Some 15 years ago, Ross Willard volunteered w...

Some 15 years ago, Ross Willard volunteered with a food program in Harrisburg Pa. He found children riding bicycles with brakes that didn't work. The retired railroad manager saw the importance of safely riding for children, so he began repairing bicycle on street corners.

Over time, more and more people came to have their bicycles repaired. Mr. Willard opened his first shop in 2007 and three years later he founded his own company Recycle Cycle Harrisburg. The all-volunteer nonprofit organization has been offering service for residents in the community. Regular visitors include children and their parents, as well as halfway house residents seeking to perform community service hours while so building their own bikes.

The organization has a do-it-yourself philosophy: Although there is no charge for any repair, or even bicycles, most visitors( except young children)are tasked with making their own repairs with the assistance of volunteer trainers.

Since its founding, Recycle Bicycle has distributed thousands of donated bikes to the Harrisburg community averaging about 900 per year in the past decade. He's known as “Mr. Bicycle, around the Pennsylvania capital. He estimates that the organization repairs some 3,000 bikes a year.

Sitting in the organization’s shop space, he discusses the volunteerism and sense of service that were imprinted on him as a child by his parents. This led to a strong belief about fixing problems that one finds in the community.

1.Why did Willard begin repairing cycles on street comers?

A.He needed to make some extra money.

B.He decided to set up his own business.

C.He wanted to ensure the safety of cyclists.

D.He felt bored with the food program.

2.What does “do-it-yourself philosophy” aim at?

A.Young children. B.Volunteer trainers.

C.Shoppers. D.Visitors.

3.Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word “imprinted”?

A.impressed B.realized C.ignored D.depended

4.What is the main idea of the text?

A.Repairing a bicycle yourself can save time and money.

B.Community needs bicycle repair service.

C.How to repair a bicycle.

D.The organization offers service for the community.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Sparrow is a fast-food chain with 200 restaurants. Some years ago, the group to which Sparrow belonged was taken over by another company. Although Sparrow showed no sign of declining, the chain was generally in an unhealthy state. With more and more fast-food concepts reaching the market, the Sparrow menu had to struggle for attention. And to make matters worse, its new owner had no plans to give it the funds it required.

Sparrow failed to grow for another two years. Until a new CEO, Carl Pearson, decided to build up its market share. He did a survey, which showed that consumers who already used Sparrow restaurants were extremely positive about the chain, while customers of other fast-food chains were unwilling to turn away from them. Sparrow had to develop a new promotional campaign.

Pearson faced a battle over the future of the Sparrow brand. The chain’s owner now favored rebranding Sparrow as Marcy’s restaurants. Pearson resisted, arguing for an advertising campaign designed to convince customers that visits to Sparrow restaurants were fun. Such an attempt to establish a positive relationship between a company and the general public was unusual for that time. Pearson strongly believed that numbers were the key to success, rather than customers’ spending power. Finally, the owner accepted his idea.

The campaign itself changed the traditional advertising style of the fast-food industry. The TV ads of Sparrow focused on entertainment and featured original songs performed by a variety of stars. Instead of showing the superiority of a specific product, the intention was to put Sparrow in the hearts of potential customers.

Pearson also made other decisions which he believed would contribute to the new Sparrow image. For example, he offered to lower the rent of any restaurants which achieved a certain increase in their turnover (营业额)

These efforts paid off, and Sparrow soon became one of the most successful fast-food chains in the regions where it operated.

1.Which was one of the problems Sparrow faced before Pearson became CEO?

A.The number of its customers was declining.

B.Its customers found the food unhealthy.

C.It was in need of financial support.

D.Most of its restaurants were closed.

2.For what purpose did Pearson start the advertising campaign?

A.To build a good relationship with the public.

B.To stress the unusual tradition of Sparrow.

C.To learn about customers’ spending power.

D.To meet the challenge from Marcy’s restaurants.

3.What do know about the TV ads of Sparrow?

A.They changed people’s views on pop stars.

B.They amused the public with original songs.

C.They focused on the superiority of its products.

D.They influenced the eating habits of the audience.

4.What was Pearson’s achievement as a CEO?

A.He managed to pay off Sparrow’s debts.

B.He made Sparrow much more competitive.

