The Art of Slow ReadingIf you are reading thi...

The Art of Slow Reading

If you are reading this article in print, chances are that you will only get through half of what I have written. And if you are reading this online, you may not even finish a fifth. 1. They suggest that many of us no longer have the concentration to read articles through to their conclusion.

So are we getting stupider? Actually, our online habits are damaging the mental power we need to process and understand textual information. Round-the-clock news makes us read from one article to the next without necessarily engaging fully with any of the content. Our reading is frequently interrupted by the noise of the latest email and we are now absorbing short bursts of words on Twitter and Facebook more regularly than longer texts. 2. But we are gradually forgetting how to sit back, think carefully, and relate all the facts to each other.

3. A desperate bunch of academics want us to take our time while reading, and re-reading. They ask us to switch off our computers every so often and rediscover both the joy of personal engagement with printed texts, and the ability to process them fully. What’s to be done then? Most slow readers realize that total rejection of the web is extremely unrealistic. They feel that getaway from technology for a while is the answer. 4.

Personally, I’m not sure whether I could ever go offline for long. Even while writing this article, I am switching constantly between sites, skimming too often, absorbing too little. Internet reading has become too rooted in my daily life for me to change. I read essays and articles not in hard copy but as PDFs. I suspect that many readers are in a similar position.5. You can download a computer application called Freedom, which allows you to read in peace by cutting off your Internet connection. Or if you want to avoid being disturbed by the Internet, you could always download offline reader Instapaper for your iPhone. If you’re still reading my article, that is slow reading.

A. The Internet is probably part of the problem.

B. Now some campaigns are advocating slow reading.

C. These are the two findings from the recent research projects.

D. But if you just occasionally want to read more slowly, help is at hand.

E. Some of them have suggested turning their computers off for one day a week.

F. Slow reading can help connect a reader to neighborhood and become popular.

G. Because of the Internet, we have become very good at collecting information.

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

The Art of Slow Reading

If you are reading this article in print, chances are that you will only get through half of what I have written. And if you are reading this online, you may not even finish a fifth. 1. They suggest that many of us no longer have the concentration to read articles through to their conclusion.

So are we getting stupider? Actually, our online habits are damaging the mental power we need to process and understand textual information. Round-the-clock news makes us read from one article to the next without necessarily engaging fully with any of the content. Our reading is frequently interrupted by the noise of the latest email and we are now absorbing short bursts of words on Twitter and Facebook more regularly than longer texts. 2. But we are gradually forgetting how to sit back, think carefully, and relate all the facts to each other.

3. A desperate bunch of academics want us to take our time while reading, and re-reading. They ask us to switch off our computers every so often and rediscover both the joy of personal engagement with printed texts, and the ability to process them fully. What's to be done then? Most slow readers realize that total rejection of the web is extremely unrealistic. They feel that getaway from technology for a while is the answer. 4. Personally, I'm not sure whether I could ever go offline for long. Even while writing this article, I am switching constantly between sites, skimming too often, absorbing too little. Internet reading has become too rooted in my daily life for me to change. I read essays and articles not in hard copy but as PDFs. I suspect that many readers are in a similar position. 5. You can download a computer application called Freedom, which allows you to read in peace by cutting off your Internet connection. Or if you want to avoid being disturbed by the Internet, you could always download offline reader Instapaper for your iPhone. If you're still reading my article, that is slow reading.

A. The Internet is probably part of the problem.

B. Now some campaigns are advocating slow reading.

C. These are the two findings from the recent research projects.

D. But if you just occasionally want to read more slowly, help is at hand.

E. Some of them have suggested turning their computers off for one day a week.

F. Slow reading can help connect a reader to neighborhood and become popular.

G. Because of the Internet, we have become very good at collecting information.

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

The Art of Slow Reading

If you are reading this article in print, chances are that you will only get through half of what I have written. And if you are reading this online, you may not even finish a fifth. 1. They suggest that many of us no longer have the concentration to read articles through to their conclusion.

So are we getting stupider? Actually, our online habits are damaging the mental power we need to process and understand textual information. Round-the-clock news makes us read from one article to the next without necessarily engaging fully with any of the content. Our reading is frequently interrupted by the noise of the latest email and we are now absorbing short bursts of words on Twitter and Facebook more regularly than longer texts. 2. But we are gradually forgetting how to sit back, think carefully, and relate all the facts to each other.

