allan Poe, Alexander Pope, William Shakespe are, etc..

Dramatic poems: Any drama that is written in verse is a dramatic poem. These poems generally tell a story. Black verse, dramatic monologue(独白) and closet drama belong to this type. William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson are some of the greatest dramatic poets.

Whatever the form is, one thing, which cannot be denied, is that poetry is one of the most powerful tools to express our feelings.

1.What do we know about lyrics?

①They are similar to songs.

②They usually tell stories.

③They are not very long.

④The sonnet is a type of lyrics.

A. ①②③ B. ②③④ C. ①②④ D. ①③④

2.We can know from the text that 　　　　　　　　　　 .

A. poems are weak in showing feelings

B. some poets write more than one type of poem

C. narrative poems are shorter than lyric poems

D. the sonnet and the ballad belong to the same type

3.This passage is written mainly to 　　　　　　　　　　 .

A. tell us some simple facts about poetry

B. teach us how to write poems

C. give some advice on reading poems

D. make us interested in poems

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Americans have contributed to many art forms, but jazz, a type of music, is one of the art forms that was started in the United States. Black Americans, who sang and played the music of their homeland, created jazz.

Jazz is a mixture of the music of Africa, the work songs the slaves sang, and religious（宗教）music. Improvisation is an important part of jazz. This means that the musicians make the music up as they go along, or create the music on the spot. This is why a jazz song might sound a little different each time it is played.

Jazz bands formed in the late 1800s.They played in bars and clubs in many towns and cities of the South, especially New Orleans. New Orleans is an international seaport, and people from all over the world come to New Orleans to hear jazz.

Jazz became more and more popular. By the 1920s,jazz was popular all over the United States. By the 1940s,you could hear jazz not only in clubs and bars, but in concert halls as well. Today, people from all over the world play jazz. Jazz musicians from the United States, Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe meet and share their music at festivals on every continent. In this way jazz continues to grow and change.

1.What can be the best title of the passage?

A. American Art Forms                       B. The Development of Jazz

C. The Music of Black Americans             D. The Birthplace of Jazz

2.From the text it can be inferred that_________.

A. New Orleans is the place where jazz was first produced

B. the American people are all jazz lovers

C. jazz is merely sung by the black when working

D. jazz may become more popular as time goes on

3.It took about _________ years to make jazz popular in the United States.

A.200           B.120           C.80                D.40

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Americans have contributed to many art forms, but jazz, a type music, is one of the art form that was started in the United States. Black Americans, who sang and played the music of their homeland, created jazz.

Jazz is a mixture of the music of Africa, the work songs the slaves sang, and religious(宗教) music. Improvisation is an important part of jazz. This means that the musicians make the music up as they go along, or create the music on the spot. This is why a jazz song might sound a little different each time it is played.

Jazz bands formed in the late 1800s. They played in bars and clubs in many towns and cities of the South, especially New Orleans. New Orleans is an international seaport, and people from all over the world come to New Orleans to hear jazz.

Jazz became more and more popular. By the 1920s, jazz was popular all over the United States. By the 1940s, you could hear jazz not only in clubs and bars, but in concert halls as well. Today, people from all over the world play jazz. Jazz musicians from the United　States, Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe meet and share their music at festivals on every continent. In this way jazz continues to grow and change.

1.What can be the best title of the passage?

A．American art forms. 　 　　　          B．The development of jazz.

C．The music of black Americans.　            D．The birthplace of jazz.

2.Which of the following is true?

A．Jazz is now popular all over the world.

B．Jazz is now a kind of religious music.

C．Jazz is now played only in bars and clubs.

D．Jazz is now played a little differently sometimes.

3.From the text it can be inferred that_________ .

A．New Orleans is the place where jazz was first produced

B．the American people are all jazz lovers

C．jazz is merely sung by the black when working

D．jazz may become more popular as time goes on

4.It took about ________ years to make jazz popular in the United States.

A．200              B．120              C．80               D．140

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Poetry is an interesting form of writing. It is very free, has few restrictions and can be a great way to express feelings. Writing a poem is all about observing the world within you or around you.

To write a poem, first you should begin with an idea or inspiration. Inspiration may come at any time unexpectedly. It may be a specific person, place or thing that causes some sort of strong emotion. It may be more of an abstract idea or release of emotion.