C.He helped Sparrow take over a company.

D.He improved the welfare of Sparrow employees.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Sparrow is a fast-food chain with 200 restaurants. Some years ago, the group to which Sparrow belonged was taken over by another company. Although Sparrow showed no sign of declining, the chain was generally in an unhealthy state. With more and more fast-food concepts reaching the market, the Sparrow menu had to struggle for attention. And to make matters worse, its new owner had no plans to give it the funds it required.

Sparrow failed to grow for another two years. Until a new CEO, Carl Pearson, decided to build up its market share. He did a survey, which showed that consumers who already used Sparrow restaurants were extremely positive about the chain, while customers of other fast-food chains were unwilling to turn away from them. Sparrow had to develop a new promotional campaign.

Pearson faced a battle over the future of the Sparrow brand. The chain’s owner now favored rebranding Sparrow as Marcy’s restaurants. Pearson resisted, arguing for an advertising campaign designed to convince customers that visits to Sparrow restaurants were fun. Such an attempt to establish a positive relationship between a company and the general public was unusual for that time. Pearson strongly believed that numbers were the key to success, rather than customers’ speeding power. Finally, the owner accepted his idea.

The campaign itself changed the traditional advertising style of the fast-food industry. The TV ads of Sparrow focused on entertainment and featured original sons performed by a variety of stars. Instead of showing the superiority of a specific product, the intension was to put Sparrow in the hearts of potential customers.

Pearson also made other decisions which he believed would contribute to the new Sparrow image. For example, he offered to lower the rent of any restaurants which achieved a certain increase in their turnover. (营业额)

These efforts paid off, and Sparrow soon became one of the most successful fast-food chains in the regions where it operated.

1.Which was one of the problems Sparrow faced before Pearson became CEO?

A. The number of its customers was declining

B. It was in need of financial support

C. Its customers found the food unhealthy

D. Most of its restaurants were closed

2.What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A. Customers of Sparrow restaurants

B. Sparrow restaurants

C. other fast-food chains

D. Customers of other fast-food chains

3.For what purpose did Pearson start the advertising campaign?

A. To stress the unusual tradition of Sparrow

B. To lean about customers; spending power.

C. To meet the challenge from Marcy’s restaurants.

D. To build a good relationship with the public

4.What was Pearson’s achievement as a CEO?

A. He made Sparrow much more competitive

B. He managed to pay off Sparrow’s debts.

C. He helped Sparrow take over a company

D. He improved the welfare of Sparrow employees

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Sparrow is a fast-food chain with 200 restaurants. Some years ago, the group to which Sparrow belonged was taken over by another company. Although Sparrow showed no sign of declining, the chain was generally in an unhealthy state. With more and more fast-food concepts reaching the market, the Sparrow menu had to struggle for attention. And to make matters worse, its new owner had no plans to give it the funds it required.

Sparrow failed to grow for another two years. Until a new CEO, Carl Pearson, decided to build up its market share. He did a survey, which showed that consumers who already used Sparrow restaurants were extremely positive about the chain, while customers of other fast-food chains were unwilling to turn away from them. Sparrow had to develop a new promotional campaign.

Pearson faced a battle over the future of the Sparrow brand. The chain’s owner now favored rebranding Sparrow as Marcy’s restaurants. Pearson resisted, arguing for an advertising campaign designed to convince customers that visits to Sparrow restaurants were fun. Such an attempt to establish a positive relationship between a company and the general public was unusual for that time. Pearson strongly believed that numbers were the key to success, rather than customers’ speeding power. Finally, the owner accepted his idea.

The campaign itself changed the traditional advertising style of the fast-food industry. The TV ads of Sparrow focused on entertainment and featured original songs performed by a variety of stars. Instead of showing the superiority of a specific product, the intention was to put Sparrow in the hearts of potential customers.

Pearson also made other decisions which he believed would contribute to the new Sparrow image. For example, he offered to lower the rent of any restaurants which achieved a certain increase in their turnover (营业额) .

These efforts paid off, and Sparrow soon became one of the most successful fast-food chains in the regions where it operated.

1.Which was one of the problems Sparrow faced before Pearson became CEO?