3. A desperate bunch of academics want us to take our time while reading, and re-reading. They ask us to switch off our computers every so often and rediscover both the joy of personal engagement with printed texts, and the ability to process them fully. What's to be done then? Most slow readers realize that total rejection of the web is extremely unrealistic. They feel that getaway from technology for a while is the answer. 4. Personally, I'm not sure whether I could ever go offline for long. Even while writing this article, I am switching constantly between sites, skimming too often, absorbing too little. Internet reading has become too rooted in my daily life for me to change. I read essays and articles not in hard copy but as PDFs. I suspect that many readers are in a similar position. 5. You can download a computer application called Freedom, which allows you to read in peace by cutting off your Internet connection. Or if you want to avoid being disturbed by the Internet, you could always download offline reader Instapaper for your iPhone. If you're still reading my article, that is slow reading.

A.The Internet is probably part of the problem.

B.Now some campaigns are advocating slow reading.

C.These are the two findings from the recent research projects.

D.But if you just occasionally want to read more slowly, help is at hand.

E.Some of them have suggested turning their computers off for one day a week.

F.Slow reading can help connect a reader to neighborhood and become popular.

G.Because of the Internet, we have become very good at collecting information.

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

I've written this article and you're reading it. So we are members of the same club. We're both literate一we can read and write. And we both probably feel that literacy is essential to our lives. But millions of people all over the world are illiterate. Even in industrialized Western countries, such as the UK and the USA, approximately 20% of the population have "low literacy levels". But what exactly does that mean?

My parents both left school at 14. They could read and write, but except for a quick look at the daily newspaper, reading and writing didn’t play a big part in their lives. There were very few books in the house. My mother was amazed because the woman who lived next door always wrote a list of what she needed before she went to the supermarket. Why couldn’t she remember? We laughed about that for weeks. Our family didn’t write lists! And when I was only 14 years old my father gave me an important letter that he'd written to the bank and asked me to check it for grammar and spelling mistakes. And there were quite a lot. He never usually wrote letters or postcards or even Christmas cards. So when he had to write he wasn't comfortable or confident. Does that mean that my father had a "low level of literacy"? I don't think so.

There are lots of different definitions of literacy. Some experts define it as having the reading and writing skills that you need to be independent in your everyday life. So, for example, if you can read instructions, write a cheque, fill in a form, 一anything that you need to do in everyday life一then you are "functionally literate".

Other people say that you are illiterate if you think that you are illiterate. In other words, if you feel that you can’t read or write as well as you would like to.

If you live in a society where most people are literate then you will feel ashamed or embarrassed and avoid situations in which you have to read or write. The father of a friend of mine finally admitted to his family that he couldn't read when he was 45 years old. He bought the newspaper every day and pretended to read it一and believe it or not, his family had no idea.

We often forget that writing is a recent invention. Many years ago, the word "literate" meant being able to communicate well in speaking, in other words what we now call "articulate". Story telling was an important activity in the past and still is today in some societies. Reading was often a cooperative activity一someone would read aloud to a group, often from a religious text such as the Koran or the Bible.

Only a hundred years ago, in the United States, you were considered to be literate if you could sign your name to a piece of paper. It was an important skill. You were not allowed to vote if you couldn’t sign the voting register, so literacy was connected with political rights, and many people were excluded from the democratic process.

Nowadays we see reading and writing as being connected, but that wasn’t so in the past. Many people could read, but not write. Writing was a skilled profession. If you needed something written then you paid an expert to write it for you.

And of course, rich and important people have always employed people to write things for them. Important company bosses dictated letters to their secretaries or personal assistants. And now with new computer software you can dictate directly to your computer.

Being illiterate can have a big effect on people’s lives. For example, a study in the UK showed that people who write and spell badly are seen as careless, immature and unreliable, and often unintelligent. So it is more difficult for them to find jobs, even when reading and writing are not necessary for the work.

World-wide statistics show that literacy problems are associated with poverty and a lack of political power. More women than men are illiterate. Illiterate people have worse health, bigger families and are more likely to go to prison. So literacy campaigns must be a good thing. But don’t forget that an illiterate person, or someone with a low level of literacy, isn't necessarily stupid or ignorant — and may not be unhappy at all. Knowledge and wisdom isn't only found in writing.

1.Why does the author give two examples in Para 2?

