An international team of astronomers in Washi...

An international team of astronomers in Washington D.C. announced Wednesday it had success fully captured the first-ever image of a black hole and published it.

The picture shows the black hole having a dark center，encircled by a bright orange and yellow ring spreading outward. Black holes are areas in space where gravity is so strong that nothing-not even light-can escape them. They are believed to be formed by collapsed（陨落的）stars. The presence of black holes affects the surrounding environment in extreme ways. They are not easy to capture on camera because they are surrounded by thick dust material and extremely hot gases.

But scientists say they were able to produce the new image from data collected from a series of radio telescopes around the world. Harvard University scientist Sheperd　 Doeleman，who leads the Event Horizon Telescope（EHT）project，announced the image discovery. "We are delighted to be able to report today that we have seen what we thought was unseeable. We have also taken a picture of it." He explained that the image resulted from a combined effort involving all eight of the EHT radio telescopes working at the same time. It has a mass 6.5 billion times greater than Earth's sun.

Researchers said that the EHT project created an Earth-sized "virtual（虚拟的）telescope" to capture the highest possible image quality. The size and shape of the shadow matches the precise Predictions of Einstein's general theory of relativity.

Sheperd Doeleman said the new image provides the first visual evidence to confirm that theory. It also helps to unlock the mystery of black holes. "We didn't see something that was unexpected. We saw something that really had a ring to it. "

Even though the data was first gathered in 2017, it required a huge effort to produce the image published on Wednesday.

1.Which is True about the black hole?

A.It has a dark surface.

B.It consists of thick dust.

C.It is visible to the eye

D.It swallows everything approaching it.

2.What does the underlined word "They" in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A.Black holes.

B.Collapsed stars.

C.Extreme ways.

D.Hot gases.

3.How did scientists get the image?

A.By collecting available data.

B.Through the cooperation of radio telescopes.

C.With the help of a huge camera.

D.From Einstein's general theory of relativity.

4.What does the image discovery contribute to?

A.Uncovering the secret of black holes.

B.Confirming people's wisdom.

C.Testing the function of virtual telescopes.

D.Providing first-hand evidence for astronomers.

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Washington, D.C. Bicycle Tours

Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.

Duration: 3 hours

This small group bike tour is a fantastic way to see a world-famous cherry trees with beautiful flowers of Washington, D.C. Your guide will provide a history lesson about the trees and the famous monuments where they blossom. Reserve your spot before availability — the cherry blossoms—disappear!

Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour

Duration: 3 hours (4 miles)

Join a guided bike tour and view some of the most popular monuments in Washington, D.C. Explore the monuments and memorials on the National Mall as your guide shares unique facts and history at each stop. Guided tour includes bike, helmet, cookies and bottled water.

Capital City Bike Tour In Washington, D.C.

Duration: 3 hours

Morning or Afternoon, this bike tour is the perfect tour for D. C. newcomers and locals looking to experience Washington, D.C. in a healthy way with minimum effort. Knowledgeable guides will entertain you with the most, interesting stories about Presidents, Congress, memorials, and parks. Comfortable bikes and a smooth tour route(路线) make cycling between the sites fun and relaxing.

Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour

Duration: 3 hours (7miles)

Join a small group bike tour for an evening of exploration in the heart of Washington, D.C. Get up close to the monuments and memorials as you bike the sites of Capitol Hill and the National Mall. Frequent stops are made for photo taking as your guide offers unique facts and history. Tour includes bike, helmet, and bottled water. All riders are equipped with reflective vests and safety lights.

1.Which tour do you need to book in advance?

A.Cherry Blossom like Tour in Washington, D.C.

B.Washington capital Monuments Bicycle Tour.

C.Capital City Bike Tour in Washington.

D.Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour.

2.What will you do on the Capital City Bike Tour?

A.Meet famous people. B.Go to a national park.

C.Visit well-known museums. D.Enjoy interesting stories.

3.Which of the following does the bicycle tour at night provide?

A.City maps. B.Cameras.

C.Meals. D.Safety lights.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

An international team of researchers from the University of Oxford have found that the way people use the Internet is closely tied to the seasonal movements in the natural world. Their online species searches follow the patterns of seasonal animal migrations (迁徙).