A．The number of its customers was declining

B．Its customers found the food unhealthy

C．It was in need of financial support

D．Most of its restaurants were closed

2.What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Customers of Sparrow restaurants           B．Sparrow restaurants

C．Customers of other fast-food chains         D．other fast-food chains

3.For what purpose did Pearson start the advertising campaign?

A．To build a good relationship with the public

B．To stress the unusual tradition of Sparrow

C．To lean about customers’ spending power.

D．To meet the challenge from Marcy’s restaurants.

4.The TV ads of Sparrow ________ .

A．changed people’s views on pop stars

B．amused the public with original songs

C．focused on the superiority of its products

D．influenced the eating habits of the audience

5.What was Pearson’s achievement as a CEO?

A．He managed to pay off Sparrow’s debts.

B．He made Sparrow much more competitive

C．He helped Sparrow take over a company

D．He improved the welfare of Sparrow employees

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

(2013·山东卷)Sparrow is a fast－food chain with 200 restaurants.Some years ago，the group to which Sparrow belonged was taken over by another company.Although Sparrow showed no sign of declining，the chain was generally in an unhealthy state.With more and more fast－food concepts reaching the market，the Sparrow menu had to struggle for attention.And to make matters worse，its new owner had no plans to give it the funds it required.

Sparrow failed to grow for another two years until a new CEO，Carl Pearson，decided to build up its market share.He did a survey，which showed that consumers who already used Sparrow restaurants were extremely positive about the chain，while customers of other fast－food chains were unwilling to turn away from them.Sparrow had to develop a new promotional campaign.

Pearson faced a battle over the future of the Sparrow brand.The chain's owner now favored rebranding Sparrow as Marcy's restaurants.Pearson resisted，arguing for an advertising campaign designed to convince customers that visits to Sparrow restaurants were fun.Such an attempt to establish a positive relationship between a company and the general public was unusual for that time.Pearson strongly believed that numbers were the key to success，rather than customers' spending power.Finally，the owner accepted his idea.

The campaign itself changed the traditional advertising style of the fast－food industry.The TV ads of Sparrow focused on entertainment and featured original songs performed by a variety of stars.Instead of showing the superiority of a specific product，the intention was to put Sparrow in the hearts of potential customers.

Pearson also made other decisions which he believed would contribute to the new Sparrow image.For example，he offered to lower the rent of any restaurants which achieved a certain increase in their turnover(营业额)．

These efforts paid off，and Sparrow soon became one of the most successful fast－food chains in the regions where it operated.

1.Which was one of the problems Sparrow faced before Pearson became CEO?

A．The number of its customers was declining.

B．Its customers found the food unhealthy.

C．It was in need of financial support.

D．Most of its restaurants were closed.

2.What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Customers of Sparrow restaurants.

B．Sparrow restaurants.

C．Customers of other fast－food chains.

D．Other fast－food chains.

3.For what purpose did Pearson start the advertising campaign?

A．To build a good relationship with the public.

B．To stress the unusual tradition of Sparrow.

C．To learn about customers' spending power.

D．To meet the challenge from Marcy's restaurants.

4.What was Pearson's achievement as a CEO?

A．He managed to pay off Sparrow's debts.

B．He made Sparrow much more competitive.

C．He helped Sparrow take over a company.

D．He improved the welfare of Sparrow employees.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

(2013·高考山东卷，D)Sparrow is a fast­food chain with 200 restaurants.Some years ago，the group to which Sparrow belonged was taken over by another company.Although Sparrow showed no sign of declining，the chain was generally in an unhealthy state.With more and more fast­food concepts reaching the market，the Sparrow menu had to struggle for attention.And to make matters worse，its new owner had no plans to give it the funds it required.

Sparrow failed to grow for another two years，until a new CEO，Carl Pearson，decided to build up its market share.He did a survey，which showed that consumers who already used Sparrow restaurants were extremely positive about the chain，while customers of other fast­food chains were unwilling to turn away from them.Sparrow had to develop a new promotional campaign.

Pearson faced a battle over the future of the Sparrow brand.The chain’s owner now favored rebranding Sparrow as Marcy’s restaurants.Pearson resisted，arguing for an advertising campaign designed to convince customers that visits to Sparrow restaurants were fun.Such an attempt to establish a positive relationship between a company and the general public was unusual for that time.Pearson strongly believed that numbers were the key to success，rather than customers’ spending power.Finally，the owner accepted his idea.