A. To show that Father was more literate than Mother.

B. To show that literacy is interpreted in different ways.

C. To indicate how important reading and writing are.

D. To compare the level of literacy between neighbours.

2.According to the author, the following are some of the defining features of literacy EXCETT_____.

A. independent　　 B. psychological　　 C. functional　　 D. social

3.Which of the following statements about reading and writing is CORRECT?

A. Reading and writing have always been regarded as equally difficult.

B. People had to read and write well in order to be allowed to vote.

C. Reading and writing have always been viewed as being connected.

D. Reading often requires more immediate interaction than writing.

4.What do the last two paragraphs mainly focus on?

A. Effects of illiteracy and employment problems.

B. Effects of illiteracy on one’s personality development.

C. Effects of illiteracy and associated problems.

D. Effects of illiteracy on women’s career development.

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

If you are reading this right now, you are taking part in the wonder of literacy. Because of printed words, people can relay information across both time and space. Much of the credit for this phenomenon can be attributed to one man.

Born in Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg, studied at the University of Erfurt in 1418 and spent much of his young adult life practicing the profession of goldsmithing. In 1439 Gutenberg borrowed money from investors but found himself in financial trouble.

In 1439 the city in which Gutenberg lived was planning to exhibit a large collection of some relics, which was expected to bring many visitors to the town. Gutenberg created many metal mirrors which were to be sold to the visitors. The mirrors probably would have sold well, but due to severe flooding the event was delayed by one year. The investors demanded that Gutenberg return their investments, but he had already spent the money on the mirrors. In order to satisfy the investors, Gutenberg decided to share his secret with them. This secret would forever change the world, all of history, and even the, process of keeping history. He had created the mechanical printing press with movable type.

Gutenberg’s brilliant idea would soon change the world, but he was in financial trouble once again and was accused of mismanaging money. The courts ruled against Gutenberg and Gutenberg lost .the shop he had created.

Before the spread of Gutenberg, s idea, literature was primarily handwritten and thus books were extremely rare and valuable. There was little reason for common people to learn to read or write. Gutenberg’s invention would change all of that. His printing press allowed literature to be produced on a mass scale. His movable metal type could be arranged once to form a page, and his press could print the page again and again.

Though Gutenberg had failed as a businessman, the technologies that he had created spread across Europe rapidly. As these printing technologies and techniques spread, news and books began to travel across Europe much faster than previously possible. The world has not been the same since.

1.Which of the following can replace the underlined word in Paragraph one?

A. referred　　 B. devoted

C. exposed　　 D. owed

2.Why did Gutenberg’s plan to sell mirrors fail?

A. The mirrors were less popular than he had expected.

B. Flooding delayed the event for an entire year.

C. Too many other people had the same idea.

D. Newly invented glass mirrors made his metal mirrors old-fashioned.

3.Which of the following is best supported by evidence from the text?

A. Gutenberg’s idea was a tremendous success that made him incredibly wealthy.

B. Gutenberg’s idea didn’t become popular in his lifetime, but grew very popular after his death.

C. Gutenberg, s idea did not make him rich but spread very quickly.

D. Gutenberg, s idea did not become popular right away but made him incredibly rich over time.

4.Which of the following titles best expresses the main idea of this text?

A. Investing Wisely: Turning Your Good Ideas into Money

B. How to Make Books Using the Gutenberg Method

C. The City of Mainz: Life in Medieval Germany

D. Gutenberg: A Man Who Changed the World

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

This book contains a ________ of several articles in nuclear physics so you can read it before you read the book in detail.

A. digest　　　　　　　　 B. digestion

C. preview　　　　　　　 D. manual

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to 36  down. But moderate relaxation is necessary for a healthy mind and body.

Stress is a 37  part of everyday life and there is no way to 38  it. In fact, it is not the bad thing that it is often supposed to be. A certain amount of stress is important to provide motivation and give 39  to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.

The amount of stress a person can bear 40  very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such 41  are obviously chief material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at first 42  of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make a choice between 43  and fight. And in more ancient days the choices made the 44  between life and death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme, but however little the stress, it requires the same response. It is when such a reaction 45  long, through continued exposure to stress, that health becomes _ 46 . Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart diseases have 47  links with stress. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives we need to find ways to deal with it. It would be unwise to do so even if we could.

So what do you think of stress? What is your way to deal with it?