Migratory birds (候鸟) flood back to where they reproduce every spring. That migratory behavior is accompanied by some human behavior. “In English-language Wikipedia (维基百科), the online searches for migratory species tend to increase in spring when those birds arrive in the United States,” said the lead author John Mittermeier.

And not just birds. Mittermeier and his team surveyed nearly 2.5 billion Wikipedia search records, for 32,000 species, across 245 languages. They also saw variable search rates for insects, horsetails and flowering plants. Seasonal trends seemed to be widespread in Wikipedia behavior for many species of plants and animals.

This finding suggests new ways to monitor changes in the world’s biological diversity. It also shows new ways to see how much people care about nature, and which species and areas might be the most effective targets for conservation.

Mittermeier is encouraged by the search results. He commented, “I think there’s a concern among conservationists (生态环境保护者) that people are losing touch with the natural world and that they’re not interacting with native species anymore. And so in that sense, it was really exciting and quite unexpected for me to see people’s Wikipedia interest closely related to changes in nature.”

Richard Grenyer, Associate Professor from the University of Oxford, says search data is useful to conservation biologists, “By using these big data approaches, we can direct our attention towards the difficult questions in modern conservation: which species and areas are changing, and where are the people who care the most and can do the most to help.”

1.What have researchers found about species searches?

A. They strengthen ties among people.

B. They affect the animal movements.

C. They differ in language backgrounds.

D. They reflect animal migration seasons.

2.What is the purpose of writing Paragraph 3?

A. To summarize the research process.

B. To further support the research findings.

C. To show the variety of species searches.

D. To present researchers’ heavy work load.

3.How does Mittermeier feel about the search results?

A. Satisfied with Wikipedia’s service.

B. Worried about Wikipedia behavior.

C. Amazed at people’s care about nature.

D. Sad about people’s not getting close to nature.

4.Why does Richard think such search data is useful?

A. It helps to aim at conservation targets.

B. It increases interest in big data approaches.

C. It keeps track of trends in biologists’work.

D. It pushes people to solve difficult problems.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The Homeless World Cup is an international football event, where teams made up entirely of people who are homeless compete. The event has been held annually since 2003.

It was at the end of 2001 that Mel Young, a famous expert in the media inDustry, came up with the idea of the Homeless World Cup. 18 months later the first event took place in Austria. It was such a success that people decided to do more.

There are some interesting and special rules of the event. For example, players(male or female at least 16 years old) must have been homeless at some time after the previous year’s World Cup or make their main living income by selling newspapers in the street or be asylum（政治避难） seekers . Anyone can take part, regardless of his or her abilities. There are at most 4 players per team to compete in the field. Games are 14 minutes long.

In 2007, 48 nations, 500 players took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent their countries for true spirit and glory in Copenhagen, Denmark. The winner in 2007 was Scotland. The 2008 Homeless World Cup took place in Melbourne, Australia. And in 2009 it was held in Milan. The latest Homeless World Cup was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in September 2010. Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup takes place August followed by the México City 2012 Homeless World Cup.

The success of the competition has been in two aspects—to attract the world’s attention to the problems of homelessness and also to help participants live a better life.

According to a survey by the Homeless World Cup Organization after 2006 Homeless World Cup, 92% of the players had a new motivation for life, 93 players successfully got rid of their dependency on drugs and alcohol, 44% improved their housing situation and 72% continued to play football.

1.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

2.The aim of the Homeless World Cup is to _____.

3.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

4.What would be the best title for this passage?

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Public schools in Washington, D.C. provide students with musical instruments for free. When something goes wrong with an instrument, Charles West and Larry Jernigan do the repairs. Both men approach their work with a passion(激情). For them, it’s important that students have a joyful experience with music.

The two have worked together for almost 20 years. This year alone, they’ve fixed about 450 instruments. Both men are musicians and music lovers, so learning to do repairs came naturally.

“I have been a musician all my life.” says West. “I played in an orchestra here in the city. I majored in music in college. I played in an army band.”

Jernigan’s musical interests are varied. “I was formerly trained in the piano and guitar. The alto sax, and the flute, I picked up while working here.”

In addition to fixing instruments, the two also go to schools to instruct teachers and students on how to make minor repairs on their own.

West believes if children start early and stay involved with music, it enriches other areas of their lives. “I see that in other kids. I see it in myself. I have seen it hundreds of times and it works,” he says. “They learn teamwork. They learn patience and respect.