The campaign itself changed the traditional advertising style of the fast­food industry.The TV ads of Sparrow focused on entertainment and featured original songs performed by a variety of stars.Instead of showing the superiority of a specific product，the intention was to put Sparrow in the hearts of potential customers.

Pearson also made other decisions which he believed would contribute to the new Sparrow image.For example，he offered to lower the rent of any restaurants which achieved a certain increase in their turnover(营业额)．

These efforts paid off，and Sparrow soon became one of the most successful fast­food chains in the regions where it operated.

1.Which was one of the problems Sparrow faced before Pearson became CEO?

A．The number of its customers was declining.

B．Its customers found the food unhealthy.

C．It was in need of financial support.

D．Most of its restaurants were closed.

2.What does the underlined word“them”in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Customers of Sparrow restaurants.

B．Sparrow restaurants.

C．Customers of other fast­food chains.

D．Other fast­food chains.

3.For what purpose did Pearson start the advertising campaign?

A．To build a good relationship with the public.

B．To stress the unusual tradition of Sparrow.

C．To learn about customers’spending power.

D．To meet the challenge from Marcy’s restaurants.

4.The TV ads of Sparrow ________.

A．changed people’s views on pop stars

B．amused the public with original songs

C．focused on the superiority of its products

D．influenced the eating habits of the audience

5.What was Pearson’s achievement as a CEO?

A．He managed to pay off Sparrow’s debts.

B．He made Sparrow much more competitive.

C．He helped Sparrow take over a company.

D．He improved the welfare of Sparrow employees.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The split between humans and living apes is thought by some scholars ____ 15 to 20 million years ago.

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

One day when I was 15 years old, I had some friends over to hang out. While we were making food in the kitchen, my brother came in. He placed his beef next to my ______ one and said, “Courtney, your beef is bigger than mine. You don’t need to ______; you’re already fat enough.” Then he walked out laughing.

Unpleasant ______ on my physical appearance were nothing new. Something inside me gave in to his idea that my legs were ______, and that became the last day that I ever willingly wore ______ until I was 30 years old. For the next 15 years, I spent summer after summer ______ in long pants.

But then I met Ragen Chastain, and she ______ everything. I couldn’t believe that this woman who, like myself, weighed almost 300 pounds was so ______ and happy in her own skin. I ______ as she shared her own journey to recovery and self-love. She talked about how amazing our ______ are, simply because of the things they do every day—like breathing, ______ blood to every cell, blinking and walking.

Walking! I was suddenly ______ how foolish I’d been for so long. There’re people who are born without legs, or who lack ______ working legs, or who lose their legs, and I’d been hiding my perfectly strong, healthy, beautiful legs ______ because I had ______ someone to convince me that they weren’t good enough. The next day, I bought three pairs of shorts and a sundress and spent the entire summer letting my legs ______ the sun and feel the breeze.

The next time anyone comments on your body in a ______ way, look them straight in the eye, smile and say, “If what you see ______ you so much, feel free to practice the ancient art of looking ______ else.” That’s Ragen’s own　 ______, but I don’t think she’ll mind if you use it.

1.A. small B. plain C. thick D. slim

2.A. walk B. eat C. talk D. cry

3.A. reports B. suggestion C. reflections D. comments

4.A. unnecessary B. unacceptable C. unique D. pants

5.A. shorts B. T-shirts C. socks D. pants

6.A. sleeping B. roasting C. driving D. running

7.A. changed B. solved C. believed D. explained

8.A. sensitive B. generous C. tiresome D. energetic

9.A. laughed B. expected C. waited D. listened

10.A. legs B. weights C. bodies D. images

11.A. pulling B. putting C. preventing D. pumping

12.A. afraid of B. absorbed in C. aware of D. anxious about

13.A. properly B. regularly C. accidentally D. possibly

14.A. in shame B. in panic C. in pride D. in delight

15.A. begged B. allowed C. refused D. invited

16.A. avoid B. see C. cover D. kick

17.A. normal B. special C. different D. negative

18.A. amuses B. excites C. bothers D. hurts

19.A. somewhere B. anywhere C. nowhere D. everywhere

20.A. decision B. question C. creation D. requirement

高三英语完形填空简单题查看答案及解析

This is a story  that happened 15 years ago but it has always stayed with me since then.On the way back from work every evening,more often than not there would be a homeless man standing at the exit of the freeway.He always waved at every car,he was always happy and smiling and sometimes almost dancing.Every day after work when I got there，I would quickly roll down my window and give him the coins.Occasionally the red light would be on for a minute and we would ask each other about our day.His answer would always be the same，“I’m blessed！”.