高三英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, being ______ from morning till night, it is hard to _________ down. But relaxation is necessary for a healthy mind and body.

Stress is a ______ part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. However, it is not the bad thing that is often supposed to be. A ________ amount of stress is important to provide motivation and give _______ to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ________ health.

The amount of stress a person can _________ depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously chief material for managerial responsibilities (经营责任). Others lose heart at the __________ of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and __________.

In fact, we make a choice between “fright and fight”. And in more __________ days the choices made the difference between life and ________. The crises we meet today are _______ to be so extreme, but however __________ the stress is, it requires the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long, through continued exposure to stress, that ________ becomes endangered. Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart diseases have established links with ________. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives (it would be unwise to do even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.

1.A. angry　　　　　 B. busy　　　　　　　 C. well　　　　　　　　　 D. happy

2.A. slow　　　　　　 B. calm　　　　　　　 C. get　　　　　　　　　　 D. turn

3.A. physical　 　　 B. natural　　　　 C. hard　　　　　　　　　 D. terrible

4.A. small　　　　　 B. certain　　　　　 C. large　　　　　　　　 D. great

5.A. purpose　　　　 B. resource　　　　 C. influence　　　　　　 D. instruction

6.A. ill　　　　　 　 B. good　　　　　　　 C. strong　　　　　　　　 D. weak

7.A. hear　　　　　　 B. see　　　　　　　 C. bear　　　　　　　　　 D. meet

8.A. end　　　　　　 B. site　　　　　　 C. sight　　　　　　　　 D. impression

9.A. physically　 B. mentally　　　　 C. economically　　　 D. spiritually

10.A. modern　　　　 B. difficult　　　 C. ancient　　　　　　 D. different

11.A. work　　　　　 B. hardship　　　　 C. unhappiness　　　　 D. death

12.A. unlikely　　 B. likely　　　　　　 C. necessary　　　　　 D. probable

13.A. great　　　　 B. little　　　　　　 C. big　　　　　　　　　 D. late

14.A. situation　 B. trouble　　　　　 C. health　　　　　　　　 D. number

15.A. stress　　　 B. illness　　　　　 C. bitter　　　　　　　　 D. happiness

高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.

Stress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. In fact, it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be. A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.

The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make a choice between "fight" or "flight" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme, but however little the stress is, it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long, through continued exposure to stress, that health becomes endangered. Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives (it would be unwise to do so even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.

1.People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.

A. they do not know how to enjoy themselves

B. they do not believe that relaxation is important for health

C. they are travelling fast all the time

D. they are becoming busier with their work

2.According to the writer, the most important character for a good manager is his ________.

A. not fearing stress                                                  B. knowing the art of relaxation

C. high sense of responsibility                D. having control over performance

3.Which of the following statements is true?

A. We can find some ways to avoid stress.

B. Stress is always harmful to people.

C. It is easy to change the habit of keeping oneself busy with work.

D. Different people can withstand different amounts of stress.

4.In Paragraph 3, "such a reaction" refers back to_______.

A. "making a choice between 'flight' or 'fight'"

B. "reaction to stress both chemically and physically"

C. "responding to crises quickly"

D. "losing heart at the signs of difficulties"

5.In the last sentence of the passage, "do so " refers to ______.

A. "expose ourselves to stress"

B. "find ways to deal with stress"

C. "remove stress from our lives"

D. "established links between diseases and stress"

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through lift, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.

Stress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. In fact, it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be. A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.

The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between "fight" or "flight" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme, but however little the stress is, it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long, through continued exposure to stress, that health becomes endangered. Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives (it would be unwise to do so even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.

1.People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.

A.they do not know how to enjoy themselves

B.they do not believe that relaxation is important for health

C.they are travelling fast all the time

D.they are becoming busier with their work

2.According to the writer, the most important character for a good manager is his ________.

A.not fearing stress              B.knowing the art of relaxation

C.high sense of responsibility    D.having control over performance

3.Which of the following statements is true?

A.We can find some ways to avoid stress.

B.Stress is always harmful to people.

C.It is easy to change the habit of keeping oneself busy with work.

D.Different people can withstand different amounts of stress.

4.In the last sentence of the passage, "do so " refers to ______.

A."expose ourselves to stress"

B."find ways to deal with stress"

C."remove stress from our lives"

D."established links between diseases and stress"

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析