But West has concerns about the future of music in the electronic age.

“This instant age has taken away from the sit-down, the patience. And to learn to play an instrument, it takes patience, it takes diligence, it takes time.”

Being able to enjoy music on the job is one of the benefits of the job. Both men agree their best rewards are the students’ performances.

1. What’s the job of West and Jernigan at school?

A. Teaching music.

B. Writing music.

C. Making musical instruments.

D. Repairing musical instruments.

2.They love the job because they can ________.

A. earn more money                  B. learn repair skills

C. enjoy music                      D. watch performances

3. Which of the following is true of the two men?

A. They have fixed 450 instruments in the past 20 years.

B. They can play and repair musical instruments.

C. Jernigan used to play in an army band.

D. West was trained to play the piano.

4. According to West, what can people learn from music?

A. Teamwork and patience.               B. The value of time.

C. The truth of society.                    D. Diligence and confidence.

5. What is mainly talked about in the text?

A. How to repair musical instruments.

B. Learning experiences of two repairmen.

C. How to prepare a musical performance.

D. The enjoyable job of two music lovers.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Not all of George H.W. Bush’s extended family members were invited to his Washington D.C. memorial service.

Nearly a week after many paid their respects at the Washington National Cathedral, Sharon Bush, who was married to the 41st president’s son Neil from 1980 to 2003, told Page Six that she was allegedly unable to attend the funeral after she was told by her ex-husband’s secretary that there were not enough seats.

“I was going to take the train down. I wanted to pay my respects. But I paid my respects by raising three wonderful children during a 23-year marriage,” Sharon told the Outlet.

Neil and Sharon share three children: son Pierce and daughters Ashley and Lauren Bush Lauren, who gave a reading at the funeral, where the father of three attended with his second wife Maria Andrews, whom he wed in 2004.

While the D.C. memorial service was taking place, Sharon recalled having lunch with Lady Gaga’s mother Cynthia Germanotta and publishing heiress Anne Hearst.

Though she was snubbed from the funeral, Sharon shared photos on Instagram to honor her former father-in-law. “My girls Lauren and Ashley read scriptures at their grandfather’s funeral. I feel so proud of them. May he RIP.” The mother of three captioned a photo of Lauren and Ashley.

“May he RIP,” Sharon also posted on Instagram, speaking of their children’s upbringing. Sharon credited herself for raising them to be charitable and public servants. “I taught them everything they know about ‘points of light’ by taking them to soup kitchens and homeless shelters from the time they were 4 years old. I didn’t want them spoiled,” she said, referencing the public service nonprofit — Points of Light, for which her ex-husband serves as chairman of the board of directors. “I did this. Neil was never around. He was always traveling,” Sharon added.

1.Why was Sharon not invited to George H.W. Bush’s funeral?

A. Because she did not intend to attend.

B. Because she was not Neil’s current wife.

C. Because the cathedral can’t hold so many people.

D. Because she was busy with her children’s upbringing.

2.How did Sharon mourn for the passing away of her former father-in-law?

A. Through media interviews. B. By posting on a social medium.

C. By raising three grandchildren. D. By looking back on lunching with him.

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Sharon’s marriage lasted 30 years.

B. Neil and Sharon share three daughters.

C. Points of Light is a profit-making company.

D. Sharon’s girls attended their grandfather’s funeral.

4.What is Sharon’s attitude towards Neil’s performance of bringing up children?

A. Unconcerned. B. Appreciative.

C. Dissatisfied. D. Positive.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Maurice Mountain is a retired lawyer in Washington, D.C. He developed a prototype(原型机) for a device he calls the Presto Emergency Boat Ladder. His invention is a small folding ladder that attaches to the side of a boat to help people who fall into the water. Mr. Mountain plans to mass-produce his boat ladder.

He created his invention at a workshop called TechShop. Mr. Mountain says, “I think it encourages innovation. I think people who probably have had ideas rolling around in the back of their minds for years but have never had the opportunity to actually put them into production or even experiment with them would find this place wonderful. Members of TechShop use high-tech equipment to develop and produce ideas they have for inventions.” Isabella Musachio manages a TechShop in Arlington, Virginia. She says the shop has many different kinds of equipment.