It amazed me that even in his situation of being homeless he was so positive，and his answer would remind me of how blessed I was.A single mother of four amazing kids,with a place to call home and with a job to provide for my kids.Then one day I was called into my boss’s office and was told that I was being laid off due to the economy.Needless to say that on my was home that day I was very sad and upset.I didn’t remember to look for my spare change and keep it ready like I usually did.I wasn’t feeling the joy as I got off the ramp where the homeless man would be.Yet there he was as alway，as l turned the ramp.He set his eyes on me，while still smiling and waving at others.

While I was waiting for the red light to turn，he strolled over to my car.He had a big smile he looked me straight in the eyes and said “today I will give you a dollar”.He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a dollar bill.I was blown away.I burst into tears.I wanted to jump out of my car and hug him！

You see that day he gave me more than a dollar bill，he taught me a valuable lesson.No matter  what material things are taken  from you，no one can take away your choice to be joyful.

1.What is the passage mainly concerned？

A.A dollar bill from a homeless person.

B.A blessing coming from a homeless person.

C.A woman who lost her job due to the economy.

D.A homeless man standing at the exit of the freeway.

2.From the lst paragraph，we know the homeless man is ________.

A.optimistic         B.brave         C.Iazy          D.kind-hearted

3.After leaving the boss’s office，the author ________.

A.felt relaxed to get rid of the tiring job

B.still felt joyful when coming off the ramp

C.took it for granted that she was fit for her job

D.didn’t put some change aside to give to the man

4.The underlined phrase“blown away”in the 3rd paragraph most probably  means

________.

A.completely defeated                B.wholly blown down

C.really amazed                      D.murdered by gunfire

5.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A.material things are the most important in life

B.people should be encouraged to beg by smiling

C.the author’s ride home that dog was smooth sailing

D.we should wait others’help when faced with challenges

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Operation Green Sweep

For Teens Currently in 6th-12th Grades

Operation Green Sweep is a volunteer program for teens who want to earn community service

hours by helping to clean up our city parks and community centers. Teens will clean up various

local parks, remove light rubbish and learn a thing or two about our parks and surrounding

environment.

Fridays, April 17 to May 29, 2009

3:30 to 5:00

Meet at the Teen Center, 2203 Central Avenue, Room 170

Cost: $45 --- covers the uniform shirt, training guidebook and transportation

Note: If you miss more than two days, you may be dropped from the program without earning

your hours. Please bring a snack, wear work clothes (no skirts or open-toed shoes) and sunscreen.

Teens are expected to arrive at the meeting place on time, learn communication skills and learn to plan ahead. All volunteers must meet at the Veteran’s Memorial Building to receive their tasks. Do not be late because transportation is provided to take teens to their selected sites.

Save your receipts(收据). There will be a $15 charge per receipt to reprint receipts.

In the event if a class is cancelled(取消) by us, full refunds(退款) will be given. There will be a $15 administration(管理) fee for cancellations put forward by participants.

1. Operation Green Sweep is intended for those who __________.

A. are willing to serve the community

B. are interested in playing in the parks

C. hope to learn how to plant various flowers

D. expect to work in parks after graduation

2. What do we know about the program Operation Green Sweep?

A. Teens should pay $45 for transportation.

B. It lasts from 3:30 to 5:00 pm every day.

C. Teens will go to their working places themselves.

D. Teens can learn communication skills there.

3. To join in the program, teens are asked to ___________.

A. bring their own uniform shirt

B. pay $45 for it

C. promise to serve the community all life

D. wear skirts and open-toed shoes

4. If you give up the activity, how much money is left for you?

A. $45   B. $5    C. $30    D. $15

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析