After getting the idea, you can write down everything that comes to mind. Don’t think much and let all feelings pour out. Remember everything can be thrown out later.

Then, you can think about its form and begin to organize thoughts. Poetry comes in many forms, from epic poetry that has a story to dramatic poetry intended to be performed. Try them all out. One will come naturally. Maybe different poems fit different forms. When you write a poem, think about both meter (韵律) and rhythm carefully, which are equally important in poetry. Meter is the fixed pattern of the poem, while rhythm refers to the sound when it is spoken. It is also important to use a lot of descriptive words. Create imagery (意象) with words, trying to make them attractive to all the senses. For auditory (听觉的) interest, try repeating of similar sounds in a sentence or phrase. All of this adds life and interest to a poem.

After you finish your work, don’t be afraid to share your work with others. When others point out your weakness, accept and grow from it.

1.What does the underlined word “restriction” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?_______

2.When you begin to write a poem, you should first 　　.

3.We can infer from the text that 　　.

4.What’s the purpose of the text?_________

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The oldest forms of medicine are enjoying a comeback. Modern holistic medicine is an approach that treats the whole patient, not just the disease. It is a way to maintain good health rather than cure illness. The most important influences on today’s holistic medicine are ancient Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine, both of which promoted whole body health.

Holistic medicine usually combines diet, physical exercise and meditation, together with other alternative techniques such as massage(按摩) and acupuncture(针炙). Herbal treatment, a practice of treating illness by using plants, is influenced by the writings of Culpeper as well as Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Homeopathy(顺势疗法) is one of the forms of holistic medicine which is widely practiced in Europe and the USA. Homeopathy began in Germany in the early 1800s, when Samuel Hahnemann described how very tiny doses(剂量) of a drug had an effect on his patients. According to Hahnemann, the more the drug was diluted(稀释), the stronger its effects. The substance selected would produce similar effects to the disease itself if given in large doses. In the UK homeopathy is regarded as a non-traditional but just about acceptable treatment.

Meditation and contemplation have an important role in holistic medicine. They were brought to Europe by Indian teachers who combined Indian Ayurvedic medicine with Western beliefs. Transcendental meditation(超脱静坐) is one of the best known of these techniques. People repeat words inside their head to reach a state of deep relaxation.

The holistic movement has made many doctors look at the whole patient, not just the disease. Life-style, emotional problems and diet are just some of the factors that can affect a person’s health. Holistic medicine emphasizes good diet, exercise and fresh air, all of which contribute to health. Some clinics now offer holistic medicine along with traditional treatments, so that their patients can choose a combination of treatments that suits them. One problem with holistic medicine is that it is difficult for people to be sure a doctor is reliable. To solve this, many countries want alternative doctors to form professional bodies.

41．Modern holistic medicine centres upon        .

A．curing a disease                                                        B．herbal treatment

C．continuous development                                  D．keeping patients healthy

42．Which of the following does NOT belong to holistic medicine?

A．massage                                                                     B．meditation

C．a balanced diet                                                    D．a knee operation

43．The principle of homeopathy is that        .

A．the large doses of medicine that will not be harmful will take better effect

B．the disease will be cured sooner by taking larger doses of medicine

C．a small thinner dose of medicine will be more effective

D．the doses of medicine depend on how serious the illness is

44．Which of the following titles best sums up the passage?

A．Holistic Medicine                                                      B．Traditional Medicine Returns

C．History of Medicine                                            D．Combination of Treatments Works

45．What can we infer from the passage?

A．Relaxation is the key of holistic treatment.

B．Holistic medicine needs to become more trustworthy.

C．Holistic treatment is more beneficial than traditional treatments.

D．Holistic medicine will become the most welcome treatment soon.

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Street art is a very popular form of art that is spreading quickly all over the world. You can find it on building, sidewalks, street sings and trash cans from Tokyo to Paris, and from Moscow to Cape Town. Street art has become a global culture and even art museums and galleries are collecting the works of street artists. Even advertising companies also use street art in their ads due to its popularity.

Street art started out very secretly because it’s illegal to paint on public and private property without permission. People often have different opinions about street art. Some people think it is a crime with others think it’s a new form of culture.