“TechShop is a do-it-yourself maker space. So when you come in we have all these different areas of the shop, and we have a metal shop, wood shop, lasers, 3D printers, electronics. I mean, we have so many different areas and we have all the equipment that is availahle to anybody above the age of 12.”

Membership costs for TechShop start at just over $ 100 per month. Members are able to use costly machines including 3D modeling tools and laser cutters. Isabella Musachio says TechShop helps its members build their dreams.

“Our motto is ‘build your dreams here’ because you can really come in with just an idea, and then with the help of TechShop make that leap from an idea to building your project o, your prototype or even your business.”

Jim Newton is the founder of TechShop. He first introduced the idea for the technology workshops at an arts and sciences event called Maker Faire in San Mateo, California in 2006. His idea attracted hundreds of members during that event, Now, there are eight TechShop locations in the U. S. In all, there are more than 6,000 members. Two more-TechShop locations in the cities of St. Louis and Look Angeles will be set up.

1. The invention Mr. Mountain invented will be used to____ .

A save the drowning people

B. help people climb the ladder

C. make the boat safer

D. let the boat float safely

2.What can be inferred from what Mr. Mountain says in Paragraph 2?.

A. People with imagination can achieve their dreams.

B. TechShop can help turn some people’s ideas into reality.

C. TechShop is a place where people can put forward their new ideas.

D. It's hard for people to put their ideas into practice.

3.From the last paragraph, we can know _____.

A. Jim Newton is a very great invention

B. people didn't like TechShop at first

C. TechShop will become more and more popular

D. TechShop greeted with bad reviews in 2006

4.What can we know about TechShop from the passage?

A. TechShop is founded by Maurice Mountain.

B. TechShop puts high-tech dreams within reach.

C. TechShop is a non-profit organization.

D. TechShop offers its members more ideas.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Andrew Grey doesn’t fit most people’s idea of an astronomer. He works in a car repair shop, not in a lab or university, yet the Australian repairman discovered a star system hiding in data from NASA’s Kepler space telescope.

Mr. Grey is one of millions of citizen scientists helping researchers to expand collective understanding. For centuries, only a few ordinary people had been contributing to science, but advances in technology have brought a higher level of democratization (民主化) to science.

“This is a collaborative (合作的) effort that anyone could get involved in,” says Chris Lincoln, an Oxford University astrophysicist (天体物理学家) and cofounder of Zooniverse, a platform that hosts dozens of citizen science projects. Citizen scientists can contribute to breakthroughs in almost any field, from ecology to astrophysics.

“As long as pattern recognition is involved, there are no limits to what can become a citizen science project,” Dr. Linton says. “Anyone can identify patterns in images, graphs, or even seemingly boring data after a short tutorial. Machine learning allows computers to do some pattern recognition. But humans, particularly amateur scientists, don’t stay focused on what they’re supposed to. And that’s good, because people who do that notice the unusual things in s data set.

“And citizen science doesn’t have to be directed by a scientist,” says Sheila Jasanoff, director of the Program on Science, Technology and Society at Harvard University. “Citizens producing knowledge in places where official organs have failed then can also be citizen scientists,” she says. That’s what happened in Flint, Michigan, when a local mother started drinking water tests that caused a broader investigation of lead levels.

Citizen-powered research is as old as scientific inquiry. For centuries before science became professionalized, regular people looked for patterns in the world around them. Despite a lot of advanced equipment and computer models, scientists still welcome help from everyday people.

As a professional scientist himself, Lintott says, “People think that were intelligent, but science is easy and we need your help.”

1.What made citizen scientists appear?

A.The high level of science projects B.The development of technology.

C.The support of the government. D.The foundation of Zooniverse.

2.What is a human advantage in pattern recognition compared with machines?

A.Humans can identify patterns mare swiftly.

B.Humans focus their attention on data.

C.Humans can observe uncommon things.

D.Humans have stronger emotions.

3.What is Lincon’s attitude towards citizen science?

A.Favorable. B.Cautious.

C.Indifferent. D.Doubtful.

4.What would be the best title of the text?

A.Citizen scientists can be intelligent. B.Science is important to everyone.

C.Anyone can be a scientist. D.Science is everywhere.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Traffic problems are an everyday concern in many cities，including Washington，DC．A growing number of Washingtonians are turning to bicycles to get to and from work．In fact，the number of commuters who use bicycles has doubled in the city since 2007．

Ralph Buehler teaches urban planning at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University，popularly known as Virginia Tech．He has written a book about urban biking，calledCity Cyclin . g．He says there is a reason why urban bike tiding is now becoming more popular．

“Over the last 60 to 70 years，cities in America have adapted to the automobile．”

“Most cities took advantage of the money coming for the interstate highway system，from the federal government，  starting in 1956．There was a 90 percent federal match(补贴)so the cities only had to put up 10％．It was very tempting．”

In the years after World War Two，many Americans moved to suburban communities，just outside major cities．They decided to travel great distances to and from work in exchange for a home in the suburbs．Their cars became a symbol of freedom．

But today，many people believe they can save money by living in the city．

Greg Billing is with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association．“When a person makes a change from using a car to using a bike，he／she is saving anywhere between 8 or $9，000 a year．”

Ralph Buehler says governments save money when people use bicycles．“Building bicycling facilities is much cheaper than building and maintaining road facilities or public transport．”

Washington，DC has also taken steps to protect bike riders．It approved a safe passing law and created areas on the road between cars and bikes．

The United States Census Bureau says 4％of the city’s workers ride to work by bike．The only city on the East Coast with more bike commuters is New York．

1.What does the writer mainly talk about in this passage?

A. Bicycling to work in Washington, DC grows in popularity

B. Bikes lead to new problems in Washington，DC

C. Washington，DC has taken steps to protect bike riders

D. People in Washington，DC prefers cars to bicycles

2.What can we know from Ralph Buehler’s statement?

A. A lot has been invested to build bicycling facilities in cities．

B. The federal government supported building public transport．

C. Cities didn’t use the money from the government wisely．

D. Urban biking has been popular in the last 60 to 70 years．

3.In the years after World War Two，many Americans prefer to____．

A. go to and from work by bike

B. live out of the major cities

C. travel long distances a lot

D. rent houses rather than buy ones

4.What do Ralph Buehler and Greg Billing agree with?

A. Public transport develop too rapidly recent years．

B. Government should build more bicycle facilities．

C. The cost of living in cities is lower than in the country．

D. More people using bicycles can save money．

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

An international group of coffee experts has considered Ethiopia’s coffee as the best in the world. Coffee is a top export of the country. But at home, it is seen as national pride. Ethiopians feel good about their coffee, and enjoying a drink with friends is a long tradition.

International coffee experts travel the world to find the best coffee. They keep returning to Ethiopia. Some people say the climate produces quality beans. Morton Wenner is a coffee importer. He said, “Ethiopia has different ancient types of coffee. They are planted in places with perfect soil, perfect altitude, and climates that are really suitable for coffee processing, such as drying and things like that.”

Finding the best quality beans is often an issue of taste. The process is known as cupping — tasting and comparing coffee from different roasted beans, grading and then pricing them.

But before international experts come to taste, coffee beans are studied in small coffee laboratories. Helen Assefa, a lab technician, describes the process, “When the coffee comes to the lab, we assess its quality first by recording the details. Then we weigh the wetness level and screen the beans for analysis. After that we polish the coffee beans and taste the samples. At the end we check for imperfect beans.”

Ethiopia is making big profits on its coffee reputation by exporting coffee to more than 120 countries. The country has an export income of more than $840 million a year. But not all the best coffee leaves Ethiopia. Forty percent of the coffee grown in the country stays there. It remains an important part of everyday life at work, at home and at ceremonies just to celebrate that special cup.

1.Where does the Ethiopian’s pride mainly come from?

A. Traditional practices. B. Food export. C. International experts. D. Best coffee.

2.Ethiopia produces best coffee because of ____________.

A. the special coffee taste B. the long-standing tradition

C. the satisfactory mild climate D. the favorable growing environment

3.Which of the following describes the process of studying coffee beans in the lab?

a. polish and taste

b. weigh the dampness level

c. record quality facts

d. analyze the beans

e. check for imperfection

A. d-c-b-a-e B. c-b-d-a-e C. e-c-a-b-d D. c-d-a-b-e

4.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A. Coffee is essential in Ethiopians’ daily lives.

B. Coffee is the most profitable industry in Ethiopia.

C. Most of the coffee production remains in Ethiopia.

D. Ethiopians often hold ceremonies to celebrate harvest.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析