Art experts claim that the movement began in New York in the 1960s. Young adults sprayed words and images on walls and trains. This colorful and energetic style of writing became known as graffiti(涂鸦). Graffiti art showed that young people wanted to rebel against society. They didn’t want to accept rules, and they travelled around cities to create paintings that everyone could see. In many cases, they had trouble with the police and the local government.

Many street corners in Paris show the works of Space Invader. A French artist uses small pieces of glass to make images of space creatures. He has been doing this for some years and the police have arrested him a few times. On his website, you can see many other places where he has created this form of art.

Street artists do their work for some reasons. Some of them do not like the artists who make so much money in galleries and museums. They choose street art because it is closer to common people. Some artists try to express their political opinion in their works. They often want to protest against big firms and corporations. Others like to do things that are forbidden and hope they don't get caught.

In today’s world, the Internet has a big influence on street art. Artists can show their pictures to people all over the world. Many city residents, however, say that seeing a picture on the Internet is never as good as seeing it alive. The street art movement lives with the energy and life of a big city. There it will continue to change and grow.

1.What may be the best title for the text?

A. A New Form of Art

B. The New Trend of Street Art

C. Discovery of Global Culture

D. Street Art-New Culture of Cities

2.Why do advertising companies use street art?

A. It has a free style.　　 B. It has a great effect.

C. It’s popular with customers.　　 D. It gives the impression of youth.

3.What’s the author’s attitude toward street art?

A. Objective.　　 B. Subjective.

C. Doubtful.　　 D. Supportive.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Land Art, sometimes referred to as Earth Art or Earthworks, is a form of art which involves using physical landscapes to create art, taking art out of the museum and into the outside world. Modern Land Art movement really got going in the 1960s when American artists began creating Land Art on a large scale. Today, works of modern Land Art can be seen all over the world, sometimes right alongside much older pieces of Land Art created by people who lived thousands of years ago.

Land Art, which is not necessarily unchangeable, can take a number of forms. For examples, in 1970 Robert Smithson created the Spiral Jetty（螺旋状防波堤）, made of a collection of stones and mud, in the Great Salt Lake. The American artist made a large jetty in a spiral shape which sticks out into the waters of the lake.

Reshaping the landscape is a common characteristic of Land Art, which can be created by moving parts around. People can also add things to the environment to create Land Art, like salt, which is added to the Spiral Jetty. It is possible to use plants. In all cases, Land Art is immovable.

Land Art is designed to gradually form, change, and eventually decay（衰落）. That’s one of the biggest differences between Land Art and most of the art one sees in the museums. Some works of art can exist only for a few hours or days. Others are exposed to rain and wind so that they develop and decay over time, which is part of the attractiveness in the eyes of the artists.

1. What do we know about Robert Smithson?

A. He is a great creative artist.　

B. He lives near the Great Salt Lake.

C. He made the most famous Land Art.

D. He was a pioneer in creating Land Art.

2.One of the unique characteristics of Land Art lies in _______.

A. it shows the extreme beauty of nature

B. it develops and decays gradually over time

C. it combines the landscapes around completely　

D. it offers the artists a chance to get close to nature

3.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Works of Land Art.　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. History of Land Art.

C. Changes of Land Art.　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Introduction of Land Art.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

语法填空

Street art is a very popular form of art that is spreading quickly all over the world．You can find 1.　　　 on buildings，sidewalks and street signs．Now even art museums and galleries 2.　　　 (collect) the works of street artists．

People often have 　 3.　　　 　 opinions about street art．Some think it is a kind of destruction and 　 4.　　　 think it is a very beautiful new form of culture．

In the street art world，graffiti (涂鸦) can be the 5.　　　 (popular)．It began in New York in the 1960s．First some young people painted words and images on the walls．They found the paintings could show their 　 6.　　　 　 (disagree) against society．Later，this colorful，energetic style of writing became known 7.　　　 graffiti．

Street artists do this for a reason．Some of them think they are closer to the people，while others try to express their 　 8.　　　 　 (politics) opinions．

In today’s　 world，the Internet has a big influence 9.　　　 　 street art．Artists can show their pictures to audiences all over the world．10.　　　 street art movement lives with the energy and life of cities．It will continue to change and grow．

高二英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析